The Thoughtful Runner

It's another edition of the least sporting sports podcast in the world! Today a sunny, Spring evening run around Edinburgh's Holyrood Park made Katharine wonder about perspective. If in one day the city can transform from a chilly drizzlefest to euphoric sunshine, perhaps ones inner barometer can manage a little adjustment too. This episode is all about blinking and choosing to see the same old world in a different light. And how jolly nice that can be. Enjoy the sunshine!

Running is great for your mind and body, but it's good for the soul too! We all need places to be playful and let off steam. What better way to be silly than when you can run away really fast if someone tells you off? Katharine thinks about running as an outlet for the inner child and a way to experience a world you don't have to feel overly responsible for, for once. Have fun, play and be light of heart, runners!

In spite of a few big changes, Katharine’s still out there running and thinking and squinting at stuff. Right now she’s pondering Springtime nostalgia: It’s really nice how the Spring comes every year, but spare a thought for poor, old Winter. It's true that there’s nothing lovelier than a host of golden daffodils to brighten up your morning run, but isn’t this season just a little insensitive? Well, there’s nothing to do but greet Nature with her own fickleness. Say hello on thethoughtfulrunner@gmail.com

Katharine's back after a summer break: full of beans and wide awake. Isn't it great how alive everything seems when autumn is around the corner! Goodbye summer slumber, hello beautiful bright walks and runs that fill your soul. Wide awake, full of heart - this is where the good stuff happens. Say hello on thethoughtfulrunner@gmail.com

Katharine takes a moment to reflect on a year of making this podcast, and says THANKS for listening! This episode is about running through unhelpful thoughts and actions. Sometimes you can try all you like to feel like your sparkly self, but there's no forcing it. So what do you do? Embrace the funk and get those running shoes on. Katharine thinks that if you run for long enough, you'll soon be back in business. Do you agree? Don't do that if you're poorly though. That's just silly beans. Say hello on thethoughtfulrunner@gmail.com

Ahead of next weekend’s Brighton marathon, Katharine wonders whether she should show up. She thinks about how what we expect from ourselves differs from what our loved ones want. Then she waffles on for ages, comparing how getting through some crappy events is much like a big old 26.2 mile race. There are some swearys in this one, sorry kids. Say hello on thethoughtfulrunner@gmail.com

Part 2 of the 'snowmageddon' double bill sees Katharine mooching around indoors with no running to distract her from the horrible reality of her inner world. And it turns out some forced reflection and introspection can be pretty useful... if you're brave enough to go there. Perhaps standing still can be pretty useful every now and then. Say hello on thethoughtfulrunner@gmail.com

In the first of a 'snowmageddon' double bill, Katharine wonders: Do runners get used to putting discomfort to the back of their minds and ploughing on? Why is it important to take care of yourself and listen to your body? After succumbing to the lurgie on holiday, Katharine takes some time to reflect on how being ill is an important reminder of why we need to think about rest time and care for our bodies. Say hello on thethoughtfulrunner@gmail.com

Sometimes we get lost in order to find ourselves. Sometimes we get lost to get away from being nice. And sometimes we need to realise we're really far too fortunate to get lost at all, and ought to just shut up and be thankful for our excellent, inbuilt sense of direction. Say hello on thethoughtfulrunner@gmail.com

In her most confused ramble yet, Katharine attempts to convince herself it's sensible to stay indoors and work when all she wants to do is run around outside and be a free spirit. Does a restful soul need to balance the states of 'free' and 'captive'? Does one enhance the other? Can we find a space of our own simply by looking inwards? Perhaps her cosseted middle-class concept of 'nature' disregards how unpleasant it really is to be outdoors, and she is lucky to have somewhere warm to sit and write this nonsense. Hmmm. Say hello on thethoughtfulrunner@gmail.com

It’s January and as we look ahead to new goals, Katharine thinks about what it means meet the commitments you make to yourself. Is there a difference between self motivation and self discipline? How can you make an idea into a habit, find untapped potential and not fall at each failure? Start by running, that’s one suggestion! Say hello on thethoughtfulrunner@gmail.com

How do you find 'home' when you're on the move? What is it about running through a place that connects you to it? And what is it that makes you feel 'welcome'? Katharine reflects on the universal language of a shared space, and boasts about some of the cool places she's been running lately.

What goes down must come up. Isn't that the saying? Katharine explores the joy that running can bring when you least expect it. She reflects on the space it affords to remember your place in the world and how a little communion with nature can remind you of how beautiful everything can be. Even when you feel like utter crap. Say hello on thethoughtfulrunner@gmail.com

In this episode Katharine thinks about the 'other' part of you that you can find on a walk or run, through connection with nature and memory. She also reflects on how this can lead us unexpectedly along the path to personal truth, making running a spiritual journey. She also cringes slightly at herself for thinking about this, but you can't hear her doing that. Say hello on thethoughtfulrunner@gmail.com

If you enjoy the music of Radiohead, this episode might be for you. Katharine indulges in some sadness and explains how running gives you a sense of agency when your world has shed all of its leaves. But in this season of mists and decay, there is still beauty to be found. This one is about finding refuge and solace in nature, and the healing power of a lovely, silly dog for company. Keep moving. Say hello on thethoughtfulrunner@gmail.com

It's night, it's chilly, it's dark. But there's no need to lament. Running in the Autumn darkness can open up a whole new world and - without distraction - help you see all the things you missed by day. Say hello on thethoughtfulrunner@gmail.com

How can running make you a friendlier, more sympathetic and generally happier person? How can we make connections with others when we are at our most lone and nomadic? Katharine thinks the two go hand in hand. Say hello on thethoughtfulrunner@gmail.com

Autumn is here. Katharine gets nostalgic and remembers remembering things. How does a place take on a private, specific meaning? What is the use of retreading old paths and recalling what has passed? In this episode Katharine thinks about how our memories affect the choices we make today and help us find our way forward.

Whoops. Katharine gets drunk and does a podcast, but she still manages to refer to herself in the third person for this description. Join her: Embrace the darkness and possibly terrible editing. Does saying NO lead to your terrible demise? Probably not. You'll probably be fine. Yay!

Katharine has a mini-meltdown in the mad month of September. How do you keep going when you're running on fumes? What is the wall and when do you hit it? How do you find perspective when your world gets very small and busy? Say hello on thethoughtfulrunner@gmail.com

For some, running can be a great way to calm frustrations and ease angry feelings. But what if you have to deal with slow coaches and pavement-hoggers getting in your way? Katharine shares her thoughts on un-seeing red along busy running routes. Say hello on thethoughtfulrunner@gmail.com

In this episode Katharine wonders how pictures, photos and images inspire creativity and self-knowledge and how sharing them invites the same in others. Say hello on thethoughtfulrunner@gmail.com

This week, Katharine enjoys getting caught in the rain and laughed at by sane people. Say hello on thethoughtfulrunner@gmail.com