I'm lucky enough to live in a small town by a tidal river. The town is protected by sea walls which stretch for miles, and these nearly always form part of my run.
At the point where it's most convenient to climb the wall, several metres high and fairly steep, the Environment Agency has kindly installed steps....but they have put a chain across the top. No worries, lots of room to step around it. Every time I see it I just wonder 'Why?'
This set me thinking this morning. How often do we see an obstacle and not acknowledge that getting past it is the simplest thing there is? How often does a minor obstacle divert us so that we waste a lot of energy doing a task the long, difficult way? How often do we use very minor issues to give ourselves permission not to do something which is actually very straightforward?
I nearly didn't run this morning as my stomach was a little upset. After a bad experience a couple of weeks back I was scared I'd be caught out in the fields again. Everything settled down after a pretty short time but I was still worried. Then I gave myself a talking to, told myself the chances were very high that nothing untoward would happen and off I went.
The reward, a run through the countryside on a beautiful sunny morning. I was so full of the joys of spring I did a few bursts of speed. I stopped and ate some blackberries. Then I came to the steps. Obstacle? What obstacle?
To top it all off, once I finished the run at 3.6 km rather than 3km, Mo Farrar's voice came in my ear telling me I was making him feel guilty with all my efforts and that he was now going to go for a run himself!! 😂
Just shows what happens when you put your obstacles into perspective!
