Running is for yourself

I cannot remember when I started writing but what I do know is that it was very early in life: poems that no one read, innumerable diaries that began in earnest and then stopped of their own accord. What I know is that writing was a always a form of catharsis and always came when things were not, let us say, on track. Letters too were part of my fire fighting arsenal, some written to real people, and some to the array of imaginary friends only children often conjure. Putting things on paper always made me feel better.

Some years back when thins were so bad that even my imagined creativity had taken a blow, I began writing quotes from books and songs I liked and pasting them in a scrap book. A strange pastime for an adult but nevertheless critical to me as putting pen on a sheet of paper beat all anti-depressants in the world. Whereas all my early 'writings' got lost along the journey of my life, two scrap books still remain on my shelf and I sometimes leaf through them and like figuring out why I chose that particular line from a book or a song. Sometimes, and that is somewhat uncanny, I remember having written something relevant to the present and then go looking for the quote. This what happened recently.

However before I get to the quote, I need to explain the situation. As I had written in my last blog, I have been hounded by all those who love me and have shared the past year with me in thoughts and love to take a break and do something for myself. Travelling is what most suggested but as I always say I am an armchair freak and cannot think of putting my life in a suitcase. However I guess there is someone up there who makes things right or is it just synchronicity, I recently viewed the stunning video of an 80 year old contestant of a reality show who danced the most acrobatic salsa ever, a dance dorm she learnt in her twilight days and felt motivated to do something totally out of the box. I decided to train for a 5K run! As soon as the thought entered my mind, I recalled in a flash having pasted a quote in one of my scrapbooks about running though I could not for the life of me remember what it was. I rushed to my work space and found the dusty book and located the quote: Running is singular. Running is for yourself. The number on the back is yours. The only one that look at is you. No matter what your family does you can run. No matter where they set roots you can run! I forget who the quote is by. Must try and find out.

What is funny though is that when I wrote down this quote I have the laziest couch potato in the world having never liked any form of sporting activity. I wonder what attracted me enough to these words to have taken the pain to write them down. Maybe it was some intuitive power at work. In those days I did not even own a pair of sneakers.

Today when I read these words I realise how running is probably what fits best in my reclusive and anchoritic world. Running is singular! That is what endears me. Of course the running I do will be on my treadmill, but with my iPod and its songs that pan across decades I will be travelling too.

The shoes are bought. The Internet has been scoured keeping age, knees etc in mind and I have zeroed on a Couch to 5K programme whose app has been duly downloaded on my phone. So tomorrow I hit the road. The programme is a nine week one. Let me see if I can make it!