Unplugged

I'm the first person to admit, I am married to my technology.

I am never without my DROID....

I use my MACBOOK PRO daily...hourly....

I have a Kindle, because books take up a lot of space....

I love my GARMIN in a way that is definitely bordering on obsessive....

But I don't watch TV, I broke up with CNN.com, and above all else, I don't run on dreadmills unless there is some desperate reason.... like...  I'm having a hard time thinking of a good reason... oh, black ice.  Black ice is a good reason to run on a dreadmill.  Other good reasons include not leaving your children home alone.  But to go to a gym suggests the kids are grown or supervised ~ so, why get up, and go to a gym to do something that can be done on your own street?

Today, I broke my own 'rule' though.  I needed to check something out with my running form.  This required running in front of a mirror.  I don't have a dreadmill, and if I did, it probably wouldn't be accompanied by a floor to ceiling mirror anyway.  So, I hit the Y at 5:04am.  There is one PERFECT dreadmill that lines up with the free weight mirror, and I figured getting to the gym when it first opened would ensure I could grab THAT ONE.

Yea.  I was 4 minutes late.  It was occupied by a woman running quite fast, gripping the front of the treadmill firmly with both hands.  She looked very uncomfortable.

2nd choice dreadmill wasn't terrible in the mirror department.  I couldn't see foot strike, but I could see head/neck/shoulder and knees, so, I went ahead with dreadmill/mirror plan.

It's mind numbing to me though, that anyone would choose to run on a dreadmill at a gym at that time of day, when the neighborhood where the Y is located is well lit, tree lined, side-walked and... did I mention well lit?  The weather today was perfect for running, cool, crisp, sweet spring air....  it was a near miss, I really almost blew off my mirrored dreadmill outing.

Everyday, after my hard core swim, I walk past the people on the dreadmills (PODs) to go run outside.  The PODs are all miserable looking.  Grimacing, hanging on for dear life, POUNDING out the miles while watching Fox News, CNN and CNBC.  These people are abusing their run.

A run should be savored or nurtured...  not endured or suffered through.

As I was running on the 'mill next to a very large male with a foot strike that can be heard around the world I was focusing on my head movement, my foot strike, my "rpm's" (steps per minute), my arm swing.  I was unable to let my mind "go".  That's not to say I'm not concentrating on all these things when I run outside, I just think that there's a falsified intensity gleaned from running while staring at your own face that prevents freedom of mind.  Sure, I wasted no time deciding on a route that would loop me back in the 3 miles I needed.  True, there was no need to slow my pace when I approached an intersection.  Absolutely, in no way did I have to work to 'control' my pace to The HD's specifications.

Just as sure though, the air wasn't as sweet or cool, the pace wasn't naturally flowing, and the run wasn't as free.

I really just want to stage an intervention.  I want to go up to all these people and say, UNPLUG yourselves and go OUTSIDE!  The air is beautiful and clean, the roads here have very few cars on them, the street lamps provide enough light to run by, and the news is not worth watching.  Your day will be BETTER if you disconnect and unplug for a few miles before your day, I promise.

But as Plato says ~ these people are not ready to see the light.

~savor the run~