...to home.
This morning I decided to tackle one of the biggest hills around as a part of my Flying Pig training. Mt. Washington.
In order to get from my house to church (5 miles) I have to pass through/travel up Mt Washington, a task that not even my 4 cylindered MG Midget likes to process.
So this morning I did it. I strapped on neither motorcycle nor truck but put on my running shoes and made it to church.Was it pretty? No. Was it a beautiful morning? Yes. Was it fun? Eh. Would I do it again? Probably.
I find that when I run I come up with many observations and self-reflections. Perhaps because I feel as close to dying while short-breathed and winded as I do at any time during any day. Here are a few of those observations:
-I had the ability to greet people with a breathless hello, whereas I usually don't even notice them as I drive by at 40mph. While this is limited interaction, it is amazing to start your day off "spending time" with people you don't normall see.
-I was alarmed at the difference it made to run on the upwind (Right) side of the street vs running downwind from the street (left). For the first half of my run I was breathing in all sorts of nasty fumes and was really struggling to feel like I could catch a deep breath when I inhaled. Once I crossed over to the other side of the street I was able to really feel like I could take a breath. So I came up with this analogy: If running is a comparison to the Christian faith, then God provides the strength, Jesus provides the route, and the Holy Spirit provides the oxygen. When you run on the "wrong side of the street", you aren't getting as much power as you otherwise could have. If you let pollution and manmade things contribute to what you are taking in to your lungs, you will never be able to truly experience breathing (Eph 4:22).
-Perhaps my most prominent observation is that I observed a lot more than I usually do. I was able to take in the details of the ordinary trip. When you drive by something, even with great regularity, you miss the details you would otherwise get on bike or foot. I was able to take in the scents, the sounds, and the feel of the ground I usually speed over. It is a wonderful thing to notice the many details of the route we take that we usually miss. I would recommend that everyone walk or jog their route to work someday, just to take in the details of the trip frequently traveled. It will give you a lot more appreciation for that route.
And now, for some unforeseen complications regarding running to church:
-The shower here rarely gets used, and therefore when fresh water hits the drain, it awakens all sorts of smelly "egg" smell. I'm not entirely convinced I got clean...
-I forgot to pack a toothbrush.
-Or breakfast.
-Or my wallet, which allows me to get into the church at my earlier arrival time (gratefully Vicki was here)
-I now have smelly clothes in my office all day.
-And...I did not anticipate how scary it can be to cross a bridge on the shoulder of a busy street with almost no shoulder to walk on.
This morning I decided to tackle one of the biggest hills around as a part of my Flying Pig training. Mt. Washington.
In order to get from my house to church (5 miles) I have to pass through/travel up Mt Washington, a task that not even my 4 cylindered MG Midget likes to process.
So this morning I did it. I strapped on neither motorcycle nor truck but put on my running shoes and made it to church.Was it pretty? No. Was it a beautiful morning? Yes. Was it fun? Eh. Would I do it again? Probably.
I find that when I run I come up with many observations and self-reflections. Perhaps because I feel as close to dying while short-breathed and winded as I do at any time during any day. Here are a few of those observations:
-I had the ability to greet people with a breathless hello, whereas I usually don't even notice them as I drive by at 40mph. While this is limited interaction, it is amazing to start your day off "spending time" with people you don't normall see.
-I was alarmed at the difference it made to run on the upwind (Right) side of the street vs running downwind from the street (left). For the first half of my run I was breathing in all sorts of nasty fumes and was really struggling to feel like I could catch a deep breath when I inhaled. Once I crossed over to the other side of the street I was able to really feel like I could take a breath. So I came up with this analogy: If running is a comparison to the Christian faith, then God provides the strength, Jesus provides the route, and the Holy Spirit provides the oxygen. When you run on the "wrong side of the street", you aren't getting as much power as you otherwise could have. If you let pollution and manmade things contribute to what you are taking in to your lungs, you will never be able to truly experience breathing (Eph 4:22).
-Perhaps my most prominent observation is that I observed a lot more than I usually do. I was able to take in the details of the ordinary trip. When you drive by something, even with great regularity, you miss the details you would otherwise get on bike or foot. I was able to take in the scents, the sounds, and the feel of the ground I usually speed over. It is a wonderful thing to notice the many details of the route we take that we usually miss. I would recommend that everyone walk or jog their route to work someday, just to take in the details of the trip frequently traveled. It will give you a lot more appreciation for that route.
And now, for some unforeseen complications regarding running to church:
-The shower here rarely gets used, and therefore when fresh water hits the drain, it awakens all sorts of smelly "egg" smell. I'm not entirely convinced I got clean...
-I forgot to pack a toothbrush.
-Or breakfast.
-Or my wallet, which allows me to get into the church at my earlier arrival time (gratefully Vicki was here)
-I now have smelly clothes in my office all day.
-And...I did not anticipate how scary it can be to cross a bridge on the shoulder of a busy street with almost no shoulder to walk on.
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