I had an easier training week this week.
Lots of things on my mind. Lots of work to do. I really felt I needed to focus my physical and mental energy on those things … find the right balance this week.
So instead of a few long, hard runs mid-week I took slow, peaceful hikes in the woods.
These hikes served two purposes – they gave my body a little break while still getting something done – and also gave me time to be alone, to be quiet, to slow down and think and wonder and process.
That is time well spent.
That is the power of hiking, for me anyway.
A time to really slow down. To be in a quiet place for an hour or two.
To let the mind wander around a bit – and chew on things at a different and less demanding pace.
I always find clarity after a few good hikes like that. Things tend to simplify when you give them time untangle – without the rush for an immediate answer.
In an always-on world, with the rush of information always coming at you – sometimes we need to just change the pace. That’s the power of a hike.
