Hiking speed

Mountain trails are always climbing, up and out of view.

Habitual hikers are interesting creatures. They are often very fit, thanks to their aggressive approach to recreation in the mountains. The aerobic benefits resulting from frequent, aggressive climbing on mountain trails is very healthy for hearts and lungs.
There's a creeping tendency to emphasize speed - gotta get to the summit, cover the miles, go farther and faster. This can expand into the phenomenon known as "trail running" and mountain races where speed is everything - always pushing for a new PR (personal record or personal best time).
Of course, there is merit in developing performance and expanding personal potential. But sometimes this turns negative in group settings, when those who are slower are left feeling awkward or uncomfortable as they are left behind. There's some pretty negative psychology in being the "dead weight" holding back a group.
One argument is that going fast enables you to go farther and see more. But the counter-argument is that the faster you go, the less you see - missing a lot of details along the way. Both of those points have merit. "To every thing there is a season" - a time to run and a time to amble. A time to push for the summit and a time to just enjoy exploring the foothills. A time to reach new territory and a time to examine the territory close at hand.
Life can be like that. Sometimes we feel like we're making great progress - advancing in our career, expanding our knowledge, achieving goals. At other times, life seems to slow down, we seem "stuck in a rut," and monotony may set in. The ongoing pandemic has forced our lives to slow down in many ways. But the slower periods don't have to be negative! They can provide opportunities to explore and investigate the "familiar" territory in ways we might not be accustomed to. There are blessings to be had in the more gradual and deliberate times.
I know some hikers who have incredible abilities to find amazing details in plants, water, rocks - they take time to slow down and examine the world around them. Other hikers simply walk by and never see a thing of that finer world.
I #GiveThanks for the balance of fast and slow, far and near. Each brings blessings; each has its place.

A "straggling hiker" seen from a mountaintop. On this occasion, a friend who was not able to keep up with the group was nonetheless determined to achieve her goal, even if she was alone.

I love this thought!


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