New Urban Game: Le Parkour

"Free running, or "le parkour," its original French name, is all about overcoming obstacles. The sport (that's what I'm calling it) originated in the Paris suburbs in the '90s, when founders David Belle and Sebastien Foucan took the games they'd played as bored teens - ninja-style prancing on rooftops or imitating Jackie Chan - and christened them a sport. It's a ragbag of gymnastics, rock-climbing, and stuntman daring, with a little bit of philosophy thrown in for good measure.

...But while the safety police might fret over parkour, the phenomenon has spread as it's been glorified in the media. All the free runners I interviewed trace their initial step, skip, and jump into the sport to the 2003 film "Jump London." The movie showcased Foucan running up the walls and traversing the gaps of London's most famous landmarks - the Tate Modern, the Royal National Theatre, and, most breathtakingly, the sprawling rooftop of the Royal Albert Hall."