Our Need For Adventure

When I was in college studying psychology, the instructor asked the class a question, “How important is adventure to you”? At the time, I was in the Air Force attending classes in Okinawa. My life was already an adventure. So having more adventures didn’t seem all that important. Since I have retired and work at a civilian job, I’ve learned to treasure those precious opportunities to escape the normal. That refreshing break form routine is often necessary for my sanity.

We humans need that change of pace from the daily grind. Unfortunately, when we don’t satisfy that need in a healthy way, the boredom can lead to less than desirable activities. Some find relief in food; the more decadent the better. I have experienced that myself, especially late in the evenings. Instead of an active adventure, our quest is for sweet, salty, or crunchy. Worse still is to embrace the escape that drink or drugs bring.

As children, we had adventuring down pat. Everything was fresh and new. We never knew what each day might bring. A short drive to the park or play ground excited us with the promise of an amazing time. That’s the attitude we need to nurture as adults. But as we mature and enter the work force, there doesn’t seem to be time for adventure, except for occasional vacations.

Recreational athletes have a wonderful way to get in their adventure time. A training session can be so much more when done with another athlete or when exploring a different road. “The path less taken” is a chance to cover new ground and perhaps discover another favorite route. We all know that races, especially destination races, are the stuff of lasting memories.

Good adventures require some degree of mystery. When exploring a new route in a scenic location, leave the GPS watch at home. Concentrating on the numbers instead of the view defeats the purpose. It’s amazing what we miss when we do that. Some training routes should be just for feeling good and not about exact pace or distance.

Our need for adventure doesn’t diminish as we age but actually intensifies. Time becomes more precious. The fit healthy body that we build, with regular exercise, allows us to pursue adventures well into our senior years. The time and sweat we put in out there on the road can do more for keeping us fit and strong than anything that comes out of a bottle. There is no health and fitness pill, we have to earn it. One of the many rewards is a body that’s adventure ready.

It’s not just a step, it’s a start

Dave