(The pictures above are : 1 & 2 — me after a workout where I pulled 100kg back and forth several times; 3 & 4— a walk with a friend and her dog in Epping Forest; 5, 6 & 7 — nature on the journey from Kings Cross to my home. I love thistles :-) )

As you know, for me, the first 6 months of 2024 have been longevity focused. This has meant that I have experimented with learning things that make me comfortable or stretch me or I have a resistance towards. 

Examples of this are improvisation comedy, ice baths and cold water immersion, and going on an adventure to the most remote part of Europe (Knoydart in Scotland). 

Yet, this week I had a huge learning though something I have been doing since my mid 20s. 

At that time a university friend dared me to run a half marathon, and me being me, I took up the challenge. We trained for 6 weeks and I am not quite sure how but I completed the half marathon in good time. 5 minutes after crossing the line I vowed not to run again! 

Then about 10 years ago I started Couch to 5k and doing Parkruns on Saturday mornings. My children did their Duke of Edinburgh volunteering with Parkrun and I loved breaking stereotypes and boundaries as I ran a 5km every Saturday morning. 

Then the pandemic, etc etc etc

Two weeks ago I felt fit and healthy enough to start running again and post Knoydart adventure I started Couch to 5k once more. But I felt guilt doing it... (i'll explain why in a minute!)

Having completed 2 runs with relative ease I decided to tell my personal trainer. 

I asked 'How do I reduce my heart rate so that it is in zone 2?'

And they said 'ummm Saiyyidah, I think you should stick for running at the moment. Until we have completed the rebalancing phase. 

Reluctantly I said 'ok, I know you are right.'

I felt guilty running because my PT told me that I needed to not put so much impact on my back as I worked on its 'rebalancing.'

Then, I wondered how could keep up my motivation and desire for physical health. I was starting to feeling frustrated.

I know that the journey is as important as a goal... in this situation, I needed a goal, not just a journey. 

I recall someone telling me that they had walked a marathon, and me thinking that was such a great idea. 

I then decided to put the training for walking a marathon into my diary. One of the early sessions involved a 7 mile walk. This would be done by me walking home from Kings Cross station in London. 

During that walk I learned a lot of things:

1. I listed to some podcasts that had been on my 'to listen to' list for over a year and not only did I get the steps in, I also learned a few things.
2. My walk took over 2 hours. I saw a very different London in my walk. It was then that I realized that by forcibly slowing down I was noticing new things, discovering places and views that have existed for longer than I've been alive... but I hadn't noticed, and I slowed down. 
3. As I was walking I was processing a lot of project, personal, and professional related matters. People say how running provides a lot of clarity - and I agree - but I was able to find that clarity through walking. And that surprised me. 

I am sharing this with you as an invitation to think where can you slow down? 

The reality is that for me to fit in the amount of walking I need to get done I had to review my schedule in detail. I was surprised to find that what might have been a 20 minute tube journey could be a 40 minute walk. If I had a 6 mile walk to fit in then perhaps I had to leave earlier, move things around, and consider how I could actually fit it in. 

Sometimes we need to go slower to go faster. 

I imagine that this time next year I might be able to run, once my rebalaning phase is over... 

—What might be part of your rebalancing phase? 

—Where can you slow down to go faster?

—What simple step could you take to slow down? 

Please take these questions as invitations to slow down to speed up. 

I'd love to hear what you are thinking of or going to do, no doubt it will give me ideas.