For some of us who have done long distance running, there are many things one has to contend with. The most important one is to like to love your own company and to have self-belief that you can conquer the world no matter the obstacles that get thrown into your path. You can not run with a crowd for they will pull you back. You must learn when to reserve every ounce of energy for the last mile. Every metre in front of you counts. It is a milestone that tells you that you are getting closer to destination anywhere. It is all about connecting body and brain in simple harmonic motion. Sometimes the body complains because of lactic acid that is building up in the muscles but the brain tells the painful muscle to keep stretching and contracting. Instant gratification is not the solution.You cannot stop. The big prize is in the horizon where your mind and soul are glued to. The moment you approach what you think is the horizon it moves further. You never seem to get to the edge of it. Those who are standing seem to see its edge but not you.
One must get the breathing right. Everything must be in sync. In your mind you want to complete your goal and sometimes speed is not part of the equation. It is about completing what you set out to do. Competing against your self to get that elusive good feeling afterwards. The feeling that you ran that lonely path. The path that sometimes leads you nowhere except into the bowels of nature where the sounds of singing birds becomes part of the rhythm.
This long distance running has in many ways nothing to do with the actual physical running but negotiating your own way into the dark night. Sometimes a lonely path but full of challenges.
A lonely path of the long distance runner.
Jameson on Blogline 