Am Luitpoldpark

The sun shines. For the first time in four days the sun shines!!!!

I am so excited that when I finish school, I ride home, change clothes and start running. When I start, I don't know if I am going to Nymphenburg, to English Garten, to the Isar, or simply around Olympiapark, but after three days of rain and class and people I am tired of staying still. Perhaps staying still is harder than running around - whenever I sit for too long I get tired and hungry yet when I run or hike or move in the sunshine I get happy, more fit, and relaxed.

So instead of deciding, I simply run. I like running near Olympia park. It has hills if you choose, flat if you choose, and a fitness-area, or a playground for fitness, or maybe it is called an adult playground. I can't tell. I don't care, because I run straight to it so I can play on the adult-sized monkey bars and slackline.

I'm running because I signed up for a Sparta race in Mallorca on March 8. I'm running because I signed up to run 50k in Switzerland this summer. I'm running because I want to feel my body move. I'm running because I love how the sun shines to make a new beautiful day.

I am growing to love the feeling of my body in motion. My body isn't entirely sure about it, yet I decide that I don't want to slow down today. I've been reading "Natural Born Heros" by Christopher McDougall, the same author as "Born to Run", and over and over he talks about how our bodies can do incredible things - how they were made to do incredible things - and how it doesn't require total absolute strength training, but joy and enthusiasm and a desire to move your body in natural ways. I run to the fitness-garden, grab the monkey bars and swing - from one, to the next, to the next, to the end, and turn around with my hands and go back. Monkey bars are hard for me, but I try reaching every-other bar. I try to cross a third time. I fail and land on the rubber mat.

Instead of a pause, I get up and head to the slackline. This comes more naturally. I like agility and balance more than strength. I cross the line. I do it again. I do it a third time and fall. I do it a fourth time and fall. I don't care to stop moving, so I change to the back-stressor. I'm not sure what it's called in English, but it's a reverse situp, where you start laying forward and pull you back tight so your chest goes off the ground. I do this until I can't. Then I go to pull ups. I play without resting - or rather I let muscles rest when I use others. When I can't move my arms or my stomach anymore I run.

I run in intervals, a jog for a time, then a sprint, then a jog. I run around Olympia-lake and when I get back to the playground I play again. Then run again. Then play again. and again, and again, and before you know it 2 hours have gone by and I'm filled with endorphins and kissed by the sun and thirsty for more, and for water.

I've run about 20km, with pauses between for playing. It's taken me over two hours, which is about right. I'm running faster and faster these days, but still slower than others. I like when my week is filled with motion and sunlight on brisk clear winter days. These are good days but I cannot rest too long. I have to go to German-practice book-club after dinner!

I'm especially excited today because tomorrow I go wandering with Franz and Ooli - I am skipping Friday class to join a hike in the beautiful weather. Just when I think my day will not get better, I read an email invite to another hike on Saturday for snow-shoeing with my next host; Garnot. I call Garnot and make plans with him while he quietly chats from his work office, planning non-work things.

I am excited.Read more