The Ultimate ( ) Machine

I have participated in athletics my entire life, and there is no doubt that my emotional state changes after a good workout. However, I wouldn't say that I gain a clarity, but rather I lose a cloudiness.

For some reason I have trouble thinking too deeply about anything when I run. Sometimes I try to force myself. I begin to intentionally lead myself into a train of thought about work or some other facet of life that needs attention. However, it quickly gets replaced with thoughts of split times, distance already traveled, the people running around me (read - girls running around me).

When it is all said and done, I always feel like I have removed a layer of film from my mind. It is similar to the morning fog that is lifted with the sunrise. I like to think of it in this way:

I was created to be a highly functioning being, both physically and mentally (we all are, but I will keep this internally focused). My body and my mind are able to do things that no human invention could ever duplicate. Both my mind and my body are sharpened and honed with activity. When I provide the necessary activity, I am able to experience the fruits of my body and mind functioning much closer to their intended level.

The great thing about this kind of thinking is that the highest level of performance can never necessarily be attained. Rather it is a kind of transformation that is chased for a lifetime.