The shining eyes game

It's day two of working in a coffee shop and I'm still loving it.

I wonder how much office space costs? A day's broadband connection and a supply of coffees, muffins and paninis seems pretty reasonable to me.

After saying yesterday that I'd only run two miles or less in the past week, last night I ran just over seven miles with the local Harriers, on top of the mile-and-a-third in the morning. And then this morning another mile-and-a-third.

I enjoyed last night's run, especially as I set the route for the first time in my irregular attendance at the club over the past (almost) eight years.

I read a blog yesterday that talked about a lady who has a contest with her granddaughter whenever they go out to see who can make the most people smile.

I rather liked this because I'm always drawn to people with big open smiles, and it reminded me of Benjamin Zander and his "shining eyes".

Benjamin's theory is that you can always tell if you're inspiring people by whether their eyes are shining. If their eye aren't shining, the question to ask is "Who am I being that their eyes are not shining?"

I feel the idea of a new game forming, how many people's eyes can I make shine today?

Follow your truth

After running nine miles last night with the Harriers, it was another very gentle mile and a bit for me this morning.

Twenty-eight miles in five days is something I haven't done for quite a while.

I do think my early morning mile works well just to get the legs warmed up and the blood pumping through, even when I do long runs the day before. No days off for recovery for me.

Although every piece of advice I read, particularly for someone in their 50's, states that it's critical to rest, my easier miles are my way of resting.

I do think that it just goes to show that there is no one size, or one solution, that fits all. We each have to find what works for us, and I'm not just talking about running.

I frequently hear the phrase, "Be true to yourself". I believe that one of the most important things we are all here to learn is what is true for us and what isn't.

Then it's about having the courage to follow your truth.

Right now, my mile-a-day seems to be true for me, and I hope it continues to be so for as long as possible.

Support and encouragement

I did quite a long run with my Harrier friends last night so it was quite a gentle mile this morning.

Actually I say it was a long run with my Harrier friends, but in reality it was half with my friends and the rest on my own.

I went back to see if some stragglers were doing OK and needed someone with a head torch for a particularly dark part of the route. But I couldn't find them anywhere.

So I had to give up and was then too far back to catch the rest of my pack.

When I got back to base all were back and accounted for, so it was fine in the end.

I think that the lesson for me is to always make sure that the slowest runners, and the slowest in any walk of life, are fully supported and encouraged.

Their future participation and enjoyment is dependent on that support and encouragement.

My school sports rant

A one mile leg-stretcher this morning after a seven mile run with the Harriers last night, which I really enjoyed.

It would have been my Dad's 87th birthday today, but unfortunately he missed it by just over 32 years, but I thought of him nevertheless.

I was chatting with various people on last night's run.

One conversation, which wasn't the first time I'd heard this, was about how one runner hated all sports when she was at school, because she was made to feel that she was no good at it, and consequently avoided it at all cost.

My situation was very different. I was lucky in that I was quite good at a number of sports at school and therefore got the opportunity to play and thoroughly enjoy a number of sports.

I think that my love of physical activity is probably the main thing that I'm most grateful for from my entire school life.

I also think that it is crucial that everyone gains a real appreciation of how important and how much fun exercise and sports can be when they are at school, and I find it very sad when school does the very opposite.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not an anti-competition proponent in schools, in fact exactly the opposite.

I think that everyone at school should have the opportunity to participate no matter what their level of talent. They should be made to feel that they are absolutely good enough with whatever skill level they have.

They should also learn to enjoy striving to increase their current skill level further, and have fun doing it.

Two faces of running

Ran with the Harriers for the first time in 14 months last night, which was fun, but I found it hard work.

My mile this morning was also tough as my legs were stiff and my left knee was a little bit sore, but the old legs have got 24 hours rest now, so they should be fine.

I couldn't believe the number of people at the Harriers last night. There could easily have been over 100. It's fantastic to see how many people are engaged in recreational running, or any sort of physical exercise actually.

And it was great. On the run I met and chatted with a couple of people I hadn't met before, and then afterwards someone bought me a drink at the bar and I chatted with others.

My early morning runs and the club runs are so different. One is time to myself which I find so valuable and creative, and the other is so sociable and all about connection, which is one of my core values.

Running is definitely a win win any way you look at it for me.