Personal Bests are not necessarily fulfilling

me on a good day

By the way these BLOGs are written to challenge my thinking, I just write down them down! I always try out arguments and do what I reckon you should do and that is perform 'thought experiments' and take them to the next chain of the 'therefore'..

As I get older I have a lot of questions about my running performances and what they really mean to me.  What is performance? Who am I performing for? Am I really going to compete or am I going to complete?  These questions need answering, or at least I feel they need answering?  I am even unsure of the word 'performing' in the context of me and running?  When I look at the dictionary definition of 'performance' there are a number of synonomous definitions   such as execution, show, accomplishment and the one, I feel is more me, is the word fulfillment.

fulfilled? I was :)

So, let me try that word on my practice of running. Do I find it fulfilling, does it fill me more than the simple act of running. Can I use the running experience as a fuel that I tap into and use in other areas of my life?  If I focus on times and events would I personally find this fulfilling?  I think the word has more longevity than 'performance' as this can be a temporary shot of accomplishment, that drifts away from you as you look towards the next event?

 Let us say you broke the world record, that is an amazing achievement, it is highly accomplished but would you find it fulfilling?  Some great sports stars who possess fantastic talent do not appear to have this fulfilling experience linked to their achievement and performance?

So after much thinking and mental argument in my head here are my lists of reasons why running allows me to have a fulfilling life,  a full life, a balanced life, a compassionate life and a giving life. Now, I do other things as well such as tutor, cook, practice Yoga, teach a little and read etc so all of these things contribute but since this is a kind of running blog then let us stick to running. So here we go........

I take a small camera. Notice everything:)

• To continue to have good aerobic capacity for my age
• To have a good diet
• To improve my vegetarian cooking skills
• To be able to run at various distances between 1 mile and 20 miles in complete control; that is to be always focused enough to complete either a half marathon or less including the Puma trail series
• To enjoy Hills  :)
• To stop and look at the scenery and enjoy nature and the feeling of oneness with it
• To find lovely trails using my 1:25000 of Northumberland and write about them
• To have various workouts over the week that are planned and thought through on a weekly and sometimes during the workout. That is change the workout during the run!
• To have a positive attitude toward events and plan these with care to ensure no impact on family life
• To try and find a running partner to run on a regular 1/week basis? or 2 week/month basis.
• To be generous and attentive to people around me
• To continue to have a sense of personal practice, being careful to allow others to share, grow and develop
• To help young people in developing their attitudes and support them when in need

Over to you; why do you run?