Running Naked

When was the last time you exercised in nature without electronics?

I had a momentary panic. I had run out of the house without my earbuds or running belt to hold water. I only had 50 minutes for my workout before meetings started for the day. “Well let’s just give this a try” I thought to myself, extremely anxious but also excited for the challenge.

Starting out on my run without any music or a distracting podcast was initially uncomfortable. I started to focus on what I did have rather than what was missing. I could hear birds, some dogs, young children playing early in the morning on their summer break, the distant sound of traffic, my breath, the breeze and yes my racing thoughts. Once I decided to turn this experience into a study of resilience and to reflect on the value of experiencing discomfort, I seemed to relax and mentally gear up for a challenge. But then the twitching began for my water. I kept reaching for it on my waist. Woa.

I am admittedly addicted to always having water nearby. I don’t know when this started but it must be around the same time I started carrying a refillable water bottle with me everywhere I went, almost like a pacifier I realize. Or it could be when I quit drinking alcohol twenty years ago, it felt good to have something else in my hand. Sure, hydration is important but do I need to be sipping every 10 minutes? Anyway, I ALWAYS run with little water bottles clipped to my waist. This morning’s run was not that hot and would only be around 6 miles so I knew I would be safe and turned this into another experiment.

I highly recommend trying a Free From run.

Free from my phone
Free from water
Free from podcasts, music, notifications
Free from gels
Free from belt clip
Free from trackers
Free from sunscreen
Free from car keys
Free from other people’s energy

The mental hurdle was really the only challenge. Physically I was lighter, felt faster and tapped into the runner’s high people talk about. The glass of water at the end of my run tasted extra delicious and I had a new sense of empowerment and freedom. I felt so ready for the day ahead.

Maybe resilience is not always about adding more habits, more gear, more optimization, or more information. Sometimes it’s about discovering how little we actually need. I’m curious what happens when we stop reaching for constant stimulation and instead practice being fully present with what is already here. In a world that seems to reward more, perhaps there is something quietly liberating about experiencing less.

I’m heading to Africa in a couple of days and will report back on my low-tech journey.