The thing is, it hasn’t happened yet. I mean, I am looking at the time in hopefully not-so-far future when anyone would ask me over coffee what I did during the best weekend of my life, I’d have something to say.
Golf with my buddies on a cool cloudy windless Saturday morning came in very close second. But if I can still break par anytime soon, weekend or not, it will be my best weekend ever!
For now, this is what I am looking forward to:
The Activity
5k run. For a 62-year old bald chap like me, there is no other activity that gives me the drug-free, stoned-high feeling I get after playing three straight sets of singles tennis when my bones were in their twenties. It’s been ages since I played. Just thinking about it makes my lower back throb in pain already. I haven’t lost my love for the sports, though. I still follow most of the major ATP and grand-slam events.
In running, there’s no mental studying an opponent’s move and there is less risk of breaking an ankle. No one controls your movement —you’re on your own. Only your body will tell you to go, slow down or stop.
The Place and the Weather
It’s got to be a place where I need to drive 20-30mins, preferably away from the city, from the usual traffic, smog and tall buildings. To a place where with plentiful trees, heavy breathing is an easy thing, and where I could let go, no need to rush and just be.
No rain, no hot sun, no strong winds. Just a gentle breeze that would carry my thoughts away.
The Playlist
A must for running —for me, at least. The beat helps in keeping my pace while the lyrics help to keep my mind off the distance I am running and give me the boost I need to go on and on.
It should include songs like:
- Top of the World by the Carpenters
- Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on my Head by B.J. Thomas
- This Day Belongs to Me by Seals & Crofts
- Up on the Roof by James Taylor
Running or driving or eating or working or simply loosening up, these feel-good songs make me, you guessed it right, feel good! There’s more to append to this list, but I value your reading time.
Connectivity
Off the grid, really. No ringing, no alert sounds, no notifications. I allow myself to be free from all that. My watch connected to my ear bones (it’s what I call my wireless bone conduction headset). This is all the connection I need. Phone stays in the car. I can’t be bothered. Perfect weekend, remember?
The Drive Back
I will stop at a hole-in-a-wall bakery that serves honest-to-goodness donuts topped with nothing fancy but just sugar. Fresh off the oven. That, and the coffee by my barista son kept hot in my thermos flask. Seated with my still wet running shorts on, I will watch people buying pan-de-sal or walking past the bakery —ordinary people living their ordinary lives. I will silently bless each of them. Though unseen, I may probably be the only one to bless them that day.
On the final drive back home, I’ll look at my reflection in my rearview mirror, smile and tell myself, “That was a mighty fine run.”
___________
It will happen before long. When it does, I’ll go back to this post, tweak a few lines, update the tense and post it again.
Until then, cheers!
If you’ve been touched, amused, or entertained by this post, or it put a smile on your face, please favor me with a cup of coffee. I will continue writing.
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