Running means more to me now than it used to. For years, I ran for only one reason: to stay fit. More recently, I find myself running to stay sane, too. It's the one place where where I'm in total control. I set my pace. I set my distance. I go where I want to go. See what I want to see.
On runs, there are no emails. No text messages. No meeting invites. The only meeting attendee is me. I make the agenda, determine the objectives and knock my own task list that includes things like finding a new route or altering my stride so my back doesn't hurt.
It's the one place where I'm the only person asking me questions. "How do I feel?" "Where do you want to go?" "What in the hell is in my shoe this time?" Best of all, I can choose to ignore those questions without any consequence -- with the exception of determining the foreign object in my shoe. It's just me and my shadow out there running, living, and enjoying life. On my terms.
Often I will listen to music when I run. Led Zeppelin. Garth Brooks. The Beatles. Foo Fighters. Squeeze. The Killers. The other day, a line from a Kenny Chesney / Dave Matthews song got my attention and serves as good advice for all you runners and even non runners, for that matter.
It simply says: "It's good for the soul when there's not a soul in sight." The song is not suggesting you totally disconnect from friends and family and live out of an abandoned school bus in the Alaskan wilderness like Christopher McCandless (aka Alexander Supertramp) but merely find time for yourself, by yourself.
Running is one way I do it. What's yours?
Time to lace up, head out.
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