Another adventure

It's going to be a very low mileage week compared to last week, firstly because although my knee is way better, it's still not completely OK, and could take several more days until it's a hundred percent.

Also, I'm off to Hull for work in about an hour so I'll be exploring new running routes, hopefully, over the next few days, but also with earlier starts to my day.

I did say that adventure was one of my values, didn't I.

It will be a case of a brand new place (to me), new running routes, and new people (I'll be leading workshops to 45 people I've never met before).

I think my values of fun, connection, movement and self-expression will also come in useful.

Surviving or thriving?

A gentle mile this morning again, after four miles with a group of intermediate runners last night.

I seem to have run almost thirty-four miles so far this week, with one more day to go. I don't remember when I last put in that sort of weekly mileage, and it certainly wasn't when I was doing my mile each day.

I took a tumble on the ice rink at my fourteen-year-old daughter's birthday ice skating party this afternoon, so I'm limping around with a rather sore, stiff left knee this evening.

I should be fine to hobble my mile tomorrow morning. I just hope I'm OK to do my planned fifteen miles on Sunday morning.

My challenge for this weekend, in addition to completing the fifteen miles with a bruised knee, is how to enjoy a fifteen mile solo run on roads, whilst keeping an eye on my mileage and pacing.

My last two long solo road runs have been down at the surviving end of the scale rather than up at the thriving end.

Now what could I add into the mix to inject some fun, adventure and connection?

I will leave the enquiry out there...

Connection

Early (5.45) one this morning as I had my regular monthly business breakfast meeting.

Still drizzly, but not raining as hard as yesterday.

I've also found out that my headtorch works much better with a woolly hat on than with a peaked cap. I have to balance the rain in the eyes versus ability to see the path or road ahead. When I run on a fair amount of path or "unmade up" road, I think the rain in the eyes is a small sacrifice.

I really enjoyed the business breakfast meeting this morning. It's tough to get up even earlier than usual, but it more than compensates by meeting loads of friendly people and having a laugh.

With a run to kick it off, I can recommend it as a great way to start the day.

Yesterday, apart from my early morning run in the dark, I worked from my office at home and didn't venture outside.

I love to have connection with people, with fresh air and with natural light.

Good vibrations

Another two-miler this morning.

The autumn leaves are just beautiful at the moment.

This morning my mind went back to my thoughts of connection from my weekend run and how quantum physicists now tell us that everything on the planet is made up of vibrating energy. I know, fairly deep stuff for 7.00am plodding along a path.

Anyway, if we are indeed all vibrating energy, that does explain how someone in a good mood or a bad mood can change the energy of a room as soon as they walk in, without even opening their mouth.

What this means to me and my value of connection, is that it's not actually what I do that creates connection with others, but who I am actually being. Being energised, inspired, excited, loving, compassionate, interested can't fail to create some sort of connection.

And as a byproduct, I also stand a good chance of doing things that come from that positive way of being that will help the connection even more.

If I'm trying to promote my business, which will work best?

A desperate attempt to win a person over as a new customer, communicating that desperation energy, or an energised, inspired, compassionate and interested desire to connect with that other person, purely for the joy of connecting?

Wow, what a great way to start my day this morning!

Game of 2 halves

Wish I could shake off this cough that has followed on from last week's cold.

I have only been doing the minimum distance apart from a gentle 5K I did with Nicky on Sunday. I think that the October marathon is looking very unlikely right now, and yet the vision of an eventual ultra still remains strong. Who knows exactly what and when, but it doesn't feel like it matters right now.

I did some preparatory work on foot toughening on Monday, walking barefoot on the stony beach - really quite painful.

Today has been like the proverbial football (soccer) match, a game of two halves. I was struggling with a problem that needed to be resolved today and couldn't see a way through this morning. The result - reduced energy, feeling of me on my own against the world, inspiring vision evaporated, only able to see two to three feet in front of me.

By this afternoon, I had taken the problem apart piece by piece and addressed each small chunk individually and dealt with it. Result - energy supercharged, I'm back in alignment with the rest of the world, excited by the endless possibilities (and heard some positive news about a new business opportunity), and I'm now physically looking across the tops of the trees at the vast and amazing sky from my desk.

Talk about the power of the inner game being so much more critical than the external one. I think so!

Happy Birthday Cyd!!