RUNNING LIKE I'VE NEVER RUN BEFORE

So I'm running again. I thought I'd see if it was even feasible given that the paved road leading to the ashram is only about 200 meters long and I figured I'd get bored of the same scenery running up and down this short track. It wasn't too bad since there was always something new I was encountering such as a herd of sheep, cows, stray dogs and older women balancing massive loads of grass on their heads. However by the fourth time I was looking for a change and was contemplating running past the paved road over the sharp stones which leads to the main village.  Juan, a fellow ashramite from Colombia and runner, saw me out jogging one day and told me he goes for runs in the mornings and asked if I'd like to go along with him sometime. I wasn't too sure I'd have any energy for a run at 6:45am but I wanted to give it a try, at least once. Man am I ever glad I did. Not only did I surprise myself with the willpower to hit the pavement before the sun came up I was also suprised by the childlike joy I was getting out of exploring the village. These morning runs are so much more than just a workout. In fact these runs are like meditation. We're runnning on broken roads and narrow pathways around the village for up to an hour and I'm doing it without listening to any music - I've never ran without music and I didn't think I'd last five minutes. But at 7am just as we're getting warmed up around a dusty track we can see the sun peaking up behind the Himilayan foothills and then it's down to the Ganga where we run on the sand along side the flowing water just as the sun comes bursting out from the tops of the hills. There's usually a misty fog hovering over the water and geese flying by. The first time Juan and I witnessed this we had to stop and just take it in. And that's what this run is about - taking it in. My mind is no longer on the distance I'm covering or the pace I'm running at but I'm focused on my breath, my freedom and the life around me. Every step is a celebration of life. As we continue to explore the surrounding areas of the ashram my old belief of what running meant - an intense, high-calorie burning workout- is changing and I now look forward to the opportunity to run just because I can. I'm living in the now and taking in each moment to the fullest. My runs are a celebration of my health and the life I was given. Until the next run...

Here are the pictures of our gorgeous run:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9075465@N06/sets/72157632347569661/