My Runkeeper Was A TaskMaster Today

I'm out for my run this morning and turn on Runkeeper - and this app had the brilliant idea that I should do some interval training today.  And when presented with that option, I dutifully agree and away I go.  Now let's be clear, I have run regularly for the past 20 years, but at this time I am not in training for any race, nor am I interested in working hard to improving my time.  I am happy just to get out and run for 50 minutes - enjoying the sunshine and fresh air - or the rain - or the snow - sometimes it's just the fresh air.

Why?

So why did I agree to the interval training suggestion from Runkeeper?  At the time I simply thought...why not?  It was the path of least resistance.  I also thought it would give me an idea of where my training level was really at - oh boy, did it ever let me know! 

Five minutes of slow warmup, then alternating 30 seconds of fast and 90 seconds of steady.  For me it may have been more like 30 seconds of steady and 90 seconds of slow.  In any case, by the time I hit the 20-minute mark I decided that I was going to end the interval training at 30 minutes - I simply didn't have it in me to do any more than that.  Luckily, Runkeeper had the same idea - the intervals ended at 25 minutes, with the last 5 minutes being slow...or steady...one or the other.  And I finished my 50-minute run by completing another 20 minutes of my regular slow-and-steady pace.

My Voice

So as I'm running the intervals, I start to wonder why I feel compelled to listen the Runkeeper voice telling me when to slow down and when to speed up.  I had nothing to prove and certainly no one would know if I decided to just run at my regular pace - it's not like Runkeeper would rat me out.  So why indeed? 

Anyone who knows me knows that 'why' is my favorite word.  And as I'm analyzing the 'why' of my actions, I'm wondering if that is the same reason that other people are unable or unwilling to try more natural remedies for their specific health challenges.

Giving Your Power Away  

I have a couple of examples of people who were recently given terminal diagnoses and they simply did as they were told - they went home and put their affairs in order and then passed away within months.  They made no attempt or inquiries into more natural alternatives - none.  I simply cannot imagine, if I was given a prognosis of some months, that I wouldn't exhaust all avenues looking for some chance of survival.  But these people made no attempt whatsoever - instead of going within to see what their intuition might have to say. They listened to them (the experts, the media, their families, their health care providers) and just did as they were told.

I also have a few examples of people on prescription drugs who are experiencing unwanted side effects.  As well, they are worried about the potential for harm in using these drugs over the long term.  But they steadfastly refuse to even try any more natural alternatives available to them.   Just like my Runkeeper voice telling me to speed up or slow down, their voice is telling them to listen not to their own inner wisdom and question the experts, but to simply do as they are told.

And Still With The Why

The balance of my run was analyzing the why and the 'what' to do about it?  'They' tell us what to do and we readily acquiesce.  Instead of analyzing our options to determine if the path that 'they' recommend for us is actually our best option, we take the path of least resistance.  We have learned and/or been conditioned to tune out our own little voice - our naturally-given inner wisdom.  

The question now is 'what' can I do about it?   I believe that when I made the decision to stop the interval training at the 30-minute mark, that was my inner wisdom speaking to me - and me finally listening to it.  

And Then What?

So how do I help people tune back into themselves - to listen to their own little voice and at least question what they are being told, so they can do what is best for themselves? 

B - The Healthy Guerrilla