Run This Town

Since the time when I arrived in DC three weeks ago, I have promised myself to go running around the Capital City whenever my mentality allows.  I have been running for the past eight years and many of those years were spent running almost every single day, but now that I am actually working from 9 to 5 in an adult job, even I cannot bring myself to go out for a solid jog on a daily basis.  That’s why I make my workouts here count; I aim to get the most out of the city and of myself every time I start the run down Capitol Hill.

I know for a fact that running can be one of the most stress relieving things someone can do for themselves after a long day.  Whenever I am in Columbus, I sometimes wish I was back in Cincinnati running in a park near my home or going on a jog near the Ohio River.  But now that I am in DC, I only imagine all the other places around the city that I haven’t been to yet.  Simply knowing that I am running by the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, or up to the gates of Arlington National Cemetery is, in a way, humbling to me.  I am pushing myself to put in a good workout, and I am also getting to be a part of our nation’s capital in the process.  I enjoy every single second of these runs, which can be a hard thing to do even after eight years of running. 

Basically what my running comes down to is that it is almost like an escape for me here.  It is an escape from work, being a student, writing a policy paper, eating junk in our apartment, etc.  It is just a way for me to go out and do something productive with myself and get to know this amazing city in a much more meaningful way.  I think everyone who is here in DC should try and find some way to do that for themselves.  Find an escape to know Washington better and appreciate the very fact that your life has led you to this point.  You won’t regret it, I promise. 

- Alex Polivka