Why Running is Better than NOT Running

I ran a mile today. Yep. That's it. I ran a mile. And actually, I'm lying. I ran-walked a mile. It was mostly a walk. I walked a mile. And it's making me crazy.

Something's wrong-- my IT band, my hip flexor, my running form... my age. Whatever it is, my body just said... 

So, I'm trying to pedal away my stress instead of eating away my stress. But man, I just miss running. 

Why running is better than not running:

1. Stress relief-- I just completely sweat out all my problems when I'm out there on a run. I think the stress relief is primarily found in the following...

2. Solitude-- When I run, it's just me. I listen to music, or not. Podcasts, or not. There are no demands on me except for those distance or pace goals I place on myself. I can just think. Or pray. Or solve world problems. Or just be.

I'm really sure Runner's World could give you a much more exhaustive (see what I did there) list of scientific reasons why running is better. But those two are huge. And enough for me.