Today I ran for twenty minutes and walked for fifteen. The sun was shining and I ran down the bus plug and then onto the field. My plan was to run for an hour but then I thought I’d just like to walk and really enjoy the weather, say hallo to people and think about running later today.
I am running for lots of reasons. The main reason is to enjoy it and to respect my body.
I hate sitting in an office without activity. For the past ten years, except for working to develop the Local News, doing the art course at De Montfort and helping set up the Oxfam Book and Music Shop in Bridgford, running around for my mum and my sister, which were quite physical, I have done work which involves sitting and making records of varying kinds.
That wouldn’t matter if everyone went out for a run or played basketball or table tennis at lunchtime or after work but most of the people I’ve worked with are sedentary. Although my partner walks miles over Edale, it’s the moors that attract him and I think they’re bleak!!! I love to walk through the colours of the countryside, fields, woods, by brooks and streams, even country roads. To me, walking through inhabited greenery, over hills and dales, looking at the patterns of housing, roads, rivers, streams and woods makes sense. I am sometimes in the mood for moors but not often enough to be Will’s walking mate.
Running lets me think about how I can work better, use more of my experience, knowledge and ability, find out what I can do. It’s about thinking about how I started my working life, thinking that I knew nothing but also had the right to learn in my own way and in my own time and assess things from my own perspective. I’ve always thought that was important for everyone: to find out and understand what they know and use that knowledge uniquely.
I’m running to regain my sense of proportion and humour.
I’m running because I like writing afterwards.
Run a bit...then walk 