Today while I was running in my beautiful neighborhood, I had a lot of thoughts (blog worthy thoughts) running in my mind. I couldn’t wait to get home and pen down those thoughts.
I observed the following positive things about running:
- People take a little more effort to make way for me because I am running (and not walking).
- There is a broader smile of acknowledgement and appreciation from people because I am running.
- The joy of reaching the destination is manifold because I ran the distance.
I also observed the following not so positive things about running:
- I could not look at the beauty of the landscape; because I was running.
- My favorite songs were reduced to nothing more than regular beats to maintain a rhythm; because I was running.
- I could not talk to anyone on the way or even wait for a reply for ” Hi, how are you?”; because I was running.
Running and walking are both great forms of exercise and each one can choose whatever suits their body the best. I run 2-3 days a week depending on how I feel.
I have made a lot of friends while walking.
I have made so many decisions of my life while walking.
I have discovered many new routes while walking.
I have captured the beauty of so many places while walking.
I have sung songs of joy, shed tears of loss and seen dreams of hope while walking.
Yes, it is important to run when I want a quick burn of calories.
Yes, it is important to run when the distance to be covered is long and the time in hand is short.
Yes, it is important to run when I really want to run.
I want to run when I know I have to AND I want to walk when I want to soak in the beauty of a place I am running through.
I want to run and feel the breeze on my face and my hair AND I want to walk to touch the dew drops on the leaves and the flowers.
So a right combination of run and walk is what I follow for exercise. Applying the same analogy to life, I realized that a run/walk combo is the motto that I want to follow in my life too.
I Just put on my shoes and am ready for a run walk combo for life.
DeepAsThoughts 
When I was young I used to do what I had heard was the Boy Scout way of running — run a certain number of steps and then walk the same number. I don’t know where I got this Boy Scout idea, but I did this for many years if I had some distance to go. You’re so right that just running causes us to miss a lot.
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That Boy Scout Idea is a good one. A perfect run walk combo.
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It sounds like you have it all figured out. That’s great. I won’t ever run again because of replaced knees, not that I would have been tempted to run. I walk six days a week and have met many of our neighbors. Those I haven’t met know who I am, because they are forever driving past me.
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Thank You Anne. That’s so nice. I know my neighbors who walk everyday and if I don’t see them, I wonder where they are.. 🙂
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It’s a good way to keep up with each other.
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Your run/walk thoughts are right on target, Deepa. I love to walk. The pace is perfect for experiencing life and seeing the world.
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When you walk past places that you have never seen before, it’s such a beautiful feeling. Am sure you must be soaking in as much as that place can offer when you walk past them.
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I like your analysis of running and walking (both the pros and cons). I believe each have their place in someone’s exercise routine – it’s great to have a choice, isn’t it? 🙂
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Oh yes. It’s great to have choices in life. 🙂
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very good thoughts! i get a lot of inspiration when I run. I am very focused, so don’t have much interaction with my environment except if I meet dogs!
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Yes. That’s so true. Since we are so inward drawn while running, I also get a lot of ideas while running.
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I really liked reading your blog on running and walking. Its such a unique way of looking at things, things that we see may be but fail to realise. Very nice.
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Thank you so much Leena. And welcome to deepasthoughts.
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