Running for Your Life: It’s Just a Muscle

Sebastian Barry, the author of my current fave novel, “Days Without End,” has this theory. When asked by an Irish friend of his (who I had the pleasure of spending some time with this past weekend, July 7-9) what was the secret of his writing success, he said, “No secret. Writing is best seen as a muscle; to get strong you have to exercise it every day.”

This makes perfect sense to me.

I ran for about 35 years with my body out of balance. Early in 2011, the breakdown happened. I injured myself, a massive hamstring tear.

I could have been excused for quitting running. In fact, one of the doctors I saw that year advised me to do just that.

Instead, I started a modest exercise program. Nightly pushups, 60 per.

I haven’t hit 365 nights per year since then, closer to an annual average of 300, I’d say. But with a stronger torso, I put less strain on my legs, my joints. I’ve run pretty much pain-free for the past two years, because I’ve exercised my chest, shoulder and arm muscles. I can take on different and more difficult tasks. It’s not so much aptitude but exercise.

Just do it, as the slogan says. Write every day. Sometimes only half an hour, sometimes four hours, sometimes an in-between length of time. But do that and you’ll get better. My guess is Barry’s theory would work for just about everything.

Next: Running for Your Life: On Vacation


0 comments: