Running again

Three full weeks since I felt well enough to run. Today I ran a comfortable five kilometers and could probably have managed more, but I didn't want to overdo it. This virus had come back a couple of times after I thought it was over.

Tomorrow I'm off to Taraloka on the border of England and Wales for a short retreat, during which we will celebrate Wesak, the anniversary celebration of the Buddha's enlightenment. A small group of Berliners are flying tomorrow afternoon to Liverpool John Lennon airport, from where we will travel to Taraloka by train. All being well I will participate in another half marathon very soon after I return. Due to the break in training, I will be happy just to jog along the course to the finish, rather than aim to break any records.

Today I received the official results magazine of the Berlin half marathon, and discovered that the fastest man in my age group ran over 30 minutes faster than me. Well, that's something to aim for, though I can't quite imagine it is a realistic goal.

Old age, Sickness and Death

Its almost two weeks since I started getting ill, and I still don't feel able to restart training. It takes it out of me to climb the stairs to my flat, although I am managing to get about by bicycle again, despite the weather. Patience is a spiritual practice that everyone who possesses a body can practise, especially as one gets older. It was his realisation of the facts of old age, sickness and death two and a half thousand years ago that provided the spur for Siddhartha to pursue the spiritual quest to its ultimate conclusion of Enlightenment when he became the Buddha. I will try to patiently accept my condition while hoping to be fit and well enough in order to take part in the half marathon in Potsdam on 6th June.

BIG 25

The BIG 25 km is underway right now. In fact the winners have no doubt completed the course and maybe even received their prizes in the Olympic stadium. On Friday I collected my number - 4749 - with my running mate Harald, although I was pretty certain that I would not be well enough to run. For the second year running I have fallen ill just before this run and couldn't join the fun. It would have been my longest run yet, but last year I came down with flu the evening before, and this year I started sneezing non-stop on Thursday morning, and I am just now over the worst, but am still weak and breathless. It is enough climbing the stairs to the flat, never mind running 25 km. Next year.....

The number I would have had.