Being a Kid Again

Gabriel has reminded me that its a great thing to act like a child....contrary to what others might say or claim. Statements such as "act your age" or "quit being immature" or "you need to act like an adult" are far over-rated. There are certain times and places where age-appropriate behavior is recommended but I have been having more fun acting like a child lately than acting like an adult.

I smile more often, laugh without reserve, and tend to be less cynical about the world. I suggest that you give it a try. Find a child and let yourself go....don't worry about what other adults around you might think....have fun and play like a child. One of my favorite places to do so is while grocery shopping with Gabriel. We play all sorts of games together. We have fun with each other and I enjoy the reactions of people around me. I suppose I might have reacted that way prior to Gabriel's arrival but not now. My kid spirit has been released once again and now it is free to play.

I think one of the reasons I have always enjoyed my endurance events is that I often played with this "inner child" while testing my limits. Pushing the body and mind tends to bring on a bit of delirium. As such, acts such as talking to oneself, random mood swings from pure joy to utter sadness, and breaking down complex ideas into simple ideas are common among Ironmen and Ultra-runners. I think these traits are similar to that of childhood. I see Gabriel go from pure joy to panic at the flip of a switch and he seems to handle stress better than anyone I know. So I think I may be on to something.

As my training ramps up for the Pacific Crest Trail 50 Mile Endurance Run, I have incorporated many of my recent philosophical rants into my workouts. I have been thinking of my workouts from a child's perspective freeing myself from heart rate monitors, manditory mileages, and rigid timelines. Instead, I have been more loosely following a game plan and following my instincts and urges a bit more. I go hard when I feel like it and back off when that seems more appropriate. My weekly mileage has come in just below what my original plans called for but my mind is fresh and alive. I wake up looking forward to my workouts and my long runs get better each week. In fact, each run seems to be a new adventure instead of miles in my log book. I never thought I would be excited to run 20+ miles every Saturday!

So as I move forward, I will look to Gabriel as a symbol of my inner child. Play on!

Until the next adventure.....