RUN 23

You see things when you're a runner, things that other people miss because they're at work, home or at the pub... but its not just that, you have time to take those sights in too, often you'll spot something in the distance as you're running towards it, sometimes it's a full on search and rescue involving 30 police; firemen; ambulances; coast guard; helicopters, bicycle mounted police, other times; like last night.... its people having sex! At least for me, running gives me time to consider and process the things i see and think about, which i don't ordinarily take the time to do... I'm generally a very decisive person, running brings out my pensive side which i find brings me a sense of balance.

RUN 22

Running at night emphasizes everything i love about running, its the same closeness that i feel running in the rain, or very early in the morning, or during midday sun when most other people stay in the shade. Its the same reason i don't listen to music while running; it would only distract from the benefits of the of the world I'm running through... there's nothing about running which i want to be distracted from, savoring every moment of every step as i transport myself around motivates me to take each following step and discover something new in every place we travel.

RUN 21

Running i think is like taking a train instead of flying, when you fly you don't get to experience the places you're traveling through in the same way as you do from a train. I look for opportunities in my daily life to make running a part of my life rather than a specific workout for a specified period of time. If you can run where you need to go rather than driving or taking a bus, why not do that?! you get your workout and you get to experience the place you live or are traveling much more closely. Which is partly why i dislike treadmills so much, the focus there is purely on improving physical fitness, which in itself is fine, but the treadmill offers nothing of the world and people around us, the connections and experiences that are out there waiting for us to become part of, if we just put one foot in front of another.

RUN 20

Like any other runner, there are 4 or 5 routes that i regularly run, often at different times of the day, in different weather conditions, but the route is consistent. Other times I'll run without thinking about a route and see where the road takes me. Today's route was a very familiar one. Its the route i used to start my running lifestyle resurgence a couple of years ago, and it has everything; flat straight paved, gravel, grass, bridges, sun, shade, twists, turns, hills, trails... all in four miles. Its important for me to have a handful of dependable routes which are really convenient, but have variety too...

RUN 19

The road is long, life is long; measured in years and days and hours and minutes, every minute has the potential to be the best of your life and also your last... make all of them count.

RUN 18

It was ridiculously hot again today, i suppose if nothing else its good training in hotter conditions. What it also teaches is an awareness of ones own abilities and limitations, to push yourself to your limits is the ultimate reward... to push too far is demoralizing... I'm being careful to scale back mileage and effort, while still working hard enough to achieve a sense of accomplishment.

RUN 17

Sometimes i can't wait to run, i look forward to that point in the day which is solely for me, other days like today, i need to run, and i need to be told to... to clear the frustrations of the day, luckily i have a wonderful wife who knows when i need to be told.

RUN 16

It was about 90F when i ran at lunch time today, I've been running more shorter races and half marathons in the last year, and my pace has improved a lot. It's tough to retrain the mind and moderate my pace for easier running days, like today... while i felt strong i was a tough run for me in the heat. The thought of a post run swim was a massive motivator, i also use markers or timed sections of a run to break up the distance into smaller more manageable chunks, after 27 minutes and 3.5miles around today's course, i knew i had about 3 or 4 minutes left in my workout, i felt dehydrated and the heat was exhausting, but i focused on those 3 or 4 remaining minutes and maintaining my form through the distance... and it struck me how much can be lost or achieved in just 3 or 4 minutes... completing a tough run, making a new friend, helping someone in need, falling in love. So often in our daily lives we say "i just don't have time" what we mean is that we don't 'make' time... i guess what i thought as i completed that run was just how little time is needed to make a moment magical.

RUN 15

Challenging myself to perform in less than ideal conditions is a real attraction in my running... its a simple formula i suppose, the greater the challenge and the less likely you might be to succeed, the greater the satisfaction when you do. Today was a day like that... 94 degrees and sunny! less than ideal conditions for running, especially for me. When i get to antsy at home, my wife tells me i need to go for a run... shes exactly right, i always feel better, stronger, a better person, that's really satisfying to me too. Its not an effect exclusive to running, but its how i get there, and it nourishes both my mood and my relationship.

RUN 14

Today's run was short and easy, i want to get a long run in on Saturday morning; the forecast is 83 and sunny so i need a couple of rest days to make the most of Saturday. As much as i believe in the stress relieving balance that running brings, i do also loosely plan each run, especially when i training for a marathon. I've learnt that i feel and run much better when that planning is not structured so much. I need to enjoy each run for the experience it offers as much as i enjoy meeting training targets and improving my pace.

RUN 13

Most often I'll run in the mornings, what i like about that is that my day starts with something for me, for myself rather than the pressures of getting ready to go to work; the commute. Other days, especially those i know will be very busy, I'll run in the evening, either right after work, or as soon as i get home. Occasionally if i know I'm likely to have a slower day at work I'll run during lunch, whats nice about that is that after the run I'll swim in the hotel pool next door to my office building. Today was a little different, as i had the opportunity to run during the afternoon, at home... having more time to take breaks to enjoy the view, do some strength training, run on the beach, climb the rocky lake shore... building variety into the routes and types of runs i take make for a more exciting and therefore more rewarding experience.

RUN 12

Chicago really is an amazing city to run, the variety of running conditions is amazing, from 100 degree summer days running through the sand on the beach to -30 degree snow storms with snow and ice covered pavements; plus every stage between... OK there aren't many hills, but they're out there if you know where to look. It was pouring with rain today, and windy too; and i loved it! The satisfaction I take from a run is in part measured by the difficulty of the conditions, overcoming the challenge of the conditions and even simply being out there with the handful of other runners obsessed enough to there too, increases the mental value of the run. Ignoring that negative voice that tells you you can't do it takes a small measure of mental strength and determination, but once you've been through that thought process a few times, the memory of the sense of satisfaction makes that decision easier each time.

RUN 11

I had an idea today, it doesn't really matter what it was. Running often lets my mind wander freely to reach the conclusion or decision I've been procrastinating over, while my conscious mind is focused on my breathing and my form and maintaining a reasonable stride. I didn't run for long today, literally enough to stretch my muscles from yesterdays race. While the training benefits were minimal, and take time and effort to achieve, the emotional and mental benefits come much sooner and are of equal or comparable value.

RUN 10

I ran a race today (North Shore half marathon) I really enjoy this distance, mainly as I don't need to train for it, that's not to say I don't train, but it's not like a full marathon which for me requires dedication to a training program. That's also not to say it isn't a hard race, it is...

Racing is very different from my usual every day runs. The motivation and determination you feel from the pressure and promise of the race is an amazing feeling, equalled only by the fear of failure. I don't know which drives me on more, but both thoughts definitely run through my mind in equal measure. Knowing my wife is waiting for me at the finish line gives me strength too.

Waiting at the start i realized id left my GPS watch in the car, usually i track my heart rate, pace, time and distance as i run, using it to control my effort and manage my goals. I'd not run a race without it before and didn't know how id perform. I suppose then that my running isn't entirely emotional, i get a lot out of tracking the numbers and my performance. I had to rely on the mile clocks today, doing the math at each mile helps me to focus too.

Looking around at the people I'm running with and those you meet while on the course, its amazing to see what people are capable of when they set their minds to it, if its true of running, then what else is possible in life?

[North Shore Half Marathon; 13.1m; 1:35:44; 07:18; 128/1366 runners]

RUN 9

Today was a long day, i had an important presentation at work and when i woke up at 0445 i had to decide when i wanted to take my run, that morning, during the day or in the evening sometime... sometimes i decided based on weather, i like running in the rain, other times its based on when that run might be most fulfilling. I knew that today, having a run to look forward to at the end of the day would motivate me. I have a race on Sunday so today was an easy jog, setting aside that time for myself during a day i knew would be very busy is so satisfying.

RUN 8

I was thinking about balance today, running plays an important role in balancing my life. Its easy to go out running on a beautiful Saturday afternoon when i have all day available... its a different story when i feel like my day is hectic and busy, but those are the days which are most important to keep running as they bring balance. Today was one of those days, my alarm went of at 0445 and i was at my desk just after 0630, an hour earlier than usual, i had one meeting / presentation and another big presentation to prepare for tomorrow, but it was important for me to run tonight, those 4 miles were mine, half an hour of elfish mental escape, which allows me to free my mind and dedicate more of myself to the rest of my life and my wife.

RUN 7

When i started running i obsessed with not stopping, trying to keep going, minimizing how much walking i needed on a long run, signing up for races to give me extra motivation... I've come to realize how worthwhile those efforts were. I really look forward to the races now, I have one this Sunday, but i don't need the race to motivate my running anymore, and i don't feel pressure to perform during my runs, i have confidence in the effort I've put in already and that's a really satisfying feeling, it means i can stop and take in a view and not worry about breaking stride or form. That's not to say i don't take the races seriously, because i do, they're typically longer than most of my daily/weekly runs, but i know that if I really wanted to, i could go out and run 20 miles tomorrow if i wanted. What I'm realizing is that in running, like life... the rewards depend on how much you put into it. Running takes me places I wouldn't perhaps ordinarily go, and it gives me great peace and balance being able to stop and soak in those places.

RUN 6

Usually running gives me a place to clear my mind and think more clearly, other days, particularly if i'm busy at work and focused on a project it allows my mind to clear and take a break from the pressures of the day. I don't listen to music when i run, for the above reasons, i want to feel the mental relaxation and focus on my breathing, my rhythm, my form, the world around me. That’s exactly what I needed today, the humidity and wind made it a more challenging run too, and I picked up my pace by 45 seconds to make the most of the half hour away from work. Half an hour isn't a lot of time to take out of your day, it’s so easy to get bogged down and feel like you’re just too busy, but the energy and opportunity to reconnect with the world really motivates and recharges.

RUN 5

I ran in a park near our apartment today south of the museum of science and industry, it's a pretty park of winding paths, lakes and ponds, but not many people, just old men fishing, no other runners, which is unusual. Sometimes especially now spring/summer is here the tracks and trails are full of runners, even the forest trails, but not today, I like it that way, I'm not a social runner, I run for myself at my own pace and let my mind wander freely, I'm not antisocial, I just prefer it this way, today was perfect for that reason.

RUN 4

Its a beautiful sunny warm morning, I'm glad i did my long run yesterday in the afternoon when it was slightly cooler. The summer runners have started to appear on the lake shore now, leaving their treadmills to venture out into the world. For me the treadmill is not running, its exercise, i don't mean that disparagingly what i mean is that running is about more than the motion and the cardiovascular benefits, i almost always stop 2 or 3 times during a run, not to take a break, but to soak in the environment i'm running in, and usually take a picture. Everyone has their own goals and reasons, and when i started running, all i thought about was getting through the run, maybe now that I'm more comfortable running I'm able to do both, but actually even when I'm pushing myself to my limits i know i take energy from the people and places around me. I wonder how many other runners think this way?

RUN 3

Got chased in the woods by a dog today!, brought back memories of similar encounters when i was a kid... i faired much better on this occasion. Felt tired today, but there’s something about the fear of disappointing myself that pushes me on, usually when i feel that way i run longer and more consistently, today was no different. Making it through a run is 50% physical and 50% mental, i suppose that’s one of the reasons i run, to challenge my perceptions of my physical ability, to do something i felt to be impossible before i started. That feeling gives me confidence, both in running and in the rest of my life, its a mental exercise as much as anything. Tuning out the pain and recalling the sense of accomplishment from memories of previous runs. Saw two dear and got lost in the bloody forest preserve again, thank god for GPS.

RUN 2

Today was a classic morning, feeling warm and comfortable under the duvet watching the sun rise over the lake out of our bedroom window, not wanting to move a muscle, but also wanting the sense of satisfaction and fulfillment that i knew id have if i just could get up and run. So i did. I wondered why it is that some days a couple of miles are all i need, other days its more like 10, is the the mileage or something else? the weather, time of day, people i meet or things i see, the route i take or whether i meet my own expectations? I'm lucky to live by the lake, it would be hard not to feel energised by that view.

RUN 1

I turned 30 in 2006, i wasn't OUT of shape, but i wasn't IN shape either... i was teetering on the precipice of gluttony and personal physical abuse, chocolate, bacon and beer were my weapons of choice and i was about to do battle with my body... i had an Epiphany, i think it was an epiphany... anyway i knew i had to do something fast before i was bedridden and being carted around on the back of a flatbed lorry like that bloke in Mexico. so i started running (again) i say again, but id only ever run a little track in school, 1500m and all that... i did compete in a cross country race when i was in the cubs, my recollection is that i came in 8Th place out of oh about 300, maybe 3000... but i might have got that wrong. anyway i have a tendency to over exert myself beyond my physical ability, so i started on the treadmill until i was up to 10miles, waiting for the Chicago winter to subside... once the actual ground was no longer covered by snow and ice i began running for real, and signed up for the Chicago marathon... see over exerting myself again. well i trained hard, reached most of my training goals and made it to the finish on race day, even tho the race was stopped when i was at mile 22 and forced to walk the rest.

I wasn't happy, so I ran another in St Louis, and reached my goal, 4hrs. a handful of 'half's and a bunch of 5k and 8ks later here i am, I'm a runner. i don't exactly know why, that's the point of this i suppose, but i know i like it. Just like i don't eat cheese, i just don't like it.

I thought today, "i should start a blog",.....i should have have started a couple of years ago, Ive run some fun places, along coasts, old rail paths, different countries, up the "Rocky Steps" on an island in the Indian ocean (ill probably make a map or something) oh well... better late than never

R