Why I Run (Runner Photo Challenge Week 2)

Week 2 of Maggie's Runner Photo Challenge!

This week's challenge:

Why do you run? What is the main reason? We all have multiple reasons why we run (physical and mental health, friends, competition, etc), but what is The One main reason you keep lacing up and getting out there? This is a little open-ended, so have fun with it! Be creative.

This one took some thought!  It was hard, really hard, to narrow my motivations for running down to a single reason... but they do say that a picture is worth a thousand words.  Therefore, I present thee with thou:

Deeply philosophical, no?

Here's the symbolism behind this picture (flashback to junior high English class!):

Cookie
I love to eat, and my combination sweet tooth and salt tooth are forces to be reckoned with.  Running allows me to feel less guilty about downing chocolate desserts or other good eats that don't show up on the food pyramid.

Monster
Running calms me down and centers me, and allows me to think more clearly.  When I haven't gone running for awhile, the odds increase for me to teeter into belligerence if provoked.  In short, I am more likely to exhibit monster-like behavior when I am run-deprived.

Monster's Blue Color
Running helps me to burn off any stresses, frustrations, or other negative emotions that might be clouding my mind at any given moment.  A good run always helps ward off any "blue" feelings.

Sesame Street Theme
When I was a child, I was carefree and my goal was to play and have fun, no worries about anything including appearance.  (Gosh, do I miss those days!)  My runs are short times in which, like a child, I can just enjoy myself, let loose, and listen to whatever random music I want to.  No concerns about being sweaty and unkempt, and no worries (albeit temporarily) about grown-up stuff like deadlines, performance reviews, or whatever broke that day.

IN SUMMARY (and so I don't get accused of cheating in this challenge)...
I run because it makes me feel good.  Or at least it makes me feel better, even if just for a little while.

Extra Credit!
If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video must be worth a million!  There is really only one video that does justice here.