I am back with another blog about running. This is the second one but don’t be surprised if the number goes to double digits.
Today I want to talk about how running has helped me generate ideas. Firstly let’s talk about how the lack of a proper run has affected me the last 3 days. I went on a hike last Saturday and instead of resting, I ran 3km on Saturday and then 5km on Sunday. Monday morning I immediately realized that I should have rested. I had extreme pain in my right thigh and I hardly could go up or down stairs. It was a struggle to walk. But I couldn’t skip my run. I needed my run to function. No matter how short it would be, I needed to just move for a few minutes. I ended up running just 2km each on Monday, Tuesday, and today. That is way below my usual and none of the runs were proper intense runs. They were just to test out the thigh and keep my body moving.
This lack of a proper run has impacted my productivity and mood a lot last few days. Normally when I get my usual run in I feel full of life and stamina. I blaze through my day and get most of the things done. I don't feel like I have to drag myself through my day. But the last three days haven't been good. I was having a hard time concentrating on things and getting things done. I was always distracted. Then I realized how I haven’t had a proper run yet.
I have been reading the book Flow this month and the descriptions people give about flow are similar to how I feel when I run. When I am having a good run and experience runners high, it’s one of the best moments of my day. I feel at peace and my body and mind seem to be coexisting together floating in the universe. Sometimes I can observe myself running in the third person. And on my good runs, I get a lot of ideas. I can generate ideas and I can think about ideas. I can build on my ideas. All this happens because I am living in that particular moment void of any distractions or any other thought. I can zone in on one single thing and I can produce a greater output than usual.
I might not be making any sense but we all have activities in our daily life that put us in a state of flow. It might be reading or painting for some but for me, it’s running. I can’t wait to get back to my regular runs. Hopefully, I can run better tomorrow.