The night sky

The first day of Spring, according to some. It certainly feels like Spring right now, although it didn't at 6.30 this morning.

My legs are surprisingly sore this morning after a seven and a half mile run yesterday. After all my half marathon training, I didn't expect to feel it in my legs this morning.

On yesterday morning's long(ish) run I was thinking that I am surrounded by possibilities in my life all the time, whether that's from ideas that pop up whilst running, from possible interactions with others, from hearing something, reading something, seeing something or feeling something.

I miss most of these possibilities either from being too busy thinking, worrying or agonising over something else that's wirring around in my head or because my mind is not tuned to receive possibilities.

Sometimes when I'm hoping for something positive to happen I already have a preconception of exactly what I want it to look like, and I don't notice when it presents itself in a different guise so it passes me by.

The best place to be to notice possibilities is in a place that's called openness and curiosity.

It's a bit like letting the clouds clear on a dark night to notice the amazing stars that litter the night sky. They're always there, it's just that most of the time I can't see them.

Rest, renewal and troughs

I've not posted for a few days - broadband has been down, as well as the telephone line, at home.

So I'm typing this in a local coffee bar. I do love the energy of these places.

Even when I'm working on my own there is a buzz and an energy in a coffee bar that I find far more creativity-enhancing than working on my own in my home-based office. Also, variety adds freshness, which is an ideal nurturing environment for new ideas.

Anyway, on the running front I'm very much ticking over on my daily mile-and-a-third each morning at the moment. The mornings are lighter but still pretty cold for this time of year, and my energy levels have temporarily settled in a (fairly shallow) trough, but that's OK.

I always used to struggle with, and resist, any form of energy dip, but I can't actually think of any manifestation of nature that doesn't work in up and down cycles. And you don't get the up cycles without the downs. They are the opportunities to rest and renew.

The more I resist the troughs the longer I consign myself to stay in them.

The work of rest and renewal requires me to be present to the process. Resistance simply delays my acceptance of it being OK to be where I am.

So now that I know I'm here, it's time to acknowledge that the dream of the last Half Marathon has now gone, and maybe the time is right to be open to the creation of the next dream...

Time to catch up

My legs were pretty stiff on my gentle jaunt around South Cave this morning, after yesterday's half marathon followed by a six-hour train journey up to Yorkshire.

I've delivered my three workshops for the day, which went really well and am now sitting in a coffee shop in Brough, waiting for the first of the three trains that will take me home.

I've been reading about intrinsic motivation again in my gaps between workshops.

I do think it's so true that the world, at least the western world, is changing towards being more motivated by autonomy, mastery and purpose rather than by profit alone. At least it's true for individuals.

Now it's up to businesses and government to recognise this and catch up with the rest of us.

Fun at the Half

I really enjoyed pacing the 2 hour 20 minutes runners in today's Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon. My knee held up really well and the weather was perfect.

My legs are a little stiff as I'm about to head for the train to take me up to Brough for the three workshops I have to deliver tomorrow.

It's just a shame that I'll miss the Harriers festivities with free champagne for Half Marathon helpers at a local hostelry this evening.

It's amazing what a difference I find that it makes running just a little bit slower and being there to help others achieve their goal, rather than me pushing for my running goal.

I actually find it far more satisfying. I think I helped quite a few runners achieve their goal. Surely that has to be better than just me!

The perfect place

I ran my last gentle mile before tomorrow's half marathon this morning. I quite cleverly, I thought, managed to nip out between the rain showers.

Along with my running, the other reasonably regular action I take that really helps to focus and motivate me is my morning journal, where I do a brain dump of everything in my head for about 15 minutes with good old fashioned pen and paper.

I don't often do my journal on a Saturday, but this morning I felt that my head was rather full of "stuff" and that it might be useful to just get it all out onto paper.

This morning what came up when I was writing was the same old answer that I often come up with at times when I'm feeling tied up in knots.

What I wrote was, "What do I need to let go of? I need to let go of this not being the perfect place to be right now."

I don't know how many times when I've been struggling with something in my head, that this came up as the answer, and it's always completely liberating.

I also don't know why I forget that this is the answer. Somehow, if I just saw it written somewhere it wouldn't be enough. I seem to have to go through the process of finding it within myself.

But when I do, I feel lighter, happier and peaceful.

The old running and journal combo does it again!

Sixteen years

Feeling a little tired today after eleven and a half hours of driving and delivering three quite challenging workshops in the last 36 hours.

Today, Nicky and I are celebrating sixteen years of being together with a nice lunch out.

Then it's building my strength up to run the Tunbridge Wells Half-Marathon on Sunday.

Oh yes, and I also ran two gentle miles this morning in daylight again. Very nice.

Stroking the ground

Seven miles, my longest run since I clattered my left knee ice skating. Although it is still sore, I was pleased to complete half of a half marathon and at a minute per mile faster pace than I will have to do for the whole distance next Sunday.

My family are always telling me how heavy I am on my feet. Apparently they always know when it's me coming down the spiral staircase into our kitchen/dining room, because the staircase shakes.

So as my knee still isn't perfect, I decided during this morning's run to see if I could land a bit softer when I was running.

I have tried in the past to see if I could think of tiptoeing while I run, with little success.

This morning I came up with the thought of stroking the ground.

What was interesting was that when I tried to make my feet stroke the ground, it didn't really work, and even created stress and tightness in my shoulders.

What did work was imagining what it would be like for my whole body if my feet were simply stroking the ground, and also becoming aware of how close or far I was from that ideal.

Just being aware of where I was without trying to force anything was the most effective strategy.

It didn't work all the time but it was certainly the most effective approach I've found so far.

The exercise spark

Well, I've done the 13.1 miles half marathon distance now. I ran the race route this morning about seven minutes quicker than I'll need to run it three weeks today.

I'm listening to I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue on the radio while I'm writing this, which is a little distracting.

Since I got home from my run I've had to clear up two gifts that our adopted cat has left us, a dead mouse left on our front door step, and regurgitated cat food on the inside front door mat.

I've just started reading a book called "Spark! - How exercise will improve the performance of your brain."

I must be on the right track.

Five more days

Out late last night, so this morning's nine miles were quite a challenge.

No overtaking anyone today.

I also haven't run more than two miles a day since last Sunday, which added to the morning's challenge.

Anyway, four weeks today until the half marathon, and five more days until I'll have completed 400 days of running a mile each day.

Pavlov's at it again

It must be something about Saturdays, but my friend Pavlov took control of me again this morning.

I heard the much quicker steps coming up behind me. I noticed my stride lengthening a bit, but I didn't increase my cadence - too obvious.

Then a young lady cruised past me fairly effortlessly. I thought, "She's too fast for me".

My pace quickened and I found myself maintaining the distance between her and me. I wasn't thinking, "I must catch her", honest.

After another quarter of a mile she started to slow a little and I couldn't help myself, I went past her and maintained the pace.

But it gets worse.

Further along I spied another runner ahead of me. He went down a road that I hadn't intended to run down. Guess what, I went after him and overtook him at the bottom.

There's no denying it. I can't say I'm not competitive, but why do I do it?

I think it's probably reminding myself that I am good enough as I am. Although why overtaking someone I've never met in my life before does that, I don't really know.

I will definitely have to keep Pavlov locked in the house four weeks tomorrow when I'm pacing other runners in the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon. It wouldn't do to race the people who I'm helping to achieve their goals.

Thinking about it, helping others achieve their goals and dreams actually beats competition by a mile (no pun intended) for me as a sense of satisfaction, so I should be fine.

Achy legs part 2

My legs are aching once again because I've pushed the boundaries by running just over eleven miles this morning.

Even though my batteries died in my Garmin GPS device, I was doing an out and back course, so I know the distance because I'd run 5.6 miles when I turned round and headed for home.

Anyway, my legs feel very much like they did last Sunday when I ran 8.75 miles. However, I feel much better about it because I still have five weeks to go to the half marathon and only two miles to add to my distance.

I really do live in a lovely part of the country. I was noticing the fields, trees, sheep and wildlife along the route and thinking how lucky I am.

At one point a farmer drove past me in his tractor and I thought at first that he was singing, until I noticed half a dozen sheep in his trailer and realised it was them. They weren't actually singing I hasten to add, but maybe my ability to identify sounds is affected by tired legs and general knackerdness.

This afternoon we're having a family celebration for my youngest's 14th birthday, which should be fun with 4 generations of the family present.

Half marathon wobbles

Tough this morning as I racked up 8.75 miles at an average pace of 9:28 minutes per mile. It was hard work.

Another 4.35 miles to add until I'm up to the half marathon distance, and six weeks to go from today.

I need to be able to comfortably run the half marathon at 10:30 pace. Sounds relatively easy but building and being comfortable with the half marathon distance is going to be the key.

Sitting here now feeling quite tired, but a few gentle one-milers over the next few days should hopefully see me ready to up the ante.

Gulp!

Time to build

A quick one this morning because there's stuff to do, and tomorrow I need to go out for a longer run.

I have impulsively volunteered to be a pacer for the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon.

I'm only pacing the 2 hour 20 minute runners, which is 25 or 30 minutes slower than my normal half marathon time.

But then again the last time I ran a half marathon was four years ago, AND I haven't run more than five and a half miles for over fourteen months.

I think I need to build up a bit of mileage between now and six weeks tomorrow.

Day 60 - another milestone

First day of my 3rd month of running a mile each day. I never expected to get this far when I started the experiment 59 days ago.

It was great running in sunshine again this morning after not seeing it for a while, although we had to step very carefully as it was still icy at just after seven o'clock this morning.

A bit late posting this as I've been in London today and I haven't worked out whether I can do this on my iPhone yet.

I loved the Winter Olympics men's ice hockey final last night, so much so that I missed the celebration drink for the half marathon helpers. Oh well, Winter Olympics only comes once every four years.

Yay for Canada! It's great having dual citizenship as my countries got 15 gold medals between them (GB you did let the side down slightly on that score).

Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon

Ran to my local Sainsbury's and back today, almost 2 miles.

That was after helping out with the TW Half Marathon earlier this morning. The weather was appalling for the runners but still nearly 1800 of them finished, so congratulations to all of them.

I got it wrong before, I was in the drop out car and not the sweep car. Commiserations to the three who we picked up in the drop out car, who unfortunately sustained injuries en route, so we had to ferry them back to race HQ. Not that I want to give the impression that running is dangerous at all.

Kelly Holmes was brilliant. She started the race and was still there to applaud every runner across the finish line.

8 weeks completed

It's Nicky's and my 15th anniversary today, so lunch out, and a glass or two of wine no doubt.

I have volunteered to be part of the support team for the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon this Sunday. Apparently, I will be in the sweep car picking up any runners who are struggling and need a lift to the finish, although hopefully everyone will make it to the finish and feel justifiably proud.

It will be great to see the inspirational Kelly Holmes again. She will be starting the race, and cheering people on. She's one amazing, and incredibly nice, lady!

Nicky asked me yesterday whether I'd be able to run the half marathon now. I haven't run anything like that distance for at least a couple of years, so the answer is probably not, at least without injuring myself.

However, I am starting to feel an urge to stretch my mile a bit further, maybe just every once in a while. I'm not sure why. I suppose half the fun of my mile each day challenge is that it's a challenge.

At the moment I'm in my comfort zone, and it's usually good to stretch that comfort zone. The trick is to stretch it whilst keeping my running easy, light, smooth and FUN!

““Think Easy, Light, Smooth, and Fast. You start with easy, because if that’s all you get, that’s not so bad. Then work on light. Make it effortless, like you don’t give a shit how high the hill is or how far you’ve got to go. When you’ve practiced that so long that you forget you’re practicing, you work on making it smooooooth. You won’t have to worry about the last one – you get those three, and you’ll be fast.” - excerpt from Born To Run