The pre run ritual nobody talks about : POOP

Rituals

Welcome back to yet another weekly blog. Lots of time to think about things last week and the idea of rituals kept popping into my head. I guess running in itself is a ritual, which we might touch on but for the most part it’s the things we do before and after a run that I would like to focus on. I asked for others to share their routines on our stories yesterday so I will add in those responses and see what we can come up with. Enjoy and thanks for taking the time.

BEFORE WE RUN

Based on the responses it seems like pooping is the biggest hurdle for most people before lacing up and getting after it. Not sure this needs to be an entire article on that subject so we can leave it with this; Get up a little earlier, and always bring some extra tissue on your run. For those in places with public bathrooms, congratulations. For the others who know exactly where the closest Circle K is at all times, we wish you the best of luck.

Seems like stretching/ warming up is something we all want to do but for most of us it is probably the one thing we all wish we took the time to do. For most people the first 2 km’s is enough of a warm up and we deal with stiff hips and sore calves as a by product of a rushed lifestyle. Same goes for the cool down. It goes like this. FINISH, PANT, COFFEE , SIT. Maybe we were smart enough to grab a coconut water or at least try to touch our toes once. I’m sure we can all improve on both aspects.

DURING THE RUN

I think we can all get caught up in the ritual of the same route, be it the one with the least amount of dogs, avoiding the hills or running past our ex’s favorite cafe. I think we can use running as a tool to discover our neighbourhood and the places we get to spend time.

Personally I use running as a way to explore wherever I am. I dislike the idea of running one direction and turning around. I prefer a loop. Rarely will I run the same loop back to back and I always like to find some weird or previously undiscovered zone. I’d say it’s about 50/50 of it being a dead end or it working out. I also feel like skateboarding has had an influence on how I see terrain. Running linear feels boring to me. So maybe next time you are out try to jump a bush, take a random turn and see where you end up. Might spark a bit more joy. Or don’t.

AFTER THE RUN

A lot of us live a fast paced to do list lifestyle so it’s hard to find the time to do mobility, hit the sauna and ice bath 3 x and then go get a massage. If that sounds like your routine then bravo. Half the time I forget to even stop my watch so If I’m able to give attention to my hamstrings and spend at least 2 minutes cooling down with intention that would be a huge WIN. I am guilty as any and probably not the one to be giving advice on this subject. SOOOOO how about we all meet on the grass after the next run club? Hang on the monkey bars and give our bodies some love. LETS DO IT.

THOUGHTS

The poet and run enthusiast Josh Lynott writes often about slowing down and remembering why we started this whole running thing in the first place. It should bring a smile to your face and leave you feeling accomplished. Sure, some sessions are meant to be hard and earning a new best is a great achievement. Longevity should be considered and knowing that progression does indeed take time, being gentle(r) to our mind and bodies will help us continue enjoying the process for years to come.

I think the biggest takeaway from thinking about this and what you have just read is that we all could simply take more time, be less rushed, have some sort of gratitude practice for our capabilities and places we get to run, OH,  and be okay with talking about poop.

Until next time, enjoy the process and hope to catch you for a run and coffee soon.

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