Running For Dear Life
2014 was not a great year for me running wise...
Our trip to India from January to March, rather than leaving me more fit and tanned after the winter as I had expected, it actually left me tired and toxic and drained of energy.
By the time I got back to the UK I wasn't able to exercise... I left the gym and I resigned myself to taking time out. Something had happened during that trip and I still don't know what, but it wasn't good.
The challenge of India, and this can be true for many Asian countries, is the impact it can have on gut heath. For someone who already has gut problems, or in my case, is in recovery from major gut problems, it can be a disaster!
But the focus of this article is running, not my gut issue...
I have never let my illness stop me running.
Sure, I have had to let go of it for a while when things were acute, and I always have to respect my body and rest it when needed, but generally things have always been getting better, and I have been getting stronger and fitter. But not 2014, or so I thought.
When we returned from India I was tested by a kinesiologist who said I had heavy metal poisoning, and it was having an impact on gut, adrenals and kidneys, and that was why I was so exhausted. So I did a load of herbs and powders and let go of exercise.
Nothing much happened for ages, and the months of June, July and August were frustrating. Not much exercise took place at all, some very light running, occasional push ups and light gym work, but I had neither the energy or the interest to push into it.
I also gave up one of the daily protocols I have done for a few years, the Tibetan 5 Rites. These are a series of five moves to bend and stretch the body, supposed to have healing powers by aligning the chakras and increasing energy. They are an excellent part of a daily regime. I dropped those as well!
This meant that by the time we came to America in October, for our stay of three months, I was out of running practice and not enthusiastic about it at all.
It is now January 2015. I am writing this very early January so that you can read it while I am doing a three week water fast…wait! Did you just read that right?
Yup you read it right, Amoda and I, as you read this, are in a water fasting centre in Costa Rica doing a water fast for twenty one days.
Twenty one days with no food at all, a lot of rest and lying in the sunshine, and then seven days re-feeding on fruits and very light salad.
I am going to write an article specifically about the water fast when we are finished, so look out in mid February. I imagine is going to be a very interesting experience!
So back to the running. What has happened over the last three months here in California?
Well slowly slowly my running has got better and better, my energy has increased, my core body strength has increased and my enthusiasm has returned.
Yesterday, January the 3rd, was the best day for me. I ran twice around Lake Merritt in the glorious but chilly Oakland sunshine for 1 hour and 1 minute! That was about 6.5 miles. This morning I was out again in the early morning sunshine and even though legs were a bit sore I zipped once round the Lake in thirty minutes.
I am a pretty fast runner once I get going.
Slowly Slowly Catchy the Monkey
My point is this. The last three months here in California all I have done is follow my body. I have listened and paid attention. I always feed it very well, with highly nutritious fresh organic foods, and if my sleeping is good (which has been hit and miss here) then I know my body is going to want to exercise and ‘get out there’ when its ready.
I have learned not to push it. And almost without me noticing I have been getting more fit.
One valuable lesson here is that, even though we want it NOW! We want to be fit NOW! We have to exercise not only the body intelligently, but we also have to exercise our mind, intelligently.
We have to be patient and work with what is, knowing and trusting that things will improve.
I am not one who is trying to pump my body up, or put it under too much stress. I want a joyous body, a relaxed and harmonious body, one that bends and flows with emotion, mind and spirit. It’s easy to forget this holistic approach in some of today’s ‘fitness at all costs’ mindsets.
Bringing body, mind, emotion and spirit together in alignment is pure holism. To me neglect of the body because of spiritual ideas and philosophies is missing a huge part of our experience here in Earth. We have a body, at least on a relative level of reality. And it’s a whole lot more fun if that body functions well as part of the whole being.
And so my title ‘Running for Dear Life’ is exactly that, running because life is a dear experience that allows me to treasure myself, to love myself on the physical plane.
Running is an expression of self love.
When I run I am exercising every part of me. My will is exercised, my body vehicle is exercised, my spirit flies free to dream and imagine, my emotional body is satisfied that energy is being moved, and there is a great uplifting within in the whole of me. It is an exercise in trust and persistence as much as in exercising the body. So go slow, go intelligent, but go.
Back to myself. My gut improved, my energy increased, my immune system is strong and I feel great. I thought things were getting worse during 2014, but it was a passing storm cloud, and now I’m back like the blazing sunshine. No sign of heavy metal poisoning or related trouble. All signs are good and I feel excellent. Ready to let it all go and dive into the emptiness of water fasting!
Ah! the great movement of life.
Thank you for reading
Kavi
