Staying Neutral

Running does not have to be complicated. It is not. It is a simple act of putting one foot out in front of the other, until we reach the finishing point. Runners are complicated. And they make the sport complicated. Where there are egos at stake, the dynamics change. Unfortunately that is the case for the pursuits that I like - run, climb, cycle. Intrinsically, it is due to the individual nature of these sports, which means BIG individual egos on pedestals.

I love running, for running's sake. Having good company is a secondary bonus. Running is uplifting, stride after stride, a sense of etheral peace it provides. Running gives me the mental and physical space and privacy to sort out my thoughts. As some runners put it, we may drag our feet on bad days, but we never regret a run.

I love climbing, for the immense challenge it gives and for totally ripping us out of our comfort zones. Having good company is critical here. For you will have to face the person/ group in close proximity under the most inhospitable conditions that test your limits on all fronts. Even the best of partners and friends snap at one another. The crux is to find climbing buddies whom you can throw daggers at one minute, and entrust your lives to one another the next. In the mountain, egos are worshipped and crushed in a matter of seconds.

I love cycling, for the exhilarating control and freedom it offers, although I am not good at it (neither am I good at the other 2 passions). Having good company is somewhat important, from a safety perspective. Someone to watch out for one another on the roads, help out if a tyre goes flat or a fellow rider takes a tumble. When the rubber hits the road on a long deserted stretch, it is all systems go. Just you and the bike melded as one, eyeing the never ending tarmac, gaining strength and speed with each pedal. The adrenalin thrill of high-speed is addictive.

I guess, therefore, that having good company counts, albeit in varying degrees. Perhaps it is the search of such good company that adds to the complexity of the sports. Yet my realist side mocks at such a naive conclusion. I guess it is possible to stay out of the complex dynamics (in other words, politics) when company does not really matter, but not when it is a life and death matter. I am determined to stay neutral and injury-free, literally and figuratively, on all aspects. It is a tall order, but I'll try.