Running Music

I have never been one to equate natural sounds with music. I like the sound of rushing water, or chirping birds, but I have never found it musical per say. Today, that changed a bit. I was concentrating on my breathing as RP and I ran round the track, mile repeats at 7:05 or less. I always find it interesting how we start with such calm heart beats and silent breathing until about halfway around the first lap when we get into an audible rhythm. Today the music created started with the pat-pat of our feet in a forward motion, in sync with one another. Then my breathing first, hee-huh, hee-hoooo, picking up tempo. Then hers, ooo-aahhh, ooo-aahhh. An occasional sniffle or spit (from me) to break the monotony. The breathing is fast and the patter is steady until the final, hewwwwww---ahhhhhh at the stomp of the step on the finish line.

It was the music made today that led me to think about connections with PE and music. How could the sounds our breathing make during physical activity become a musical piece?

Always the teacher right?

But today, the music made was organic in a way that not even singing can produce. It was primal in a way that not even the deepest jungle beats can replicate. Our breath, our feet, and for one short moment, a mind completely in focus. That is what I call beautiful music.