Run like hell

I wake up and get into my running shoes with a goal in mind – ‘Run 10 kilometers in 1 hour.’ It’s cold, the winter chill makes me rethink my target, but I start running anyway. The distance I cover in the first 10 minutes will make all the difference. At the same time, I am recalling the HTML codes I learnt last night on http://www.codecademy.com which I am wishing stays with me forever. I have reached the first lesson in CSS coding. One chauffeur is washing a car as I run past him hoping I make it to 6 kilometers in 30 minutes. The sole of feet need to face up to the sky- that’s real running; else I am merely clocking up the iRunner app. I must confess I am addicted to the track record that accumulates in the monthly summary. Two stray cats have just been fed by a neighbour and they are playing about in the park. I can tell they have just had breakfast because both are smacking their lips. What a beautiful morning! I keep running because my mind has already reached my office and the things to do before the year ends. Three trees shield the sunlight falling on my face as I run towards the sun. The vitamins of the early morning are refreshing. I step aside on the pavement and meditate while standing. I close my eyes and count backward from 100 to 1. When I reach zero, I imagine I am an aircraft heading out to outer-space. Four elderly gentlemen are discussing business and politics as I jog past them. You will not believe how much they are aware of worldly matters. To think they have ‘retired’- well not really. They are more active than ever before. Five maids are in a hurry as they walk briskly towards their homes where the land ladies are waiting for the housework to start. Six dogs are being walked at this time- Labradors, beagles, Pomeranians and pugs form quite a gang here. Seven O’clock buzzing on my phone tells me I need to hurry, get back home and get ready for work. Eight security guards lined up in a 4×2 grid are getting a pep talk from the head of security in the morning. ‘Keep yer eyes open, y’all,’ he yells. Nine children are heading for school as they crib about the cold to their parents who appear to me more enthusiastic than them. I look at my phone as the lap buzzes, ten kilometres tells me I’m doing good. That reminds me- whatever is wrapped inside the tag appears in italics, like so. Good. . Quoting Peter Drucker to close this blog- “Knowledge has to be improved, challenged, and increased constantly, or it vanishes.”

Things in the mind while running