Wildlife On The Run

My runs often got interrupted whenever I needed to investigate some nature of interest.

In fact, it has become such a norm, unless I was bent on focusing on a harder workout for that particular day. This habit derails my plan to improve on speed, form and breath... especially on my longer run days. 

Very often I run at parks or connecting pathways. There are often patches of green and bodies of water here and there (even along roads). I would have my eyes peeled for birds, insects or other wildlife, if not some interesting looking, or beautiful plants. I have turned my runs into nature watches like what I would do on hikes!

And so, my pace and timing get compromised quite a bit! 😅 However I am not complaining. In fact I am thankful for the many "harvests" I have accumulated thus far... 🙏

Is this a bee?

A katydid nymph?

Smooth-Coated Otter family

Black Spitting Cobra

Striated Heron

Sometimes my runs slowed down to a walk --- and became an actual hiking activity instead! 

In fact sometimes I spent so much time searching for a sound of an animal and bird or that I would spend a great deal of time and tries just to get a better shot of the nature I spotted. Before I knew it, a good 20-30 minutes had passed and my heart rate had gotten to almost resting pace. To get back the momentum and rhythm to catch up on my distance and journey, I needed to restart and regear the body engine.

Not all such ventures (adventures or mis-adventures?) end with "a catch". Sometimes the long time spent may be in vain. Nature after all could be elusive. And I have also learnt that the more you pursued, the more they fled. And the mindset and attitude has to be fine-tuned  - to let nature take its own course. To acknowledge and embrace the fact that sometimes we cross paths to say hello, sometimes we are on our own ways - and that is ok. 

And we should apply this to our life pursuits as well, and I am still learning... 😊