Wednesday, April 11, 2012  Tracking my running thoughts  I never
run with music. Part of the reason is so that I can stay safe -
always aware of my surroundings (cars, other people, wild
animals, etc.). Then there's being able to hear my footsteps and
my breathing and be fully in tune with the amount of effort I'm
putting into my run, to know if I need to pull back or push
harder. But the real reason why I never run with music is I
deeply value the alone time I get, just me, myself, and my
thoughts - a quiet meditation so to speak.   I'm sure that half
the time I'm thinking of nothing at all. I know that too is
healthy, considering how plugged in we all are on a given day,
with our computers, phones, and other techy gadgets. It's good
to just stop! But the other half of the time, I know I do a lot
of thinking. I often say that when I run, I "solve the world's
problems" one stride at a time. Of course I can't take credit
for that, but some of my clearest and most positive thoughts and
revelations come to me wh