Fantastic post that definitely hit home for me. I often utter the words "I'll figure that out on my run" to my writing partner. As a licensed therapist I also believe that aerobic exercise (running or walking) frees us to be more vulnerable with ourselves and our feelings, because it's often quiet and private in that "void". It's great to read what all of us runners already know. Now to go log some miles and figure out that second act break.

I love this. I always feel better and clearer after I workout. To answer your question about why we get a mental void....IMHO I think your brain has to focus more on the physical events happening while you are engaged in the activity because you're doing more than the "automatic" activities like breathing. Your brain is like: "Ok, I need to focus on not killing us, so we're going to take a brake from all this extra thought from while. Ok? Ok." Then you zone out and every once in a while a thought slips into the clearing and Viola! Epiphany!

I'm learning a martial art and I can see the benefit creatively as well. More than once I have scribbled away some notes as I was hit with inspiration during a class.

I can't begin to count how many times I've gone out for a run and figured out a script problem. And more often than not, it doesn't involve directly thinking about the problem, rather letting my mind go, getting into that thunk-thunk running rhythm, a half-hour in, then BOOM! Idea!

Nice, Nikki. Think that's probably right. I've heard others talk about it having something to do with the left-right, left-right of arms and legs in motion, how that generates some sort of beta state in the brain. Whatever it is, it's great!

Martial arts. Nice. Gives double meaning to the word "hit" with inspiration!