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12 minutes. (And 8 seconds.)

—

by

Jax Blunt
in

12 minutes when I’m not a mother. There are no little voices telling me that they are building the Reaper’s house on the Sims. Or that they can’t find any underwear. Or just shouting mumumumumuMUM.

12 minutes of almost silence. When all I hear is pounding footsteps and pounding heartbeat. Where I count strides in patterns of 8 and try to keep my breathing steady.

12 minutes when I can forget that I’m nearly *significant age* old and pretend that I’m 19, 20, 21 again, pretend that all I’ve to run to or from is a bar or a lecture, pretend that running isn’t a laborious exercise it’s just my prefered method of getting places because it’s faster than walking.

12 minutes without interruptions. When my time is my own, it’s just me, my body, the road and the weather. When the wind can be my only foe, when I get to admire the sunset or the rainbow but without having to feel I should point it out to an offspring.

Oh and the 8 seconds? That would be the time wasted when I have to stop to tie up my shoelace. Bah.

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Comments

10 responses to “12 minutes. (And 8 seconds.)”

  1. Alison avatar
    Alison

    I guess that as you get faster you’ll have to start running further 😉

    Reply
  2. Jax avatar
    Jax

    This is actually my third route. I started out on 0.4 of a mile, doubled that up to 0.8 and now I’m running 1.22 regularly. (And occasionally 1.5 miles if I get lost on the way…) So yes, I’m running further as I get used to the distance.

    Reply
  3. mamacrow avatar
    mamacrow

    wow, you’re progressing so fast!
    this is why I LOVE my karate lesson. a whole HOUR when I just concentrate on something without being distracted off in other directions every 2 mins.
    .-= mamacrow´s last blog ..Goodbye September- Hello October! =-.

    Reply
    1. Jax avatar
      Jax

      @mamacrow I miss martial arts. I was addicted during university, used to practise up to 5 times a week, had my 1st kyu. But it all fell apart when I had to grow up and get a job.

      Reply
  4. Kat avatar
    Kat

    There’s so much I want to do but with the shifts my other half does I can’t commit to a regular class or routine or even just time on the Wii for exercise without the likely possible of hearing “Muuuuuuuuuuuum”. Must find a way around it somehow.
    .-= Kat´s last blog ..Some of the Things I Did Last Summer =-.

    Reply
    1. Jax avatar
      Jax

      @Kat have just realised I have similar problems for the rest of the week. Dp has breakfast meetings Wed and Fri and is then away til Sunday night. Meaning Thursday is my only chance to run 🙁 It’s tough, isn’t it?

      Reply
  5. Heather avatar
    Heather

    I miss having a gym close by where i could disappear to for an hour. I’m rubbish at running, find the roads to hard on my knees, but i love the peace…

    Reply
    1. Jax avatar
      Jax

      @Heather I have always found it too hard on my knees but the raise has helped hugely, and I paid out for very expensive running shoes that are designed for stability. It’s been worth every penny – I’ve only had knee pain when I’ve been rundown if you’ll pardon the pun.

      Reply
  6. mamacrow avatar
    mamacrow

    wow, you had your 1st kyu?! what style?
    and surely, once a ninja always a ninja?! 😉
    .-= mamacrow´s last blog ..Goodbye September- Hello October! =-.

    Reply
    1. Jax avatar
      Jax

      Shotokai. I’ve practised with Harada Sensei, quite a few times in fact, as I used to go to summer school (3 times maybe?) Suspect I’m not very ninja any more! Have also tried Kyokushinkai, Shotokan, Wado Ryu, Aikido and Lee Family system (tai chi and kung fu in roughly equal measures). I was head bouncer at my college ents, can’t think why 😉

      Reply

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