I love running.

I relish suiting up for a run. I enjoy following training plans. I thrill at racing. I revel in PRs. I respect all distances. I devour books on the sport. I like hills. (That one took a while, but I’m there now.)

Most of these things are optional when we run. (Probably not the clothes in most cases, though there are notable exceptions.) 

At the core of it all, running is our bodies in brief yet repetitive conversation with the earth. It is simple, but deep. Connection and release, over and over again.

This series poses to be a reflection on that simple but deep connection between the earth and ourselves that running provides. Beyond the shoes, beyond the programming of a training plan, beyond even (GASP) the #flystyle. Because, even more than these other things, we love RUNNING.

Now let’s take off our watches, and get inside our running.

Find Your Running Pickle

Your main ingredient for your day/soul/muscles/mental health/fill-in-the-blank is running. It’s part of your routine. It’s the main course of your aerobic meal.

Maybe you’re a streaker looking for motivation. Maybe you’re just coming back from the post-marathon leg wobbles and training taking over your life. Maybe you usually run alone through choice or circumstance and that road is a lonely one. For whatever reason, your main course now tastes bland. It is a weight in your mouth that is work to consume. How do you get the lost flavor back in your running?

You gotta get yourself a pickle.

Placed on your plate as a part of a meal, a pickle is the component that reawakens your palate. The tang of a balsamic vinaigrette on a salad with your pizza. The acchar next to your biriyani. The dill pickle next to your grilled cheese sandwich. The part of your meal that gives your taste buds a wake-up call and allows you to enjoy your main course anew.

You gotta find your running pickle.

Here’s a few pickles to try:

• Wave at every kid you see.
• Hot day? Run through that sprinkler. (I did this on a Ragnar leg and it was MAGICAL).
• Go for a brisk walk instead. (Turns out, a brisk walk is really good for you.)
• If you run with music, try going without.
• If you run without music, try listening to some.
• Give going shirtless a try. (Here’s a primer I wrote with some helpful tips!)
• Try a trail run, or a route next to a river. (Bonus points if you stop and eat berries along the way.)
• Eat a pickle after a run. (Hey, it’s got electrolytes.)

We wanna hear about YOUR pickles! Share with us below what wakes up your running palate.