It’s been years since I ran daily to a point it became an obsession and a North Star for both cardio and overall fitness. As I have accumulated the calories, weight and the nuances of life, I recollect on my running days and whether I should look to recoup my previous timing even at a relatively advancing age
Aptitude or What?
There was a time where I was extremely motivated to run. A large part of it was sporting a nice eight-pack with veins popping from the lower abdomen to boot along with the health benefits which accrued from staying fit and nimble. In addition to the above there were other requirements or necessities to be met which also made achieving this aspect much easier.
Fast forward to today – a solid ten years out of the military, and working in finance or whatever one would like to call it, running has become a struggle more than I thought it would ever be.
As someone who could clock an easy 5:30 mile and a resting heart rate of sub 40bpm, I find running to be a struggle today what with bursting lungs, dead legs and a will which says – “Been there done that, why bother now?”, which is not exactly the best situation to be in. It is then I wonder whether and why I am really running today. In the tony and run friendly Vancouver, I would say people get marks or grades just for trying, but again it all boils down to the – for what?
It is what it is
There are moments where I wonder, the kind of running I was used to just to ensure that the ethos and respect of an organization were upheld especially when one has many juniors looking up to see whether the masters can walk the talk. However with time and age, and mellowed thoughts I am beginning to lean more towards the school of thought that exercise is to stay fit and keep away maladies.
I still wonder whether I should go full tilt. Every rather odd morning that I wake up and head out to pound the pavement, I wonder how I lost my running mojo but at the same time realize that I am less than a month away of constant practice to get back to my previous running levels.
Which is what brings me to the point – what If I can ensure top top health without running or working out (I had a bodybuilder phase in the 2017/18 era after which I dropped weight again). It’s always a thought which I think and overall I believe that good health, and mind drive a good body and not vice-versa.
We Shall See
This is going to be a short post if only to remember my running days, but I am inclined to lean towards reaching back for my past and getting back into it for various reasons. Time will tell but as things stand I am fairly convinced that as I age, this is the way to go. In fact having a running resilient body ensures that a lot of other problems are taken care of before they surface.
That’s all for now, adieu and wishing all my readers happy running and exercising.