Resistance

Long-distance running always includes an element of resistance. As much as I enjoy a dog jog in Halland, a seaside ultra in the British Isles, or a road marathon in a far-flung city, my body’s natural impulse is nevertheless to slow down and stop.

Some days it is easy to overcome this resistance; on others, like today, it is almost impossible. And this is when it becomes tricky, because sometimes the body really does have something to say – in this case, that I have yet to fully recover from my cold. With my heart rate climbing above 180 bpm, I decided to stop after only five kilometres. The moment I stepped off the treadmill, I knew I had made the right decision: I felt slightly dizzy, my vision not entirely steady.

Now, back home, I am sitting on the sofa, drinking Italian coffee and watching the snow–rain mix freeze against the windows. It is late February, but everything feels far less miserable than a week ago. The other day, one could genuinely sense that spring is just around the corner.