Into the Landscape: Interview with Dani O'Sullivan

This episode is a conversation with Dani O’Sullivan, a Leiden-based runner and friend of mine. I was curious to talk with Dani about her running practice, because of the sheer pleasure she finds in running: she’s always exuding positive vibes. 

In this conversation, she talks about one of her favourite places for running, the Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen. It is a bit of a mouthful, but it is an incredibly pleasant place. It is a reserve roughly near the city of Haarlem which helps to purify the water that is used for the surrounding areas. The area is closed off to both cyclists and dogs. Birds and animals are abundant. It feels ‘natural’: but, of course, it is not really ‘natural’; it is a highly man-managed landscape. Nonetheless, running in this landscape is a great contrast with running through residential areas and along bike paths in heavily urbanised areas of the province of South Holland. 

One of the things that really struck me about this conversation with Dani was how she talks about how her running is important for her in ‘getting to know a place’. Running is a means to explore a new territory: it provides a means for ‘being with’ new landscapes and with the non-human: animals, birds or plants. She describes beautifully the sensations of being away from others and experiencing changing moments in the day and, of course, the weather. 

I welcome your feedback on this podcast. What are some issues or ideas related to running that you think I could explore? Who do you think I could interview? Please feel free to get in touch via readingsidewayspress@gmail.com