A Passion for Running

Today, I thought I’d talk about something a bit on the esoteric side and record a thought I’ve always wanted to write down…

…Once upon a time, I had a run I will never forget – a run I haven’t duplicated since.

It happened in the spring of last year on a Saturday morning very shortly after Aaron and Tom had returned from running the Vancouver Marathon. Because it was so soon after their marathon, the guys were still healing and understandably did not want to run very far. I decided to run with them as far as they were going and then continue on my own. I didn’t have a plan for exactly how long but a couple of hours seemed about right.

It was a beautiful, crisp, cool morning and the minutes with my buds passed quickly until I finally said goodbye and pointed myself westward.

As I ran, a plan formed as to where I’d be running. Then, only a mile or so later, the plan was interrupted by a remembrance that other friends – Doug, Rebecca and Corinne were due to start their run in 15 minutes or so from the Kinsmen Sport Center.

I turned east and pushed hard to meet them. I ran fast but, strangely, there was nothing labored about my running. The time passed quickly and, with unbelievable luck, I soon saw my friends entering the river valley trails. A minute later I was cheerily running alongside them. We ran together for better than an hour until I turned around for home.

It was the run home that I will never forget.

It was one and a half hours of timeless motion.
The moment was forever and yet never.
My body moved effortlessly with seemingly endless reserves.
I remember the sound of my breath and of my feet hitting the ground.
I remember breathing the fresh air, the feeling of the warming sun and the sight of mist rising…

…and nothing hurt – absolutely nothing.

Everything was perfect and I believe I smiled the whole way home.

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Have you ever heard of, or experienced flow?

Well, I was IN it.

If you’ve been blessed enough to have experienced flow, you are now remembering and reveling in that memory and are undoubtedly smiling and yearning for it to happen again – my prayer is that you do.

If you’ve never experienced such a moment, my prayer is that you will and that it happens often.

It is a beautiful and divine gift.