Commonwealth Avenue was flooded with runners yesterday. To some degree it’s always pretty busy this time of year as marathoners ramp up their mileage and want to practice on the infamous Heartbreak Hill, but I think it’s busier than ever this year. Obviously this is a big year for the Boston Marathon and I think that explains some of it, but the abundance of runners got me thinking about why people run such ridiculous distances.

For some folks, it’s all about the end goal of running a marathon – specifically, the Boston Marathon. For others it’s the joy that simply running brings to them (not me!). There’s also the comradery that comes from distance running, either with your running buddies or passing others on the road.

But what binds all marathoners together is that we run with purpose – not for running’s sake alone. We’re out there to raise money for charities we believe in, like I am for Newton Schools Foundation; we’re out there to prove we can do something really difficult; we’re out there to build our self-confidence and endurance. There are so many reasons to run and it’s humbling for me to think about this as I pass others on the road, realizing that they, too, run with purpose.

To all of the other marathoners out there – why do you do it? I’ll certainly be asking that of my students on Dreamfar this week.