My kids have asked me many times, "If you could be any animal, what would you be?" Most people say a bird. That's always what my kids say. I always say something like a horse or a cheetah that can run really fast. They think it's weird that I wouldn't want to fly. To me it's the same thing, and horses don't have to eat worms.
Earlier this week I was on the treadmill at the gym. A few minutes into my run, an elite runner that I see there every once in a while showed up. He's so much fun to watch. (But probably only to someone that is fascinated with running.) He is small, probably 5' 5" and always sets the treadmill on something outrageously fast, even for a person with long legs. There was one point when he was gliding over the speeding tread at 12.5 mph, that he held his arms out to the side like he was flying. His legs were moving forward and backward, obviously, but his body was just gliding so effortlessly like he was flying. I'm embarrassed to say it... but it made me emotional. I don't know what it is about running that I think is so beautiful. I think watching a really fast elite runner is like watching a bird flying. So graceful... and completely created by your own heart and muscles and joints and effort. It's all you. That is a thing of beauty.
Today I was on the treadmill again and kept that image of him in my head, just gliding effortlessly over the moving ground. I have been convinced for a long time that so much of this running thing is mind over matter. Today's run felt a little like a short slow flight, but a flight nonetheless. I will carry that image with me on every run from now on.
2 comments:
Love that you're blogging again!! The flying image is awesome. I think I've felt that about 3 times, in my running life? But it's amazing when it happens. Have you read "The Chi of Running'? I think you would like it. xoxo
Really cool. I love that you get emotional over running. Bc so do I.
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