The Urban Trail Run

Hello Friends-

 My desire is for this blog to help myself and anyone who keeps up with it to process extreme ideas and work them into the reality of everyday life.

Just a little history on my short running career.  In 2006 I decided I would start running to stay in shape.  I set a goal to run a marathon.  4 years later, after many failed attempts to mesh training with a hectic work schedule and a growing family, I ran my first marathon.  The accomplishment was very rewarding, but I felt broke down physically and mentally.  As I considered whether to continue running or move on to the next thing that caught my limited attention span (which is my common M.O.), I  read Born to Run and my interest level in the many advantages of trail running was piqued.  Soon after I took part in a training run with a group called TATUR. After just 1 run on the trails of Turkey Mountain, I was hooked.

Now reality sets in.  One of the major advantages to running is the minimal set up time.  You just walk out the front door and run.  Whereas the gym requires 30 minutes to an 1 hour of drive time.  Now my new love for trail running would require a 1 hour round trip to Turkey.  With a limited amount of time to allocate to running, something would have to give.  Less distance run or less distance to go run.  For a new runaholic, running less distance was not an option.

Enter the Urban Trail Run. 

 

Example:  This weekend I was faced with a dilemma.  I needed to get my final long run in before pacing 50K of Paul's 101K at FlatRock next weekend.  My run needed to be a minimum of 20 miles with a significant level of difficulty (anybody who has run FlatRock knows what I mean).  I also needed to do homework, prepare for a garage sale, clean the garage, plant flowers and  a tree, attend KWERO fundraiser, spend quality time with my family, write this blog, and hopefully catch a few laps of NASCAR.  This is the busy reality facing most of us these days. 
 
Understanding one of the purposes of a long run is to train your body to find energy sources via burning extra fat reserves (which I religiously build up through my QT apple fritter diet), I knew I could accomplish some of this by just staying on my feet and keeping my heart rate up.  I decided to start my training/running by moving a pile of bricks, which I needed to move from the garage to the backyard.  In loads of 6-8 bricks per trip, I ran back and forth for 50 minutes.  I quickly realized carrying 10-15 lbs. of bricks would translate well to running some hills. For the next 3 hours, I ran throughout Broken Arrow searching out new trails to include into my Broken Arrow Urban 50K I am working on.  I spent only about 10-15% of this time on the pavement.  I was even able to meet the family at Lowe's during the middle of my run. Point is: You can multi-task while running.

Urban trail running is not a new concept, but most lack the creativity to enjoy the rewards.  The concept is simple.  Look for opportunities to incorporate the mechanics of trail running into an urban environment.  Basically you look for any chance to leave the flat surface of the road or sidewalk.  Run on the curbs, stairs, through fields, construction sites, green belts.
 
 As I began to explore these new options, I was strangely swept back to my childhood.  I remembered the days riding my bike and constantly looking for options to get off the road and into some more exciting action.  I felt creative. I felt ALIVE!

Creativity keeps us truly alive.  The ability to step away from the T.V. or iPhone and actually use our brain.  To make a positive impact on ourselves, our families and the world we must be creative and exciting, rather than just going through the motions.  All of us have unique creative talents.  Reality is, we can all make a difference in this world. We just have to have the courage, passion, and creativity to find our niche.

Be Passionate.  Be Creative.  Get off the easy paved road and experience the trails less traveled, where life truly occurs.  (Sorry for the misquote Mr. Frost)

Peace,

Jono



    

Stupid Idiots

Today marks my 2 year anniversary. No, I don't mean my wedding anniversary (that will be 5 years in May). April 15, 2011 was the day I started running. I'm sure most of you who know me have heard the story before but for anyone one else who might read this I'll tell it again.

For months Jono had been asking me to go running with him. He had started running and if you know him he needs a concrete goal for activities like exercise. So of course he trained for a marathon and when I heard about it I just thought, "okay, too bad for him because running sucks". Then a friend of mine said he was training for a 50K (31 miles) and my only response was, "that's just stupid". Little did I know I would soon become "Stupid".

So back to my running invitation. It was sometime in February and I had actually planned on finally joining Jono on Tulsa's Turkey Mountain for a Sunday morning run with the TATUR (Tulsa Area Trail and Ultra Runners)  group. I was mainly going to do it to shut Jono up and because I felt bad for saying NO so many times. When I woke up the morning of what was to be my first run I checked the weather and saw that the high temperature for the day was only going to be in the 20's. Of course I called and canceled figuring no one else would be running in those temps. However, later that day I found out that I had been proven wrong and there was actually a decent size group of runners who ended up braving the sub-freezing temps. My response, "what a bunch of idiots!" Little did I know I would soon become one of those "Idiots".

But I digress...again. I still remember the exact conversation that Jono and I had that made me finally say, "OK, I'll do it". Well maybe not exactly so I'll paraphrase.
Jono: I really think this is a good fit for you (because it was running in the woods and he knew I loved hiking and backpacking in the mountains).
Me: But my knees hurt when I run and my back is jacked up. The chiropractor isn't even helping. Whaaa, whaaa, whaaa, blah, blah, blah.
Jono: Running on trails is easy on your knees. Not like running on pavement.
Me: Yeah, Yeah, whatever. I'll see you out there.

And that brings me to April 15th, 2011. Maybe I was celebrating the fact that I had made it through another tax day or maybe it was just time for a change. Whatever the reason was I finally met my long time friend in the parking lot of the Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area for a little stroll in the woods. After a little coaching from Jono we took off. I was wearing some really horrible shoes that I had bought years ago and that had been converted into lawn mowing shoes. The rest of my outfit was just as non-runner friendly but since I didn't know any better I didn't care. Especially after we got into the woods. I couldn't believe that there was this "wilderness" area right in town. Why had I never been here? After a few minutes of running I started to get that same feeling I get when I am hiking or backpacking in the "real" mountains and after that it was all over. I was hooked! We ended up running and walking somewhere between four and five miles that day. The most I had run before this was MAYBE three miles, probably more like two.

I wanted more and ended up going back out to Turkey Mountain 2 more times that week by myself. I mentioned to the friend who I had originally said "running a 50K is just stupid" that I now loved running but would never want to run long distances. However, Jono immediately saw my enthusiasm and did what any good friend would do. He started to convert me into one of those "Stupid Idiots". First task was to look for a nearby trail race so I could experience how fun they are. It couldn't have been a full week before he found a little fun run put on by AURA (Arkansas Ultra Running Association) at Mount Magazine State Park. There were a couple of minor concerns though. It was only 5 weeks from when I started running, and it was 18 miles with a 3 mile climb of numerous switchbacks close to the end. By this time my mental capacities had already started to retard from the running so these two issues didn't register as obstacles and I started training. Three weeks after April 15th I endured 13 solo miles on Turkey Mountain and soon after I tackled the 18 miles in Arkansas.
Thus began my penchant for the pain that only long distance runners can know. And my reward has been as follows:
(1.) In the past two years I have had just about every injury related to running that is possible.
(2.)  I have run when it was the most beautiful weather imaginable, in the cold rain and snow, and  even in a blizzard.
(3.) I have run when the temperature was in the teens, and I ran on what was supposed to be the hottest day ever recorded in Tulsa (we actually missed it by a few degrees but it was still well over 100).
(4.) I have completed a half marathon, two 25Ks, four marathons, seven 50Ks, 86.5 miles of a 100 mile race, countless training runs over 20 miles and I will soon attempt a 101K on the incredibly technical Flat Rock 101 trail race.
(5.) AND MOST IMPORTANTLY...I have met and become good friends with well over a dozen like-minded runners!!
(6.) AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY...We have put our passion to work for a great cause of building a new school for the orphans of Calo Me Lare!

So I guess all I have left to say is THANK YOU! Thank you Jono for being persistent in getting me out on the trails and then pushing me to do more. Thank you to my wife for allowing me to follow my new found passion. Thank you trails for curing my back problems. Thank You friends and family for cheering me on. Thank You running buddies for allowing me to tag along on all those training runs. Thank You everyone who has supported us at Run to Uganda. I know we are probably very annoying sometimes as we try to raise $50,000. And Thank You God for allowing me to discover the "Stupid Idiot" that was locked up inside of me itching to get out for so long.
--Paul