Comments on: the race is its own reward http://www.runningland.com/2005/01/29/the-race-is-its-own-reward/ wisdom and tripe from a lifetime runner Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:22:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Joan http://www.runningland.com/2005/01/29/the-race-is-its-own-reward/comment-page-1/#comment-454 Joan Wed, 02 Nov 2005 13:35:33 +0000 http://www.runningland.com/2005/01/29/the-race-is-its-own-reward/#comment-454 Well, John, you argued your point well ... but, alas, you are wrong! :) I am speaking about the perfect moment during a race ... not the infinite moments after a race. And, good God, I have been on the receiving end of more post-race monologues (I, me, my - ugh) than I can count. Its a yin yang thing. Think of that moment when you're in a dark room and somebody turns on the lights. Your world immediatly changes from total darkness to being flooded with light. It doesn't creep in slowly. Flip a switch. Bang! Light. That time-stopping moment is/was, for me, that instance right before the lights go on and "the world" floods your existence. I was able to race seeing only an inner light that was one perfect moment. And, to push this even further, I believe it is in the mystery of this inner light where heaven resides (in timeless reality). Well, John, you argued your point well … but, alas, you are wrong! :) I am speaking about the perfect moment during a race … not the infinite moments after a race. And, good God, I have been on the receiving end of more post-race monologues (I, me, my - ugh) than I can count. Its a yin yang thing. Think of that moment when you’re in a dark room and somebody turns on the lights. Your world immediatly changes from total darkness to being flooded with light. It doesn’t creep in slowly. Flip a switch. Bang! Light. That time-stopping moment is/was, for me, that instance right before the lights go on and “the world” floods your existence. I was able to race seeing only an inner light that was one perfect moment. And, to push this even further, I believe it is in the mystery of this inner light where heaven resides (in timeless reality).

]]> By: John http://www.runningland.com/2005/01/29/the-race-is-its-own-reward/comment-page-1/#comment-453 John Wed, 02 Nov 2005 12:17:04 +0000 http://www.runningland.com/2005/01/29/the-race-is-its-own-reward/#comment-453 Time stops... Excuse me, Joan, but I beg to differ. I think if you talk to runners post-race you'll get a lengthy tale encompassing every single moment of the race as it unfolded. Each participant will be able to recount such a lengthy a stream of thoughts, mentioning every pothole or rock by its precise location, every inhalation of breath, that it will seem that time slowed down for them. The story of their race will appear to last longer than the 30-40 mins of their performance. It's almost Einsteinian; the faster you go, the more time slows down. Of course all that really happens is that each runner becomes more aware. Instead of idly filling their day with routine, they become focussed; here, now. Think of your most thrilling race. I bet that even today you can still tell its story in glorious technicolor. It was not over, for you, in the blink of an eye. Indeed, I believe if you ever tried to tell its FULL story as it still resides in you rmind, the tale would have no end. Time stops…

Excuse me, Joan, but I beg to differ. I think if you talk to runners post-race you’ll get a lengthy tale encompassing every single moment of the race as it unfolded. Each participant will be able to recount such a lengthy a stream of thoughts, mentioning every pothole or rock by its precise location, every inhalation of breath, that it will seem that time slowed down for them. The story of their race will appear to last longer than the 30-40 mins of their performance.

It’s almost Einsteinian; the faster you go, the more time slows down. Of course all that really happens is that each runner becomes more aware. Instead of idly filling their day with routine, they become focussed; here, now.

Think of your most thrilling race. I bet that even today you can still tell its story in glorious technicolor. It was not over, for you, in the blink of an eye. Indeed, I believe if you ever tried to tell its FULL story as it still resides in you rmind, the tale would have no end.

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