Head Strong

Half a runner’s battle is mastering the voices inside his head.

- Bruce Du Bourg

ON A NORMAL DAY, the horde of wacky companions who live in my subconscious is barely noticeable; but when I run, they start talking.

A self-elected committee meets at the beginning of each run to decide which character will start the conversation. Before making their selection, the committee assesses the nature of the run, my current life circumstances, and any problems that I need to solve.

If I go on a long, slow run, a laid back hippie joins me – he draws energy from his surroundings. He points out the quaintness of a church’s floral steeple design, or the delightful shade of green that radiates from a nearby oak tree as the sun dances on its leaves. He even helps me to identify the exact species of dove whose call descends from a flamboyant canvas of overhanging jacarandas.