Running - Chemical #1

It was a beauuuuuuutiful morning to run today. Lots of other happy people out there and a bunch of birds I've never seen before (tiny yellow ones...neato). I did 2 minutes walk + 5 minutes run 6 times and I kept a pretty brisk pace thanks to an old favourite album - Already by Jesus Jones...there's a few songs on it that capture how I felt about things this morning. I'm sure it's about the good things in life, but this morning, it was about how I felt as I ran...

It’s adrenalin for me that is waiting patiently,
For when push comes to shove which it usually does for me...
No time here to explain all the many ways to gain-
They sneak-up-behind you, jump start your mind for free.
And here it comes!
It’s a little bit sad, but isn’t it fun?
To spend your life chasing chemical #1
The romantics out there say that emotions aren’t this way,
But whatever the name, it feels the same to me.
And here it comes! Isn’t it fun?

I have been listening to old albums lately and thought I'd dig up an old favourite album on the iPod. Sometimes great music makes all the difference. For me sometimes the music fills me up and I run and breathe and honestly feel like I'm in the best place on earth. This morning was one of those times...I ran and sang out loud like a fool (and was heard and seen by a passerby who giggled at me...heh oops) and seemed to go further and faster than I have recently. I pushed myself but the little voices in my head that tell me what to do were helpful today...dare I say encouraging. They made me smile. It was a hard workout...but I loved every minute of it.

I have to find motion - I get release in motion,
If I move I'll be fine.
I've gotta find the right speed to shake off what I don't need,
So I can leave it all behind.
Motion takes me...

I was thinking as I ran, about just how much my whole attitude has changed over the years. Back when I started this whole fitness thing I had such a negative attitude towards myself and my body. When I needed to push myself I'd insult myself...egg myself on and dare myself to do more and prove myself wrong.
How twisted is that?
This morning, without really noticing it at first, I came to realise that now the voices were juxtaposed to the old ones. Things like "Hey you did it! Ah- you can totally do this, come on lets roll!" were more along the lines of how it went today. Even a full out cheesy arms in the air if I occasionally sprint the last few metres to the bridge at the end of my run is not out of the question these days :)

I know a lot of it is just the odds of having a good day, but it really brings it home to me how much we can make ourselves better or worse with all the little things in life and how we approach them. It makes me wonder just what other things I do or don't do in other parts of my life that I can work on.
Who'd a thought a sweaty run would get my mind going?

I'm not there yet...
Not weak enough yet.
I'll keep paying my bills
If this is as hard as it gets
On top of the world!
On top of the world...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

your good morning totally perked up MY day.

it's amazing how much easier life in general is when we treat ourselves as we would a FRIEND huh?

:)

Miz.

therapydoc said...

I used to run when I was in college, lived near an indoor track, and I remember feeling so, so happy back then from it. The knees, the knees eventually tell you to do something else.