- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 21/Jul 03:30

Retired ultramarathoner finds freedom in running, hiking nude

Cleve Pile’s bare bottom has become a familiar sight on social media, captured mid-stride as he runs shirtless, and often without pants, through forest trails, remote valleys, rugged coastlines, and mountain ridgelines. But for the 61-year-old retired architect, ultramarathoner, and former teacher, nude trail running is far from a stunt. It’s a way of life, one born of personal transformation and a brush with death. In 2022, while training alone in the hills above Caiman Road, St Joseph, Pile was attacked by a swarm of bees. As he tried to escape, he slipped off a cliff, breaking nine ribs. He spent nearly a month recovering at Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex. “That fall changed everything,” he said. “It reminded me that life can disappear in an instant. I decided to stop holding back.” But Pile’s journey toward personal liberation had begun much earlier. In his 20s, after a difficult breakup and financial struggles, he turned to running as a way to cope. Those early years were defined by emotional resilience and academic ambition. In 1990, he left Trinidad to study Portuguese and later earned a degree in architecture and urban planning in Brazil, followed by postgraduate work in the Dominican Republic. Through it all, running remained his anchor. “I started running daily again in 1996 when I returned to Trinidad and was struggling to find a job,” he recalled. “It was my way of dealing with the frustration of being unemployed. Eventually, it became a part of my daily routine, even after I found work.” In 2011, a gym instructor invited him to participate in his first “hikeathon”, a 26-mile trek across the Matelot-Brasso Seco trail. The experience lit a spark. “It brought back memories of leading student hikes when I taught at Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive. I felt accomplished in the end and surprised that I still had energy left.” From there, Pile became a core member of Island Hikers and Fitness Walkers, emerging as one of their most dedicated endurance athletes. He completed gruelling ultramarathons across Dominica, Barbados, and Martinique, often training solo for hours on punishing terrain. At one point, he summited El Tucuche, Trinidad’s second-highest peak, seven times in a single day, gaining over 22,000 feet in elevation. [caption id="attachment_1167672" align="alignnone" width="683"] Cleve Pile has built a small but dedicated group of naturist hikers and yogis. -[/caption] Located in the Northern Range near Maracas, St Joseph and Lopinot, El Tucuche stands at 936 metres and is revered both for its challenging terrain and spiritual significance to the island’s First Peoples. Pile describes Island Hikers training runs as intense bonding sessions, gruelling and frustrating, held sometimes at night. “I sometimes questioned my own sanity being part of the Island Hikers family,” he admitted. “But I was drawn to the energy of this infectious group of passionate, slightly mad people. They’d say, ‘Jump,’ and without hesitation, I’d ask, ‘How high?’” His first nude running began in July 2020, during what turned out to be a solo training session in Lopinot. He had planned an endurance run from Blanchisseuse to Matelot and back with a small group, but the event was cancelled due to an approaching storm. Still determined not to waste the day, Pile ran anyway. “No one showed up that morning, and when I reached the mountain ridge, my clothes just felt heavy. So I took everything off and kept going.” He ran nearly nine miles nude through rain and mist. What began as an instinctive decision became a personal tradition and eventually a lifestyle. [caption id="attachment_1167670" align="alignnone" width="585"] For Cleve Pile, each outing is not just a workout but a celebration of life, resilience, and radical honesty. -[/caption] “On my way back from the mountain, I just felt freer without clothes,” he said. “If I had had company that day, I don’t think I would have done it. But alone on the trail, it just made sense.” After that first experience, Pile shared photos from the hike on Facebook. To his surprise, other hikers expressed interest. The following year, on the anniversary of that first nude run, he did it again, and this time, he wasn’t alone. Since then, Pile has built a small but dedicated group of naturist hikers and yogis. Their private WhatsApp group includes 14 members, ranging in age from their 20s to over 60. They now organise monthly nude hikes and yoga sessions in remote, carefully chosen locations. “We’re mindful of the law,” Pile emphasised. “Public nudity is illegal in Trinidad and Tobago, so we select trails with low traffic and go at off-peak times.” Under the Summary Offences Act, public nudity, including topless or nude sunbathing, is prohibited. The law includes penalties for “obscene exposure” and “indecent attire.” Even during Carnival, excessive exposure can result in arrest. Still, Pile and his group continue to explore nature on their own terms. [caption id="attachment_1167671" align="alignnone" width="584"] Cleve Pile has completed gruelling ultramarathons across Dominica, Barbados, and Martinique, often training solo for hours on punishing terrain. -[/caption] “To me, body freedom doesn’t need to be sexualised or criminalised,” he said. “When I’m nude on the trail, I feel more connected to nature. There’s something raw and honest about it: it’s how we were born. I appreciate my body more. I absorb sunlight. I shed mental weight, not just clothing.” He added, “I’ve cut, cleaned, marked, hiked, and run so many trails across Trinidad and Tobago, day and night, in every form and fashion. Now, I’ve chosen to experience them in the nude.” Pile insists he isn’t seeking attention. Describing himself as a simple man who loves nature and wants to live honestly. “People see the photos online and make assumptions,” he said. Public reaction has been mixed. While many on social media praise his courage and authenticity, others have criticised or unfriended him. Some fellow hikers have admitted to trying nude hiking in private, though they remain hesitant to go public. He welcomes all perspectives but encourages those curious to approach it safely and within legal limits. As for concerns about his mental health? “I’m happy to say I’ve never had any mental health challenges,” he said. His advice to others is simple: “Just do it. It’s healthy.” He describes the experience as liberating, something that builds confidence and redefines the way he views his body. Now fully retired, Pile looks back on his career with no regrets. “I’m not aware of any moment where it affected my career in any way.” He remains cautious and intentional when choosing his routes and timing. “I deal with situations as they arise. But I don’t let fear dictate how I live.” Today, he continues to train, hike, and live nude on the trail whenever he can. For Pile, each outing is not just a workout but a celebration of life, resilience, and radical honesty. “I experience nature in the purest way possible,” he said   The post Retired ultramarathoner finds freedom in running, hiking nude appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.