Running and Nothingness

I've been running for about a year now and this is what I've learned.

When I first started running my mind raced with thoughts...from "is my form correct?"  to whatever random problem was plaguing my brain at the time. I also listened to music which eventually added extra annoyance because the music became so loud and overpowering I wasn't enjoying listening to it anymore. It was at that point I realized I wasn't in tune with running.

So, a couple months ago I stopped listening to music and started really listening...to my feet hitting the pavement and my breathing, and well, my surroundings. I enjoyed running even more without the superfluous noise. And, what I found was that my brain just switched off. My mind would begin to wander...blocks would go by and then I'd refocus and realize I wasn't thinking about...anything. I was processing information ("ooh, look at those pretty flowers," "damn, that garbage smells," Ooh! A sprinkler!", etc), but it wasn't sticking in my head at the time. Running was akin to meditation, where one pushes out the voices and quiets the mind, but it's more of a moving meditation which I prefer.

When I run...I think about nothing. I zone out and check back in to do an overall body check: "Feet not hurting, good. Legs, good...knees, check...etc" then I zone back out. It's sort of a state of conscious nothingness, if that makes any sense. It's envigorating. And, well, the endorphins afterward help a lot too.

It's this particular state that I have found is a cure-all for ennui, and I love it.