Mental blanks
I am wrong about many things in life.
I have no issues admitting this. It is, after all, a woman’s prerogative to change her mind. Though I hope I am not as bad as one friend, who provides me with endless amusement when parroting opinions she has recently expressed back to her as my own, only to listen to her rip them to shreds. It gives me a secret chuckle every time.
I highly recommend it if you have friends with vehement opinions who change their minds frequently.
I used to think swimming was the best exercise for shutting my mind off, to let it explore alleyways of idle contemplation without any conscious effort on my part.
But I have discovered that walking is even better. Over the weekend, I set off on a bit of a trek, part of training for the Oxfam 100km trailwalker.
I was tackling hills, and avoiding all flat, which is not at all difficult in Wellington. It’s much trickier trying to find flat places to run, walk or cycle.
In the middle of toiling up Tinakori Hill, I suddenly realised I’d completely wandered off in a rather long flight of fantasy. I’d not only missed a whole chapter in Pride and Prejudice that a woman with a soothing voice was reading to me via my iPod, I’d also taken a wrong turning. I only realised because it finally registered that the track was looking unfamiliar and was going down when it should be going up.
I’d switched off so completely I can’t even tell you what I was thinking. My mind is never still, so I was undoubtedly considering something.
I may have been contemplating why Tinakori Hill is only called a hill when, at 303 metres, it is considerably higher than our so-called Mt Victoria, which is only 196 metres high. The difference is not inconsiderable when you compare walking up said hills, so it’s one of life’s many mysteries.
It’s good to know the austere powers-that-be in this city have always been consistent with confusing decisions.
However, to be honest, I don’t imagine my mind was so productively occupied. It’s much more likely that I was wondering what to have for dinner.
But frivolous thought process or not, the down time was just what I needed to recover from what had been a very stressful and busy week at work. Just in time too, since I had to be back in my office chair for this delightful Sunday night shift.
As mental rejuvenation goes, I guess the walking will fill the void until I’m injury-free enough to start running again.
What do you think is the best exercise for shutting off your mind? Or do you prefer other ways to wind down?
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Oh walking definitely (Isn't the hill with the giant radar dome above the wind turbine also called a "hill", I figure if there are planes passing below you then your hill status is called into question).
I love losing myself on the walk to work every morning.
I find directed classes work best for the brain shut down factor, specially RPM, I'm so busy just surviving the mind has to stop! At the opposite end is the relaxation bit at the end of Balance classes, where I always end up writing my shopping list or planning the rest of the day. Outside exercise picking up a book is a guaranteed time sink!
Some of my best runs were the ones where my brain switched off and my body just kept doing its thing. I remember nights running round the Bays and being completely unable to recall the beautiful scenery. Walking tends to make me dwell on things even more, and in RPM I'm too busy thinking about technique, cadence and resistance to ever shut off.
Good luck with the Trailwalker. Glad to see last year's experience didn't put you off returning!
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a good read too.
Nothing like having someone else read to you to make you switch off. You kind of listen, but you can walk a mile with someome murmuring quietly in your ear.
Though given the reaction of every woman I know to Mr Darcy - I'm not sure your claim that it was topography that you were thinking about holds much water.
Weight machines defenitly.... specially on low weight high rep.
I tend to zone out when running, which is good because when my brain re-engages I realise how much it hurts
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Put me in a stuffy meeting room in front of a powerpoint presentation, and I'm away with the fairies so fast there's occasionally a sonic boom as my brain departs the premises.
Stationary cycle + tv show on PSP (or portable media device of your choice) = time travel for me. Suddenly it is 25 minutes later and I'm drenched in sweat.