Keeping Up A Running Habit In Veterinary School
By Aly D. ’25, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student
When I started veterinary school, I was worried that I would spend all of my time in class, in the lab, or at my desk studying. I thought that long distance running, a hobby I’ve been doing for several years, would quickly become a thing of the past.
However, throughout the first three years of veterinary school, I have found quite the opposite to be true. I have never been more consistent in my running schedule than I have been during vet school!
The August before vet school, I bonded with one of my classmates over our love for running. We made a plan to start running short distances every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday beginning the week before vet school started. Although we eventually switched to two days a week, we stayed consistent, and weeks turned into months and semesters of running together. Our weekly morning meetups were an excellent way to keep me accountable because I had a buddy who was expecting me to show up and conquer our workout each day.
During my second year, I gained another running buddy when I overheard one of my classmates talking about completing the same half marathon I was registered for. We began comparing training schedules and how we were planning to work up to 13.1 miles. She was my encouragement and supported me as we increased mileage together. After tackling a half marathon the winter break of second year, we set our sights on completing our first full marathon this spring during our third year of vet school.
Throughout vet school, I have run routes with several of my classmates who share the joy of outdoor running. Their support has encouraged and inspired me to stay consistent and to continue challenging myself to complete longer distances that I would have never attempted before. Much to my surprise, I have grown as a runner throughout vet school.
Veterinary medicine is a team sport in many ways and thanks to the support from my running buddies, I plan on conquering my first full marathon this spring!