OWL-DRAGON

Natural Running


I realize that one of the side benefits of running is that I am much more aware of and in tune with the “natural” world. (I use quotes because I don’t think that urban living is unnatural – but “natural” has come to mean the things in the world less touched by and controlled by humans). For example, like most every runner, I am attuned to the weather, topography, the changing seasons, the changes of light and dark in ways that most are not.

I also notice the other creatures that share my neighborhood. Some are common like crows and squirrels. Others more rarely sighted like foxes. Sometimes it happens just outside my own door. A while back I wrote about coming home to find the house surrounded by mourning doves. And last week as I was leaving the house I noticed that the ornamental pear tree just in front of the house was filled with scores and scores of robins. I have seen congregations of robins before (I think I wrote before about such a congregation) but this was outside my own front door and in such numbers. I moved slowly not wishing to disturb them but even my slight movements spooked them into scattering. But that moment. . .

So Saturday I was out for a run. It had rain most of the morning and I put off my run to early afternoon hoping for a dry spell. I took the route that leads me past Merion Country Club. As I went up Golf View Road – Merion golf course to my right – there are large homes on a couple of acres (the McMansions of the 1920’s) to my left. I noticed a flock of deer standing stark still like lawn ornaments.

I expected them to run and indeed they did, but toward me. They covered the ground between us almost instantly and then we were running side by side separated by a small privet hedge. Then, suddenly, a buck jumped the hedge almost directly in front of me and raced for the golf course. The others found a small gap in the hedge and raced through. For a second I was tempted to race after them but instead I watched them disappear into the golf course.

I looked around hoping someone else had seen this magical moment but I was all alone. No traffic, no walkers, no one in sight. What prompted this behavior is a mystery. Why did they run toward me? Did the buck just want to show off?

It felt strangely satisfying as if the deer made me part of their running group.