These Running Days

Ran by this signpost this morning. Note how not-straight the tiny path on it is. Then think about how many non-curving lines there are in nature. So why do I think I should be able to fly like an arrow?

Have been thinking about the rhythms that characterize all aspects of this living world. Ups and downs, lights and darks, lefts and rights--not much that occurs does its occurring in a straight line. I'm loping along and then, whoops, here's some flowers for you and by the way you can't continue on this road today. Turn right, right now, whether you want to or not.

I'm trying to bump up my mileage and finding that I need to tap into the rhythm inherent in everything in order to get from here (the low-mileage state) to there (the higher-mileage state). So my last six weeks have progressed in this order: high / higher / lower / high / higher / lower, with this past week being a "lower." But "lower" isn't a pejorative term. The pulled-back week included a 10K race and a couple of early morning neighborhood runs that were nourishing to body and spirit. We've had loads of unseasonal rain lately, and beautiful skies have been one bonus gifted to us by the soaking.

Along with working on increasing my mileage, I've been trying to incorporate some Chi Running techniques into my form. My friend L is completing the rigorous process of becoming a Chi Running instructor, and as part of her training she has to do some student teaching. A couple of us were the lucky recipients of her mandatory knowledge-sharing and spent a full morning doing some exercises and learning techniques that may help us run faster and avoid injury. No down side there!

This morning I ran down to the Berkeley bayshore. The forecast had told me it would be raining, but it wasn't. For some reason, this morning's segment of the up-and-down felt toward the down side--legs dead, brain full of cotton--but the magic running fairy lifted me up a bit before I got home.


Still feeling a bit muzzy, really, but haven't slipped so far down the slide that I can't appreciate the gift of this day. Bring on the rain. I know sun won't be far behind. In the meantime, click on the above photo to see the Golden Gate under a glowering dawn.