This!

Running with Dean Karnazes - Philadelphia, May 5, 2011

Dean Karnazes is a runner and an author who I have long admired. This past spring he Ran Across America (yes, the whole country, from CA to NY) running an average of 50 miles a day for 75 days.  During his run he had 5k races in various cities along the way. About 5 days before he finished his run in NYC, he had a 5k in Philadelphia … and I ran it with him. When I thought of what makes me feel alive, I thought of that run, especially the few minutes I was able to run with him.

Seven key factors that made me feel fully alive during that experience.

1. Sunshine

Sunburns are not good, but getting some sun is good for a number of reasons. Vitamin D helps us absorb calcium better. Skin with a moderate tan can fight infections better. Sunshine can help insomnia by raising our melatonin production. And how’s this for good news … sunshine can increase your metabolic rate by stimulating the thyroid, which can help you maintain a healthy weight.

2. Running

Physical exercise is crucial not only for our bodies … but also for our mind and spirit. There’s many different types of exercise, but my exercise of choice is running. To borrow a phrase from Eric Liddel in Chariots of Fire “When I run, I feel God’s pleasure.”

3. Meeting others that share a passion I have

There’s nothing like sharing a passion with someone else that has the shame passion. It’s motivating, encouraging and makes me feel like the sky is the limit. That morning if Dean had asked me to run back across the country with him, I would have said, “Sure!”

4. Doing something I’ve never done before

New experiences invigorate me and jolt my brain out of its familiar patterns. I enjoyed driving an hour to Philly to a new race at a new place and connecting with runners who I’d never met as we mulled around before the race. Add that to the highlight of meeting and running with Dean and I was energized for days.

5. Saying “Thank you”

Living a life of gratitude is one key way to feeling fully alive. It benefits the person giving and the person receiving thanks. Dean’s book Ultramarathon Man helped me push my body farther post-accident than I or the doctors thought it would ever go again. I was glad for the opportunity to thank him.

6. Engaging conversations

Whether answers are found, problems solved or agreements reached, having engaging conversations with others gives me new thoughts to ponder and dreams to dream. My conversations with Dean and with the others energized me … and I replayed them in my mind for days.

7. Inspiring others

The morning of this run, I was going there to thank Dean and have a new experience. I ended up being the one blessed as Dean and the other runners thanked me for joining the run and sharing my story with them.

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What makes you feel alive?

Think of an experience you had that you’d like to repeat and decide what the factors were that made it enjoyable. If there isn’t such an experience in  your recent memory, maybe it’s time to create one.

Read more about the day I joined Dean Karnazes in his Run Across America.