Are Running & Drumming Related?
Thoughts on my running and drumming practice.
I had a great run this morning. Sunny, a cool 35 degrees. I ran around the park, maybe 6 laps which is about two miles. I ran on a trail the dog-walkers trail use, circling the outer perimeter of the park, which I enjoy more than running on pavement. Running on a trail encourages more mindful running. I need to think about each step. I can’t bulldoze over the pavement. I run slower. Also it’s easier on my legs. Now I’m filled with a calm, invigorating energy.
I’ve been waking earlier than before daylight savings. I’m getting up at 530. I finish my morning routine by 6am then grab a cup of coffee and journal before spending about an hour writing fiction.
This week I’m working on a short story I started over the weekend. I’m about halfway through the story. I’ve done some editing on what I’ve written but I’m still plugging along, writing about 1,000 words per day, and trying to reach the end of the story. So far, it’s a story about a man who leaves the world behind after a disaster of some kind. The story is quiet and without much dialogue. It’s a story I think I could have only written in fall or winter.
I went for a 25 minute jog around the park after writing. I didn’t think about the story, I just zoned out and ran, cleared my head, the cold pushing me to keep moving, and the bright sun filling the park with light. Living in Bushwick, there aren’t many places to run. When it’s early, or late, I’ll run east towards a nearby cemetery, but when I just want to zone out I’ll run laps around the park.
Running is once again important in my life. Lately I’ve had this sense that I won’t get anything done if I don’t run in the morning. When I run, I’m more focused, I have more energy, I think clearer and make better decisions. I get things done, I don’t waffle back and forth. When I don’t run or exercise, I feel less energetic, less focused. I’m happier when I run.
I don’t listen to music or podcasts while I run. I prefer to focus on my breathing, my stride, and my pace. Sometimes I imagine I’m in boot camp and I maintain a steady, confident pace that I could keep up for hours. This is when I’m in the zone, when I’ve ran 10-15 minutes and settled into my body and my breathing. When I’m in the zone, I could run forever.
Running has some parallels with another passion of mine: drumming.
Before I was a writer and a runner, I was a drummer. I first experienced that feeling of zoning out while repeatedly practicing rudiments, exercises, and grooves. Playing music with others, though, is exciting and sometimes I lose focus; there’s so many things to play! But I have to remind myself to breathe, to play less, and be conscious of how the band sounds as a whole.
When I play drums, I keep time from my core, from that grounded place where distractions, emotions, and thoughts do not penetrate. When I play from this grounded, steady place, my drumming is solid and confident. I know where I am and where I’m going in the song and I’m not rushing or lagging behind. My steady groove supports the band, helping them feel they are on steady ground.
I suppose that’s what running does for my body and mind. Both running and drumming help me develop and maintain a steady pulse. Running helps me feel confident, grounded, like I’m on steady ground. When I run, I do my work. I get things done. I progress a little each day. I don’t rush or lag behind.