Running is often considered a rather dull sport. It is one of the most solitary and introvertive sports that one can pick. More than that it takes a heck of dedication and discipline for it to become enjoyable and fulfilling. So why bother? The many benefits of running are widely acknowledged, it allows you to either think through your thoughts and worries and simultaneously it allows you to not think of anything. Liberating. At least once you develop it into a habit. However I am not here to talk about the many trains of thoughts that running has given me, the way it has allowed me to work through problems, re-focus and recharge… Im here to demonstrate a less acknowledged benefit of running. Something that seemingly contrasts the meditative calming and rather introvertive impact- the adventurous “ it makes a good story” run. This is the adventure filled run, a run where something happens in the outside world. I have had several… seeeeveral fascinating runs in the past years that have not been fascinating due to any eureka thoughts, but due to what I encountered during these runs. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, most of these runs have been abroad whilst travelling or whilst settling into a new place. So here you go, my list of the 5 most fascinating happenings that I had during my runs in 2018. Perhaps this encourages you to go out and run… you never know when something weird will happen that adds to your flow of life..
1) The one with the rather ‘high up in the clouds’ security guard
It was a grim early morning in the city of Seattle. We had just arrived the day before and were still greatly struggling with the jet lag. 10 hours is a very uncomfortable time difference. I had managed with great effort to sleep until 4.30 am when I could no longer put off the urge to get up and explore the city. On my own. Making sure my little sister would not wake up I quietly put on my training clothes and went down to the reception to ask for the greatest running route in down. Not even one peculiar look. They must get this fairly often I thought to myself.
It isn’t often that I feel absolutely on top of the world when running, but that morning I did have that vibe that this is going to be a good one. With ABBA pumping through the headphones I set myself on a route. The runners high was not long lasting as I soon noticed rows and rows of homeless people covering the sides of the streets like a sheet of ice. I was suddenly hit with a type of sadness that no amount of ABBA could reduce. If your consciousness is literally bombarded by a very harsh reality there is no way you can ignore it. Perhaps you even shouldn’t . My own privilege, helplessness and brevity in this world started crawling to my consciousness. This is something I spent long hours contemplating on later as some sights simply leave a long lingering train of thought.
However, it wasn’t long after this shocking sight at 5am that the security guard incident happened. I soon came to a stop as the park that was supposed to be there on the map but was blocked by cars, signs and three people. Two of these were in security uniforms. I stopped to ask if I can go through the park as this is where the map shows me to go. I gained a very peculiar look and a brief sentence “We open at ten am. In five hours”. I returned the peculiar look with a clarifying statement that I’m just on a run and looking for a way to go. This statement was apparently even more confusing to the two security guards as the response I got after a good 10 second pause was “Look. We are just setting up. You can come back at 10am, we are all ready then” Followed by giggles. To be honest, I was not too surprised that they were confused. Who on earth would go for a run at 5am? Perhaps it wasn’t even safe neighbourhood, who knows. As I was rolling my eyes and starting to make my exit with the sound of giggles on the background, my eyes stopped on the sign in front of which the security guard was standing. “ The Seattle Hemp Festival”…. Yes….. that makes sense..The giggles, the slow response, the oddness. They were high. The state of Washington has just recently legalized cannabis and they thought Im just a super keen person who wants to already queue for the cannabis festival.
It isn’t often that I feel absolutely on top of the world when running, but that morning I did have that vibe that this is going to be a good one. With ABBA pumping through the headphones I set myself on a route. The runners high was not long lasting as I soon noticed rows and rows of homeless people covering the sides of the streets like a sheet of ice. I was suddenly hit with a type of sadness that no amount of ABBA could reduce. If your consciousness is literally bombarded by a very harsh reality there is no way you can ignore it. Perhaps you even shouldn’t . My own privilege, helplessness and brevity in this world started crawling to my consciousness. This is something I spent long hours contemplating on later as some sights simply leave a long lingering train of thought.
However, it wasn’t long after this shocking sight at 5am that the security guard incident happened. I soon came to a stop as the park that was supposed to be there on the map but was blocked by cars, signs and three people. Two of these were in security uniforms. I stopped to ask if I can go through the park as this is where the map shows me to go. I gained a very peculiar look and a brief sentence “We open at ten am. In five hours”. I returned the peculiar look with a clarifying statement that I’m just on a run and looking for a way to go. This statement was apparently even more confusing to the two security guards as the response I got after a good 10 second pause was “Look. We are just setting up. You can come back at 10am, we are all ready then” Followed by giggles. To be honest, I was not too surprised that they were confused. Who on earth would go for a run at 5am? Perhaps it wasn’t even safe neighbourhood, who knows. As I was rolling my eyes and starting to make my exit with the sound of giggles on the background, my eyes stopped on the sign in front of which the security guard was standing. “ The Seattle Hemp Festival”…. Yes….. that makes sense..The giggles, the slow response, the oddness. They were high. The state of Washington has just recently legalized cannabis and they thought Im just a super keen person who wants to already queue for the cannabis festival.
2) The one where I accidentally joined a marathon in a small city in Mexico
Whoever has ever been to Merida would know that it is a city where it is impossible to run. The streets are like a maze and you need to come for a stop every 10-50 metres as there is a crossing and you need to check all four directions for cars.. people.. and sometimes even donkeys. However, having just gained back my will to run I didn’t let this stop me. I usually ran fairly early in the morning as it was impossible later than 7am.. too hot, too humid, too crowded.. I’d be too visible too so there would be a lot of looks which I’ve never liked. Anyhow that particular morning I discovered a larger street outside the city centre which had beautiful beautiful colonial houses in a row. As I turned to that street and continued to run I was overtaken by a MASSIVE crowd of people. A massive crowd of people who were also doing the same weird thing that I was doing- running for no particular apparent reason.
So there I went…gate crashing their run. In the middle of shorter, darker, cheerful-looking group of Mexicans was a bit taller blonde Teisi wearing a bright yellow shirt that says“ Tough mans run, Estonia 2015”.
I guess my anxious look of “ what on earth am I doing and why. Where should I go?” might have been quite a sight too. I guess I ran with them for a good kilometre or so, exchanged greetings with a few, until my social awareness kicked in and I decided to turn back. I wouldn’t know how to get back otherwise anyway, sooo there I was now running against the flow of marathon runners in the city of Merida.
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3) The many many runs in Cuba
The constant dilemma of “Run or Rum” often found an answer in the combination of both in Cuba. Most of the runs were luckily also in that order, but that didn’t stop the flow of interesting, rather peculiar encounters. I would say that many of the runs were fairly uncomfortable. A bit like a few years back in India where people were just staring and sometimes yelling stuff. The difference was that I didn’t understand Hindi, but I do understand Spanish. Never in my life have I been catcalled as much as in Cuba, especially during running. On one occasion in Havana I tried to measure the longest distance I can run without anyone commenting or cat-calling and the longest I could reach was about 800 metres. I gave up after that and just pumped up the volume in my headphones. This should not have surprised me as you can look as ugly as ever in your life but the Cubans would live up to their infamous reputation and still try to make a move on you. However, there was one run that stood out from those messy catcaller-runs. Namely one time a random man started running next to me. I had already given up on having normal engaging conversations in Cuba as they would fairly soon turn into a “ do you have a fiancé”” do you want to cheat on your boyfriend” type of conversations. I had created an alter-ego where I was engaged to a long-term boyfriend in order to have an easy way to reject someone… which clearly still rarely deterred anyone though. Anyhow I was clearly wary when that guy started running next to me. However, it turned out to be a brief, interesting 5 minute conversation after which our running paths departed. With no hint of him trying to hit on me. “ Where are you running? For how long? Why do you run? What do you do for a living? Do you like Cuba?”. Very simple. Very nice. Adios, with no see ya later.
It is simply weird how a fascinating encounter turns out to be one that is completely normal. This exemplifies how normality is defined by the context.. when suddenly catcalled filled runs are the norm, almost not even uncomfortable, it is the otherwise “ normal” encounters and conversations that become abnormal and out of the blue fascinating.
4) The one with feminist protests.
Spain. It was the 8thof March when Spain was overtaken by a national strike to support gender equality, reduction and elimination of the pay gap, and otherwise policies that would encourage workplace and domestic equality. This one was brief. But funny. At least for me at the time. I went for a run in the river. Which is actually a park. But it used to be a river so that’s what people still call it. The whole city was filled with people, either protesting or simply having a day off. The river-park was not completely crowded but there were definitely more people than usually, but less runners. As I was running past a group of friends they started cheering (in Spanish) “ Go blondes! higher wages for blonde women! Higher wages for blonde women!” To be honest objectively on any other day I would have found it quite demeaning- who on earth are you to assume that blonde women don’t have a sufficiently high salary?? But as it was the international womens day.. the day of the strike, it just made me giggle really really hard. The funniest part was that I stuttered back thank you.. but not in Spanish, no.. As I was listening to a song in Russian I stuttered back SPASIBO. Im not sure if they heard that or would have known what it meant, but it was just such a weird, funny exchange that made me giggly long after it was over.
5) The one with Mary.
Mary. Mary. I wondered for a while who could have been this special and mysterious Mary. Was it an ex-lover that you had regretfully let go in your youth, your mothers neighbour, your dog-walker? I made a few versions of the story in my head until I got bored. I will never know and to be honest I dont even really care. I had just moved to London and began discovering new running routes when this guy started running after me for a good 100-200 metres. I took out my headphones and heard him yell from the bottom of his heart " MARY. MARY WAIT!!!" Followed by " no.. youre not Mary..". Disheartening. Hilarious. Both at the same time. I wish I had been Mary. Or maybe not? What if this was the stalkerish jealous ex-boyfriend of Mary ready to commit another London stabbing. oh well.
So here you go. Running can bring interesting encounters.
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