Getting Lost in the Woods

Yesterday I accidentally ran a trail marathon. It was a weird moment in which my personal life collided with my professional one in a roundabout way.  Because I teach environmental history, and I direct our Environmental Arts and Humanities Initiative at the university, I am constantly aware of the huge range of experiences that people have…

My First Ultra—The Slippery Slope

Running the McDonald Forest 50k, this past Saturday, taught me a lot.  About myself, the place I live, the forest, and about the people who are drawn to sign up for a 31-mile forest run. In my “real” life, I’m an academic historian. I teach history of science and environmental history at Oregon State, and…