Running With Purpose: How Animal Welfare Shapes My Journey as a Runner and Coach

If you had told me when I first started running that it would eventually connect to something like animal welfare, I probably wouldn’t have believed you.

At the time, running was just running. Something I grew into, something I got better at, something that eventually took me to competing in college. But like most people’s journeys, it didn’t stay that simple. And honestly, I’m glad it didn’t.

Because somewhere along the way, running became more than just performance for me. It became a way to care about something bigger.

From Shady Valley to Something Bigger

I grew up in Shady Valley, Tennessee, tucked into the Appalachian Mountains. It is the kind of place where being outside is just part of daily life. You notice things. The terrain, the quiet, the wildlife, the seasons changing.

One of the most unique parts of where I grew up is the cranberry bog, which is actually one of the only naturally occurring cranberry bogs in the region. The Nature Conservancy has worked to preserve it, and it is something I probably took for granted at the time, but now see as incredibly special.

That environment shaped me in ways I did not fully understand until later. Being connected to land, to animals, to something bigger than yourself does that.

After college, when I was figuring out what came next, I found myself working in parks and recreation in Kentucky. One of the things I got to be part of was organizing a local race that raised money for animal welfare.

That stuck with me.

It was one of the first times I saw running not just as something personal, but as something that could actually do something.

Running Isn’t Just About You

A lot of running culture is very inward-focused. Splits, mileage, goals, PRs.

And those things matter. I am a coach. I care about performance. I care about progress.

But I also think there is something really grounding about connecting your running to something outside of yourself.

For me, that has always been animals.

I have four cats, and I also feed a stray that I fully consider mine. He just has no interest in being caught or contained.

I will always find a way to notice animals when I am out on a run. It keeps things in perspective.

Running is important, but it is not everything. And sometimes remembering that is exactly what makes you a better, more sustainable runner.

Purpose Changes How You Show Up

When running is only about outcomes, it is really easy to get stuck.

You start chasing numbers. You start forcing progress. You start feeling like you are constantly behind.

But when you layer in purpose, whether that is animal welfare, community, mental health, or anything else, it changes the way you show up.

It gives your running more depth.

It makes the process feel more meaningful, even on the days where the workout is not perfect.

How This Shapes My Coaching

This mindset carries directly into how I coach.

Yes, I use science. Yes, I care about structure and progression and doing things the right way.

But I also care about the human behind the training.

• What motivates you
• What you care about outside of running
• Why you started in the first place

Because those things matter just as much as the workouts.

When you build training around a real person, not just a plan, you get something that lasts.

You Don’t Have to Choose

You do not have to choose between being a serious runner and caring about something beyond the sport.

In fact, I would argue the opposite.

The runners who last the longest, the ones who stay consistent, who stay grounded, who actually enjoy it, are the ones who have something bigger tied into what they are doing.

Final Thought

Running is great. It really is.

But it is even better when it connects you to something beyond yourself.

For me, that is animal welfare.
For you, it might be something completely different.

Either way, it matters.

Want to Hear the Full Conversation?

I talk more about this and my full journey into running and coaching in my recent podcast episode on the Maximum Mileage Podcast.

You can listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dont-stop-til-you-get-enough-feat-hannah-witt/id1692891567?i=1000757519313

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