A hot clammy day so I decided to go to the gym where there is air conditioning, except that it was broken - awaiting repair, so the room was very hot. It was suitable for Bikram yoga but I was programmed for running and weights. Wow did I sweat!
The actual session was OK but when I showered. I couldn't get myself dry. I was just too clammy. So my clothes became slightly damp and I went down to the nearby green to sit down, look around and hope the slight breeze would dry me off.
Doing nothing on a hot day is very pleasant. There is something peaceful and harmonious about watching the world go by when everybody is moving at a slightly slower pace. I was sitting on a seat on the boundary of the cricket pitch, whilst people were getting ready for a match later in the afternoon and everything was being done at a very steadily. The photo shows the view (if you look closely you can see that the stumps have been set-up) and it set me thinking about how much I like the idea of town/village cricket, where the pitch is an open space used for recreation, bordered by older houses and a couple of pubs. There is continuity here, a touch of nostalgia, but something alive, enjoyed by people of all ages.
After I had been sitting peacefully for several moments I suddenly knew what I liked about exercise and running - the moments of complete stillness you can find when you stop. It is not the same as stopping banging your head against a brick wall, you are not stopping something you don't enjoy. It is more like a clearing-out. Exercise empties you so that you can enjoy being calm
Juneathon 27 stats:
Gym time: 1hr 15 min
Run distance: 7k
Weights: arm press, back, crunch, calf lifts
Stretches: lots
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