Theory
In the beginning was the Silly Run.
If you've gotten this far, then you've read through the two elements described in the opening, the epistemological guidance from the hub for game pieces and sets, the sad but hopeful origin story, and the agreements. But really, the silly run is the beginning. The first game, and still the most important one.
It's what I first called this idea: Silly Running in Prospect Park. Eventually I decided on "Experimental Running Games, Stories, and Meditations" as I became more aware of the conversations between running, its accompanying meditations, and the strange storytelling that arises. Eventually I changed it to "Calvinball Variations." This is partly because the game is so much more about "running around" than "going for a run", and partly because of name recognition- a lot of folk will remember Calvin and Hobbs. Also, although in the beginning most of these games will be about me preparing the sessions and facilitating, my ultimate goal is experience a game made purely of player created rules, very much what Calvinball is.
Anyway, the Silly Run was the first game I thought of. Part of the inspiration for this whole thing (after the sandwalk from Dune) was the Monty Python sketch about the Ministry of Silly Walks. I was going through those circuits of running and walking and thinking and moving (as described in the Origin of the Idea), and, after making an initial connection to the sandwalk, more connections came when I connected the sandwalk to the ministry of silly walks. And I thought that it should be a game. The Silly Run was born, and I recognized what my mind was doing, and then I got to thinking of more games, and more games, and more games...
Method:
The Silly Run itself is quite simple: run in a goofy way, and have others copy you. There are different ways to form up too. Think of trying a ...
wedge (infantry term to describe a fire team moving in an inverse V shape, like ducks migrating but with quicker directional changes)
snake (or a column or a simple line playing follow the leader, and the leader isn't only deciding the silly running movements themselves, but also making choices about where to go)
mirror (two people face each other, and each only does what the other does. It should go slowly like a oiji board if both are only doing what the other is doing. However, players are encouraged to cheat, which they do, so often it's more like alternating roles
circle (this one opens up a funny game idea: copy the person in front of you, who is copying the person in front of them, who is copying the person in front of them, and eventually the movement originator gets lost, and you've created a self-swallowing snake.)
Conductor (learned this one from the Deep Play Institute, though it seems known to many circles.To explain very very quickly, one person, by word, movement, or non-verbal sounds, instructs and conducts the actions, sounds, and movements of another person or persons. It's like charades, but much much much deeper and stranger, and rather than shouting out the answer to what you think they're signaling, you do something that you think they want you to do. One player conducts the group for a few minutes, then another conducts, and then another.
In any game, I want us always to remember our agreements/jury instructions and nullifications. Respect, push, and disobey. Know the boundaries of how sillily you and your comrades can run, push a little past that, see what new strangeness you can create, and then push past that. Silly runs tend to get tiring fast. It's interesting how jazzed people get to do weird cartwheels and lunges and whatever else if people are copying them.
Anyway, go at it as intensely as you can, but watch your lungs, and get your footing. You'll need it. Possibly the silly run will help with that.