It is endlessly fascinating to hear of the varied and interesting journeys each of us takes to become a trail runner. For some of us, it is a natural extension of simply loving nature and intending to spend every minute possible in it, to experience what the Germans call “Waldeinsamkeit”, or “solitude in the forest”; for others it began as the result of registering for a poorly advertised 10 miler only to find out upon arrival that it actually takes place in the woods and the only directional markers are random piles of flour. One thing that binds most trail runners (but certainly not all) is a wild...