One of my favorite movies of all time is Forrest Gump. I don’t really have any method to my madness of movie-rating. I just like certain movies because I do.
Anyway, I am running somewhat regularly again. Well, somewhat regularly means 2-3 times per week now.
I’m one of those people that likes to run for fun.
From Back to the Future III:
Doc: And in the future, we don’t need horses. We have motorized carriages called automobiles.
Saloon Old Timer #3: If everybody’s got one of these auto-whatsits, does anybody walk or run anymore?
Doc: Of course we run. But for recreation. For fun.
Saloon Old Timer #3: Run for fun? What the hell kind of fun is that?
I’ve been running a nice and easy two miles around my block for the past couple of months. Yesterday, I really felt like I hit my groove and started feeling like I used to when I ran in high school and college. I’m guessing that I ran the two miles in about 15 minutes, though I didn’t time it.
15 minutes is a pretty good workout for me now! I have admitted to myself that my sub 5 minute miles, 11 minute two-milers, and 17 minute three-mile runs are long gone. I am very happy with running two miles in 15 minutes. It made me feel good – mentally and physically.
Who knows? Maybe it took me 18 minutes to run the two miles, yesterday. I don’t care. I just know that it made me feel really good. I refuse to time any of my runs anymore. I’m not training for anything. I don’t want to be held accountable to time. I’m just running for fun!
When I trained in junior high, high school, and college for soccer, I never listened to music when I ran. It was just me and the track/road/grass. Now, I strap on my mp3 player, and it’s a whole other world!
I still run sans-music sometimes because when you run, the only other thing you have to do is think. I like to think… and when I run and think, I think of a lot of crazy stuff.
Running with music presents an entirely different level of thinking. Certain songs trigger certain emotions or flashbacks and my mind runs wild! Before I even know it, I’m back to my street and the two miles are behind me.
I would love to be able to run across the country like Forrest Gump did, but I don’t think that is realistic for me. I don’t think I’d have the patience or discipline. Two miles is one thing… 3000 miles is slightly intimidating. It’s not the running either… I wouldn’t want to walk or bicycle across the country. That’s just way too much time to think…
Piece,
—cK