Lots of people find running boring. To make it bearable, they need to listen to music or to the radio through their phones. Or they run with someone they can talk to. Or they just don’t go running …
I don’t find it boring at all. I suppose I must enjoy my own company, must enjoy talking to myself. There is a long conversation running in my head from start to finish. Somehow, running clears my mind of distractions and allows me to think more clearly.
But does this mean that I am boring and easily entertained by myself and that others need more stimulation than I do? Or is it that they are boring and don’t have as much going on in their heads, so need the stimulation? Is it that I am simple-minded and easily entertained, or is it that other people are not as interesting?
I don’t know. I’ll have to go for a run to think about it.
Addendum
I am currently reading the book ‘Chernobyl’. I am only about a third of the way through, but I’ve got to say, it is very good. It is not just about the catastrophic accident but goes much wider into the Soviet system behind the building and management of the reactors leading up to the disaster. Anyway, I only bring this up because one of the scientists involved in the management of the power station was known to walk the 4km each way to and from work every day. He is quoted as saying:
“Walking, you clear your mind of all unpleasant thoughts. And if something does find its way into your head, speed up.”
He might have been partly responsible for a catastrophic nuclear disaster, but he was right about walking!
Note: photo above by Andrew Slifkin on Unsplash
