Why are you always so busy miss? Don’t we all have 24 hours in a day?
That was a statement I made to my teacher when I was starting high school. The teacher in question was a single mother, always out of time, always frazzled. It never really occurred to me why this was the case. I had so much time, why is it so different for someone else?
But I quickly realised that growing older, meant that yes we do become time poor. There are many things we wish to pursue, but of course, we don’t always have the time we want to pursue them. The truth is I’ve hated running for most of my life, yet recently I’ve done so much of it. What has changed?
- Running is an individual sport
Unlike football, or tennis, running is an individual sport. I don’t have to rely on others to get my fitness done. Sure other sports are definitely fun, but in this increasingly time constrained world we live in, time is of the essense.
- You can fit running in anytime, anywhere
Running is ubiquitous. You can have excuses for missing a football session, like it is too far, or it is too hot, or my brother has the car this weekend. But not so for running; you can run anywhere, anytime.
- Running is a time to unload your mind
For some people it is the act of meditation. For me it is running. You do the same thing, you don’t have to think or worry too much about where you’re going or how you’re doing it. This is one reason why running as a form of exercise is ideal compared with weight-lifting; you don’t have to actively concern yourself with how many sets you’ve done, or whether the exercise you’re engaging in is optimal for the program that you’re on. This time for self-reflection, to relax (somewhat), rewind, and break free is something that I have been previously missing in this time constrained world.