In 2020, we’ve all had to be creative in how we perform our daily activities. One hobby of mine to which I’ve had the pleasure of devoting more time lately has been running. A gentle run or walk is so therapeutic as we observe the slow changing of the seasons, fill our lungs with fresh air, and take in the scenery outside of the four walls of our home. I’ve engaged in a friendly physically-distant competition with a musician friend and fellow runner this year to see who could cover the most distance. I’m nearly at my goal for 2020 of 625 miles, or around 1000 kilometers!

I’ve been running for about ten years, and before the pandemic hit, I loved signing up for races. The planning, training, and goal-setting required to prepare for a race shares a lot in common with learning and preparing music for performances. When I’m in the midst of a track workout or interval training run, a lot of mental focus and drive are required, quite similar to the discipline required for an effective practice session. I encourage my students to cultivate a swath of hobbies, especially physical ones, because playing the violin and viola involves a lot of physicality and coordination. I firmly believe there’s much to be learned about ourselves and our unique learning processes when we train ourselves to accomplish new things.