Let's Hug Our Tree...
This morning I was inspired to run around the field where I ran many repetitions in the past, up a hill - and round a four minute circuit - I wanted to show Anadi too.
It wasn’t frosty today, so the ground was a bit more muddy-squelchy and I found myself tip-toeing to avoid getting my new turquoise shoes dirty; this did not work!
The circuit sweeps its way around the edge of an area that is on the side of a slope. We followed the track around, and then around again and up the hill…
‘I used to run up this hill five times; and do four sets of the five’ I said… ‘Five times up, with a jog recovery down, and then a longer jog around the circuit between sets…’
Anadi and I ran up the hill and were breathing harder at the top…
‘It’s the same’ I said ‘It is somehow strange to think I was still a top runner when I was running then… I don’t feel any different now; it makes me wonder what is possible without the constraints of a narrative about my age…’
‘Anything could be possible’ Anadi replied…
We then went acroos to the main drive and ran the length of it; it is nearly a mile long and I remembered running along it with a stream of men chasing me, strung out behind...
I set up a running club in 1989, it was called Utopia runners then; and is still going now, but re-named Uckfield Runners… We used to meet on a Tuesday evening and run all around the surrounding area… In the early days there was a core group of men who made up the 'top group' who I introduced to interval training!
Now that I am consistently running with ease for an hour at a time, Anadi and I were enjoying the chance again for ‘Run philosophique’ to delve into ideas, and concepts. Today we were reviewing and chatting over all that we are creating; the journey we are on; the new lands we are exploring…
We acknowledged the huge effort we have made; the process entailed to leap as we have; we talked about the businesses Anadi is creating – working with focus and commitment for month after month – we talked about my running, my writing, being able to continue my work with people , after my 'sabbatical' is unfolding as we adventure into new lands…
I remembered Dan Millman, the author and personal development guru's words when embarking on a new venture, that at any time when it seems hard or the road feels long; that this is the point to keep going as you are nearer than you think.
We ran again through the churchyard and down the hill and ran once more to our big oak tree… let's hug our tree I said; he will give us energy and support as we set off on the next leg…
We lay against the huge tree; we sunk into his energy and his certainty and his understanding; we were held and heard.
As we ran up the hill again, Anadi said that any single seminar that he has been on which has been run by successful entrepreneurs they say the same thing; that the failure of many ventures is people not following through when it gets hard; and that this is the point that ‘you are closer than you think’….
‘Well that’s not us’ I laughed… ‘No, you and me never give up’ he affirmed…
As we had lain against our tree, Anadi said ‘Our higher selves unequivocally know; our hearts know where we are going...' And so we continue to follow our hearts, our inner voice…
We go with the flow; we trust and we journey…
Later I was with my friends Steph and she said to me ‘I don’t know where you are going; I don’t mind that and it feels okay; but I don’t know…'
I said ‘I don’t know either… But I do know that more than ever I am following the energy; following the voice within and trusting that wherever we are going is more than ‘closer than we think...' Because we are here already…
This morning I had coffee with Tom and Anne sitting by the fire. I first met them in 1988 when I set up the Fitness Centre here at Buxted Park. They had walked into the Crystal Bar when I was working with Tim when we were here recently… ‘That was meant to be’ Anne commented ‘That we walked in then…'
Tom was a big influence in my life, introducing me to many business people in London. Today we were reminiscing and going over all the people who i had met through him and then guided and coached.
‘I wanted to work in that world’ I said to him ‘and you made it possible, you directed me down a path I have been on ever since... Thank you Tom’