Get Outta My Head!

Today I hit a milestone, and I didn't even realize it until it was over.  Today was the longest I've ever run without music--8.75 miles.

I almost always run with music, no matter the distance.  Alone or with a group, I've always needed the distraction of the music to keep me going.  Most of the people with whom I run don't listen to music, even when they are alone.  They tell me that they "listen to their bodies" or "scan their bodies for information."  I've got a few problems with listening to my body.  One is that my body has nothing nice to say to me.  It complains.  It whines.  It tells me that this is ridiculous and I should stop right now.  The second problem I have with listening to my body is that my mind is part of my body, and when my mind isn't bored (from listening to the nagging of my body), it is bat-shit crazy.  Alone inside my head is the LAST place I want to be; inside my head with Adam Ant is another matter.

Today I ran with Heather.  She and I had a great conversation during the hour and a half that we ran, but we didn't always talk.  Usually I have one earbud in for those times that there is no conversation or we need to run single file or I need more distraction than usual.  Today I put the earbuds away. . .and forgot about them.  When we ran in silence, I listened to my mind, and there was nothing there.  It was nice.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I meditate.  Damn, I'm sexy!

Even when I meditate, I have a hard time letting go ("Let go your heart; let go your head.")  My thoughts race and bump up against each other.  Music usually drowns out the potential for negativity.  I know that I won't be able to run alone without music anytime soon, but it's nice to know that I can run "sans musique" when I'm with others.