There is no secret to becoming a runner. Get yourself a pair of running shoes, some athletic pants and a top and hit the pavement.

The dictionary definition of run is “to go quickly by moving the legs more rapidly than at a walk and in such a manner that for an instant in each step all or both feet are off the ground.” But it is so much more than that.

Running is a perfect metaphor for life; you get out what you put in. There are no shortcuts in running or life. It is also all about enjoying what you are doing and making it enjoyable. Yes, it is painful, nobody said it would not be. But then again, the same thing applies in life.

Of course, there are the fun parts of running. The long runs with friends, getting a runners’ high where you feel like you can run forever, the games, the memories and so much more. Then there are the times when everything hurts; when you just want to stop and give up. Just like in life. What will set one apart is how they deal with the bad times.

Running is more than the foundation to other sports or a punishment that most people dread. Running is whatever one makes of it. Have fun, try new things and most of all, remember to keep looking forward.