“When I’m running I don’t have to talk to anybody and don’t have to listen to anybody. This is a part of my day I can’t do without.” ― Haruki Murakami, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running
I love running. And certainly, part of the reason I love running is that I’m a fairly hardcore introvert. I started running in high school, looking for a team sport where I didn’t have to be on a team. Like Murakami (one of the best writers in my books), I love running because it gives me time to be alone, to reconnect with myself and the world around me. Free from to-do lists and Zoom meetings, everything takes on a more vibrant hue; the colour of the sky, trees and the Ottawa River come alive.
But another thing happens when I run. In fact, it’s quite the opposite of being alone. When I put my running shoes on and head out for a run, I say hello to completely random people.
After a couple of kilometres, and I’m in the groove, I begin to feel connected not just with the pavement under my feet and the trees overhead but with other human beings. When I pass another runner, I smile, wave and sometimes say “good morning” or “nice pace” or “tough hill!” They don’t even have to be fellow runners. I might congratulate someone on their garden or smile at a dog walker.
Bottom line, I’m about 200% more open to greeting people I don’t know when I’m running than when I’m just walking around.
I’m sure there is a good scientific reason for this. Endorphins or something else, but I’m mostly interested in the outcome: running is a way for this introvert to feel very much a part of a city and community.
And running events take this up several notches. A couple of months ago I ran the half marathon at the Canada Army Run—an event that Spruce has been lucky to work on for many years—we even came up with the Army Run’s original brand and tagline, “No ordinary runners. No ordinary race.”
During a running event like Army Run, every individual footstep is surrounded and supported by a community. From volunteers providing water to friends, family and strangers cheering to the energy of thousands of other runners. I love high-fiving kids on the sidelines and waving at people with silly signs. Things I never do in real life.
More than anything, running is a connector. It connects me to my environment. It connects me to other people in the community (including the people I run with on a regular basis). It connects me to organizations and events in the city and the world. And it connects me to myself. It’s a great activity for an introvert but even better for a human being.
In some ways, running reminds me of storytelling, something Spruce focuses on a lot. Stories connect the familiar and the not-so-familiar. They bridge communities, build understanding and make us feel seen and heard. They also help us know and understand ourselves. Like running, stories make me feel connected, alive, human.
Ultimately this is the outcome we are seeking at Spruce. We want more connection. We look to creativity, stories and communication as ways of creating more connectivity and aliveness in our communities. We seek out this possibility for connection in all of the organizations with whom we work—whether their focus is healthcare, clean energy, food security, arts & culture or, of course, running.
Andrew Vincent is a Partner and Content Director at Spruce. You can often find him thinking through client projects while on a long run down the Rideau Canal.
