Remember To Look (And Listen!)

"The joy of running, for me, lies in traversing a landscape on foot. That’s true of all running, but you have to look a bit harder to find that joy on the roads – on the trails, it’s ever-present. And yet, with all the bells and whistles of modern kit (not to mention the Instagram #content mindset we all wrestle with), it’s very easy to get tunnel vision and forget to take it in.

Recently, I was running on some unfamiliar woodland trails on the London/Kent border. I was having a miserable time of it – the trails were soaked through, I had entirely the wrong shoes on, and every step felt uphill (probably because every step was uphill.) Then, all of a sudden, I stepped out of the woods and into an open field, and my frustration fell away. I watched as mist rolled off the ground and little black birds flitted to and fro. The bright sunshine warmed my skin, and I found myself just, looking – looking at what was in front of me. As simple as that. It was a reminder of why I do this strange thing called trail running.

I’m as angsty as the next person, but trail running has given me countless moments like this. Next time you are out running off-road, don’t force it, but pay attention to what’s going on around you. A moment of peace might just spring itself upon you if you’re there to receive it."