Run, walk, sit, stand, fly...

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      The question's been posed: "How is it possible to enjoy nature, really experience it, when one is running through it." I can only say it is indeed possible to fully experience the sights, smells, and sounds of nature while running through it. After all, is a deer's experience of its world somehow diminished while running? Multitudes of animals and insects move faster me, yet experience the breadth of life as much or more than I do in my relatively sluggish form.

      Perhaps when we pose the question we are confusing "running" with "rushing." I sometimes feel like I'm rushing through my day sitting at my desk. It's about a fullness of experience. I can barely imagine what the wild horse experience must be running across a wild desert landscape; I hardly expect those unfamiliar with the sport of endurance running to understand how much greater it is to run in beautiful landscapes than it is to run in "asphalt jungles."  Running in itself is an experience of the body like no other—not greater or lesser, but unique. Like other endurance sports, it challenges the athlete to experience one's limits. (read Limits, real and illusory)

      I love being out in nature, walking, sitting, standing…or running. My sport is endurance running, for me most enjoyed in places of beauty and challenging terrain. Moving through epic landscapes is wonderful at any speed. Yes, they're very different experiences, sitting quietly and moving swiftly. So, what am I "trying to prove?" Several things. 1) We each have "epic" challenges inside of us waiting to be met, things that will help us to grow taller, become better people and truer, more honest friends. No need to be of a physical sort; composing a folk song and performing it before an audience could be your epic endeavor. Or, what about that book of short stories you've wanted to publish, or whatever. 2) In doing this sort of thing, and not keeping to yourself, you can inspire others to consider their own unique, as yet unmet epics. "Wow, that reminds me, I've been wanting to hike the Appalachian Trail since I was a teenager. Why not now?"

      We become better people from these experiences, I'm sure of it. And in addition to inspiring others to find their own epic(s), we can invite them to support us by contributing to a cause outside of ourselves, tone hat we wholeheartedly believe is worth supporting. When you might ask, "What is Melzer up to with all this?" the answer is multifaceted, and that's a good thing.