Running Home
Lots of things going through my head today, so this may be a long post.
I can start off with the line I blurted during yesterday's post, where I said (paraphrased) that I wished I could apply the discipline that I have with running to other parts of my life. In church this morning the readings were the Beatitudes, and after the readings Father John introduced a woman who is a church member but whom I don't know who delivered a very good homily on applying the Beatitudes to our lives. I won't go into detail, but one phrase that summarizes it nicely is that, taken correctly, the Beatitudes should "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comforted."
I ran the ten miles from St. Vincent's to home for my workout today, so I had a chance to digest all this while it was still fresh in my mind. If my running was like my church attendence I'd be one of those folks who makes it out to a group run about once a week or so, and wishes that he would do it more often because he'd really like to get into shape (there are running blogs with that general theme to it). The comparison fits nicely, as at the core of building up one's faith/spirituality (or whatever you want to call it) are daily "workouts" otherwise known as prayer, meditation, reflection, reading etc. and it all builds from there. Just like running there then is a social scene which reinforces all that, and there are outlets to practice this "spiritual fitness."
So why don't I do this? That was one of the questions I was thinking about during my run. As part of the answer I think back to a comment I once made to a friend of mine, David, who is very into gardening. After duly admiring his green thumb (sorry for the cliche) I told him, "I've always wanted to garden but I guess that's the same thing that alot of people say about running." With questions of faith, however, more is at stake. I don't know if this will lead anywhere or if it is just a hit from a well told homilly that will wear off soon. But there have been little pieces like that in various parts of my life lately, and I hope they fit together into something bigger. But I have to make them do so.
So, that's where my head was at during the run. My body was happy as it looks like this prolonged cold snap we've been having has finally snapped and temps are back to a more normal hi-20's/lo 30's. I am surprised what a huge difference this made, as I ran in shorts and a sweatshirt (w/o gloves or hat) and felt overdressed. There was a dusting of snow (about 1") that fell last night, and while it made things slick (esp. on 2 or so miles of the run that are on a trail along the Wissahickon) it also covered up the old snow and made everything wintry white again. The snow on the ground also gave me an excuse to slow it down (as if I should need one) although the 4 miles that were marked on Kelly Drive went by in 30:04.
Total run time for 10 or so miles was 81:36. This gives me 50 miles for the week, which I'm okay with given the circumstances.
I spent some time reading running blogs yesterday and sticking my big toe into the world of html earlier this afternoon. I looked through a bunch of blogs to look for ones I'd like to follow on a regular basis and, related to this, what elements I liked or disliked in the blogs I read. In response, I started a little links list on the sidebar that I need to learn how to adjust the font for, but which I've put the Complete Running URL and which I promise to populate more as I get more into this. Learning this promises to be a series of baby steps. If you noticed in a previous sentence I also learned how to link in the text today.
I also found out that I'm not writing in a total vacuum as apparently someone liked my term "urban fartlek" enough to put it on his website, "Double-Tongued Word Wrester," which catalogues neologisms and new words that appear. I'm amazed that he found this site, but apparently he has a system for sifting through the detritus on the web.
And the last thing I want to add is two things that I think make a good running blog. I will probably add to this list occasionally and maybe even eventually make it into a "top ten" list or something like that. Anyway, number 1 is that the blog should build up to something, give it some sort of thread that tie together the individual entries. The most logical tie is a goal race, where the reader can follow the preparations and get progressively more "hooked" as the race day nears, and the account of the race becomes the climactic piece. Then it starts again. I'll hopefully incorporate this into my blog this week. The second thing that I found is that there are alot of running blogs out there that are not much more than training logs. Training logs are not very interesting to read, by and large, unless it is Paula Radcliffe's or KK's or someone of that caliber, who generally don't blog. I want that info, but I want to be able to place it with a person - his or her struggles, quirks, goals, triumphs, insights, etc. I hope that is what I am doing here.
That is more than enough for today.
I can start off with the line I blurted during yesterday's post, where I said (paraphrased) that I wished I could apply the discipline that I have with running to other parts of my life. In church this morning the readings were the Beatitudes, and after the readings Father John introduced a woman who is a church member but whom I don't know who delivered a very good homily on applying the Beatitudes to our lives. I won't go into detail, but one phrase that summarizes it nicely is that, taken correctly, the Beatitudes should "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comforted."
I ran the ten miles from St. Vincent's to home for my workout today, so I had a chance to digest all this while it was still fresh in my mind. If my running was like my church attendence I'd be one of those folks who makes it out to a group run about once a week or so, and wishes that he would do it more often because he'd really like to get into shape (there are running blogs with that general theme to it). The comparison fits nicely, as at the core of building up one's faith/spirituality (or whatever you want to call it) are daily "workouts" otherwise known as prayer, meditation, reflection, reading etc. and it all builds from there. Just like running there then is a social scene which reinforces all that, and there are outlets to practice this "spiritual fitness."
So why don't I do this? That was one of the questions I was thinking about during my run. As part of the answer I think back to a comment I once made to a friend of mine, David, who is very into gardening. After duly admiring his green thumb (sorry for the cliche) I told him, "I've always wanted to garden but I guess that's the same thing that alot of people say about running." With questions of faith, however, more is at stake. I don't know if this will lead anywhere or if it is just a hit from a well told homilly that will wear off soon. But there have been little pieces like that in various parts of my life lately, and I hope they fit together into something bigger. But I have to make them do so.
So, that's where my head was at during the run. My body was happy as it looks like this prolonged cold snap we've been having has finally snapped and temps are back to a more normal hi-20's/lo 30's. I am surprised what a huge difference this made, as I ran in shorts and a sweatshirt (w/o gloves or hat) and felt overdressed. There was a dusting of snow (about 1") that fell last night, and while it made things slick (esp. on 2 or so miles of the run that are on a trail along the Wissahickon) it also covered up the old snow and made everything wintry white again. The snow on the ground also gave me an excuse to slow it down (as if I should need one) although the 4 miles that were marked on Kelly Drive went by in 30:04.
Total run time for 10 or so miles was 81:36. This gives me 50 miles for the week, which I'm okay with given the circumstances.
I spent some time reading running blogs yesterday and sticking my big toe into the world of html earlier this afternoon. I looked through a bunch of blogs to look for ones I'd like to follow on a regular basis and, related to this, what elements I liked or disliked in the blogs I read. In response, I started a little links list on the sidebar that I need to learn how to adjust the font for, but which I've put the Complete Running URL and which I promise to populate more as I get more into this. Learning this promises to be a series of baby steps. If you noticed in a previous sentence I also learned how to link in the text today.
I also found out that I'm not writing in a total vacuum as apparently someone liked my term "urban fartlek" enough to put it on his website, "Double-Tongued Word Wrester," which catalogues neologisms and new words that appear. I'm amazed that he found this site, but apparently he has a system for sifting through the detritus on the web.
And the last thing I want to add is two things that I think make a good running blog. I will probably add to this list occasionally and maybe even eventually make it into a "top ten" list or something like that. Anyway, number 1 is that the blog should build up to something, give it some sort of thread that tie together the individual entries. The most logical tie is a goal race, where the reader can follow the preparations and get progressively more "hooked" as the race day nears, and the account of the race becomes the climactic piece. Then it starts again. I'll hopefully incorporate this into my blog this week. The second thing that I found is that there are alot of running blogs out there that are not much more than training logs. Training logs are not very interesting to read, by and large, unless it is Paula Radcliffe's or KK's or someone of that caliber, who generally don't blog. I want that info, but I want to be able to place it with a person - his or her struggles, quirks, goals, triumphs, insights, etc. I hope that is what I am doing here.
That is more than enough for today.
posted by seebo | 4:04 PM
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