Tag Archives: stress

Relaxing on the run

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When we’re not out running a race, I dedicate my Sunday runs to long, slow, drawn-out distances (more commonly known as LSD’s). It’s a time to be by myself, get time on my feet and just relax. But on my run this morning, I began to notice how tense I was. When I walked the dreaded hill up passed Cumberland, I felt incredibly guilty for walking. As I headed down the beautiful tree-lined Elgin Road, I kept checking my watch and calculating time. What for?

I eventually stopped, breathed and re-examined why I was out running in the first place. It wasn’t to get a PB, so why the rush? It wasn’t to do any speed work or hill training, so why the guilt? I consciously had to slow down and start my run over again, ensuring I was doing so with the right frame of mind as I ran.

I found today’s experience similar to when I go for a spa treatment. Numerous times throughout the session, I have to actually tell myself to relax. And when I do, I can feel my body calming down and unwinding, but I need to do this a few times. It seems as if I’m constantly wired and uptight. Relaxing does not come easy to me.

Is it just me or does anyone else feel as if the lives we live today have become so stressful, so tense that we are in a 24/7 state of anxiety and tension?

Running definitely allows me to release some of that worked up tension and really gives me the time and space to think (and over think) everything that’s going on in my head. But every now & then, it’s good to stop and examine the reasons for doing something in the first place.

So as I stood on the pavement and took a deep breath, I slowly started running again. I promised myself that my Sunday runs were all about me giving back to my body and to relaxing my mind. But mostly to be out there enjoying myself.

Just run

I must say, the rest of my run went much better. I decided that although I love posting my runs to Strava & Facebook, it might help to leave the watch at home every now and then. If only to relax while I run.

(Image: http://thoughtsandpavement.com/tag/runner/)

Surviving the week – Hannah Montana style

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If it’s not Taylor Swift telling me she’s like, never ever, whatever getting back together, or Bieber believer vomit fever, there’s just no escaping the teeny bopper music dominating the airwaves today.

But there is one song, sung by Miley Cyrus which I just can’t get enough of. In fact, it’s the cheesiest one of the lot, but the words are so incredible that I often listen to it, just to remind myself that no matter how stressed out I am at work, no matter how tough my running races are, no matter what I may be going through right now, I’ll get through it…

Below are the words and I trust you will survive Monday and have a good week!

I can almost see it. That dream I am dreaming. But there’s a voice inside my head saying, “You’ll never reach it.”
Every step I’m taking, every move I make feels lost with no direction. My faith is shaking. But I gotta keep trying. Gotta keep my head held high.

There’s always gonna be another mountain. I’m always gonna wanna make it move. Always gonna be a uphill battle. Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose.
Ain’t about how fast I get there. Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side. It’s the climb.

The struggles I’m facing, the chances I’m taking. Sometimes might knock me down, but no, I’m not breaking.
I may not know it but these are the moments that I’m gonna remember most, yeah just gotta keep going.

And I got to be strong. Just keep pushing on.

‘Cause there’s always gonna be another mountain. I’m always gonna wanna make it move. Always gonna be a uphill battle. Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose.
Ain’t about how fast I get there. Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side. It’s the climb, yeah!

There’s always gonna be another mountain. I’m always gonna wanna make it move. Always gonna be an uphill battle. Somebody’s gonna have to lose.
Ain’t about how fast I get there Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side It’s the climb, yeah!

Keep on moving, keep climbing. Keep the faith, baby. It’s all about, it’s all about the climb. Keep the faith, keep your faith…

“The Climb” – Miley Cyrus

Running, like life, comes with many up hills

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A friend asked me the other day what race I would recommend she should attempt to run as her first road race. She made the comment, “I want a nice easy race. No hills, nothing too tough. It must be as flat as possible.”

The ironic thing is that with running, the flat races are sometimes the most boring. They might appear easy but in the long run, they don’t provide much of a challenge. All you’ve got is the road ahead of you where your pace is unlikely to change much and your body is kept at a consistent level of exertion.

You see, the races that come with rolling hills are tough, but when you push yourself up the hills, the joy of reaching the top and the feeling of speeding up and letting yourself go on the downhills is fantastic. The mental negotiation you have between your mind and your body as you fight the urge to stop running and the freedom you feel when you reach the top and cruise downhill is victorius. You learn so much about yourself when you force your body to go beyond its limits and to succeed.

I guess most of us wish for those flat races, those times when everything runs smoothly, calmly and there are no bumps in the road to upset our plans. However, life is never that easy. It’s only by dealing with the up hills and overcoming the stresses of those difficult times in our lives that we learn to appreciate things more and learn more about ourselves.

Today’s rat race, with all its stresses and problems, is not easy, no matter what type of runner (or walker) you are. But often, it’s worth welcoming the up hills in our lives because once we push through, the rewards are worth it.

Life is like a game of Scrabble

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If you appreciate a good game of Scrabble, then you’ll understand this post…

There’s a rule in Scrabble which says that when you are unable to use your letters to form a word, you can throw them all back, skip a turn, but then get to choose 7 new letters and start from scratch. You also have the option to skip a turn when you are unable to make a move.

I sometimes wish life could be this simple and have these options.

I often get so bogged down with the stresses of life that some days I feel totally overwhelmed. I am too stressed out, too tired to focus and it feels as if there’s just too much to do.

Days such as these, I wish I could throw all my problems and issues back, skip a turn and take my chances with a whole new set of challenges tomorrow.

The irony is that these complicated letters usually hold the biggest values. The Z is worth 10 points for example.

Life works pretty much the same way. If we are able to overcome the big problems, survive the painful days and get through the stresses, there is much value in store.

But sometimes, it’s so much easier to want to throw in the towel, give up, skip a turn and take the easy way out…