F### me! Feeling alive and kicking this morning! Dropped the kids off and then went for my morning run. There were dark, looming rain clouds hanging out over the ocean and it looked like everything was going to close in and swallow up the Earth. Okay, drama aside I decided I’ll go for it nevertheless, dressing as if it were 8ºC warmer than it actually was.
Living in Lanzarote means that in some respects we have easier running conditions – good climate, no snow or ice, sometimes it gets very windy but hardly ever uncomfortably cold temperatures. Today though the temperature dropped and felt like a pin sticking in to your skin, the chilly wind couldn’t decide in which direction it wanted to blow making running more of a challenge, the rain clouds were looming closer…
I mindfully embraced all these sensations and reminded myself that each step here and now is what matters to reaching my finishing point, not what might be coming ahead. I became aware of the few holes in my running leggings letting in the real exterior temperature bite the skin on my legs and making my face sting.
“Life, like these runs, are an undulating experience”.
I love running on my undulating trail. Its ups, downs and more levelled parts are synonymous with life. Life is never linear; life has its comfortable moments, then comes those uphill struggles that require more effort and even suffering, and finally things then plateau out and ease off again back to that more comfortable zone. Reminding myself of this and understanding the impermanence of all things helps get me through the more uncomfortable moments on a run. I accept that each step will help get me through the tougher parts and things will get easier again. This is why I prefer training on trails rather than on flat runs. Life, like these runs, are an undulating experience.
Back to my run. I was nearly halfway through when the heavens opened, the temperature dropped even more and the wind got stronger. The rain was lashing down! Suddenly, hailstones hammered down diagonally into my face, stinging my eyes, cheeks and lips! Hail is highly unusual for Lanzarote! A strong gust of wind made me have to run diagonally into it, and its chilly temperature was biting through the holes in my leggings. Suddenly the wind turned and a gust blew from behind which pushed me ahead faster than my legs could run! In conditions I’m not accustomed to, my senses and body felt really alive and empowered. It must be in my Celtic blood! Everything was wild and I was Braveheart screaming “Freedom!” I felt under the mercy of the elements but with a determination to embrace the experience feeling present in the moment, alive and kicking. I even began to enjoy it and ran like I have not ran in a long time.
Knowing that I was able to mindfully overcome more difficult conditions and turn what might be an unpleasant run into something envigorating gives an incredible sense of satisfaction and those endorphins were flowing for a good while afterwards.
Gratitude today for those adverse conditions to push my limits and knowing I can withstand them. Now I’m set up for the rest of the day! How do you feel when you’ve overcome more difficult moments?
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