W8R2 - Trialling an ‘Awe-Run’: Gazelle alert! 🦌 🚨

[GailXrunning]

Apart from my c25k app with Laura (who’s mostly silent by w8), this run was ‘naked’ (no music, no podcasts). Just me, M, the elements... and dozens of other runners and walkers, all circuiting and cross-crossing the same piece of precious uber-urban greenery. 🌳 🌳 🌳

Had been itching to get out yesterday. The weather was just wonderful and the forecast for today cloud with c.50% rain. But we have to take our rest (aka ‘non-running’) days to protect our new and future running selves, so sensible patience prevailed. Thankfully, we woke to an equally gorgeous morning of hazy autumn sunshine. Yeah!! Exactly what I need for my first ‘awe-run’.

For W8R1, I’d intended to try out the ‘awe-walk’ (discussed on Claudia Hammond’s All in the Mind, Radio 4) but as a run. However, I forgot, having become totally absorbed by the mindful running podcast (I take this forgetting as a very good recommendation for the podcast). Today, I switched priorities: awe-run first, I said to myself, with Steve Hobbs’ voice and advice now in my head, ready to reach for ‘as and when’. To underscore the change, I decided we’d switch to the clockwise circuit. M always gets a bit unnerved by this (relative) unfamiliarity. I ignored the squeak of protest as I channeled Laura’s instructions ‘3, 2, 1...’ and took the lead. Clockwise it was.

This run was so much fun!

I was utterly profligate with my awe-targets. Obviously it’s hard to focus on, say, a blade of grass while running, even as slowly as we do, though I tried and there were lots of blades, which was itself amazing to think about. Awe-running demands its own scales.

The other runners 🏃🏼‍♀️ 🏃🏾‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️🏃‍♂️ 🏃🏿🏃🏿‍♂️🏃🏼‍♀️🏃‍♂️; the different groups of elderly power-walkers; the young woman boxing with her personal trainer 🥊 🥊🥊; the guy using an incline to train sprints; the al fresco yogis 🧘🏾🧘🏾🧘‍♂️🧘🏽‍♀️🧘🏽‍♀️🧘‍♂️🧘🏾🧘🏽‍♀️🧘🏿‍♀️🧘🏻‍♀️🧘🏾🧘🏾: I studied them all, reflecting on the sheer diversity of people. Awesome. The park keepers sorting their tools were a great counterpoint to the leisure. The old chap telling us we weren’t going fast enough. What a wag he was! 😂 😂 I even shouted back agreement (but then swiftly re-concentrated on slow running principles).

The views of trees in colour🍁 🍂 Of course. Say no more. The squarks of feral parakeets. 🦜 🦜 🦜

☀️ Sun in the face, sun behind, sun from the left, and from the right. ☀️ 🌞 Runners’ tracks worn into the grass, in the shade along the embankment (rough and uneven and damp); others traversing still-dewy grass; the four-lane runners’ highway, dry and in full sun across the north side.

The shiny blue unidentifiable thing tangled in the branches, sparkling. ‘Do you think that’s a party balloon?’ I asked. M looked up and judged it to be a coat that some teens had tossed. Ok, maybe not so nice (I thought of the poor coat-owner and the bully laughter) but the initial sight, at least, was fascinating.

🐕 🐩 🐶 Everywhere. The pair of tiny foods gambolling and tumbling, the one able to do a perfectly gauged leap along (not over) the other’s body. Hilarious. How amazing is that? An even smaller chihuahua sniffing last night’s pizza boxes 🍕 from an overflowing bin 🗑 It was skipping back and forth sideways to avoid falling under the steps of passing humans. So cute. Two very well trained collies crouching for their balls to be lobbed. I see them and their owner often, so we now smile and say hello. Nice. The huge Alsatian who stepped onto the embankment trail just in time to nearly trip M. He (the dog) had a ball firmly in its mouth. Not me. Fantastic!

That’s it, said Laura, well done! You can slow down now.

Verdict: My first Awe-run experiment was a total success. 28 minutes were gone in a jiffy. I ran with a smile on my face. At times, we were ‘(slow-mo) gazelling’ along.🦌 🦌

Later, over coffee, I asked M what he thinks about once into the run. ‘Nothing’, he replied. 👌

[Bambi2020 Graduate]

Wow- what a lot you got out of that run- I need to take in my surroundings a bit more I think and enjoy the scenery-I’m too focused on watching where I’m going and not falling flat on my face. Gazelles were definitely out today for you by the sounds of it- well done !! 🦌 🦌 🏃‍♀️

[GailXrunning Graduate in reply to Bambi2020]

Haha! 😂 Maybe try some awe targeted on the ground!!??!!

It was indeed a great run. So, so pleased.

[LauraRuns Graduate]

I haven’t been brave enough to do a ‘naked’ run without music yet, but maybe I’ll give it a go after seeing how positive you found it!! Great run Gail, graduation isn’t far off now too 🏃🏼‍♀️🎉

[GailXrunning Graduate in reply to LauraRuns]

Steady-on, LauraRuns! Whatever works for you is good. But you could try approaching it as an experiment, I guess.

And, yes, just 4 runs to graduation. It’ll take a bit longer because we’re found additional rest days, but I can’t believe how far we’ve traveled and how close we are to the threshold in the time-space continuum.🌖🌔🪐🌈

[Jools2020 Graduate]

Wow, fabulous post! It made me think “I want to do that, too!” What’s more, I think I will. I was there with you from beginning to end. Thank you! Awe-some 👏😀

[GailXrunning Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

Thank you! 😊 Can’t wait to hear about your awe-run!

[Peter44 Graduate]

That's brilliant, both the run, and your post, i'm very impressed how much you take in, and can remember later, to tell us!!! 😀

[GailXrunning Graduate in reply to Peter44]

Haha! Thanks, P - so kind of you. 😊 Interestingly, doing the ‘awe’ seems also to improve one’s powers of recall. Not sure I could have done this for my other runs. 🤨

[StoneDragon Graduate]

Well done Gail - great run! 🙌👍 I think I'd need to take a pencil and pad with me though to remember all the details you've put in your post🤣

There's nothing wrong with a slower gazelle either - they're just as graceful and majestic 🦌😀

[GailXrunning Graduate in reply to StoneDragon]

Thank you. It was brilliant. Really was. 🙌 If I never get to graduation, I’ll be singing about this run forever! 🎶 (Btw I am focused on making it through... don’t worry! 🦌 🦌 or 🐢 🐢 or 🦥 🦥.)

Like I said the Peter, I think I remembered more because of the ‘awe’ factor. No special skills there, I can assure you. 😂

[Runforurlife Graduate]

What a great run, and great write up too! Felt like I was right there with you It's good to mix things up with a different route, or different way round. Must do that myself 😎

Gazelle runs are the best!

[GailXrunning Graduate in reply to Runforurlife]

😊 Yes, just going the other way around is all it takes to shake it up sometimes. Certainly messes with M’s creature-of-habit. Refreshes the parts others cannot reach (if you’re old enough to recall the old ad)! 😂

[Runforurlife Graduate in reply to GailXrunning]

I am !! haha

[nowster Graduate]

I do try to notice things when running too. But your busy park seems to have far more things going on than my usual route.

[GailXrunning Graduate in reply to nowster]

You do too, I know. 😊 😉

In retrospect, I think I awe-focused overly on all the busy activities. Need next to up my awe-game to train it on the overlooked things.

[LittleMissie]

Well done GailXrunning. Sounds like a pretty awesome ‘naked’ run. I love to people watch and admire the changes in our surroundings but at 5.30am it is still dark and apart from the odd car driving past I only have the street lamps for company. Keep up the good work, you are doing amazing 🏃🏼‍♀️

[GailXrunning Graduate in reply to LittleMissie]

Thanks!! 😊 💫

+ You’ve now got me thinking about trying it in the dark. 🌙 A new experiment 🔬 so to speak. 🤔 . Awe-in-the-dark. 👍

That would push me way out of my comfort zone. Not sure my body-clock is ready for that quite yet. ⏰ 😬

[LittleMissie in reply to GailXrunning]

Its just as dark at 5pm these days. I only go early morning as I know once I get in from work it just wouldn’t happen 🙂