Would you rather travel this road by motorcycle or foot?
Either way, you might enjoy a book called Born to Run. . . . That is, you might enjoy one of two books, both called Born to Run.
It’s amazing that, when Bruce Springsteen wanted to, for some reason, only seven years after the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall became a runaway bestseller, publish a book with the same title . . . the publishing house actually let him do it!
(That was a joke.)
While these two books are very different—in subject matter and style—their similarities don’t end with the title. Both books, you see, harbor countless pockets of wisdom, interspersed among fascinating stories.
I’d like to juxtapose two quotes from these books that I adore . . . though don’t necessarily fully understand. Both quotes are about the feeling of doing something you love: how it feels to do something so naturally that you become somehow one with it.
Here’s a lesson in running from an incredible distance runner known as Caballo Blanco, as quoted by McDougall:
“Think Easy, Light, Smooth, and Fast. You start with easy, because if that’s all you get, that’s not so bad. Then work on light. Make it effortless, like you don’t give a shit how high the hill is or how far you’ve got to go. When you’ve practiced that so long that you forget you’re practicing, you work on making it smooooooth. You won’t have to worry about the last one—you get those three, and you’ll be fast.”
And here’s a lesson from Springsteen in letting the good times roll—while performing:
“I’ve still never regularly quite had the mojo to freely let the ‘bon temps rouler.’ Except . . . onstage. There, strangely enough, exposed in front of thousands, I’ve always felt perfectly safe, to just let it all go. . . . I don’t know why, but I’ve never gotten anywhere near as far or as high as when I count the band in and feel what seems like all life itself and a small flash of eternity pulsing through me.”
I don’t really know what it means to run easy, light, and smooth (though fast makes perfect sense); but if I try, and sometimes even if I don’t try, I feel these things while running. And I don’t really know what it means to dwell amidst pulses of all life, plus a small flash of eternity, while engaged in an artistic, or otherwise skilled, endeavor; or perhaps I do. . . .
Do you?
I don’t know how many times I’ve felt like acting on impulses–like right now with the government shutdown–of just literally running away like a madman–to avoid feel the restrictions of my own livelihood, and wishing I had the balls to actually do it! Now you have me hankering for Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run! Nice promo to recommend Christopher McDougall’s book by the same title. π
I’ve felt the the “easy, light, smooth, fast” while swimming. In fact if it’s a good workout, then I get all four- which is amazing!
I can get high on singing with a group and have. I love singing complicated music in other languages. I feel connected, at peace and out there (at one with the universe) at the same time.
I love swimming and I love to sing- my favorite things to do.
Thanks for the comparison of the two books. I think I’ll read them both.
The βeasy, light, smooth, fastβ bit reminds me of this state that’s called “flow.” It’s when you get so wrapped up in a task; so engrossed in your own actions; so enthralled by your work that time seems to stand still. In reality, hours could pass. But for you it seems like time stood still. I always seem to do my best work when I can get into the “flow.”
Yes – it does sound just like the concept of “flow”! Thanks for the insight. π
On a motorcycle, no question . . . When I see a road, as shown in the image above, I see a straight section, followed by a curve to the left, and then a curve to the right forming an βSβ. I also look for gravel, but I digress. Curves like these are what motorcyclists live for and one of the many reasons we get out, sometimes solo, two-up (two people on one motorcycle), or in small-to-large groups, on sometimes cold mornings and rainy afternoons, but certainly on sunny days. There are some basic skills a new rider is taught when taking their first rider course. How to start, stop, and navigate a curve. When approaching a curve we are taught to Slow down before entering the curve, Look through the curve to visualize the path, Press the handlebar to lean the motorcycle into the curve, and then Roll on the throttle to increase speed through the curve. Much like the four components in McDougallβs quote βEasy, Light, Smooth, and Fastβ. After swooping through a great curve a smile crosses my face and I think βWhee! That was fun!β
I had no idea about any of this. So interesting. Thanks for the insights!
Not sure I do either, but maybe itβs about your mind/brain reaching some sort of endorphin-like high or state of awareness when youβre perfectly zeroed in on doing something you really love and itβs all going really right.