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.