I was out the other day, and thinking about why I run, why is it so important to me? I was going through a list of things that, were important, but felt like side benefits; for fitness, health, mental health, a sense of freedom, helps me clear my head.... and then I realised why I really ran. Because it's when I most feel like myself. Gabrielle. Not a mother, or partner. Not a coach, or a 54 year old. It's when all the labels we have, all the demands on our time, simply fall away and there is nothing to distract me or take away my attention from being me. And while I feel like the simplest, purest version of me, I feel ageless, because thats just another label. It's when me, my mind, my body and the energy that comes from that deeper part of me are one. That's why I run. And that's why I'll keep doing all the things that give me the energy, strength and motivation to keep running.