“My feeling is that any day I am too busy to run is a day that I am too busy.” — John Bryant
Personal transformation is a jokester. It sneaks up and bites you on the butt when you least expect it. This happened to me this weekend on a hotel balcony overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
I snuck out of bed before the sun was up to see if I could meditate a while. We were at Virginia Beach for a soccer tournament, and I knew these would be my last quiet moments before the chaos that follows a team of 14-year-old boys ensued.
I’m still an amateur at meditating, but I’m trying to work in 15 or 20 minutes each morning. Ocean scenery proved to be too distracting (like I said, I’m an amateur). I wanted to see the waves hitting the sand, the sun emerging on the horizon, the gulls soaring against the backdrop of the brightening sky.
Movement eight floors below caught my eye. The sun wasn’t up yet, but runners were bobbing along the boardwalk and the beach.
I told myself, “Today I’m giving myself a day off of running, or any exercise for that matter. I deserve it. I’m on vacation.” (Yes, it’s sort of pathetic that I’ve come to view soccer tournaments as vacation.)
I started running three years ago as a means to reduce my risk of breast cancer recurrence. The fear of not being around for my kids’ weddings provided the motivation to work my way into an activity that I had never enjoyed (for more about that process, check out my essay Soul Run by clicking here).
The resulting improvement in my mental health helped me put running (or other sustained cardio exercise) into the same category as brushing my teeth. It wasn’t particularly enjoyable, but I had to do it for my own well-being. There had to be a really good reason to take a day off.
Watching the runners in the half-dark–a man with three boys trailing behind him like baby ducks along the water’s edge, two women keeping pace under the lights of the boardwalk, a bald man and his buddy doing their pre-run stretch–I tried talking myself into staying in my balcony chair.
Finally, I couldn’t stand it any more. The awakening day was just too beautiful, the air too clear and just crisp enough to be comfortable. I still had time for a half hour run before my husband and son woke up. The missed opportunity would weigh on me all day. I wouldn’t get this morning, this moment, back.
I crept back into the bedroom and grabbed my running clothes. When I stepped onto the boardwalk a few minutes later, the orange disc of the sun had just taken center stage.
Joining the ranks of the runners, I realized with some surprise that this had become something I enjoyed doing, not just something I had to do.
Isn’t that the essence of transformation in a nutshell?
I’d love to hear your own stories of how mind, body, and/or soul transformation has manifested in your life. Another way to look at it, have you been able to successfully incorporate a healthy habit into your routine?
Pat Scott says
Well said. New habits are hard to establish. One question – what about your meditation? Did running take its place? As a long time meditator 20 mins. Twice a day is my goal. After almost 40 years its still not easy to take “myself” time each day. Yes- only 40 mins. In 24 hours seems like it should be a snap, but this still remains my goal.
Martha says
Thanks, Pat. My morning routine is to get up early (5:00 or 5:30), meditate, then do the running or a cardio-filled class right after the kids go to school. That morning at the beach, I failed to do the meditation since I didn’t want to close my eyes. Then I thought, wait, some people do walking meditation, and I’m guessing their eyes aren’t closed. In short, I still don’t know what I’m doing. Do you have any favorite meditation books or other resources? And what about the run itself — if I am only focusing on my breathing and body movement during the run, staying fully conscious and letting go of extraneous thoughts, does it “count” as meditation too?
Stacy says
I feel that way about yoga now, and almost any class I can manage to squeeze in during the week. My Sunday yoga class is practically required! I just always feel better for taking the time to do it, and also think about improving my bone density, which is critical for my osteopenia. I’m more of a group exerciser, and there’s a great group of women in my Sunday morning class. Any time I do yoga, especially when the instructor reminds us to be mindful, and focus on breathing, and then reads something at the end of class, or we all chant “om,” it’s a remarkable feeling, that vibration around the room, and it’s a little like meditating (maybe?). Whatever it is, I know I feel good, and that’s the bottom line, doing something for me. And you remind me to be more mindful, too, so I’m glad for your blog!
Martha says
I’m SO glad you have your yoga class, Stacy. My boot camp instructor just introduced a new class called Body Fusion, which combines Tai Chi, Pilates, and Yoga. I didn’t think I wanted to add one more class to my schedule, but I enjoy it so much that I’m a regular now. Doing the focused body work, especially in a mindful way that takes you out of your head and into the moment while you focus on the movement, is another form of meditating (in my uninformed view). Keep taking care of yourself by protecting your yoga time!
Carla Royal says
Martha, I found you over at Trust Life Today. I am intrigued by your book title. Love it! And this blog post is timely for me. I am a new runner and ran my first 5k this past weekend. While I was training and had a structure, I ran no matter how I felt. Now, though, I have no structure, no goal, until April, and I find myself with many excuses not to run. Like you say, running benefits me is so many ways. I do find that I need a structure, a container of sorts, or a system to help me stay on track. I also know that one of the best skills one can develop is the skill of getting back into the flow when we are in a rut. I am inspired by you seizing the moment!
Martha says
Welcome, Carla! First, let me congratulate you on running your first 5K. The one and only organized race I’ve taken part in was at my son’s elementary school a couple of years ago. I am not a competitive person at this stage of my life, and I found myself feeling elated each time I passed someone, even if it was only a second grader. I was a little worried about myself. Someone over 70 years old had a faster time than I did (I hope to be that person 25 years from now). I will be blogging soon about my system for fitting in all of my “must do’s for a perfect day”, but since other topics are knocking strongly on the door (in the last 10 days I have seen both Eckhart Tolle AND the Dalai Lama speak!), I’ll give you a teaser. Make an Excel spreadsheet to record your running (or other exercise) schedule. I have found that the prospect of leaving that little cell empty for the day really motivates me to hit the trail. Good luck, and let me know how it’s going!