Running With The Lights On

When you think of running on the most basic level, it is by far the simplest form of exercise. That is, put one foot in front of the other at a "rapid" pace until you burn a calorie. There, you’ve just exercised. It is also the only form of exercise that we don’t have to be taught to do, that is, it comes naturally to us… We don’t have to learn to throw something, swing an object or distribute our weight properly (sort of)… Running is something that nature bestowed upon us to employ during times of desparation and flee in times of danger… It is the only form of exercise that has been constant since the dawn of man…

So, my question is, why do we make it so darn complicated? Before most of my runs, I busy myself with planning a route on google maps, making sure my GPS watch has a signal and my heart rate monitor is sensing, filling up water bottles and eating gels while preparing my iPod playlist, strapping on my flip phone that I purchased just for running and securing my Road I.D. somewhere on my person... Just getting ready to work out is a work out!!! Do I need any of these things to run? Or are they simply distractions from the pain and boredom of the sport that I have claimed to "love" for the last two decades? I am no historian, but I’m quite certain that when Pheidippides ran the first marathon 2000 years ago, he did it without an mP3 player, custom sunglasses or a heart rate monitor.

My contention is, all this gear, although nice, completely distracts me from the things that make running an amazing way to experience the outdoors and stay fit. More specifically, when I run, I am constantly concentrating on a laundry list of things other than putting one foot in front of the other. (e.g. what song was on my ipod, getting to the next song on my ipod, talking to my running partner(s), checking how far and how fast I’ve gone so far on my multi-function wrist top computer, checking my heart rate, worrying about hydrating, eating, peeing, stopping for traffic, et cetera, et cetera.)

So, this Easter Sunday, I decided to load Nico in the car and head to Palo Duro Canyon State Park for a nice, un-distracted trail run. When I walked out the door, I passed by my GPS Watch/Heart Rate Monitor, iPod and extra cell phone. I decided that today, in the canyon, I was going to "run with the lights on", that is, enjoy the run by paying attention to the things around me in the canyon that I would normally ignore if paying attention to my music or my GPS. (e.g. the creek flowing beside the trail, lizards scurrying out of the way as I pass by, the amazing rock and clay formations that fill the canyon, families on the trail enjoying the holiday, etc.). Other than waiting 35 minutes to get into the front gate of the park (due to Easter traffic) and a slightly twisted ankle, it was one of the most pleasant running experiences I've had in years! Nico and I put in a solid 4 or so miles and we did it without the help of any gadgets...

Above: "Running With The Lights On" with Nico in Palo Duro Canyon State Park.

That all being said, sometimes I need to run in order to be distracted… It’s a funny thing, but I use the gadgets and gear that I run with to distract myself from the gadgets and gear in my everyday life… Sometimes running with the lights off is a great way to numb your brain from the goings on of work, negative aquaintences and life’s stressors in general… So, in other words, I am not ruling out the use of modern conveniences and technology in my run tomorrow morning. I am simply promising that next time I am in a circle of runners and someone says “I could never run without….”, I will say “yes you can, just turn the lights on”. I am also promising myself that I will, on occasion, run without any discractions other than the world around me and the sound of my soles tapping the ground…

Try running with the lights on next time you go out... You may be surprised what you will find and how good running can feel without any distractions!

See you out there!

-L