Running the Urban Jungle with Odin Aguiar - Kyle Richardson
My life has always revolved around moving in the natural world, from exploring the woods behind my house as a small kid to getting my first taste of trail running as an early teen...
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I have always been curious about my surroundings and learning about my environment intimately. Still, it wasn't till I moved to Colorado in 2014 for school that I really started to fall in love with running in the mountains.
Flash forward eight years, and my career as a professional mountain athlete was taking off. It wasn't something I could have ever predicted. I have always dedicated myself to my craft and art, kept my head down, and stayed true to myself. I chalked everything else to good fortune and an organic process.
One day, a guy named Odin Aguiar hit me up on Instagram. He praised a recent film that showcased my connections to music and running. He commended me for my style and vision. His kind words, I will never forget. I responded and told him I had a dream one day to visit his country and follow in his footsteps through the jungle, learn about his culture and experience his way of life. This Spring I was fortunate enough to have that dream become a reality, and went to Rio to meet and run with Odin. During our time together I learned that we have similar attitudes and appreciation for running in our unique natural worlds.
Nestled above the bustling heart of Rio, tucked away between the canopy and granite giants. Odin's home of Santa Teresa is a vibrant and colorful neighborhood. Positioned between the metropolis megacity and the jungle, Santa Teresa is at the clashing point between nature and the city. Concrete on the cliffs, verdant vines obscuring the views, this place has many stories and secrets. Witness the balance of humans and nature around every corner. Odin lives in the Urban Jungle.
Odin is a master at moving through this Urban Jungle interface. His knowledge of the area and natural world reflects his lifetime of exploration and appreciation for his backyard. Living off the land, eating naturally, breathing fresh air, Odin lives to be one with the earth. His feet are rooted in the ground, and his connection to the land is palpable. He is entirely in tune with his surroundings, experiencing the shifts of time through his daily runs up into Tijuca National Park. From Leaving his front door, his run takes him from cobbled streets of his home up into the dense and lush jungle of Tijuca National Park, which arguably is the most extensive urban jungle in the world. Famous for the statue of Christ the Redeemer atop the peak of Corvacado to the East and Pico da Tijuca (the tallest mountain in the area) to the West, the Tijuca Massif is comprised of impressive granite peaks erupting out of the jungle and sweeping views of the canopy that ride over the hills like waves.
Any given day, Odin can be found roaming through his backyard hills, tagging peaks, and linking together quiet singletrack through the jungle. Other days, Odin heads down the hill into the heart of Santa Teresa to explore the urban side of his home. Santa Teresa sits above Rio, so it's downhill to seek out his errands and work for the day. The urban running here is technical, perhaps even more so than the soft jungle trails around Tijuca. The running is playful and fast, bouncing from one side of the street to the other, bounding and leaping off concrete features, moving from street to street, passing by the colorful interactions of the hustle and bustle of Rio. The urban jungle provides many flavors of running into one, and no one is more proficient than Odin. After a full day of movement, nothing is more satisfying and enjoyable than some cold and refreshing açaÃ, Odin’s post-run snack of choice. It is when you stop moving and take a second that upon further inspection that nature is very much alive even in the densest populated zones of Rio. Look at flora sprouting up between the cracks in the sidewalk and thick vines crawling up buildings. Nature has the upper hand and is present even in the most urbanized zones of the city. Roots, vines, and plant life are growing on everything, attempting to reclaim their territory and fighting to find the balance.
Odin is agile and focused on his footwork. His knowledge of the land allows him to push and pull with the terrain, moving effortlessly through the Urban Jungle despite searing temperatures and thick humidity. Running is a way to escape and learn about ourselves. It is a tool to connect with the landscape and form a relationship with movement. Odin is a life long runner, dedicated to his craft of moving untethered through the natural world, living simply with the land and expressing himself through his movement. We could all learn a thing or two from Odin. About what it means to appreciate and love the places we get to run. Never taking anything for granted, and for living life to the fullest.
Obrigado!
