That’s the question I get asked most often when they know I go out for a run in the morning. In the winter.
Indeed, a subtle background of insanity must be there however the motivations are the same as Martino described in his post and, again, he wrote to me this morning after a 2°C run, “Cold is a physical condition. The mental one is ‘I am immortal!'”
I actually run at that time because I have no other free time and then I like to start the day with a good dose of endorphins. The beauty of the almost deserted back roads, landscapes that take one’s breath away, and-let’s not forget-the looks of admiration (mixed with pity) from the people I meet.
One of the necessary skills for anyone who runs (or aspires to run) is . discipline. It is essential for finding time to exercise, to go to bed early, to limit yourself in food when you would like to binge. Because of this, training also brings improvement in willpower and the ability to achieve the goals we set, it makes us better. (and also quite a bit crazier)
These are my motivations. Ah… I generally answer the question, “It’s beautiful, you should try it.” How about you?