Friday, April 25, 2008

An Experiment of One

While perusing RW forums yesterday, I came across a quote from another runner, giving advice on improving hill speed: 

"I am not advocating a particular program--only stating some generalities about long running as guides--there are no etched in stone training methods. We are each "an experiment of one" and there is no guarantee of my training working for you, or yours for me." (John M.)

I like this in terms of my own training, and it's another example of how everything (like running) connects to, oh, say, everything else in the universe. It is a good reminder (for me, at least) that whatever each of us does (or doesn't) in the world is just part of our own personal experiment. No more, no less. One of my fellow doctorate students cautioned us against "comparing our insides to other peoples' outsides." Too often I spend more time involved in comparison or deciding what I think I *should* be doing (eating this or doing more weights, journaling, calling people more often etc.) instead of reveling in the experience of being an experiment of one. I snapped this picture in the middle of Wednesday's run, and it reminds me to look around in the midst of the experience. I could have just ignored this tree that has a very funny face (big eyes and pouty lips!)... but now I have a picture of a tree that makes me smile just by being itself.

Happy Friday!

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