Let's face it. When you run the same route over and over again, it can be hard to keep the sport fresh and alive.
If we're going to run for the rest of our lives, we need something more to our running. For me, this "more" comes in the form of 1) seeing progress, 2) running for a reason, and 3) having a good deal of variety whenever possible. As you know, one of the things I'm doing is running the High Bridge Trail backwards -- from Rice toward Farmville instead of from Farmville toward Rice.
As for my reason, running has become a life-changing experience for me. Running helps my body, nourishes my soul, and sharpens my mind. It's proven to me that you can do almost anything if you simply give it your best effort and trust God for the results. If I had known this would happen, I would have started running many years before I did. I will never be able to thank my daughter enough for getting me into the sport. Even now I'm amazed at all the things I've become because of her example -- a marathoner, a triathlete, a mountaineer, an adventurer -- and all because I'm simply willing to move my own two feet.
With each day of training, it becomes more difficult not to be an athlete. You know you're a runner when you understand that the body you have is the only body you will ever get. You won't get to exchange it until the resurrection. Until then, giving in to the mystery of running makes every training run, including today's 10K, an adventure.
Hope this helps in your own fitness journey!