Craig,

OK, I’ll buy the metaphor, but I never puked after a serious bout of writing!

I’ve been a little down of late, kind of like a 100 watt bulb in a 40 watt socket, but that seems to be changing. More writing not less appears to be a good cure. I’d like to put myself back into that sunny place more often.

@craig Wow! Another long-time reader with a first comment! Maybe this running thing isn’t so bad after all.

In my opinion, distance running and writing have a lot in common, including the big high of a serious long run. I remember when I was training for a marathon back in 2001. I was doing 6-7 miles a day and 10-12 on the weekends. I’m nowhere near that kind of shape now, but as you point out it isn’t a physical thing - it’s mental.

Indeed, it’s a lot like writing.

I’ve been running long distances for over twenty years now and I can tell you that the hardest parts of running are … get ready for it … starting and, having started, not stopping. And having eventually stopped, retiring to your other activities, and then, at some arbitrary interval, starting again before you have lost the benefits gained from your previous session.

Running distance is about building on routine bouts with your mental limitations. I say mental because long-distance running is all about your ability to exert your mind’s will over your body’s. Successful runners are mentally strong, and by that I mean able to defeat the impulses their bodies generate and transmit.

The hardest part of laying off is not that first session back. Indeed, you often run far better than you might have imagined you would. Nay, my good friend. It is the second session that is the true test, because here your body will rebel. And will continue to do so for the next three weeks after that. But then, one day, the stiffness begins to resolve itself, the aches disappear, and for a moment, you are free of worldly cares and in the runner’s zone. Here is where you perform at your peak. Each day you return to the run to achieve your peak, to stay in it, to ride that wave as it were until at some point the complaints of the world flood back in upon you and the real challenge, the battle to continue running begins anew.

Does that sound like writing?

I’m not quite sure why yet. I’ll let you know when I get that lightbulb moment.

But today you drew me out enough that I wanted to say hi and let you know I had been hanging around.

I, by the way, am a happy writer. One of those ones who smile a lot and have been given an extra dose of enthusiasm to make up for those among us who prefer the lights on low.

And, by the way, I run.

It’s nice to read…meet you.

In the Animal Kingdom,there are two reasons to run: to get food, to keep from being food. Everything else is insane!

When I retired from the Army I swore I’d never run again. Broke that oath once or twice…mostly to keep from getting killed. Bullets landing in your general vicinity have a strange way of motivating.

I do walk…alot…up mountains and through forests whenever possible, but running? Urgh!

I think I have a similar problem on the writing though. So many things going on in my head I’d love to put them all to paper, but don’t.