I ran my first 5k when I was 8... I won. When my Mother tells the story she usually fails to mention that I was 1 of 2 entry's in my age division, or that she left me to run the second half by myself. 8 years old running down the road with a group of strangers. I am ok and currently have no long term trauma from the event that I am aware of. Since then I have run for my high school cross country team, run to stay in shape for college soccer, and run to maintain my PT score for the Marine Corps. When I was done with high school, college, & the Marines I found no real point in running. I never found any real joy in the activity, I just did it. It's kinda the way I feel the about brushing my teeth. 

Last summer I went for a hike up and down Pikes Peak with two friends. He convinced me to wear running shoes, a small camel pack, and the shortest shorts I owned. Seven hours later I was soaking in the creek in Manitou wishing the pain would stop. I had just been tricked into running 25 miles up & down a mountain. I was hooked. The next day I made a painful ascent of Princeton with the same group. At the end of the summer I watched my same friend (Pat Garcia) run the Leadville 100. In a foolish move that is characteristic of me I registered for my first ultra a week later - the Silverton Alpine Marathon (50k). By the time the race was over I had a new sport.

I don't think I will ever be a competitive runner, but the point is that has running changed for me. It was an activity that I could tolerate before. When I re-framed it as hiking as fast as I could I fell in love with it. Trail runners get to see the best of our state from their own two feet. I have spent hours lugging a pack full of gear up our hills (which I still enjoy), but I could have done 2 or 3 peaks with a pair of sneakers on instead.

For the last few months I have been in the densest city in the world for work. Last night I ran 8 miles by running around the 4/10th of a mile park loop. I still don't like running and can't wait to start hiking really fast again.