On Running

I am big on personal fitness and over the past few months I have been on a running kick for my cardio. Of course due to winter, I’m on a treadmill, bit of a wuss when it comes to the bitter cold. I can handle it skiing, running, not so sure.

It began with a 5km running clinic two years ago and I got back into it over the Christmas Holidays while working out at the local Y. I was neglecting my cardio and I felt it, especially with the sleepless nights and feeling sluggish.

Some people find solace in religion or the bottom of a scotch bottle. I find it through putting one foot in front of the other at 5.5 mph, making sure my stride is quiet, shoulders relaxed, my gaze straight ahead and I land on the balls of my feet, not my heel. One foot after another, mindful of technique, just like weight training, bad form just invites injury. Sounds Zen but it works for me.

Being focused on my stride and breathing, running helps me deal with all the crap that life insists throwing my way and I feel clarity when I’m done.

So for now it's 20-25km per week and I plan to go further when my endurance gets better.

Here's a TED talk by Christopher McDougall why humans run.