Moving With The Speed of Life

Anchoring in today to #beresilient with the word

Tempo

If there is one thing that drives my husband crazy, it is the pace at which I start my day. Just "one" thing drives your husband crazy, you ask? Well, I'm quite sure not, however, rephrasing that to THE "main thing that drives him crazy" may be most apropos.

"Slow down!" "Wait." "Not now." "Can we just have coffee first?!?" Not uncommon phrases to be heard in our house - or even from one of my besties. I'm queen of running then hitting the ground in the mornings. Not sure why I'm wired that way, but I like to get going, get 'er done, start fast and then coast into my evenings. Thus, I'm sure the reason that whenever I sit down, my eyelids slam down - no matter what time of day. But it's the pace at which I live; the life of which I'm wired.

Tempo.

It's important. It keeps things moving. The earth moves with it, the water flows with it. In my life it  allows goals to be met; purpose to be lived. I've frequently thought that if I'm living life at the same clip that someone or something else is designating, then they're also in control of what I get accomplished and completed. This gal needs to be in control of her own destiny.

Tempo.

Yesterday I was out for a glorious paddle. The day was epic, the lake was butter. Not a breeze on the water, all total reflection and glide. Star, our little "Ewok", and I set out for a paddle together. Got to admit it, paddling has been kind of boring to me for the past year or so unless I've been in the mood to slow down, be calm. One does not travel very fast on a paddleboard. About 4 mph-ish on a nice stroll. I run about twice that fast and bike more than four times that. Paddling is slow. Thus it's meditative components. Now I can put my interval timer on and go after it, but again, just adding a couple miles an hour to that in very short bursts of heart rate HIITS. But it's the meditative movement of the water, the flow of the paddle that lures me when I need it. The slow dance that incurs between me, the board, nature and the water.

Tempo.

When I'm out on the road, trail or water, I let it "move me", meaning I let it evolve into what it's intended to be (like my concrete path run last week). I don't always start with a plan, but a need, so I open myself up to divine intervention and follow the calling. Yesterday the lake was calling and I had found a new playlist to inspire me. Fresh music, new artists, some amazing lyrics. About a half mile in, I found myself playing with the beat of each tune and doing my best to "paddle" to each song's pulse. Some songs delivered the count obviously, making it natural to stroke to the rhythm; other's I had to search for it, work ridiculously hard and unnaturally to find it - and with some, never really did. 

Tempo.

When I was about four miles in, I began smiling at the routine. I found that each song had a cadence, a pattern by nature. I could fight it, oppose it, or simply surrender. I just had to listen for it, wait, and receive. If I forced through, it was difficult, not in sync, pressured. But if I let it organically occur and met it in the middle, played with it's same tune, it was simple, non-contrived, natural - so much more productive with ease and grace.

Tempo.

I was a student of Chi Running for quite a few years. Actually, still a fan and a "go to" for running efficiency for me. I had battled a nerve issue in my hamstring for a couple years and was deep into that yearning desire to "compete and excel" in triathlons at that point in my life. Sprints, mid-distance and full Ironman events were scattered throughout my calendar for many years. In an attempt to increase my running economy and speed, I tuned into Chi Running, working on cadence and speed at minimal expenditures. In addition to form, cadence was part of the ground work for that. Finding foot turnover of approximately 90 RPMs (revolutions per minute) and holding that at different speeds and heart rates. Interestingly enough, a very similar working cadence goal for me on the bike. The ambition: to repeatedly and naturally produce that cadence with ease, simplicity and grace - for efficiency.

Tempo.

Such is life. Not to over produce or under produce with what is being delivered - naturally. Matching my personal cadence with the speed at which life is pacing. Slowing down when it bears doing so, and then trusting, feeling and being present enough to take in the purpose of the more passive pace. And when life speeds up, having the tools, gifts and stamina to keep pace, not push it, but staying conscious and in tune, to work with it and not against it. 

Life is like dancing ~ just surrender to the music.

Unknown.