Sometimes, I wish Rosario had mountains. I'm not asking for anything out of the ordinary. Just some nice hills to run up and down, to feel the wind in my hair and the sun on my face, to escape the noise and stress of the city. But no, Rosario is as flat as a pancake. And I'm a translator who works from home, so I spend most of my days sitting in front of a computer, staring at words and trying to make sense of them.
Don't get me wrong, I love my job. I love languages and cultures and the challenge of finding the right words to convey a message. But sometimes, it can be too much. Sometimes, I get stuck on a sentence that doesn't make sense, or a word that has no equivalent, or a nuance that is lost in translation. Sometimes, I can't stop thinking about the text I'm working on, even when I'm done for the day. I call it translation rumination: the obsessive and compulsive replaying of translation problems in my mind.
That's why I started trail running. Well, not exactly trail running, since there are no trails here. More like urban running with some dirt roads and parks thrown in. But the idea is the same: to get out of my head and into my body, to focus on the present moment and not on the past or future, to enjoy nature and not worry about deadlines or clients or quality standards.
Trail running has been a lifesaver for me. It has improved my physical and mental health, my mood and energy levels, my creativity and productivity. It has also helped me connect with other runners who share my passion and understand my struggles. We have formed a small but tight-knit community of translators who run (or runners who translate), and we support each other through thick and thin.
So if you're a translator who suffers from translation rumination, or if you're just looking for a new hobby that will make you happier and healthier, I highly recommend trail running. You don't need mountains to do it. You just need a pair of shoes, some motivation, and a sense of adventure. Trust me, you won't regret it.