Thoughts on Running

When I worked on my first book Running Shoes Are a Girl's Best Friend I did an exercise aimed at defining its key theme. Using a stream-of-consciousness clustering approach I typed the following list:

Running is fun
Running is joy
Running is cool
Running is special
Running is simple
Running is natural
Running is new friends
Running is achievement
Running is health
Running is ability
Running is determination
Running is yours to take
Running is creativity
Running is passion
Running is willpower
Running is a choice
Running is exploration
Running is discovery
Running is liberating
Running is mental
Running is crazy
Running is wild
Running is self-awareness
Running is nature/natural
Running is universal
Running is dedication
Running is challenging your beliefs
Running is trust
Running is amazing
Running is control
Running is freedom
Running is unlimited
Running is tough
Running is easy
Running is character
Running is laughter/funny
Running is weird
Running is feet
Running is legs
Running is lungs
Running is desire
Running is peace
Running is silence
Running is deep
Running is philosophy
Running is a way of life