A journey of 26.2 miles starts with one mile. ☝🏻
I haven't run in what feels like ages. I had "big" plans to do a three mile run tonight, but I remembered what my friend J.D. said: listen to your body, not the gps. Take it easy or you'll injure yourself.
Well, I got out there in my walking shoes and pajama shorts, and made a go for it with ¥110 yen in my hand to buy a water from a vending machine when I stopped.
It was a lot harder than I remembered, but also easier, in a way, because I didn't really "pressure" myself this time like I used to when I was younger.
This is the race I am running in October.
I feel good, and am taking Murakami's advice:
Right now I'm aiming at increasing the distance I run, so speed is less of an issue. As long as I can run a certain distance, that's all I care about. Sometimes I run fast when I feel like it, but if I increase the pace I shorten the amount of time I run, the point being to let the exhilaration I feel at the end of each run carry over to the next day. This is the same sort of tack I find necessary when writing a novel. I stop every day right at the point where I feel I can write more.
~Haruki Murakami, WHAT I TALK ABOUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT RUNNING
If you missed the past marathon blog posts, you can find them here:
~KafkA
Graham Smith is a Voluntaryist activist, creator, and peaceful parent residing in Niigata City, Japan. Graham runs the "Voluntary Japan" online initiative with a presence here on Steem, as well as Facebook and Twitter. (Hit me up so I can stop talking about myself in the third person!)
