Move The Feet and The Body (and Heart) Will Follow

(written last May by Tom Joyce)

Thusly, we once quoted Peter De Mott on one of the Peace Trot t-shirts. I was reminded of it recently.

I was still trying to decide whether to run in the Runners Club Thom B trail race. I had been sick and was just building up my lung capacity. I usually run the 8.5-mile loop of the Thom B (others run two and three loops). I was working my way up from 2 miles, to 4 miles, to 6 miles. Then the Thursday before the Saturday run day, I ran in the Forest for 7.5 miles. It was really hard and I was tired. But, I thought, well, I could run another mile. But what was it that told me I could run another mile. Was it my mind? Or was it my body?

I registered for the run. When I drove up the road to the gathering place, the parking marshal motioned to me and said there were still two spots in the parking lot near the start. Wow – save some energy walking all the way up the road! I put our large Peace Trot posters on each of the port-a-potties, so everyone knew about our race and put our flyers on the registration table.

Every year, I’ve forgotten how wicked hilly the Thom B course is. The course starts with a shared downhill and then a long, steep uphill. And so, it goes mile after mile. Running is a practice where there are aches and pains in the body, but the mind somehow assumes that it is a normal part of life. Thus, your body keeps running. This, unlike when during an illness and lying in bed, our mind has more control over our body and we fear and fret for the future. The future, on a run, is when you crest the hill and your body can move with abandon going downhill. So it went on the Thom B course, with my mind only interfering on occasion until I returned to a breath and a prayer.

I was running in tandem with another runner, whom I would see, dressed in black, ahead as we hiked up the hills and ran the flats and downhill. As we came to the last of the road crossings, the water and snack marshal had a music player. It was playing one of my favorite tunes of Leonard Cohen – Halleluiah, by a singer I didn’t recognize. I was so enthralled. My body felt rejuvenated. I was happy. All is right in the world. (It totally isn’t.) I said to Ian, the marshal, “This music is so awesome, so helpful.” “Why, does it make you want to sit down and relax?” “No,” I said, “I’m inspired to finish this race.”

We asked Ian, “How far are we?” “You’re at 10K, 2+ miles to go.” I said to my fellow runner, “We’ve got this.” “If you say so”, they shrugged. And my feet moved.

And so, I ran, not as aware of the contour and undulation of the trail. They didn’t matter now, my body (and heart) were moving with nothing in mind. My mind was emptied of the thoughts of pain, discomfort and questions. There was just a memory there of other times when the body moved of its own accord. And a stop, on occasion, to thank the Spirit for what I’m being given. And appreciate the beauty of the world.