Keeping Fit

Just sat down having a cuppa and because I haven’t had a chance to write a blog piece for a few days, I was merrily scrolling through that social app that shall not be named when I realised this time could be better spent.  Low and behold, here I am.

Sometimes I just feel the need to mindlessly scroll.  It’s almost become a relaxing art in its own right until you realise that whether consciously or worse subconsciously you’re digesting a hell of a lot of different information in the form of photo’s words, headlines, memes and adverts.  Each gets maybe 1 or 2 seconds and it’s all getting sucked up into our brains, storing away endlessly.  In my case, this usually means I’ve taken nothing in, nor remember any of it although I’ve probably retained the worse, dramatic bits.  In other words, it’s a waste of time and yet it’s become so habitual to do.  And why do I do it?  In some small way, it’s because I don’t want to have to think – not even for a minute.  Usually, because I’ve done too much thinking over the day anyway but more often than not it blunts any time to create deep thoughts and the feelings from those thoughts.   

And I say all that because, like many others at the moment, this lockdown remains difficult and I’ve been feeling extremely fed up.  The other day I decided enough was enough.  I needed to steer both my thoughts and feelings into something more positive.  I asked myself what was the number one thing that could make me feel better and that I could have control over at the moment?  And I realised it was running.  I missed my treadmill (it broke down on me after 7 long faithful years back in November).  I missed the enjoyment of achieving a distance.  So I made a pact with myself.  I’d start running again, outside.  Unfortunately, I had to wait a couple of days for the icy weather to clear – even walking had become rather a peril.  

But having now completed two runs I feel so much better.  It’s like a massive weight has been lifted.  I am not a fast runner and I can’t run far but it doesn’t matter.  Slow but sure is fine by me.  I’ve told myself to complete just one mile (1.6km), and I have.  And I’m hoping if I can continue this through until the end of February then I can make it to Spring much happier.  Rather than just getting annoyed and frustrated because the weather prevents me from walking far or spending time in the garden.

Everyone has their own personal hobby to draw on in times like these (i.e winter), for some it might be knitting or painting, or playing chess.  During a lockdown, it means we have to draw on solo endeavours, which for some can be even harder.  I could feel myself falling down a bit of a hole because usually winter days would be broken up by a day out or perhaps a trip to the cinema.  And I didn’t realise those things really mattered until I couldn’t do them and there was nothing else I could do either.  Until that is I just gave myself a bit of time to think about what I could do.  And while running isn’t a magic fix for everything it’s more than enough to keep me sane!

Thank you for reading.