Kate Raudenbush's creation, Braindrop at Burning Man
On Wednesday I woke up feeling the type of sad that makes you wonder if your heart will keep beating. With some virtual help and perspective from my friend, Will I was able to muscle past a huge pile of depression that left me sitting on the side of the road in the Bronx for about half an hour just wondering what the fuck I was doing. When I’m that mentally debilitated there’s few things that can bring me back.
I decided to head to the shop to hammer some metal. This is where I met metal sculptor, Kate Raudenbush and her assistant, Spaceman (yes, true story), working on her newest creation. HOLE-LEEE SHIT. You ever stumble into something so inspiring that it’s hard to recover for awhile? I helped him move a giant metal tree-like structure and marveled at the craftsmanship of her metallic vision. I chatted up the Spaceman for a long while, and he ended up being one of the most polite people I’d met in ages, and he showed me pictures of what the project was going to look like. He told me they had been working 18-hour days for the past 6 weeks on the steel structure, and I believed him.
From there I headed up to Harlem to meetup with a bunch of crazy barefoot runners running to Brooklyn. John Durant and his sister put together an amazing event that included an 8-mile barefoot run with Christopher McDougall (author of Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
Chatting and running with these guys and about 50 other people for 8 miles was like taking a white hot piece of iron and driving it into a quenching bath. All the stress oozed out of my brain and fell out of my feet leaving a trail of depression and anxiety behind me as I ran the streets of New York with a tribe of smiling humans. Everywhere we went, we drew attention and lots of questions and quizzical looks. People acting naturally, spontaneously, and with unity is a striking oddity in my town.
Once we reached our final destination at Word in Brooklyn, Christopher gave one of the best and most inspiring talks I’ve ever heard. He spoke about the community of long distance running and described his trip to Mexico. It had much more to do with living the life of a true human than it did with running. He spoke about how humans developed as runners and how they had to rely on each other — men, women and children in order to survive and thrive. Humans are the greatest running organisms ever to walk the earth in that we have the ability to just keep going like hell and that this ability is actually therapeutic — just like the therapy I felt that afternoon. Therapy is what happens when you do the things you were built to do.
The tiny room was standing room only — filled with maybe 75 people who totally “get it.” Chris and John stuck around and talked to everybody who wanted to ask questions or just hang out. We talked and laughed as a group.
Here’s the thing — you don’t need to run barefoot through Manhattan or build a giant metal sculpture in order to run with a tribe. All you need to do is keep seeking, learning and living your life of purpose.
From my heart I want to thank Will, John, Christopher, Spaceman, and Kate for helping me over a hill that they didn’t even know existed. More importantly I want to thank all the other people who seek meaning and purpose in their lives and support the idea that humans can be beautiful and meaningful on Earth. Our existence need not be an all-consuming scourge. There is a place for us if we seek it.
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks, TK. I wish I could run like that, but am afraid to because my feet are in near constant pain. My worst fears are having to get surgery I can’t afford or ending up in a wheel-chair. My spirit wouldn’t break, but my heart would. I still have a whole world I want to walk and wander through. At this point I’ll try anything. Where can I get some of those “slipper style foot cover ups”?
Hey Will,
Those are Vibram FiveFingers (the same company making the soles of most hiking and logging boots), and they’re pretty awesome (but take some getting used to). It’s not an overnight miracle cure because your modern western feet have to learn to be feet again. I encourage you to read Chris’ book and decide for yourself.
The whole idea is about going easy and going light which is totally different mentality of running.
Very much appreciated. Thank you.
“Therapy is what happens when you do the things you were built to do.”
*writes this down*
I’m working on becoming a “true human.” I’ve heard that phrase in reference to Native Americans… Meh! It was probably in “Dances With Wolves.”
true human
versus
zoo human
@Kimberley:
Sweet heart… you ARE a true human, period! You’re beautiful, intelligent, feeling, and HUMAN! God Bless You!
@Tommy,
What if I showed up to this ‘run’? I could only WALK about a mile before my fat body revolted so much that I could not continue. Though I believe in the cause, I would be an utter failure. How accepting & part of the tribe would I be?
The truth is, I seek purpose, or would seek purpose, in my ‘walk/run’. Unfortunately, I don’t think I ever ‘got it’ (as described above).
Seeking, Learning, Living – my life of purpose. It’s hard to determine what that might be. The more I dig, the more I realize I have no idea what I’m doing. I drink, I smoke cigarettes, I eat food that is pseudo-healthy only because I’ve revolted against the totally crappy food-and still… I am no where further than when I started; I can’t imagine joining one of these runs and actually ending with friends.
I hope to be wrong and LEARN more about the truth. I apologize that I lack the leadership to take the concepts here and ‘run w/them’.
I’m still learning!!
Cheers,
Rik
Having said what I said, I still appreciate the leadership provided, and I DO NOT take it for granted; thank you!!
I keep getting a pop-up asking me to enter my name & email address. I’m sure ‘MUFON’ is behind that to some degree; do you think you can ‘tweak it’ or program it not to bother w/the downloads? By demographic, of course.
Bet Regards,
Rik
Rik,
There were plenty of fat bodies out there, and it was all good. The group stopped at a variety of points and waited for stragglers and had “sweeps” run behind to help out. Nobody left behind. Nobody left out. All runners waiting at the end for cheers and high fives. My wife and I volunteered as sweeps and came in “dead last” — something that I admit would normally drive my competitive side into a frenzy. But, this group is all about community, and I’m learning too.
Run/walk as long as you want or as far as you want — just move. If your body rejects after a mile then that’s at least one mile that got put in the bank.
This group is different than the assholes you might imagine on a high school field. This group encourages people to try and realizes we’re in an epidemic of obesity and self-loathing. Many people in this group have struggled mightily and are not nearly the elite endurance athletes you might imagine. This group thinks failure is pretty awesome so long as you come back for some more “failure.”
Just so you know, I love seeing overweight people beating the street. Running and exercising is not easy for anybody despite what it looks like. Strap an extra 100 pounds on, and it’s significantly tougher. When I see somebody really trying I can’t help but think, “badass.” I’ve been in terrible shape before and know how horribly difficult getting back on the horse is. But, if you’re breathing and moving there’s still a horse to get on.
“The more I dig, the more I realize I have no idea what I’m doing.” Rik, you think I feel any different? I think the value is in the digging and the doing.
In a quest for purpose I don’t think you can ignore your own body especially if you’ve disrespected it over time. The thing is, that shit can be overcome and finding people willing to help and encourage may be one step in the right direction.
So, what can you do? Can you walk 6 blocks? Can you double it in a week? You don’t have to do hill repeats until you vomit in order to improve. You are in control.
BTW, not everybody in that room who “got it” was a runner.
I finally gave up soda 1 week ago. It was like giving up meat in 1995. I just stopped drinking it and didn’t think about it again. Thought I’d miss the caffeine I “used” to get through rotations at work, but don’t. I’m turing 40 next month and still finding new ways to take control of my life back from Them.
Who knows maybe the key to liberation for many many people is the feet. One of the best features of the human body and we keep them caged up in socks and shoes. When I go to the Philippines, I observe almost the entire country spends the day in 1/2′ flip flops. They (not to overly generalize) have a different gait than Americans, looks more relaxed. Not as much bouncing, most movement from the knee down.
Thanks for a “different” blog. Not too many out there.
Tommy, thanks once again for another really inspiring post. My week’s been a lot like your Wednesday. I haven’t met any Kates or Johns, but I feel like I’m a lot further along in realizing what I need to be doing. These examples of people passionately doing what they love while creating things of beauty and purpose are sometimes what it takes to make me realize it is all worthwhile…. Thanks.
I watched the video again and I like the cool positive vibe. Good comments and much to think on. Thanks everybody.
For Rik: I learned from the Chinese that the lungs are associated with depression and grief. Applying pressure to the points along your sternum opens up the lungs to release those emotions and help you breath more easily and deeply. Done every night before bedtime makes for a better night’s rest. Also good to do first thing upon waking. Kind regards.
http://www.nsh.nsw.gov.au/services/nscec/education/booklets/003683872-372.jpg
rik,
“Run/walk as long as you want or as far as you want — just move. If your body rejects after a mile then that’s at least one mile that got put in the bank.”
i am not overweight, but my diet is shit. i drink 3-4 beers/night and am addicted to haagen-dazs coffee ice cream–largely due to my chronic depression, i assume. (on that subject, “the instinct to heal” may be an interesting read.)
but back to the subject of run/walk: i care for my 95-year old stroke-disabled mom. she loves to be walked around town in her wheelchair. for her–and my–good fortune, rapid city is a very walkable town. so we walk a lot. some interesting notes: do not do it under a time schedule; stress goes WAY UP–and my angina tracks it (but the hell with the pain, i am not going to a doctor; my tank of life is empty i am going out when time runs out for me.) the folks who we stop to converse with along the way are the street people and native americans–the only ones who, like me, have no schedule (and therefore no stress.) what a breathe of heaven it is to talk to them–honest and give them money or food if they ask for it, without fear and judgement. when normal folks ask where we live, they are shocked to think we have walked that far: it is BS: cars have warped both our sense of distance and value system–walking downtown and back? “it is such a loooong way!” no, it is only 3 mi, but it takes 4 hours pushing a wheelchair. (rc, thanks to the stimulus package, is making many crosswalks handicapped accessible but we see only one other wheel chair regularly. maybe it is the wave of the future.)
a final note/request: i promised myself i will leave here when my tour of duty is over. (i lived all my career/family years in san jose and LOVE the pacific coast.) the double-vision fuzzy future is beginning to focus on a canoe trip down the colorado river to mexico. can anyone out there tell me if it is doable?
I don’t know, but I have to look into it because I was thinking about making a similar trip down the Rio Grande…
@TOMMY:
“This group is different than the assholes you might imagine on a high school field.”
-I think this is a good point; obviously, we now know what my experience has been! I definitely need to find a group of “like-minded” folks, maybe even in the same situation. I think I’m going to look on Craigslist & meetup to see if there are any folks here w/a similar attitude.
“Strap an extra 100 pounds on, and it’s significantly tougher. When I see somebody really trying I can’t help but think, “badass.””
-Heh… never thought of myself like that – I’m going to have to ponder this more.
“I think the value is in the digging and the doing.”
-Another good point, and one that’s easy [for me] to forget! It’s good to be reminded.
@WILL:
Thanks for the tip, and I appreciate the .jpg – it helped!
@HIGHRPM:
“i am not overweight, but my diet is shit. i drink 3-4 beers/night and am addicted to haagen-dazs coffee ice cream–largely due to my chronic depression, i assume. (on that subject, “the instinct to heal” may be an interesting read.)”
-I hear ya man. I’ll have to check that (book?) out – the instinct to heal.
” focus on a canoe trip down the colorado river to mexico. can anyone out there tell me if it is doable?”
-I’ll have to ask my co-worker; he used to be a River Guide here in Colorado. I bet he could tell me right off the top of his head, and maybe even be able to suggest some resources (books, maps, gear lists?) of what is needed. I’LL POST HERE WHEN I GET A CHANCE TO ASK HIM ABOUT IT.
@EVERYONE ELSE:
As usual, thanks for the good comments and discussion.
@HIGHRPM:
I talked to my river guide buddy. He said unless you are a stellar, top notch, class A canoe pilot – you’re best bet is to put in at the bottom of the Hoover Dam, or around Las Vegas.
He suggested an interesting route to make it to the Gulf of Mexico, however. Putting in on the Platte River in Colorado, taking that through Missouri, then the Mississippi, and then down through New Orleans into the Gulf of Mexico.
Anyway, hope this is even remotely helpful!
folks,
thanks for the comments about a canoe trip. fortunately i have some time–i hope–to study and prepare for a sensible approach.
tommy’s mention of will’s blog led me to his 8/12 post. the idea of living in a different country for a bit appeals to me, but not the prep work of laying a foundation of the native language.