On running: meditation in motion

One of the resolutions for 2010 for me is to try stay true to what I really know, and what I only imagine I know. Know in a sense of deep, real, true, intimate and personal experience. There is a lot of things I have not experienced, but have opinion on. I shouldn’t.

People who do not run often say they that do not like running hence they do not run. The thing is that I do not like running neither. I think there is nothing like-able in the process of running itself. I do not run because I like running – I run because I like what running does to me: to my body, and to my mind. I do not think that running is something pleasurable that people like. Running a marathon was the hardest thing I ever did – it is extremely physically and emotionally draining. I hated myself for putting my body and mind through it, and every step after I hit the wall I wanted to quit, and I struggle to convince myself to carry on. Every step. There is NOTHING one can like about running a marathon. However, the glorious feel and elevation one feels when one DOES NOT RUN, is worth the effort of running. This is what running does, and this is what I love about running: the non-running time.  I know that through running I appreciate all my non-running time much more than when I do not run. I can experience something that non-runners cannot possibly imagine. And this is the same with everything else: only motorcyclist really know what motobiking is about, only divers really know what diving is about, only pilots really know what gliding is about, etc. The funny thing is, that I always have opinions on things I have never experienced. It is my mind interpolating all my past experiences and making up a story that sounds plausible to me – a best possible “projection” of certain activity or situation that I play in my head without truly, intimately knowing or experiencing before. Funny I am afraid to admit: “I do not know”.

I do run. Just run. To clear my head. To relax. To lose myself.

I will run in March the Motatapu off-road marathon: … “numerous river crossings, hills to climb, challenges to overcome all taking in spectacular views of the Southern high country” sounds an awesome event and a nice challenge.