Running Into Words

I read Haruki Murakami’s What I Talk About When I Talk About Running over the winter and thought it would jumpstart my writing and running. Both had been on hold, or rather, been left to the Weekend Warrior category of things – once a week, twice if I was truly dedicated and focused and actually got of bed in the opaque black, drank dark coffee and got out the door or down to work. It’s May though, time of so much change. It’s not pitch black at 5:30am, through closed windows you can still hear birds happily announcing the sun’s arrival. It really does magic for the soul. I signed up for a run a while back, on the suggestion of a friend, who, like me, looks ahead and plans and sets goals that, in February offer excitement on the promise of spending time outdoors without down-filled jackets and heavy winter boots. In February, May seemed far away and a 5km run for Mental Heath seemed like something that wouldn’t require too much effort. It’s days away now, and though both writing and running occur on a more regular basis, neither take up the time I hoped they would. It’s in these times, the challenging times of editing, of getting out the door and running when it feels like you are stuck in mud, that matter. Every half an hour makes a difference. This Saturday, when I run 5km, I will not focus on the time it takes, I will run, and do what I tell myself when drafting something for the first time, stop focusing on the end, just let it be, let it run, free.

 

For anyone in the Chatham, Ontario area looking to run or walk the Run for Mental Health 2016 go here:

https://raceroster.com/events/2016/7618/run-for-mental-health-2016

Photo credit: http://blog.theclymb.com/tips/6-tips-transition-road-running-10k-trail-run/