Time....

Time, it's a funny thing. Presumably, every minute is exactly as long as every other minute. But they can all feel so different. For (a running related) example, when you are slogging along your mid-winter weekend long run and it's raining, and you just discovered your jacket isn't waterproof, you got a blister, and ran out of food 5 miles ago, watching the minutes go by on your watch is like watching a snail crawl through glue. On the other hand, when you're enjoying a run, say for example an early summer run before work and the sun is shining and the air is fresh, and you'd quite like to be out all day, before you know it, it's time to get back. I suppose it's that old saying, time flies when you're having fun. And it is that part in particular that is on mind right now, how fast time seem to be going. 

I have recently been to a course on mindfulness at work. Mindfulness is very popular at the moment, and probably one of those things that a lot of people turn their nose up at, as being a bit woolly. I admit to being a bit skeptical, especially related to work, as I get the whole concept and I quite like it, but is there really time to step back and be mindful about everything, when you've deadlines and waiting lists, and a drawer full of paperwork that currently doesn't shut? 

Perhaps this is my problem. I am so focused about all the things that need to be done, that I often don't sit back and really think about them, I just feel anxious that I need to do them, worry when I'm doing them that I'm not doing them well enough, and then immediately move on to the next thing and forget about it. And then the time just goes by, and it's the end of another week. For example, I uploaded all the pictures to this post exactly one week ago, then remembered something else that I had to do, so left it, and now it's an entire week later, and I've just got back to it again.

There is clearly something wrong with this. 

So perhaps mindfulness has something to it after all. Thinking about what you're doing, and being grateful for the chance to do it, and noticing what you do, and thinking about why you've done it.

And I guess this applies to running too. It's all too easy just to look at your training program, and run because it says that you have to. But what are you hoping to get from that run? I once had a coach, my first coach, who said that every mile should have a reason, in that you should't do any 'junk' miles where you're just going out to get the mileage up; he advocated doing less miles, but with more purpose. I disagree to some extent, as I believe that even  'junk' miles have a place, but I agree with the part that every run should have purpose, be that to work on your speed, your endurance, to clear your head, get rid of stress, spend time with friends, see a new place, to reflect. 

So now, I have finally got around to posting my photos from last weekend's running, down in Eastbourne, running along the South Downs Way in the sunshine. Standing a the top of a cliff looking out into the calm blue, breathing in the sea air, the minutes finally felt like they had slowed down, and the world seemed as still as the gentle waves on the sea........

......just for moment, Then we turned back to the path, ran up some more hills, and into some mud, and things got a bit fraught again. 

But then, we made it back to the end for a nice cup of coffee and a piece of cake, and spent a few minutes thinking about the run and how lucky we were to be in this part of the world for a whole weekend, doing all the things we loved.