Running in the Outside Lane

I’ve watched competitive, middle-distance runners on TV.  An 800-meter race is run on a track with individual lanes and staggered starting points. Runners start off in their own lanes, but they congregate around the innermost lane as soon as they are allowed—after the first 100 meters. Since this is the quickest route to the finish, the runners are constantly jostling for position in this popular, albeit congested, lane.

Our neighborhood is encircled by an oval-shaped road which is perfect for running and walking. I’ve measured it with several devices, and it’s about 1 kilometer around. I usually run several laps—crossing back and forth, on either side of the road--depending on my mood. Today, I intentionally ran on the outermost edge of this oval road. It didn’t feel like I had expended any more time or energy during this run than any other day. However, when I came home and checked my pedometer, I had run 18% more than my usual mileage by purposefully sticking to the outer perimeter.

Efficiency is defined as accomplishing a task with a minimum expenditure of time and effort. If my intention was to take the quickest and easiest path, my choice would not be considered efficient. However, when I’m out for a run, my goal is to get as much aerobic exercise as I can. As far as I’m concerned, running in the outside lane allows me to be more productive.

If my goal in life is to pick the quickest and easiest path, I will have to join the crowd—jostling for position in the inner circle. I don’t like congestion. I’ve always been out-there, different, unconventional, running my own race. I want to live efficiently—not by picking the easiest and most comfortable path in this life, but by using my time on earth to extend my stride, to enlarge my capacity for Spirit, to expand my soul.