Solitude is a gift & an achievement

Being solitary is being alone well: being alone luxuriously immersed
in doings of your own choice, aware of the fullness of your won presence rather
than of the absence of others. Because solitude is an achievement.

- Alice Koller

In my quest to reconnect with myself, I have created some boundaries with the world. Keeping to myself and my family, I have immersed myself into solitude.

I really think this solitude was needed and has been healing for me. Sometimes on my solo miles I have wished for my odd running buddies like Luci or new running friends like Kim to be joining me. In the end I know this is a solitary journey and know that in order to achieve both physically and mentally what I set out to do I have to be alone to sort out everything that goes through my mind.

For me and I think for most distance runners, running is 90% mental, yes it takes immense strength and aerobic capacity but in the end those are never a runners limiting factors. It is the mind which stops us from reaching our potential. The strength of the mind can only be truly cultivated in solitude. When one reaches beyond themselves by means of their own power can one truly build the mental strength to endure what needs to be endured.

My present state of solitude is a gift to myself.

Go into solitude or among strangers, so that the memory of your friends does not hinder you from being what you have become. - unknown author