Church of the Sunday Long Run: A Morning at Walden

"Every man is the builder of a temple, called his body....We are all sculptors and painters, and our material is our own flesh and blood and bones." - Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 1854

Last weekend I returned to Boston to pay homage to the city and its marathon.  In 2013, I competed in the BAA 5K, and, thanks to a stellar field, attained a then personal record of 15:17. I again targeted the BAA 5K, making it the focus of my season with the intent of running a second faster than 15:00. Staleness in my legs, perhaps the result of a poorly executed tamper, prevented me from bringing my season’s work to fruition. I finished in a lackluster 15:25, far from my personal record and even farther from my goal.

I resolved to not let this shortcoming hamper my trip. I am grateful to have witnessed inspiring performances of friends and two of the greatest exhibitions of patriotism in the history of American distance running from the top U.S. finishers. Furthermore, I celebrated the sport in a fashion appropriate for an environmentalist runner with a Sunday long run at Walden Pond in the company of like-minded runners.

"I think that each town should have a park, or rather a primitive forest...
- common possession forever, for instruction and recreation."

Students of literature and history will recognize Walden as the temporary home of Henry David Thoreau, where he resided alone in the woods to “live deliberately.” During his tenure there, Thoreau explored the world within himself and the world around him. His experiences and writing there became the basis for Walden: Or, Life in the Woods, which, after his death, established his place in the canon of American literature and profoundly influenced environmental thought. Thoreau’s philosophy of the human person and of nature have shaped my worldview more so than any other philosopher. In regard to my training, his writing resonates as strongly as theories of Lydiard, Bowerman, Daniels, and the pantheon of distance coaches. 

The week before the marathon, Shalane Flanagan, the race's top American finisher, reintroduced the phrase "Church of the Sunday Long Run" into the distance runner vernacular. On Sunday, Walden was a cathedral for my companions and me, as we ran 11 miles across the park and adjacent lands, exploring the patchwork New England landscape of meadow, farmland, forest, and wetland. Soft, manicured trails wind through these varied landscapes, while the pond's clear, aquifer-fed waters is inviting even on a brisk spring morning. Walden has changed dramatically since Thoreau's day, but, thanks to mindful conservation, it continues to offer recreation, solitude, and interaction with the nonhuman world - a gaggle of wild turkeys, not a park ranger, greeted us as we entered the park. 

Like Thoreau, I attempted to "live deep and suck the marrow of life" during my brief time at Walden. Foremost, last weekend was a moment for runners to exhibit resilience, practice forgiveness and celebrate life, love, sport, and solidarity - actions that Thoreau would exalt. While exploring his one-time home and reflecting on his words, I was grateful for the life-affirming adventures I've had as a runner. Our moment is finite, and few of us ever enjoy the privileges of exploration, recreation, and competition. Thus, I strive not to measure my success as a runner solely in the currency of personal records and races won or lost, but also in the enriching experiences I share with others, like a long run in the woods of a sacred site, Walden Pond. 

“I was not designed to be forced. I will breathe after
my own fashion. Let us see who is the strongest.”