I finally managed to run less and slower than last years, when I felt I ran a bit too much. I did a bit more cycling this year (1400 km) and quite a few more mountain hikes, alpine and back-country ski days and photo tours that I did not log. In fact, overall I spent more time out in the nature, but at a slower pace which is exactly what I was planning to do.
It is 3 years since I became a vegan and during this time I ran more than 10000 kilometers. This is more than the distance I ran in the previous three years as an omnivore. Actually, my running time and distances did not change that much since 2012. What got better is the quality of my runs.
I remember that a few years ago, when I started to be serious about trail running I was doing it much more intensely, at a higher heart rate, and this was a bit too stressful for my body. During the last years I tries to listen more to my body and to run more relaxed, at a lower heart rate. This does not mean that I am not doing intense exercises. I do intense runs, but only when my body feels ready for it and these are mostly steep long mountain up-hills.
I realized that being vegan transformed me into a much more aware person. I am more aware of the environment and my body. I started to notice things I would totally ignore before. I feel now more connected to the surrounding natural world and more aware of the stupid and harmful things our modern world does to this fragile planet.
For 2018 I plan to continue along the same lines. Running mostly at a enjoiable pace and do more cross-training: mountain hikes and bicycle rides. And of course, I will continue my vegan life style!
