It’s no secret, I love running. I was never on the track team at school but I’ve always owned a pair of trainers due to my Dad being a relatively decent club level marathoner. Training became more than just a few jogs around the park after my first half marathon, it was then that I realised that I could actually be a decent runner if I adhered to a training plan and before I knew it, I was hooked. Since age 22, I don’t think I’ve gone more than 2 days without training. Addiction is a strong word but the difference between me on a day where I have trained compared to a day where I haven’t is considerable. Running for me is more than just a physical exertion, it’s a therapy, a meditation and it’s my time spent doing my thing. That’s why every morning I prioritise those miles, above everything.
In my other areas of interest in life, although I share an equal passion for them, I don’t feel the incessant need to do them on a daily basis. A day without training feels like the end of the world but a day without writing, creating or coffee (lol) is okay. More than a few days would drive me a little wild but generally I don’t feel anywhere near to how all over the place I feel if its a rest day or the anxiety I get over something that could potentially come between me and my miles. This is something however, that I am totally okay with, that I have absolutely no plan to change, for the rest of my life (or for as long as I am physically able to train). It’s something that I make sure that those around me are fully aware of. Benedict needs to run, everything else is secondary. This is not negotiable and those that know me are fully aware of this.
One of the reasons I think running is so important to me on a day to day basis is its input vs output ratio. Somebody once said to me, the problem with being a musician is that when you perform, you’re greeted with instant gratification; the crowd cheers after the song you play. However, when you release a song, there’s no instantaneous applaud. It’s a gradual build of views and plays that, as a creative, doesn’t give you any fulfilment what so ever. Running awards me with instant gratification, every single time. The moment my legs start moving, my heart rate elevates and my lungs fill with air, I’m given the endorphin rush I need to get on with the rest of my day. If I run for an hour, then I’m awarded with the fact that no matter what happens in the rest of my day, that hour was mine and it was full of enjoyment. The time I put into a run, gives back a greater output. Therefore, it has to be made a priority and thats the reason it’s so damn addictive.
I think anyone who chases productivity and success is often into regular and routined exercise. Productive people don’t just enjoy being productive, we enjoy the energy and movement, the same that is found in exercise. If you find yourself lost most days, not knowing what it is you’ve achieved or what you’re aiming for, then I recommend taking up a training plan. Find a goal; enter a race, drop some weight, gain some mass, whatever it may be… Then train for it. I guarantee through giving yourself a purpose in exercise and fitness, you’ll start to pick up purpose in your other areas of life. The time spent exercising will become thinking time and you’ll notice how much better it makes everything else.
Running, this one’s for you. It’s Christmas in a week and all I want for Christmas is a nice long run, then one for every day after, for the rest of my life.
Stay merry y’all.
BG
benedict. 