Running is my mental dashboard

Ok. So I took my little Luke out for a 2.5 mile stroll today (Sunday). I was observing him while I was running. Watching him take it all in. First we ran along the water, watching the boats & the people. Then we stopped to see the dogs at the dog park. Then we ran around Battery Park and worked our way back to the swings so Luke could play while I could cool off.

But while Luke & I were running, I saw a similarity between the curiousity of a little kid and that of a runner. When Luke is looking around, he's learning things for the first time. Calibrating thoughts and taking everything in afresh. Only when I run to I feel like I do the same thing. Running is my mental dashboard. It's my thinking time when I generate thoughts, ideas for work. Or have more macro thoughts about my life, my family, my job, my goals. Occasionally it serves as my life's to do list or my days to do list. My thought process can be as macro or micro as I want it to be. But seldom do I have a time when I can just go out there & think. And that's what I love about running. If only I had more time to do it.

Fortunately my running isn't as slow as my blogging

I've been pretty bad recently with my blogging. Its tough to keep up. Running is such a great routine & ritual to it, that it's not something that you want to spend too much time writing about. I used to write in my nikerunning.com personal diary, but that outlined what shoes I used, how many miles I ran, what the weather was like, what my pace was, etc. That was more of the factual information I needed to know to ensure that I didn't run myself into the ground. This is more self-reflective, which is always more difficult to write about.

Ok, I think the verbal diarrhea above is sufficient enough to fool people into thinking I wrote in my post. Kidding.

Here is my thought of the day. Running is a very personal thing. What you seek to accomplish, what you actually accomplish, what you are thinking about while doing it, how you feel, etc. Its typically peformed in the public domain but seldom shared in the public domain. Every runner has their own stories, their own experiences but you couldn't identify what they are just from looking at them. That is why I like the blog, you can express your inner-runningness & you can learn from the wisdom of other runners.

Runners high is cool

I'm righting these blogs post-daily as I did not get around to post my blogs on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday, so there you go.

This blog goes back to my Tuesday & Wednesday runs. Amazing. That is all I can say about them. These runs were this moment in time when the world opens itself up and it's just you, your body, the earth. Now let me prefaces by saying that I'm not one of these supernatural guys who speaks of exersential life and all that mumbo jumbo. No. But there are moments in life, where it all just seems to come together. The weather was absolutely amazing. Stunning fall days of sun, clear sky and a light breeze that feels so good when you run. I just felt on. I had a tremendous amount of energy. A very clear head, that only got clearer when I was running. I could have run for every.

Throw in some music and then I'm on my way. They talk about a runners high. I get that. I think it's the relationship between you, your body and the earth. Not a bad drug to bottle up eh?

Monday is my day in cruise control

I never run on Mondays. It's too early in the week to do much of anything beyond just trying to ramp up for the week. The funny thing is that I'd probably start the week so much more efficiently if I just got up in the morning and went for a run. Get the blood pumping, unleash those endorphins and I'd be on my way. But no, instead I ingest coffee and complacently sit at my desk checking e-mails and getting ready for the work week ahead. I must run on Mondays. To start the week right.

I was too busy running to write...

Ok, so I didn't submit my post on Sunday. Reason being? It was a beautiful day and I felt compelled to be outside running, or walking and doing outdoorsy things.

It was ok. Felt a little sluggish, but felt good after the run. Need to keep up the pace and try to run as consistently as possible. Feel so much bettr throughout the day when I run.

It was time to untie the knots

I needed to run today. No matter the distance. My brain was in a knot. My body was feeling sluggish. After a long work week. I needed to go for a run.

I set out to only run 10 minutes since I had a bunch of things I needed to do. But I just kept going. My mind wandering, my body feeling more in synch I just kept running. I ran 3 miles, which months ago would be just another run, but now sadly was a big accomplishment. But it felt great. And now a few hours later I feel great. I feel more in control. I feel sharper. I've eater better today & haven't craved junk food. I'm excited it's only Saturday and I have another day with my little Luke.

So now I must leave you as I'm going to take Luke out to the swings.

Running is a time machine

This morning I went to Paris, Moab, Martha's Vineyard & Sun Valley. All from the comfortable confines of my running trail along the West Side Highway.

Do you ever have those times when you are on vacation and you watch a movie while on vacation. And that heightened state of relaxation makes that movie so much more enjoyable. And then the next time you watch that same movie it takes you back to that relaxation & enjoyment of that vacaton. Its one of those lush pavlovian dog things. Well, I think running is kind of the same way. Every time I run the course I that I used to run while training for the marathon, it reminds me of that mental & physical space I was in and all those places along the way I ran to get me to that space.

So while I was really running along the river by the west side highway running trail yesterday, it was almost as if I was running in all these interesting places that I've been to and ran around in the past. First stop Paris. From Champs Ellysee through the Tuilleries, cross over the Place De La Concorde to the the Louvre, over to Palais Royale and then back over to the Seine. End up back down the Champs Elyssee and of course, I couldn't resist being that ugly American who does my best Rocky Balboa impression walking through the Arc de Triumphe. I could feel it, taste it, smell it, breathe it. It was like I was back in time of that amazing business trip where I set out to run and see all of Paris. It brought back the running, the cafe au lait, the chocolat crossaints, the daraude at restaraunt l'auguste, etc.

Running is a time machine. It takes me back to the places, sights, sounds feelings and emotions that I want to remember. It also takes me to where I want to go. Running is less about the end-destination but the journey along the way. I cherish those times running through Paris, or through the canyons of Moab, Utah or along a lazy river road in Sun Valley, Idaho. Across the mansions along the ocean at Newport. It also takes me to where I want to go. It empowers me to do, see, or be whatever I want to be. I like that about running.