Mind, Motion & Matter

Running, Essentially . . .

Category Archives: Work – Life Skills


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Getting Things Done

I’ve already blogged about Dave Allen, guru of productivity and positioned the goal of the quest for finding more time, as finding time to run more miles. After some thought it dawned on me that in fact, it is not about finding time to run, or the time to run more miles because running is a part of my daily routine, like brushing my teeth. It is about finding the time to do all the other things I love to do.

Those “other” things don’t have the magnificent health benefits of running, which explains why they don’t fall into the “like brushing my teeth” category. For example, I love to garden and if gardening had the same health benefits of running, it would definitely give running some stiff competition for my time. That being said, I do believe  there are many mental and physical benefits to gardening but that’s a whole other discussion.

I have a voracious appetite for time management books and books on getting organized. I definitely have a bent towards systems and organization, scoring 21 out of 22 on my Meyers Briggs test on that count, referred to in the MB context as Judging (not to be confused with judgmental). Friends often laugh at me when I say, “I have a plan” . . .  so what else is new they chuckle.  This is a very clearly defined aspect of my personality and statements such as the ones below reflect this approach to the external world. I believe it makes me a good match psychologically with the demands of marathon training.

# I like to have things decided.
# I appear to be task oriented.
# I like to make lists of things to do.
# I like to get my work done before playing.
# I plan work to avoid rushing just before a deadline.

Lately, I’ve been listening to Dave Allen’s first book Getting Things Done on my IPod. Both this and his second book, Making It All Work are available on ITunes. I’ve read it before but it is definitely worth a reread.  One thing that struck me was his statement, “You can only feel good about what you are not doing when you know what it is that you are not doing.” He maintains that unless we unload all the things-to-do that are cluttering up our short term memory we cannot do the best thinking our minds are capable of.

Getting Things Done

Whatever your goals for 2011, I recommend that you consider Dave Allen in print or audio to Make It All Work!


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Shopping on the run

I like to make sure that leading up to the week of Christmas and New Year, I’m in a good groove with my running.  Sure, you can wait until January 1st but by that time you have already dug yourself into a bit of a hole, or deficit of healthy living.  Much better to have some psychological momentum before holiday excesses lead to post-holiday resolutions and regret.  One way to find the time to run during this busy period is to shop on the run.

Gwartzman's, a fun place to do some holiday shopping

My run today was six miles.  My first stop was my husband’s workplace to pick up my Metropass.  He walked to work and forgot to leave my pass.  That done, I headed to Gwartzman’s art supply store at 448 Spadina Avenue just south of College, a veritable institution which I first visited in the mid-seventies while studying art.  It hasn’t changed much since then but I did find all kinds of stocking stuffers and small gifts which I packed into my large MEC fanny pack.

Gwartzman's Goodies

From there I ran to Kensington Market to visit Wanda’s Pie in the Sky cafe on Augusta just south of College.  An Aunt had told me that I could pick up a copy of “Just Add Shoyu” a Japanese Canadian Cookbook.  I had imagined a smaller book with a more flexible cover which would fit into my fanny pack so I had to run with the book in hand.  Which as it turned out was not all that difficult.  Wanda’s was very nicely decked out for the holidays.

Just Add Shoyu - A Japanese Canadian Cookbook

Gingerbread delight at Wanda's

Warmly festive at Wanda's

Note to self: Return when not in the middle of a run

On the way home, I crossed paths with a runner-friend going the opposite direction.  Jean is one of my role models, a vivacious, energetic 70 plus athlete with fabulous shoulders may I add, from her early years as a swimmer specializing in the butterfly.  She took up running in her early forties with the intention of improving her voice by increasing her stamina.  The rest is history as without much effort she regularly does well in her age group and continues to perform, every now and then.  In her younger years, she traveled with the opening act to the Great Speckled Bird with Ian and Sylvia Tyson.

We had a brief chat and she told me that she had just come from Trinity-Bellwoods Park to see the Toronto Maple Leafs practice.

She wears it well

Here are some ideas that may help to find enough time to run or can be done on your run.
1) Order a magazine subscription. Buy the current copy at a newstand if you will see the recipient in person. Order the subscription on-line.
2) Buy Swiss army knives at Mountain Equipment Coop. Easy to carry a lot of these in a fanny pack.
3) Gift certificate for Lee Valley Tools
4) Gift certificate for MEC
5) Run by your local Book City, it will be a lot quieter than a Chapters or Indigo. Phone ahead to make sure they have the books you want.

Happy last minute shopping!


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Travel with Running Gear in One Carry-on Bag

Monday, September 13, 6:45 a.m. Lake Ontario

I woke at 4:30 a.m. today as I’ve decided to try and move my sleep pattern towards the upcoming time zone change. My run started in the dark with a fairly steady downpour.  When I reached the lake the sun was beginning to break through the cloud cover, as seen in the photo.  On arriving home, the day fully emerged as one of those quintessentially lovely, late-summer days.

Also in preparation for my trip to Germany, I have become obsessed with the goal of traveling with one carry-on bag. I have been scouring the internet for tips in order to achieve this.  Marathoners know, that every extra pound carried over the 26.2 mile trek requires extra energy. As travelers we runners are at a slight disadvantage (although not to the extent as golfers or pole vaulters) to traveling light, as we must pack our space consuming running shoes.  If you are traveling to a race, add to that a pair of racing flats.  And, if you are racing a marathon in transitional weather, then racing gear for 3-4 seasons might be required.

I confess that while I am an experienced marathoner, I am a beginner at the one-bag-carry-on challenge.  In fact I am trying to kick my over-packing habit.  My desire to be organized and ready for anything works against me when it comes to packing.  The name of the game for the one-bagger is multi-tasking clothing items.  An additional challenge is finding multi-tasking clothing for a trip to the opera in Frankfurt.  I am someone who likes to be dressed appropriately for every occasion.  I hope to compile these tips to once I successfully enter the realm of the one-bag-carry on living.

For starters:

Tip #1 – Take along an old pair of running shoes for your runs and leave them behind at the end of your trip to make room for any purchases.

Tip #2 – A stylish pair of sweatpants can do triple duty as PJs, casual wear for a plane trip and exercise gear

Tip #3 – Wear the running top for the next day as your PJ top

Tip #4 – Don’t take more than 2 versions of a running outfit suited to one particular type of weather

Tip # 5 – If you wake early to run and your traveling mates sleep in.  Make sure all your gear is assembled before you go.  In IPod can be used as a flashlight if you have to navigate in the dark.

Please feel free to comment and add your own tips.  Thank you!


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Mind management and marathon training

I’m thinking about how to find the time to add on those marathon training miles. To this end I’ve been listening to Dave Allen’s book “Making It All Work” on my IPod. I know that the efficiency gains that will result from reading this book means more time for more miles. And, I’m learning about how to do this while I’m running. I read his first book, “Getting Things Done” and found it one of the better books on time management. Although, as Dave Allen would say it is more about mind management. He’s known as the GTD guy, short for “Getting Things Done”. In this latest book, he outlines why his organizational systems line up with the way short term memory works to make more room for creative and focused thinking and of course, getting more things done.

David Allen

Purchased from ITunes

I am a huge fan of time management literature. At some point in time I’ll inventory all those I’ve read. I’m trying to learn how to “tweet” and Dave Allen is the person I am trying to “follow” on Twitter. This because of a course I took this summer on social media and blogging. One of the outcomes of the course was that I disabled my Facebook site. Although, I rarely used it, only had it because it seemed to be a social necessity, I learned that there are numerous unaddressed privacy issues inherent in the Facebook platform and that there are other ways to have a web presence i.e. blogging.

Speaking of getting things done, I better get out for my daily run, and daily dose of marathon and mind management training.