Going with the flow

I often run along the Embarcadero and look at the Bay and the Bridge. The water on top is like glass. The water, or current under the surface flows, constant, yet unseen.

Ask yourself, have I ever gone out for a run and then find you've forgotton entire setions of the run you've already completed? You were...........IN THE FLOW! You weren't thinking about how far you were running or how fast. In fact, you probably weren't thinking about the run at all. Granted, having this experience while running down Market Street in San Francisco would be pretty scary. Anywhere else would be be pretty special. Some people call this nirvana. Some people even meditate, concentrating on their breathing, slowly and regularly to find this exalted state. Runners, aren't able to breath slow, but, we can breathe regularly, in a rhythm and maybe, this is part of entering the flow.


 Running down some nice winding singletrack, the goal is to run fast and yet, avoid the faceplant. So, how do you manage that? By using or better yet, becoming a part of the terrain. Running in a regular, even pace, quick feet and arms on the balls of my feet, gets me uphill efficiently.Better still, running using the berms (those mounds of dirts that build up on the outside of a hairpin tun) allow the runner to run smoothly and as I like to say, smooth equals fast. Running downhill, feet lifting up to avoid rocks and roots, arms wide and looking ahead and not at ones feet means a smooth run downhill. Even breathing is key to being relaxed and "flowing" down the trail or road or sidewalk.

The photo above was taken at the 2008 Angel Island 25K put on by Envirosports. Two firsts for me at this race. First, I had never run in a trail race before this one and the experience was eye opening. The people and the "vibe" were very different from a road race or track meet. Almost, the Olympics meets Burning Man. Second, for the first time in my life, I entered the flow during a race. By that, I mean that there were sections of the race where I couldn't hear my breathing or feel my legs touch the ground. I also don't remember passing by the photographer who took this picture.


Flowing can take other forms. What would you call a lifestyle where instead of making a reservation based on a review by someone you don't even know, driving and parking the car and then eating at a restaurant, you grilled your fish or meat in the backyard in the afternoon sun. Ate a salad from lettace, peppers and tomatoes from your backyard garden. Ate and chatted and relaxed with family and friends as the sun went down over the horizon. I'd call that flowing with my loved ones. A natural state of being not artificial in any way.

I have seen rock climbers in the flow. Planning and then doing a series of moves on the rock, in a definite rhythm to a song the climber can hear. Ever think that the people at the climbing gym wearing the ear pods are on to something? Maybe finding a state that comes close to what they've experienced on real rock? Maybe you haven't, but I've climbed and wondered why so many rock climbers are also musicians. AND music "flows" doesn't it?

Running is natural. It's a natural state of animals. Before there were stop watches, ipods, GU, goretex, there was only running. Maybe for your next run, leave the gear behind, leave the plan behind and just run wherever your feet take you and go with the flow.