RUNNING TO WRITE AND WRITING TO RUN

Sitting and writing is great exercise for my creative brain. However, having a healthy mind does not guarantee a healthy body. I spend a lot of time with my butt glued to a chair and hands tapping on keyboard to meet my writing goals. This sedentary vocation puts me at great risk of widening hips, clothes that mysteriously “shrink,” and a whole host of health problems.

To avoid (or at least fend off) the dreaded, hip-widening phenomenon, I run. While I run, I have a chance observe my neighborhood on foot, instead of from the window of a car. I can’t stand the treadmill. I prefer to get outside in the fresh air.

The two activities—writing and running—complement one another very well. They both require discipline, dedication, and stamina. To improve my aerobic health, I need to vary my workouts: long runs, speed work, hills. To improve my craft, I need to vary my writing sessions, too: outlining, plotting, brainstorming, free flowing prose to get an idea out of my head, and meticulous editing.

Often, my writing creeps into my running sessions. I can really clear my mind, freeing my imagination to spark ideas for new stories. I can meditate on whatever is giving me trouble, like how to weave in a particular subplot or what obstacles to put in the way of my protagonist. Running is a great cure for writer’s block.

While many of my running sessions help my writing, I have not had running sneak into my writing sessions. . . . Until this week! Under doctor’s orders I have been writing the alphabet WITH MY FEET!

I know, it sounds weird, but it has been helping me to increase the range of motion, strengthen and stretch my feet. Because I have increased my mileage as I prepare for a 10-mile race in April, I have developed tendonitis in the bottom of my feet. Ugh! My orthopedist has given me meds, as well as some special exercises, including the alphabet game. I hope this will help me save my feet to make it through my upcoming race.

Wish me luck! And who knows, maybe someday instead of just the alphabet, I will write a poem—WITH MY FEET.