Shinrin-yoku – 2 Days Left

The Japanese forestry service coined this phrase and is translated as “forest bathing.” Immersing oneself in a forest setting or atmosphere is a form of nature therapy that has been promoted by the Japanese government since 1982. I think we all innately understand this. being in nature, or exposed to a natural environment has a bunch of scientifically proven health benefits. These include improved immune system, lowered blood pressure, reduced stress, improved ability to focus, improves ability to sleep and recover from illness. These are all benefits claimed by natural science hippies and they are probably right.

I have been running outside consecutively for over 400 days now. I think physical exercise is a big part of my health improvement, but I have to stop and consider that being outside has also been a dramatic improvement for me. When I travel, I am looking to be outside in the morning and evening, getting my running and exercises in. That causes me to find trails, paths, and parks. I have seen curious and beautiful things. I am getting exposed to the elements more often, soaking in sunshine and generally gaining the incredible mood altering high from physical exercise coupled with just being in nature.

As I look back through my log for the last 400 days, I am seeing runs through downtown city areas such as San Diego, New York, San Francisco. I am seeing runs in freezing cold conditions (Minnesota) and I am seeing runs in the arid desert, Las Vegas area. I have ran in snow, hail, rain, blistering heat, mud, pavement. I have jumped over sleeping homeless people, ran through rivers and streams. I have ran uphills, down hills, through forests and abandoned railways. I have ran with deer, coyotes, wolves, seen a bear, seen a mountain lion, jumped over several snakes. I have been bitten by flies, ants and one tick. I have been chased by a dog and a human. Not sure what the total miles have been but I am confident that I have exceeded 2500 miles since I started.

All of these miles are spent outdoors where I normally would have been indoors watching something, doing nothing, eating, talking on the phone or staring at my computer. Part of me thinks that many of the benefits that I have got from running, have simply came because I was outside doing something other then being stressed out, hunched over, and staring a computer. As I near my milestone of completing a marathon I am looking to my next major target. I think I will take this concept of Shinrin-yoku to heart and go to the dark side of running. Trail running. I have been primarily doing road racing, with an occasional trail mixed in. I think I will go the opposite starting next week. Spend more time in nature and not the concrete jungle.

This leads me to my next major milestone. Looking for something 6 months away. Uh oh. Just looked up races 6 months away and there is one on December 7th. The Anza Borrego 50 Mile Race starting in Julian, CA. I love Julian, it is surrounded by forests. I think this is a sign. 50 miles! Really? No way. That would really suck! Ah….but I have learned to embrace the suck! Hmmm. I need something new and impossible to drive my commitment for the next 6 months. What have I just done! It is on now. Tyler, where are you when I need you!

Shinrin-yoku here I come!

Guy Reams
2 Days Left

0 Comments

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Share the Post:

Recent Blogs

Day 311 – Finding Someone is Probability Problem

This article explores the idea that finding a partner, or any new relationship, is fundamentally a probability problem influenced by one’s environment. It suggests that by changing the environments we inhabit, we can increase the number and variety of people we meet, foster repeated exposure for deeper connections, and create new ‘weak ties’ that expand our social universe, ultimately leading to more opportunities for meaningful relationships.

Day 310 – I Actually Love Opera

The author explores the reasons why people might hesitate to reveal certain aspects of themselves, using their love for opera as an example. They differentiate between privacy and concealment, arguing that while privacy is a healthy boundary, concealment stems from a fear of judgment and can be a burden. The piece concludes by advocating for the freedom found in being less concerned with labels and more comfortable with revealing one’s true complexity.

Day 309 – The Price Tag of Automation

The author recounts his frustrating experience with home automation after Google abandoned its Nest architecture, leading him to build his own system. He highlights the significant time and effort required for maintenance and the eventual abandonment of his automation efforts due to the high ‘economic life’ cost. However, with the advent of AI, the cost and effort of automation have decreased, making it more feasible and renewing his interest in deploying future automations.

Day 308 – Speed is The Champion

This article explores the concept that speed often leads to success in various fields, from business to technology and sports. It argues that systems capable of rapid action, feedback, and adjustment tend to outperform those focused on avoiding errors. The author highlights the importance of fast feedback loops, citing John Boyd’s OODA loop and its application in AI systems. The piece also discusses the speed-accuracy tradeoff, noting that while speed can lead to more mistakes, these are often recoverable, and the compounding effect of rapid learning ultimately drives better results.