Source: petzl.com via Katinka on Pinterest

Are you one of those types who needs a funky beat blasting in your ears in order to keep motivated for your run?

I do.

Or, I do in certain settings.

Like when I am surrounded by things I do not find particularly beautiful such as grey buildings, traffic lights and smelly streets. Or when the noise around me is more disturbing than relaxing. Or when I know there’s a rather big chance of meeting a monkey, my downright greatest fear, behind every turn I take or bush I pass.

In these settings, running with the voice of Madonna or Michael Franti keeps me motivated; it blocks away what I do not particularly like around me.

But then there are times when I do not need music to get this motivation. When, contrary to the situations mentioned above, I like what’s around me. I want to see it, feel it, smell it and hear it. I want to be part of it rather than separated from it.

And that’s when I am running out in the wild, whether it is in the mountains, forest or countryside.

The filmmakers at Duct Tape Then Beer capture this feeling beautifully in the short film Silence, where ultra trail runner Adam Campbell leaves his routine-based job in the city to seek the silence of running in the mountains.

The story is not far from the truth. Mr. Campbell, who holds the world record in running the fastest marathon in a business suit, did in fact quit his job as a lawyer to follow his passion of running full-time (clearly, the combination of running and wearing a suit didn’t go too well and a choice had to be made…).

It’s a film without words, highlighting the contrasts between the city and the outdoors, noise and silence, routine and freedom, a life with and without passion. It seeks to explain why people find peace in the outdoors and why they cannot live without it.

I am no ultra trail runner and will most probably stick with my moderate 10k runs. But I do love running in the outdoors more than anywhere else and Silence reminds me of why.  

Katinka is an adventure-seeking, wine-loving yogini with a passion for the unknown. Her curiosity has led her into many peculiar situations, from having tea with Sudanese ministers and roadtripping through India’s heartland searching for guerrilla soldiers to crossing the Alps on skis. She loves contrasts, which is why you find a mix of high heels, climbing shoes, cowboy hats and yogamats in her closet, and strongly believes it enriches her life. When she is not in the classroom teaching French, you will find her daydreaming on a mountaintop, working on her handstand or under a blanket reading while sipping a tempered Côte de Rhône. Get in touch with her by e-mail or facebook.

 

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Ed: Brianna Bemel