Always pack your running shoes

I took a little trip down memory lane this past weekend, to the University of Oregon campus in Eugene. More specifically, to Hayward Field and the historic track where we watched the NCAA Track and Field Championships and the U.S. Olympic Trials as college kids in the summer of 1980.

Some of my high school cross-country and track teammates competed at U. of O. and I followed their careers closely. I visited them in Eugene when I was home from college, and I loved being even peripherally connected with the magic of the center of the  "jogging" movement and the aura of Track Town USA. 

Before this weekend I hadn't realized how deeply my own cultural identity is rooted in the culture of Eugene: in the pride of being an Oregonian, the values of hard work, perseverance and determination that distance runners share, and in the love of nature and beautiful, muddy, green trails through the woods and along the river.

For many years when I traveled for work, the first thing I would do after arriving in a new city was to look for a place to go for a run, preferably in a natural setting, and colleagues to jog with.

We used those runs to explore our new surroundings and to recover from jet lag and late night meetings. We also got to know each other better, talked about tough business issues, and sometimes even made decisions before the official work day started. 

But maybe most importantly, I was able to bring an essential aspect of myself into almost any new culture, simply by remembering to pack my running shoes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Ann Marie]

:-) you're one of the people I was thinking about, Paul, when I was walking around the campus Saturday...

[Paul Doyle]

Thanks for that...for those of us (well maybe just me) no longer in the NW your comments brought a smile to my face.