I imagine that to many of you, the name Beau Miles may not be unfamiliar. For those who have heard of him, and especially if you have watched any of his videos, there is a very high likelihood that he has left an impression on you. He’s a charismatic Aussie storyteller who makes incredible videos that are both very enjoyable and provide a healthy dose of inspiration – at least, that is true for me.
I was first introduced to Beau through his video about running a marathon, one mile every hour. The general synopsis is that he challenges himself to run one mile at the beginning of each hour (he does a 5k to start), and in between running, he tackles all sorts of random projects that he’s wanted to do for a while, but hasn’t. Before starting out, he creates his list of things to do (most of which take between 15-45 minutes, and then crosses them off afterwards). Some of the items he tackles are planting trees, hanging pictures, making a table, fixing shoes, and many more. The video is incredibly motivating, and I’ve even flirted with the idea myself – but as of this writing, I have not made any real attempts.
He has a host of other videos about various adventures, and they include fantastic videography and great narration by Beau himself. A self-dubbed Backyard Adventurer, his chronicles are all things that are all accessible from his backyard, and his no-frills and educational approach are well worthy of a watch. Some of the more enjoyable videos include walking 90km (just shy of 60 miles) to work, kayaking to work (over the course of 4 days) and eating nothing but canned beans for 40 days. He also has a whole series about repurposing “junk” (a huge theme throughout his videos) to make such things as an office, a cabin and a paddle.
It’s hard to pin down what I appreciate most about Beau, but I can comfortably say I would be thrilled to have a friend like him in my life. He seems incredibly down to earth, adventurous, caring, thoughtful and shockingly resourceful. There is an abundance of knowledge that he possesses and an incredible mindset, that has compelled me to think differently about many things, and to think about emulating the joy that he appears to embody.
My Junk Cabin
One thing that I HAVE actually done that was inspired by Beau was to make my own version of a shed from (mostly) repurposed wood and materials that I was able to find. I did have to buy the interior framing, but otherwise virtually everything else is repurposed. It’s pretty noticeable that Beau’s “Junk Cabin” is truly from all sorts of different pieces of wood, and mine would be much harder to tell. I was fortunate to have access to a good amount of extra siding that was left over from previous construction projects, which helps to disguise my cabin from the truth. It was the second cabin/shed/structure that I have made, but there was something a little extra special about the aspect of reusing material instead of just buying all new stuff.
Backyard Adventurer
While I have not yet read his book, I think I’ve watched all of his videos (a few times over). His initial videos feature an incredible sea kayaking trip around the southern tip of Africa, which feels inaccessible for a number of reasons. From there, the majority of his videos are in his home country of Australia and have grown to be even more local to the area around his town. He talks about this progression in his videos, and about how shift from looking for local adventures instead of thinking he has to travel around the world to accomplish them. A largely relatable part of Beau’s story is that he is married with two young children and is not jet-setting around doing things that are not accessible to the vast majority of people.
The current series that he has been releasing is called the 12 Days of Newness, where in he does 12 new things that he has never done before. Once again there is a wild range of first-time experiences from getting a haircut at a barbershop to kayaking in the snow. It continues his theme of focusing on local things that are accessible, with a goal of reflecting on the experience, and taking on a new “challenge”. If you are motivated, he has published 11 out of the 12 videos as of this post, so you can catch up before the final one airs!
His videos, outlook on life and sense of adventure are very refreshing and have absolutely created a stir in me to think differently about my own experiences and doing more than I think I can. He seems driven from a very genuine and positive place, and is clearly on to something special. I am incredibly inspired by his way of living and his ability to see the value in other people’s junk.
This is cool and all, but what does it have to do with running?
You know… that’s a great question you’ve asked. I’ve mentioned a few of Beau’s videos that feature him running around in various places, and what I really enjoy about them is that it changes the focus of the run. Beau uses running as the outlet to do some adventurous escapades. Whether he is running across the Australian Alps, along an old train line or in the mountains in search of a friend’s lost wallet, he’s not focused on any of the typical metrics. It’s not about going his pace, elevation or setting any type of personal record, but rather about being outside and having fun. That aspect of running is enormously appealing to me, and one that I don’t see often enough.
Final Sentiments
If you have found yourself looking for a greater sense of adventure or love beautiful cinematography or are interested in sustainability, then I highly recommend checking out Beau’s channel. If you like one of his videos, you will like them all. There are similar themes that thread through all of his content, but they each feel fresh and authentic. While there are so many wonderful videos of his (which are also relatively short) my favorite may be about his wheelbarrow walk with his daughter. It’s so simple and lovely and beautiful, and I can almost guarantee it will be worth a watch.
