Commitment & acknowledgement

This mile each day game has been fun over the last week and a bit.

If I had not challenged myself to see how long I could sustain running at least a mile every single day, I'm sure that I would have missed 3 days of my mile in the last week.

Firstly, I would have decided that I didn't have enough space in my hand luggage for my flight to Holland to fit my running shoes, shorts, tee-shirt, socks and Garmin GPS device. And yet I found room, and I had an absolutely gorgeous run of three and a half miles in the forests of southern Holland. Thank you Lieke.

Then, I was running a training programme in London 2 days last week and knew that when I left my hotel in the morning, I wouldn't be back until well after 10.00 pm. So I managed to get out and hit the road before 6.00 a.m. each day. That wouldn't have happened either, had it not been for my commitment to the mile each day experiment.

I'd also like to acknowledge Toby for his commitment to the experiment. Realising that you haven't done your run at 11.50 p.m. whilst brushing your teeth, getting ready for bed, and yet still going out and doing the mile anyway, I take my hat off to you.

Bluebells to Holland

I've been rather remiss as I haven't blogged now for a week.

Is blog a verb as well as a noun?

This morning, Nicky and I diverted from our usual circuit to go into the woods just down the road from our house and search out the bluebells. We found them, although we had to climb (sort of run) a horrifically steep hill to get to them. I find it amazing how a mass of bluebells can have such an ethereal, magical quality to them.

If you haven't gone out and taken a run, or walk, in some woods that contain bluebells, I urge you to do so in the next few days, while they are at their most magnificent.

Tomorrow I won't be able to do my morning run as I am due to catch a 7.25 am flight to Dusseldorf and am spending the day in Holland. I'm told that there is a forest very near to where I'll be, so I'm hoping to do my mile in the forest.

Magic, awe & distraction

Ran on my own this morning. Put in a fairly pacey (for me) 3 miles, which was fun. I checked a couple of times whether I was pushing myself but I wasn't. It was like I was running automatically on duracell batteries. I almost couldn't help it. Interesting.

Two thoughts came up for me on this morning's run. The first was how children so easily see magic and have a sense of awe and wonder about them. Do we just grow out of it and see reality as adults, or do we lose the ability to look with a sense of awe and to see magic, although it is still there?

I strongly suspect the latter, because every now and then I get glimpses of magic and also feel that sense of awe. It's amazingly powerful and hugely uplifting. We could all thrive rather than survive a lot easier by suspending our cynical minds and getting back in touch with magic and awe.

The other thought I had was how we usually see the quality of being distracted as a negative trait. But what if we were intent on a goal, a challenge and we were confronted by someone who could benefit from our help or assistance? Is the most positive thing to do, ignore it and keep focused on our goal or is it to allow ourselves to be distracted and lend a hand?

Human relationships are often just as important, if not more so, than the goal. So maybe the ability to be distracted is not such a bad thing?

Amazing what I think of when I'm running!

Secrets, washing-up & MJ

Really enjoyed my run this morning! Had a nice chat with Nicky for our mile and a bit, particularly about the news we heard this weekend, which is amazingly exciting, but I'm unable to reveal as I'm sworn to secrecy for a couple of weeks. After that I did another three miles, which was also lovely.

I realised on this morning's run that I can still do Beachy Head in October, whatever anyone else says, however professional they are, or what authority and experience they have. If my goal is to run it (with a smattering of walking) and have a fabulous experience, it is absolutely in my own power and my hands (or possibly legs).

As it's Bank Holiday Monday today, I have had a great chill out morning, including what I refer to as disco washing-up, which involves just me in the kitchen with my iTunes turned right up doing the washing up and clearing up. I know it sounds weird but I love it.

The origins of disco washing-up are from my time living in Vancouver in the 80's, when a bunch of us used to get together after a meal, and we would throw plates, cutlery, pans from the "washer" to the "dryer" to the "putter away" in time to very loud music. We borrowed it from a scene from the movie "The Big Chill".

I also had a strange experience when a Michael Jackson song came on. I suddenly brimmed up with tears. Music is such a powerful communications channel. I could plainly hear through Michael Jackson's voice his pain, passion and also beauty. It hit me straight in the chest and knocked me sideways for a good couple of minutes.

I just love music. Sometimes just listening to it allows me a level of self-expression that I find it hard to access in other ways.

Blimey, I think I've drivelled on enough for about a week's worth of postings, so time to sign off.

Running for breakfast

I've just realised that this morning's run completed my 4th month of running every day for at least one mile.

This morning I ran my mile and a bit with Nicky and then continued on to Sainsbury's Local to buy milk and bread for breakfast. I quite like it when I can mix my run with a practical purpose.

I need to solve a problem with my backpack though. When it's got 3 pints of milk in and a couple of loaves of ciabatta, it bounces from side to side, which interferes with my natural arm swimming.

Nicky did really well this morning as she had already run 3 miles last night with Sarah's Runners.

Today I have emerged from my flat few days, which is great. The world once again is my lobster, as they say.