I am beyond excited to finally have a platform specifically devoted to discussions about running, philosophy, and physical and mental health. I have been intrigued by human psychology and introspective techniques since I have been capable of rational thought, and my interest in these topics only increased when I discovered running as a catalyst to introspection and creative ideas! The human mind is capable of incredible things, and it functions even more to our favor when we take good care of it. Naturally, caring for the most complex part of our being is a complex issue. Fortunately, we are also gifted with instincts, intuition, and science, which are tools that we can use to cultivate our minds and habits to maximize our own happiness and that of those around us.
Because I believe that a speaker’s relationship to his audience is important, I will briefly outline a bit about my life to give a rough outline of who I am (but if you are curious about who is authoring these peculiar posts, you can read more in the About Me section of this blog). I am a recent graduate of Lawrence University with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and Spanish, and I am a Division 3 All-American in track (10k) and cross country (8k). I was also a personal trainer in college and worked at a specialty running store for a year. Aside from this, I believe that I get most of my academic authority on some of these topics from the mass amounts of running, psychology, and philosophy books I have devoured throughout my lifetime. Of course, conversations I’ve had with incredible runners, coaches, teachers, and friends have also greatly contributed to my ideas.
I have experienced life as the epitome of privilege and euphoria, and I have also sunk to the depths of depression and anxiety and hopelessness about life, although I don’t pretend to know everything about anything. My favorite paraphrased lesson from philosophy, attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, is “The wise know that they know nothing.” Having an open mind about everything and a modest attitude towards your own excellences is key to paving your own road to becoming a better person. My goal in writing this blog is to inspire others to open their minds in all aspects of their lives and to live with an emphasis on love and awareness.
While I feel that much of the philosophy in this blog will be applicable to multiple aspects of life outside of running, I believe that running is a great starting point for many of these discussions and that it is an incredible metaphor for life, aside from the fact that it overwhelmingly leads to improvements in one’s mental and physical health.
Please enjoy my discussions on these topics and read them with a critical eye. Although I am new to blogging and working out the technicalities of this site, I highly encourage critical feedback (just click on the Contact Us tab). Thank you all for your support, and remember to dive headfirst into life because you only get one!
Sincerely,
Joshua Janusiak