34 Comments
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Roland Millward's avatar

You have confirmed my fears that keeping fit is quite dangerous! 😀

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Martin Prior's avatar

Ha, one fall in 7000 km isn’t bad. 😂

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Roland Millward's avatar

As long as you’re into skydiving! 😀😀😀

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Sarah Shoesmith's avatar

So long as you're ok! Did you do that weird looking around yourself to see who had seen you thing, or is that just my default falling reaction? I fall a lot when it's muddy (I live on a farm in the countryside) - on the upside, I'm good at falling now, and am more inclined to land pretty well (famous last words).

I'm glad to have found Never Stop Learning. I'm new to Substack, and am trying to find my way around.

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Martin Prior's avatar

Thanks Sarah. It’s great to have you here. I fell right in front of that guy so I knew immediately he’d seen. Pretty embarrassing!

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Zan Tafakari's avatar

Love this Martin - gave me quite the chuckle! But so great to see how there's a lesson to be learned in even the smallest of mishaps!!

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Martin Prior's avatar

Ha, thanks. I did need to dig deep for the lessons though!

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Boysie Gordon's avatar

"For a grown up there’s further to fall but we seem to bounce less. It’s more of a hard thump."

Ouch.

Glad you ended up okay!

I play basketball and go hiking pretty regularly, so I know exactly the type of thud you are referring to 🤣

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Martin Prior's avatar

Ha, yeah I know. It’s funny how children tend to bounce back up. 😀

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Boysie Gordon's avatar

It's because they don't know real pain yet 🤣

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Lisa Kelly Zuba's avatar

I’m very impressed you’ve run all those many miles with only one fall! Well done! My last fall -- and there have been several with and without headphones -- resulted in major tear in my rotator cuff. It was that fall that has made me hesitant about running. I’m signing up for a half-marathon so I ‘ll get back out there!

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Martin Prior's avatar

Yes! Good for you for getting back out there. I should sign up for a half marathon. It’s one of my targets for this year.

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Chris Anselmo's avatar

"Action: Don't fall in the water." 😂

In all seriousness glad to hear you are okay. and thanks for the shoutout!

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Martin Prior's avatar

Thanks Chris. Appreciate that.

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Kim Van Bruggen's avatar

Really like the recommend articles. 👍

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Martin Prior's avatar

Thanks Kim.

It’s a core part of my weekly newsletter. I think us smaller substacks have a duty to share other smaller substacks. 😀

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Donna McArthur's avatar

I love the lessons from the fall and that you share them so eloquently Martin. So glad to hear you are not injured!

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Martin Prior's avatar

Thanks Donna. Yes, I’m fine now.

I’ve just signed up to a half marathon on Easter Sunday! Sucker for punishment!

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Donna McArthur's avatar

Well done Martin!

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Amandha Dawn Vollmer's avatar

Great writing! I'm glad you recovered, on all levels. Thank you for recommending my article.

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Martin Prior's avatar

No worries Amandha. Great article.

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Kate Darracott's avatar

Thank heavens you didn’t end up in the water! 💦👏👍

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Martin Prior's avatar

Ha, it was so close! I run along there most weeks but until that point I’d never really seen the water as an issue! Do now!

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James F. Richardson's avatar

Thanks so much for posting my article link! be well

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Martin Prior's avatar

You too James. Thanks for stopping by.

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Isabel Cowles Murphy's avatar

Ahhh the politics of passing another runner. I used to race a bit, though I would race just like I live: letting it all out at the beginning only to fizzle at the end. Nothing made me more ashamed than being lapped by someone I'd passed early on. In your case, the thumbs-up was a perfect gesture! And weirdly, I also think sometimes the best way to keep an ankle from getting cranky is to finish a run. Can't explain why, but it works!!

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Martin Prior's avatar

You’re right. I think it loosens things up to keep going.

Passing other runners is quite fun. It’s passing dogs and their owners which scares the living daylights out of me!

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Dee Rambeau's avatar

Oopsie 😉

Man have I done that. I feel yer pain. Once you do the preflight checklist to make sure nothing is broken, then it’s all about the embarrassment. “Who saw that? What?”

Everyday life is funny enough if we just stay present and pay attention.

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Martin Prior's avatar

Totally right. I was so close to being in the water too. At least with a little mud you can appear relatively normal. Soaked through not so.

Good to hear from you Dee.

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Dee Rambeau's avatar

That would’ve really been startling if you’d splashed in the canal 😎

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Tinashe D. Ndhlovu's avatar

As a runner myself, this tumble highlights that there is always a possibility. As you stated it is about having that perspective that this was an incident rather than a re-occurring event. Great read Martin.

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Martin Prior's avatar

Indeed. It hasn’t reoccurred yet. Only a week ago mind!

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Rabbi Shmuel Chaim Naiman's avatar

Thanks for the honesty and lessons. There's so much to learn when we listen to life - especially while running.

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Martin Prior's avatar

I should definitely go running without the headphones more. You absorb much more of nature’s music.

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