Adventure Pace Running

The other day, while coordinating a run with a friend, the phrase “I’m gonna do it now to get it over with” came up—and it really struck me.

What are we doing if the reason we’re going out is just to get it over with?

I see a similar mindset in people who run fast. And to be clear, there’s nothing inherently wrong with running fast—but it becomes problematic if your pace is dictated by a desire to be done with the moment.

I’ve fully embraced the spirit of slowing down—running slow not just for the cardiometabolic benefits, but also for something deeper.

Yes, there’s the physiological benefit—but there’s also a spiritual one: the act of being present. That may sound contradictory to some of my earlier reflections about the destination being the pull. But I think both can coexist. You can appreciate the allure of the destination while also maintaining reverence for every transcendent moment that carries you there.

So if I’m out for a run and I catch myself just trying to get it over with, then I know—somewhere along the way—I’ve become miscalibrated.

The spirit has been consumed by the left hemisphere of my brain. To run truly in spirit, it must reside in the right hemisphere.