hy do we run? It’s not so that we can spend countless hours doing laundry every week, take ice baths in the dead of winter, apply lubricant to our bodies in places we didn’t know existed, own a foam roller, or to indulge in culinary delights such as blueberry pomegranate GU.

Some of us, like me, are driven by time goals oblivious to the very essence of the journey itself. The enjoyment is derived from setting and achieving a goal and the beauty is found in pushing your body and mind to limits never thought possible. As T.S. Elliot stated, "Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." Others meanwhile, unencumbered by the tick of the clock enjoy the journey itself. As the great Arthur Ashe noted, “Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” Needless to say, almost everyone can agree that completing a marathon is a satisfying feeling-a personal victory over the distance.

History itself may teach us something about marathons. The marathon is, after all, the product of one of the most significant events in ancient history, the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. The Athenians were grossly outmanned, yet somehow managed to defeat the army and navy of the powerful Persians. Had Athens lost it would have become part of a despotic Persian empire. The ensuing two hundred years of Greek enlightenment, which are marked by the writings and thinking of individuals such as Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle would have been no more than a pipedream. Folklore tells us that following the victory, Pheidippides ran about 25 miles from Marathon to Athens to announce the victory. He then collapsed and died.

On April 19, I, along with thousands of other runners, including over thirty-five Flyers, descended on Boston to run the 114th Boston Marathon. Thankfully none of us collapsed and died, but nonetheless battles were waged and victories attained; Christine Morgenroth placed 10th in her age group, Brian Hsia ran under 3 hours, eight Flyers achieved PR’s (Lisa Ferrisi, Deb Meyer, Christine Morgenroth, Brian Hsia, Lindsay Metcalfe, Edward Ryeom, Deiderik Van Hoogstraten and John Whitfield), 24 achieved Boston qualifying times, and all overcame the punishment of the grueling downhills and vengeance of the seemingly endless Heartbreak Hill to cross the finish line.

Unlike other large marathons, the Boston Marathon retains an aura of regality not present in other races. It partly derives from the fact it is the worlds oldest marathon, run first in 1897 to celebrate Patriot’s Day, the anniversary of the start of American Revolutionary War and the Battles of Concord and Lexington. It also stems from another fact; the Boston Marathon is one of the few marathons in the world with qualifying standards.

Over the past 18 months in pursuit of those limited and revered entries, most of the Boston Marathon participants ran qualifying races with the strength, courage, and focus of a warrior entering battle. Determined and motivated, we pushed ourselves and felt tremendous satisfaction in knowing we could accomplish the unthinkable. Like Pheidippides, we were on a mission. Unlike Pheidippides we lived to savor our achievement.

This brings us back to the question why we run to begin with. Do we run simply to qualify for a race or to achieve a predetermined time? To some runners this single-mindedness diminishes the overall experience and stifles one's enjoyment of the journey. In this approach, qualifying races are chosen based upon the difficulty of the course and the favorability of the weather instead of the beauty of the region and richness of the destination. Races are run within “the zone,” oblivious to the sights, sounds, and smells of the event.

Or do we run to enjoy the event itself? Boston is a fantastically fun race that is guaranteed to stimulate all five senses; from the sight of the fantastic crowds to constant smell of beer and smoldering barbeques, from the famed “Wellesley Wall of Sound” where thousands of coeds scream and ask you for kisses to the warm support of the Flyer cheering section at mile 17, from the signs providing the score to the Red Sox’s game being played at Fenway Park, to smiling faces of young children handing out candy and orange slices, you are inspired, amazed, and entertained virtually the entire way.

So why do we run? There is no right or wrong answer. The reasons we run are as diverse as the places we run, the distances we race, and the people we run them with. But what is most important, is that like those brave men and women heading into battle we all run with poise and dignity. Whether you run a 5k or a 50 miler, a five minute mile or a 15 minute mile, we are all runners and members of the same running community. Respect yourself, respect others and take pride and pleasure in what you do.