Tree Spirits

TDIJ day 4: run 7.18km, time 42 min
TIDJ day 5: cycle 17 miles, time 1hr 17min


I have been reading about how the Inca empire was linked together by a network of professional runners: chasquis. They lived in huts along the roads and as soon as they saw a messenger approaching they would run along beside them, listen to any instructions and they take over the knotted string that contained the message. They would then run to the next hut, which was only a few miles away. Because they ran only short distances, they ran fast. At the height of the empire it was 1,000 miles between Cuzco and the most distant parts, yet a message could be received within five days. This means they were probably averaging better than 7 minute miles over an extremely mountainous landscape. A Spanish mounted messenger took twelve to thirteen days to travel from Lima to Cuzco but the runners could do it in three days.

As I was cycling through some woods today I remembered a tiny side detail. Although the runners were often alone in desolate places they never felt alone because the Incas believed that even the smallest thing possessed a soul and everything was alive and worthy of respect. I thought of this when I saw the exposed roots and distorted shape of this tree. How easy it is to imagine that it is some frozen being, or contains a strange spirit. At twilight, running alone I might find such shapes rather more scary than comforting.

Thirty Days In July 5/5
run 4/5
distance: 31.57km
time: 3hr 06min
cycle 1/5
distance: 17 miles
time: 1hr 17min