I know a man who is an ever declining breed in the modern world. He seems to be the master of his urban surrounds, having defined for himself a lifestyle that has turned its back on the mainstream of society. He has rid himself of his car instead preferring to walk, run or ride his bike to get him to his destination. He has an organic garden out the back of his property and done away with his TV instead merely listening to the radio.
He runs in cheap Dunlop volleys, a tshirt that is over 10 years old and some ragged old rugby shorts yet still manages to knock out some pretty impressive times and remaining continually happy. In fact he is someone that I look to for inspiration on how we should be living (ie. A lot closer to the land).
Possessions are not his goal and he seeks out to improve and grow through giving more instead of taking. Quite simply he is a model to each and every one of us.
Running together (while living very simply) – stride for stride on a life changing ride! – Sean Muller
Monday, February 13, 2012
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Rip off runs
Like most runners, I have my favourite events that I like to participate in. Oftentimes these are the only occasions where you see so many of your old mates together in one place. You get to see who have let things slip a little and who is looking in great shape.
Some of these runs are club run and others put on by various event organisation companies. Now when I started running more seriously a couple of years ago, most of the organised events in Sydney were still well within my budget, however of late I am finding it increasingly difficult to justify spending large amounts of money on relatively short events. This price gouging I can only put down to events being taken over by large corporates or media companies. As a result they lose their community feel and where once the event was put on with a focus on actually delivering a service to runners, this has changed substantially with athletes now considered to be just cash cows to be milked while being offered less and less.
This week I heard of a family who was hoping to run a local half marathon (3 generations together), however due to the exorbitant cost of the event, they have been prevented from doing so. Such a pity to hear stories of people being ripped off when all they want to do is run.
Many of these runs I have walked away from now and will not return to. This is sad, but there are just so many other community events out there that are not only fantastic value, but also allow one to experience some completely new runs.
Running together (while avoiding rip off runs) – stride for stride on a life changing ride! – Sean Muller
Some of these runs are club run and others put on by various event organisation companies. Now when I started running more seriously a couple of years ago, most of the organised events in Sydney were still well within my budget, however of late I am finding it increasingly difficult to justify spending large amounts of money on relatively short events. This price gouging I can only put down to events being taken over by large corporates or media companies. As a result they lose their community feel and where once the event was put on with a focus on actually delivering a service to runners, this has changed substantially with athletes now considered to be just cash cows to be milked while being offered less and less.
This week I heard of a family who was hoping to run a local half marathon (3 generations together), however due to the exorbitant cost of the event, they have been prevented from doing so. Such a pity to hear stories of people being ripped off when all they want to do is run.
Many of these runs I have walked away from now and will not return to. This is sad, but there are just so many other community events out there that are not only fantastic value, but also allow one to experience some completely new runs.
Running together (while avoiding rip off runs) – stride for stride on a life changing ride! – Sean Muller
Monday, February 6, 2012
Friends
This past weekend was spent in the company of some amazing friends that I befriended at last year’s Comrades Marathon. Ever since I had met them, they had invited me to join them and their family for a weekend of running and all around good fun.
The short version of things is that these people not only invited me into their home, but treated me like one of the family, with the dad even accompanying us on our long runs up and down the coast on his bike, while providing us with a whole number of refreshments.
It never ceases to amaze me how the power of something as simple as running is responsible for bringing together so many and building such solid community connections between people who were previously veritable strangers.
Running together – while turning strangers in to friends – stride for stride on a life changing ride! – Sean Muller
The short version of things is that these people not only invited me into their home, but treated me like one of the family, with the dad even accompanying us on our long runs up and down the coast on his bike, while providing us with a whole number of refreshments.
It never ceases to amaze me how the power of something as simple as running is responsible for bringing together so many and building such solid community connections between people who were previously veritable strangers.
Running together – while turning strangers in to friends – stride for stride on a life changing ride! – Sean Muller
Thursday, February 2, 2012
What is your Thursday morning?
Thursday morning is a special time of the week for me. It signals the start of only two days to go until the weekend, it is also the time that I choose to run what is becoming one of my stock weekly runs of 3 x 6KM at marathon race pace – these are all great things, but most of all it is the time where a group of friends of mine comes together after running and gyming at a local coffee place where we enjoy a chat and some light breakfast.
This time is where positivity flows and we share parts of the day. It is great to have this time to not only exchange training and lifestyle ideas, but also to build and reinforce community amongst like minded people who are all passionate about the really good, healthy things in life. It is almost as though there is an unwritten rule of ‘leaving negativity at the door’.
Surely is how everyday should be in life. Good times and great vibes.
Running together (while building community and reducing negativity) – stride for stride on a life changing ride! – Sean Muller
This time is where positivity flows and we share parts of the day. It is great to have this time to not only exchange training and lifestyle ideas, but also to build and reinforce community amongst like minded people who are all passionate about the really good, healthy things in life. It is almost as though there is an unwritten rule of ‘leaving negativity at the door’.
Surely is how everyday should be in life. Good times and great vibes.
Running together (while building community and reducing negativity) – stride for stride on a life changing ride! – Sean Muller
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