Your posts always require that I slow down and read them with as much deliberation as you have written them. I take the time because I share your sentiments on many topics related to running. Over the years, I have continued to write about running, but after 56 years of thoughtful consideration and imaginative insight I have settled on a refined appreciation that can be grasped all in one breathe: the trails are my sanctuary, trail running is my prayer, and the streams I drink from are my sacrament.
I am racing an ultra a month right now, and enjoying the challenges, but my interest in racing is once again seriously waning. As with marathons and road racing, growth and popularity in the sport has changed its dynamic and appeal. I stopped road racing because those running were no longer my peeps. I'm finding the same to be true with trail racing. The last few years I much prefer my solitary adventures communing with the world I love to juggling the logistics of keeping a racing schedule with people I no longer consider part of my tribe. The kicker this week was when a friend reported finishing as first male behind two speedy women. His accompanying photo showed them giving awards for first male, first female, and first non-binary. Raises an eyebrow, eh! Money and politics send me packin!
Anyway, was wondering how substack is working out for you after four years. I have been with blogspot for eight years now and am approaching 2000 entries, so I am kind of stuck staying the course instead of switching to substack. The last couple months my stats show I received about 6500-7000 visits per month, and growing - from all over the world! But I am all over the place on my posts - mostly esoteric topics, but also health alternatives, rewriting history, and cutting edge discovery. Not too much personal reflection or writing about running anymore. It is a great outlet that satisfies a need to ever explore and express. Here is one from my early days I think you will appreciate: https://elcuervoviejo.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-zen-of-running.html
Thanks Larry, nice to hear from you. I was headed out for a run (my Sunday church service) on the Allegheny Front Trail in Moshannon State Forest when I got your comment. I have fond memories of our last run together there.
As with you, my running life is developing. Over the past few years, I've been running more, but racing much less (one race last year, only one scheduled for this year). Some of it is the changing nature of the tribe (though I think mostly "my peeps" are still there, just as part of a much larger crowd), but mainly I just don't feel like I have much to prove to myself on that front anymore (and nobody else really cares).
So far, so good with Substack. When I started, I thought it was going to be a meta thing, a place for me to announce and talk about the things I was posting on my main website (on Squarespace), but now I do everything here (you may have noticed that at some point I changed the name from its original "Writing the Rush"). Those are great numbers for your site — I wouldn't tamper with success.
Thanks for the link — I do appreciate that essay. "...Paul Harris and I would chase across the Enchanted Mesa daily from Chautauqua Park to Eldorado Canyon testing each other's limits of pain and suffering while exploring lofty existential questions..." Wonderful, and how great it must have been to be in Boulder then — no better place for that kind of exploration. I've roamed around those mountains a bit myself (more recently) and felt that energy (the Shadow Canyon route up from the mesa to the Bear/S. Boulder saddle is one of my all-time favorite places).
Happy trails to you, too (and let us know when you are back in PA).
Will be up for Hyner in the spring... at least. When winter returns and the trails get icy, remember I now live about a half hour from Oconee State Park and the Foothills Trail; you and Renee would be most welcome to escape the worst of winter and join me again for a running retreat along the Chattooga River and endless Southern Appalachian Trails. We have lots of room and love conversational company. Consider it a formal invitation - seriously!
Your posts always require that I slow down and read them with as much deliberation as you have written them. I take the time because I share your sentiments on many topics related to running. Over the years, I have continued to write about running, but after 56 years of thoughtful consideration and imaginative insight I have settled on a refined appreciation that can be grasped all in one breathe: the trails are my sanctuary, trail running is my prayer, and the streams I drink from are my sacrament.
I am racing an ultra a month right now, and enjoying the challenges, but my interest in racing is once again seriously waning. As with marathons and road racing, growth and popularity in the sport has changed its dynamic and appeal. I stopped road racing because those running were no longer my peeps. I'm finding the same to be true with trail racing. The last few years I much prefer my solitary adventures communing with the world I love to juggling the logistics of keeping a racing schedule with people I no longer consider part of my tribe. The kicker this week was when a friend reported finishing as first male behind two speedy women. His accompanying photo showed them giving awards for first male, first female, and first non-binary. Raises an eyebrow, eh! Money and politics send me packin!
Anyway, was wondering how substack is working out for you after four years. I have been with blogspot for eight years now and am approaching 2000 entries, so I am kind of stuck staying the course instead of switching to substack. The last couple months my stats show I received about 6500-7000 visits per month, and growing - from all over the world! But I am all over the place on my posts - mostly esoteric topics, but also health alternatives, rewriting history, and cutting edge discovery. Not too much personal reflection or writing about running anymore. It is a great outlet that satisfies a need to ever explore and express. Here is one from my early days I think you will appreciate: https://elcuervoviejo.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-zen-of-running.html
Keep it coming. Happy trails to you both!
Thanks Larry, nice to hear from you. I was headed out for a run (my Sunday church service) on the Allegheny Front Trail in Moshannon State Forest when I got your comment. I have fond memories of our last run together there.
As with you, my running life is developing. Over the past few years, I've been running more, but racing much less (one race last year, only one scheduled for this year). Some of it is the changing nature of the tribe (though I think mostly "my peeps" are still there, just as part of a much larger crowd), but mainly I just don't feel like I have much to prove to myself on that front anymore (and nobody else really cares).
So far, so good with Substack. When I started, I thought it was going to be a meta thing, a place for me to announce and talk about the things I was posting on my main website (on Squarespace), but now I do everything here (you may have noticed that at some point I changed the name from its original "Writing the Rush"). Those are great numbers for your site — I wouldn't tamper with success.
Thanks for the link — I do appreciate that essay. "...Paul Harris and I would chase across the Enchanted Mesa daily from Chautauqua Park to Eldorado Canyon testing each other's limits of pain and suffering while exploring lofty existential questions..." Wonderful, and how great it must have been to be in Boulder then — no better place for that kind of exploration. I've roamed around those mountains a bit myself (more recently) and felt that energy (the Shadow Canyon route up from the mesa to the Bear/S. Boulder saddle is one of my all-time favorite places).
Happy trails to you, too (and let us know when you are back in PA).
Will be up for Hyner in the spring... at least. When winter returns and the trails get icy, remember I now live about a half hour from Oconee State Park and the Foothills Trail; you and Renee would be most welcome to escape the worst of winter and join me again for a running retreat along the Chattooga River and endless Southern Appalachian Trails. We have lots of room and love conversational company. Consider it a formal invitation - seriously!
Always enjoy your writing and introspection. I will delve into some of the other links you shared as well. Run On!
Well, more like Venture On!