Wildness is a Necessity

My Victory over Marathon Day was not summative; it was only the beginning of the wildness.  With no more doubts about whether I am capable of finishing the race wholly, I feel free to explore whatever facets of running I choose.  It’s as if I’ve beaten an entire world in Mario, and a new world has unlocked for me.

So I am going off-roading.  I signed up for my first 50k, and I have two months to prepare.  This will not be a challenge of time, nor of distance, really, and hopefully not of terrain, either (although I have only run about 20-30 miles off the blacktop in the last 8+ years).  I hope instead, that this will be a day in the park.

Last Friday, I drove down to Raven’s Run Nature Sanctuary to get in a little trail run.  Since I feel like my trail shoes are too stiff and have too large of a heel for me, I took my old cross country spikes instead (I tried but could not take all of the spikes out, so I left them all in).  The 4 main loop (almost 4 miles) was much rockier than I remembered, and because it had rained heavily the night before, mud was in abundance.  And I loved ounce of it.

On the morning after a storm, the falls and rapids of even the smallest creeks display their wildness.  Ordinarily a sight of tranquil aestheticism, they release their roars and show their power.  And it is even more beautiful.  It is not an every-day occurrence, but it is natural.

I found myself running upstream through creeks who knew that the trail signs did not apply to them.  I delighted in every little splash that added more mud to my legs.  I counted a minor victory each time my foot missed a slippery rock.  And the water kept flowing, inviting me with its playful current, to stay longer than I had the time for.

This was not a workout, but a play-date with nature.  I’m sure the challenge of the stark changes in terrain will make me stronger, but from the neck up, this was nothing but a care-free stroll in the woods.

This was that new world.  Man’s road race had no place among these hills.  The squirrels would not hand me a Gatorade, and no trees would post my splits.  But the brooks would call out their encouragement, and the morning birds would provide the music as I ran, not raced, through this wild place.

We are in the middle of a Running Renaissance.  The American Running Boom has been reignited by inspirational record setters like Deena Kastor, Ryan Hall, and Kara Goucher*.  And this time, unlike the Boom of the 1970s, it includes a movement toward “Natural Running”.  The movement is encouraging us to return to the classic, to run the way the ancient Olympians did: barefoot (or as close to it as we are able).

But what is “natural” about asphalt, or even a composite track?

In his attempt to convince the American people of the spiritual beauty and significance of a place like Yosemite Valley, John Muir said that, “wildness is a necessity.”  Yes, we do live in a pretty tame world.  And for most of us, a good trail is not as easy to find as an open road (see: Lexington, KY).  But there is value in the path less paved.

I am beginning to explore the new world which has opened its door to me.  Maybe it’s something I’ve lost, or something I never quite knew.  John Muir believed that, "In God's wildness lies the hope of the world… The galling harness of civilization drops off, and wounds heal ere we are aware."   Perhaps I can find Muir-like serenity right here in the Midwest.  Wherever it may be, I am sure that wildness is a necessity.

“Let the wild rumpus begin!” –Maurice Sendak