Member Profile of the Week - Joseph “Joseph Tree” Christopher - Runs with Fishes

bluegill2.jpg

Member Profile of the WeekJoseph “Joseph Tree” ChristopherRuns with Fishes(On his mind, that is.)
Joseph is a 54 year-old native of Pennsylvania, originally from Scranton. Currently and for last 8 years, he has been living in Audubon, the city that boasts of being the boyhood home of the bird painter. It fits for Joseph, as he is a Tree Man by occupation and a Philosopher by education. He received his BA in Philosophy from the Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia, though it was much smaller and called a “college” when he was there. He shares his home with his wife Kate and three small children; though I wasn’t clear if he has any pets, as he lists names and ages for a boy and two girls in that section, funny guy.

Joseph is another running return, having run 25 years ago for about 12 years then stopping until about 9 months ago. He explains how he came to run again, and why: “Born to Run led me to believe that my body could run again. Barefoot seemed like the only right way to go about it… I enjoy running because it brings me joy and maybe will help keep me alive longer to see my kids grow up.”

Following along running barefoot and working with trees, Joseph is very much a man whose contemplative mind is integrated and connected with nature: “You can see by my avatar that I have my mind on fish. Encountering American Shad in the spring as they run up our local rivers to spawn is one of my deepest pleasures, likewise, meeting Striped Bass on a Jersey beach in the fall. I also throw pottery when I can make the time, carve wooden bowls by hand from trees I’ve harvested, and learn long poems to recite while I run. (Try “The Wreck of the Hesperus” – by Longfellow. It’s 23 verses and it rocks!)”

Joseph’s most memorable running experience continues right along the pattern: “This morning it’s about 8 degrees outside, and my mind happily returns to 85 degree mornings last August when I’d run at 05:30 on the towpath trail between the Delaware River and the Delaware Raritan Canal. I’d cool off before heading to the office by jumping into the river in a pool just below a run of rapids, disturbing a Kingfisher or a Great Blue Heron.”

I’m sure he’s looking forward to spring, as he, like many of us, prefers to run barefoot with minimalist thrown in when conditions necessitate. He claims to be an 80/20 runner, with barefoot dominating in the summer months. Joseph’s favorite distance is 10 miles, and his favorite race is the Evansburg 10-Mile Trail Run because it was his first race since starting to run again.

Personal Records by Distance: 5K-24:23 (11/25/2010);10K-37:05 (1984); Marathon-3:18:20 (1984);10 Mile road-60:03 (1984), trail-88:32 (10/31/2010)

Joseph states his reason for joining the Barefoot Runners Society: “I ran from when I started in early May until I joined the BRS in September (part of the spike) with no barefoot contact whatsoever. I ran alone. I ached and felt exhilarated alone. I love feeling like I have a tribe to belong to now. The first time I ran with another BF runner was when DNEChris showed up at 0700 inmy hotel lobby in Manhattan one Sunday morning in December to take me for a run through Central Park. I was so happy to see him, I almost cried. To me, he epitomizes the BRS spirit.”

And so do you too, Joseph Tree.

JosephTree2.jpg
 
I started running in May, 2010, BF from the first steps. I've since gotten the hang of running in VFF Bikilas if conditions warrant for weather, terrain, or for a race. [I]Flash!: I just got myself a pair of VFF Spyridons for rougher terrain and...
View all 11 featured items