I used to run with my wife when we first started dating. It was that period of dating when you would do anything to be a couple and try to impress your significant other, but that incentive doesn't last long. I trained for weeks one time to run a 5K with her, only to have her decide she and her girlfriend were going to do a girl's weekend instead. Ugh!
When I run, I always feel rushed and wonder when will it be over. I am a sprinter, not a jogger. I never know what the right pace is. Before too long my knees hurt or my calves ache. Rather than enjoying this exercise, I am consumed with how much longer it will take. My mind becomes cluttered, consumed and stressed by all the things about the run -- my pain, my gait, my time, the end! I miss out on all the things I enjoy when I walk (and some researchers would agree there are other risks to running).
Walking for Body and Mind
Walking keeps my body active and my mind clear. I put on my head phones and walk out the door for an experience I fully enjoy. I listen to music on Pandora. Some days it's Journey or Van Morrison ... other days it might be Enya, Tony Bennett or Tracy Chapman. I can get lost in the tunes. I appreciate the scenery. Whether I am walking around the neighborhood at home or on the beach on vacation, I enjoy the sights. The green trees. The crashing waves. The clouds. The houses. The cars. The dogs. The people. I can be an observer on my walk. Each sight taking me someplace else in my mind -- away from the to-do lists at home or the deadlines at work.
I usually keep a brisk pace on my walks and tackle the hills in my neighborhood. I track my Fitbit and might do 3-5 miles on a weekend morning, stopping occasionally for a photo or to pick up recycling and trash on the side of the road (see Plogging).
While I walk, my mind clears a bit and wanders naturally to places, thoughts and solutions I can't find anywhere else. I can reflect on big picture issues or just fun. I might think about interesting topics for a future blog post. I might rehearse a conversation or speech I am having trouble with at work. I may wonder about how to approach and talk with my kids in better ways. I may have the room in my mind to be more creative about solving a problem or consider longer term goals and plans.
I come away from my walks more relaxed, re-charged and ready to go. And isn't that what it's all about... whether you run, walk or do goat yoga (yes, goat yoga.).
