This is the question I have been asking myself lately; is running an obsession for me?
Answer: Of course, it has to be!
What 49 year old would go outside 6 days a week and run the same route in rain, snow, cold or hot? Who would do this for almost a year and take between 1 – 2 hours a day doing it? Who would want to wake up in the morning and have the first feeling one of pain as they get out of the bed?
Running takes almost 100% of my free time. Running makes my body hurt. Running is boring. Running pushes my cardiovascular system to the edge (sometimes).
If running weren’t an obsession, I WOULDN’T DO IT!
But let’s look at it from another perspective…
Running has helped me loose over 85 lbs. Running helps me sleep better. Running helps me deal with life’s stresses in a way I never had before. Running has brought down my heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar and in general added years onto my life.
Everyone has an obsession. I am glad that running is mine.
I love running.
278 to Boston 
I like the word dedicated more. But I know exactly what you mean.
Agree. Both can be used in this instance. It’s only that for me, dedication can be optional and obsession cannot. Dedication, to me, is self will. Obsession is something bigger than yourself pushing you to do what you do. That might not make sense, but it does in my head 🙂