Hiking and running – the body’s spirituality

I have been a mountain hiker since the age of 4 and I climbed my first peak at age 5. Having spend more than 30 holidays in the Norwegian mountains typically walking 6-8 hours a day I believe I can be credited for some experience in the art of enduring long fatigues on the mind and body. But make no mistake: I love it ! Same thing goes about running, especially running longer distances like marathons…I think these activities can be seen as a kind of body spirituality which brings about thoughtfullness and contemplation. Like Spiderman sitting alone on the top of a skyscaber in New York, what is better than to sit on a mountain top and enjoying the quietness and the views of the landscape just explored….or when running a marathon and soaking up experiences and dealing with the important issues and thoughts in life ? The ability to endure these long-running activities and to slowly but steadily increment the forces of body and mind….is a true gift that any human should have. Wisdom may spring.