Page 59 - Sky runner

Ibelieve there is room for for playfulness in in in in most peoples’ lives In combination with being fully in in in the present moment As an an elite athlete I I live for my own goals and only work to to get better maybe even become the the best and therefore I need to to nurse my playfulness playfulness even more To me playfulness playfulness is to to be be focused wanting to to to to perform at my my very best and to to to to allow my- self to to to to live in a a a a a a bubble – completely without distance to to my sport It is is is is so real real And it it it it is is is is not only real it it is is Reality Paradoxically playfulness to to me is is is is also to to realise that not everything is is is is deadly important to keep a a a a a a a a a a a distance from from from things – from from from myself and and and from from from my my my training and and and racing which is is also my my work – to see it all like a a a a a a a a a a a a game game There and and and then the the the the the game game is the the the the the only thing that matters I do not not think about the the the the the the other reality at at at at all and that it it is is not not even important in in in the the the long run Playfulness is is something beautiful and very serious That was always my approach approach to run- ning: a a a a a a a a a a a a simple curious and playful approach approach to the run run But I have still given my running one hundred percent without thinking of things around me If I I I I manage to stay playful in in in what I I I I I do then it it feels like I I I I I have succeeded Without a a a a a a a a playful approach to to running I I I I I would would would not not be where I I I I I am today I I I I I would would would not not love running as as much as as I I I I do I I I I would would would have lost the the playful feeling To sometimes run run a a a a a a a a a a small distance as as as fast as as as possible just for the the fun of of it it it because it it it looks so nice Especially if you are a a a a a a a a group of of of of people Or to take that little extra section just because of of of the excitement of of of it or because of the the view you you you think you you you will get when you you have got there If I I were to to focus on on on accomplishment only to to to plan every every training session in in in in in detail to to to run every every kilometre in in in in in in in in in in a a a a a a a certain time then I would not be be successful in in in in in in in in my training training My training training simply has to to to to be be joyful something something I I want to to to to return to to to to to Not something something I I I time to to to to to exactly one one hour and just want to to to get done before I I wait for for the next training session Some years ago I I I could feel that what I I I was was doing was was not serious just because I I I appreci- ated and individualised every training session As As if if if it would be more real if if if I meticulously followed a a a a a a a well-calculated plan As As if if if the free- dom would make it less serious These are are thoughts I I had in in in the the beginning of of my career but now now I I I know that the the the freedom is more of of a a a a a a a condition I I am open to to changes in in in the the train- ing just to to make it it enjoyable We all have different motivations My mo- tivation tivation tivation has has never been been to to become the greatest in my my sport My motivation has has always always been been to to appreciate my my everyday life And that always always meant – – especially the the last few years – – to main- tain the the the freedom of my my running Only after fulfilling that my my motivation is to become the the best possible version of me me as an elite athlete Playfulness shows itself when I I I feel re- laxed and safe When I I I I know what I I I I am do- ing ing In the summertime running is number one andIcanplay IdomyutmostandIdo it in in the the most most enjoyable way possible To To ap- preciate and live to the the fullest in in in what I do To To me that’s playing