what runs through your mind...

I read this article that was just great! It was a stream of consciousness of a runner.

So after having read this, I started to think about what I think about when I run.  I realized that it really can go either superbly great or horribly wrong.  So I paid attention to what I was thinking about yesterday on my run.  After the initial 5 minutes of "wow...it's hot" I started to realize that I lost myself in my run...in a good way.  I thought about my day, processed sessions, processed groups, thought about my form, thought about breathing, listened to my music, thought about memories that it brought up.

On the other hand, sometimes runs can make you feel worse.  When I have a bad run, my stream of thought is not a pretty thing to be observing! I am hypercritical of everything.  Everyone that passes me on the path crushes me and my confidence.  Every pain that I feel becomes overwhelming and makes me doubt that I can run.

I think this is one of the best gifts that running has given me, the good and the bad runs.  Having the space to examine my thought process and see how my crazy mind works is a wonderful gift.  I have learned a lot about myself and a lot about how I process things.  It also gives me a chance to make the changes in how my mind works and to be kinder to myself.

What do you think about when you run?