It's been a self imposed rule that I've held myself to for as long as I've been running. That is; no long pants until it goes below zero! Roo used to follow the rule as well, but she's getting older you know, so I've tried to be tolerant when I see her cheating. Not me though! If I can be called anything, stubborn is it.
The funny thing is that I have no problem following my rule at the end of autumn, but it seems so different come spring time. Zero degrees is just so much colder then, and in fact, I don't have the same rule in the spring.
Regardless, long pants signifies another changing of the seasons for me, and while this first snow initially annoyed me, once I went running in it I quickly changed my tune. Yesterday I was complaining that I was getting too old for this crap, but after my run I was back to appreciating my Canadian home. Most people realize that without winter we wouldn't enjoy our beautiful summers as much, but indeed that can work both ways. While I actually like walking/running/riding when it's hot as hell, there is just something exhilarating about a nice easy jog on a day like today. It doesn't even matter that it's overcast and windy, because somehow, communing with nature in any form is gratifying.
And whoops! There's that word again. Gratitude! And yes, I can honestly say that today I am grateful that I still have two feet, and that I'm still capable of putting one in front of the other. Truly, I can't imagine a life without regular exercise. Which makes me grateful for the sheer addiction of running, because if it was not so deeply ingrained in me, my recent struggles would surely have ended that part of my life. Stubborn it is!
And as to my run today, it was only 5 kms, and it took me a full 30 mins. That being said it didn't feel too hard which was good, as I was a bit nervous after doing 10 kms on Saturday. As to the 6:00/km pace, I would be happy to maintain that and gradually increase the distance. I am not gonna over empathize that however, as my real goal is just to start running effortlessly. I am 100% convinced now that the only way to do that is to go slower when it hurts, regardless of what the clock says. I used to think it was impossible to go this slow and still call it running, but I'm reminded of another word I use often. Relative. Everything is relative.
Lastly for today, a couple of big shout outs. First to my son Michael who continues to inspire me. Please go back and read his comment on my previous post, and see if you can understand why. And secondly I wish to bring to your attention the other exception to the rule that all Rooyakkers are idiots. My beautiful, kind sensitive niece, Jesse Roo. I am positive that somehow she sensed my low mood this morning right across the ethernet, so she sent me a brief little love note to cheer me on. Amazing gift! Amazing young lady. Thanks young Roo.
...and if the goal is happiness, I think we need to continually reconsider the path...
"Many are stubborn in pursuit of the path they have chosen, few in pursuit of the goal."...Friedrich Nietzsche
Love
Peter
The funny thing is that I have no problem following my rule at the end of autumn, but it seems so different come spring time. Zero degrees is just so much colder then, and in fact, I don't have the same rule in the spring.
Regardless, long pants signifies another changing of the seasons for me, and while this first snow initially annoyed me, once I went running in it I quickly changed my tune. Yesterday I was complaining that I was getting too old for this crap, but after my run I was back to appreciating my Canadian home. Most people realize that without winter we wouldn't enjoy our beautiful summers as much, but indeed that can work both ways. While I actually like walking/running/riding when it's hot as hell, there is just something exhilarating about a nice easy jog on a day like today. It doesn't even matter that it's overcast and windy, because somehow, communing with nature in any form is gratifying.
And whoops! There's that word again. Gratitude! And yes, I can honestly say that today I am grateful that I still have two feet, and that I'm still capable of putting one in front of the other. Truly, I can't imagine a life without regular exercise. Which makes me grateful for the sheer addiction of running, because if it was not so deeply ingrained in me, my recent struggles would surely have ended that part of my life. Stubborn it is!
And as to my run today, it was only 5 kms, and it took me a full 30 mins. That being said it didn't feel too hard which was good, as I was a bit nervous after doing 10 kms on Saturday. As to the 6:00/km pace, I would be happy to maintain that and gradually increase the distance. I am not gonna over empathize that however, as my real goal is just to start running effortlessly. I am 100% convinced now that the only way to do that is to go slower when it hurts, regardless of what the clock says. I used to think it was impossible to go this slow and still call it running, but I'm reminded of another word I use often. Relative. Everything is relative.
Lastly for today, a couple of big shout outs. First to my son Michael who continues to inspire me. Please go back and read his comment on my previous post, and see if you can understand why. And secondly I wish to bring to your attention the other exception to the rule that all Rooyakkers are idiots. My beautiful, kind sensitive niece, Jesse Roo. I am positive that somehow she sensed my low mood this morning right across the ethernet, so she sent me a brief little love note to cheer me on. Amazing gift! Amazing young lady. Thanks young Roo.
...and if the goal is happiness, I think we need to continually reconsider the path...
"Many are stubborn in pursuit of the path they have chosen, few in pursuit of the goal."...Friedrich Nietzsche
Love
Peter
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