Yesterday I went for a very short run, not quite 3km. It was enough. I’m currently in Nelson BC, which had one of the worst air quality indexes in the world due to nearby forest fires. My pace was slow to begin with, and after stopping mid way to do some abdominal work and chin-ups, my heart rate was up pretty high, and the run back was very slow. My breathing felt like I was jogging inside a plastic bag, and I could taste the smoke. I was struggling.

Running back along the water, about 3 minutes from where I started, I approached a park bench with an elderly man sitting on it. He had a huge smile and he was enthusiastically giving me the thumbs up. As I approached I slowed down and took one of my earbuds out. As I did so, the man began to speak, “Run while you can, man, run while you can.”

“I am”, I replied.

And the old man continued, pointing to his knee as he flexed and straightened his leg, “They told me 8 years ago that I had to replace this knee but I’m still kicking. So you run while you can, enjoy it!”

“I will, have a great day!” I said as I passed him, turning to keep eye contact.

“You too! Keep running.” He said returning to the thumbs up.

It was a simple exchange but it completely changed my jog from a laboured effort to an enjoyable experience. An energetic thumbs up and a brief, passing conversation were enough to fully alter my disposition, and my short workout felt much more like an accomplishment rather than an effort.