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

Prairie Spirit 100

{I have to start by saying none of what took place on March 23 and 24 would have been possible without the following people: My awesome wife for putting up with my training schedule. Jono for encouraging me, assuring me that I could do it and pacing me through some horrible weather. Lynn, Connie and Justin Becker and Rachel Garcia for following me through a blizzard and being ready to assist in any way I needed. Thank you so much. I am blessed that you are a part of my life!}

The gym of the Ottawa Recreation Center was full of people that still looked half asleep. Sure, some looked excited and ready to go like me but the early start time and the cold temps seemed to make the atmosphere in the gym almost like that of a library. I walked around chatting with other runners and then found my way to Kathy Hoover for some last minute advice. What better place to get advice about running my first 100 mile race than from someone who has run 12? She said she was going to go out at the back of the pack so as not to get caught up in trying to follow the people up front. Take it easy at the first so you have gas left in the tank at the end. I have taken a similar approach in most of my other races and decided I would just try to hang near Kathy and learn as much as I could.

With less than 10 minutes to go before 6:00 we all headed outside to the starting area. The temperature was around 32 degrees with a minimal amount of wind. Perfect conditions for a little jog to Iola and back. I was looking around trying to find the people I had planned on running with when Eric Steele started the race. I say started the race because for the life of me I can't remember if he just said "Go" or if there was an actual starting gun. I'm guessing it was just a countdown from 10 seconds and "GO".
So we were off. I started running in the middle of the pack and then realized that this wasn't my strategy so I looked over my shoulder and found Kathy and Danielle Martin and sidled up next to them. After running about half a mile the gravity of what I was about to attempt hit me right in the gut. DUDE!!!! This is going to be a long day! I looked at Danielle who was also attempting her first 100 and said, "Well, I guess we are actually going to do this."
The first aid station was about 9 miles from the start and Kathy, Danielle, Dennis and I all ran the entire stretch together. Kathy really taught us how to run for a while and then power walk for a couple of minutes. The race director, Eric Steele, had been giving me advice for a couple of months and one thing that really stuck out to me was when he said to start walking early, before you actually have to. According to him a 100 mile race is either successfully finished or DNF'd (did not finish) because of what you do in the first 50-60 miles. I kept this and Kathy's wisdom at the forefront of my mind each time I wanted to go catch that next person up in front of us.

We left Dennis at the first aid station as he decided to shed some clothes, but we picked up Ken Childress who had stopped to feed his face. Danielle started to drop her pace back at around mile 12. Ken, Kathy and I stayed together all the way to the mile 33 aid station. Talk about some good luck for me. I got to run with two 100 mile veterans. Between the two of them they have 22 100 milers under their belts! I heard some good stories and learned a lot about what to expect and what to do when certain things come up. And I think the most important part was letting them set the pace and just putting my run on cruise control.


Mile 33.5

My crew's plan was drive from Tulsa mid-morning and head straight to the 33 mile aid station to see if I had already gone through or not. If I had they would go to the 41 mile aid stop and meet me there for the first time of the race. Since our pace put me ahead of schedule, we arrived at the aid station a lot earlier than I was originally expecting. I was sure Jono and his Family wouldn't be there yet, but luckily they had pulled into the parking a minute or two before I did. It was great to see all their smiles and to know that all my gear had made it to Kansas. Jono was a little worried that I may have been pushing the pace too fast but I assured him that I still felt great and was in good hands. I ate some food, got some good encouragement and headed back to the trail.



Mile 41ish

At this point Kathy was relegated to a fast walk with her leg issues so Ken and I took off together. I really enjoyed the next 8 miles just getting to know a little more about the "Trail Zombie" that is Ken Childress. This was also the stretch when it started to snow. It was a nice snow/sleet combo that was much better than the rain we were hoping to avoid. But after the mile 41 aid station the snow started to intensify. I finally had to put my hood on and once I did this it put me into an amazing running zone like I had never really experienced before. The flakes were the size of a small child. Well maybe not that big but they were bigger that half dollar coins and right now I can't think of something else to reference them to. Anyway, they were some of the biggest I have ever seen and luckily falling straight down since the winds were still relatively calm. I couldn't tell where Ken was since I was in my little cocoon and before I knew it I had run off from him. So for the first time I was running by myself. I still felt great and ran the next 10 miles to the turnaround point at a pace that was either similar to or a bit faster than when we started. 

Mile 51.25 - Turn around

Iola is the half way mark. I had just run 51.25 miles and was about to turn around and do it all over again but in reverse. Before this the farthest I had ever run was 33.5 miles. Prior to the race I was wondering what I would be feeling like at different points along the trail. I must have had a legion of people praying for me because I was feeling just as happy and spry as when we started. This is not what I had imagined in my mental prep sessions. It amazed me every time I would think about it and it still does as I'm writing this a week later. Another booster for me was the orphans in Uganda that I was running for. Having them as such a huge motivator as well as the many people who donated to Run to Uganda for this fundraiser helped me to have the mind set going into it that quitting was not an option. And I am guessing that since I knew I could not give up my body had pre-programmed itself to feel as good as is possible for 100 miles.
To make things even better this was the point where our pacers could jump in with us. Enter Jono Becker. Jono is the sole person who I credit with getting me into this running game. His mom, dad and brother are integral parts of Project Hope Worldwide and the sole reason my wife and I have been supporting the orphanage that they founded. I was running this race to raise money for the orphanage, Jono was my pacer and his family was crewing for me. I my mind we were one heck of a team. Nothing could stop us! Well, almost nothing.

The wind had picked up a little and it wasn't long until the blowing sleet was stinging our eyes. And I soon found out that my rain jacket had obviously been sitting in the closet too long and was no longer water proof. The wet snow was soaking right through and my under layers were beginning to get wet. The return trip was heading north directly into an increasingly strong wind. This headwind was brutal and I was shivering from being soaking wet. I couldn't wait to get to the next aid station and change clothes. I had given Jono a list of everything I needed from the crew. We were going to get in, eat some soup and a piece of pizza, change clothes and get out. But those plans changed when we arrived at the aid station to find that our crew wasn't there.


Changing at mile 61ish

It was difficult to stave off the panic of thinking that something might have happened to them on those roads which we had heard were quickly becoming quite treacherous. And I knew there was no way I could make it to the next aid station in the same clothes without developing hypothermia. Thankfully the crew was safe but having a hard time making it back to the aid station because of the poor conditions. They showed up after about 5-10 minutes and I was able to change out of just about every piece of clothing I had on. But for some reason I didn't change gloves. By this point mine were soaking wet and had been in my coat pocket for about 7 miles. The trip to the next aid station was another 8 miles of low visibility, strong headwinds with heavy snow and sleet, my fresh clothes getting soaked to the skin again and my hands starting to ache from not taking the gloves Jono's mom offered at the last aid station. I still can't imagine what would have made me say, "nay, I don't need gloves, I can just put my hands inside my sleeves." I guess that worked for about a mile until my sleeves got wet at which point I told Jono, "Note to self: Next time someone offers you gloves in a blizzard, just say YES PLEASE and THANK YOU!"

Lynn reading Paul a text messge about
one of the orphans

The mile 68 aid station was a welcome sight. I was looking forward to the homemade chicken noodle soup they had for about 15 miles and ate 3 cups of it plus a piece of pizza. I was able to change out of the wet shirts and Jono's dad gave me a gift straight from heaven. A gore-tex jacket that would finally keep me from getting wet and block the wind. To top it off I had a fresh pair of warm gloves. We were ready to go. We knew the next aid station was actually inside an old train depot and would be a nice warm welcome for some weary runners. The new clothes rejuvenated me and we took off. Jono soon told me that his parents were getting worried because the weather was getting pretty horrendous. His dad had taken him aside to make sure he thought it was a good idea to continue on. I shrugged it off and jumped in behind my friendly pacer with my head down following his footsteps. Visibility was probably 5 feet and headlamps made it worse so we had been running in the dark most of the time.



Best Donuts EVER!

I had been passing people all day. Some on the trail and some at the aid stations. And once we got to the mile 76 aid station I knew we would be passing even more. I hadn't come into this race caring about placing in a certain percentage of the field but since I was feeling so good and there were so many people who looked pretty dreadful my competitive juices started flowing a little. And the first thing Jono's mom said to me when I walked into the depot was,"Are you guys going to quit here?" It kind of shocked me and I told her no and asked why. She said that a lot of people were dropping here and having a really hard time. This gave me more energy to keep going so we hung out for a few minutes, ate some ramen noodles and QT donuts and then took off again.

The snow had let up a little but that didn't last for more than about 15 minutes. I was determined to run most of this section and we did even though the conditions were close to white out the entire time. I knew that once we got the the 86.5 mile aid station it would only be two more segments to the finish line. The blizzard was annoying but I knew I could still run. I was starting to get a little tired when I would close my eyes to keep ice pellets from building up around my corneas but I had a 5-hour energy shot to combat this problem. Jono was leading the way and we were getting close.
Since there was a 31 hour time limit to complete the race we decided that we would stop at the 86.5 mile aid station and hang out until the snow or wind let up. We could run in one or the other but with both adversaries at the same time it was difficult to see the trail. In those conditions and that far from help it wouldn't take much of a problem to put our lives in some serious danger. Some areas of the trail were elevated above the natural ground level so when trains used to travel this path they wouldn't have to go up and down hills. This meant that in areas there was up to a 30 foot drop off on both sides. If one of us would have slipped off the side it would be hours before help could arrive. We were still going strong but that fire pit outside the aid tent was a welcome site.

Once in the aid station we realized that the conditions were worse than we thought. Roads were becoming almost impassible and the crew's car wasn't even close to being 4 wheel drive. Jono's brother was finally able to bring up the weather radar on his phone and the result of what we saw sent me into my first funk of the whole race. I was absolutely deflated to see that the blizzard wasn't supposed to let up for another 6-7 hours. I knew the crew needed to get out of the parking lot and if they stayed much longer it would be impossible. I also knew that it wouldn't be safe for them to try to make it to the next aid station. I couldn't ask them to risk their lives for a stupid race. So I stood behind a lounge chair staring at the tarp wall trying to run each scenario through my head. I still felt like running. Was this idea to stop rational? I knew physically I was capable of finishing. Did I really need to stop? I told the aid station workers that I was still feeling good, started doing jumping jacks to prove it and asked them if they wanted me to do some Burpees. Was it selfish to continue on?

Mile 86.5 Aid Station got beat up by the wind.
It was twice this big to start with.

I had asked myself 3 times to make sure it wasn't just some sleep deprived head game telling me to stop. Then I looked over at Jono and I knew our race was over. He said, "You need to think about your wife and unborn child. Is it worth the risk?" And then I was done. Not defeated, but done. I told the aid station people and we jumped in the car. Luckily we got behind a semi truck on the highway because we weren't able to see road at all. Jono's brother drove like a champ on the treacherous roads and the 15 mile trip probably took us an hour. Soon after getting back to the hotel we found out that the race had been stopped, the Parks Department had shut down the trail due to dangerous conditions and all runners had been picked up off the trails. Many were stranded in their vehicles for up to 5 hours waiting for the roads to become somewhat passable and the mile 86.5 aid station tent was destroyed by the high winds.
I was very emotional when we got back to the hotel. The fatigue was getting to me and I felt like a failure. It wasn't until the next day that I started to realize that our stopping wasn't failure. We did not cross the finish line but that does not mean we were not successful. We were able to raise nearly $8,000 to go towards our goal of building a school for the orphans of Calo Me Lare. 86.5 miles is 53 miles more than I have ever run before, and that 53 miles was all in the snow, most of which was blowing between 20 and 50 mph right in our face. Mother nature may have gotten the best of us but in the grand scheme of things we were the ones who prevailed. Some people were complaining that they were forced to quit and didn't get the coveted 100 mile finishers belt buckle. I have come to realize that my "belt buckle" is the incredible memories that will be with me for the rest of my life. The love and support I received from so many people makes me emotional every time I think about it. A goal that I thought was insurmountable a few months ago became very reachable. All it took was the inspiration of the orphans of Calo Me Lare, and the prayers and support of the many people who followed us. One day I'll cross the finish line of a 100 mile race and it will be a sweet moment. But I bet it won't compare to the elation of being able to participate in the Inaugural Prairie Spirit 100 mile blizzard run!

We All Want To Be Somebody

Thomas Merton wrote, “I am finally coming to the realization that my greatest ambition is to be what I already am.” Determining who we ‘really are’ is sometimes an easy task. I know people who have known exactly what they have wanted to do since they were children. However, sometimes, and I would venture to say MOST of the time, it can end up being an excruciatingly long and hard journey of searching within ourselves. If I only had a nickel for every time I have heard someone who is in their 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, or even older say they are still trying to figure out what they want to be when they grow up... I have wrestled with it myself from time to time as I go through different phases of my life. 

I have always considered myself someone who can easily be alone, but as I age (very gracefully I might add) I realize that having healthy habits and  hobbies, and close friendships is what has always enhanced my ability to feel content with where I am and maybe even with WHO I am. As I have moved from place to place most of my new friendships have been born as a direct result of a particular activity I have been involved in. Almost two years ago I found a passion for trail running and once again this pastime has brought some great new friends into my life - you all know who you are. Not only has this new hobby/addiction helped me be more content with where I am in life it has also helped me renew my passion for helping the poor and needy of this world as we have incorporating running into this fundraiser for the Calo Me Lare Orphanage. Many of my new running friends have joined us in this endeavor, and for that reason alone I can say I am absolutely thankful to be able to run.

I have a song on my Ipod 'running' playlist by Thousand Foot Krutch right now that includes this lyric; "We all want to be somebody, we just need a taste of who we are".I have definitely 'tasted' the joy and pain that can result from testing myself on the trails, however, being fairly new to this running game I have not yet allowed myself to declare that I am a “runner”. Maybe that will change if I successfully complete the 100 mile race that I am registered for on March 23rd. And if I finally do proclaim that I am a “runner” I really won’t be asserting anything new. Because even though I didn't run much before April of 2011, I feel as though deep inside I have always been a runner. And as I have applied Merton's philosophy to the bigger picture of LIFE, the lesson I have learned is that I don’t need to try to BE Somebody, I already AM Somebody. Who are You?

--Paul

Operation 100

Jono and I have been pondering new ways to get people excited about donating to the Run To Uganda (RTU) fundraiser. About a month ago I came up with idea that I thought might bring in more donations but it all hinged on getting my nagging foot pain healed up in time to put in some serious training mileage. After a decent week with only minor pain I have decided that “operation 100” is officially a go.

What is Operation 100 you ask? Well, after finding out that my wife and I were going to be having our first child in September I began to think that my long term goal of running a 100 mile race would either have to be scrapped all together or put off for a very long time. For a few months I have planned on running the Prairie Spirit Trail 50 miler on March 23^rd and using it as a good training run for the more difficult and technical Flatrock 101K a month later. But with fundraising in mind we began to think that maybe I should just go ahead and bump up to the 100 miler at Prairie Spirit. Jono could crew for me and pace me the last 30 or so miles and we would run it for the Orphans of Calo Me Lare.

I have imagined that this may possibly be the most difficult thing I will have ever done but every time those thoughts enter my mind I think of the children that Project Hope Worldwide has rescued. Some of these children have had to live in IDP camps after their villages were burned down by the LRA. Most have lost one or both parents to the senseless violence that tore through Uganda. Others have lost parents and siblings to starvation, AIDS, malnutrition, malaria and other horrible misfortunes. As I have contemplated all that these precious, innocent children have been through I realize that no matter how much pain I may have to deal with during the race, I will still never know the pain they have suffered.

So on March 23^rd at 6:00 AM I will set out on a journey to run 100 miles. We are asking you to please consider sponsoring this effort. You could either sponsor me per mile or whatever specific amount is laid on your heart. And to help out, every dollar that you donate will be matched up to $1,000 by me and my wife Casey. This is on top of what we were originally planning to give to the RTU fundraiser this year. I am also in the process of securing at least one other matching partner and if it all works out every dollar that you donate or help us raise will translate into at least three dollars!

We are asking you to please help us spread the word about this project. There are two ways you can donate. (1) There is a blue DONATE NOW button to the right. These donations are processed through Razoo which helps us track all donations easily. The money is sent straight to Project Hope Worldwide and dedicated to the RTU fundraising project. (2) You can also donate on the RTU page on Project Hope Worldwide’s website. It can be found under the GET INVOLVED tab or you can use this link: http://projecthopeworldwide.org/index.cfm?id=61 . If you would like to send a check to Project Hope Worldwide directly please make sure to include Run To Uganda in the memo line.

One last important reminder; All the funds, minus the normal credit card transaction fee, go straight to funding the building of the new school. All carrying costs for RTU have been covered in advance and Project Hope Worldwide has a donor who pays all their admin costs! You can feel good that almost 100% of your money goes directly to building the new school.

Thanks for all your help,

Paul

Operation: INSPIRE

Inspire: to exert an animating, enlivening, or exalting influence on

Friends-

I have recently witnessed both of my parents, Lynn & Connie Becker, do things that could only be described as inspiring.  This is not however an abnormal event, because they have have had an inspirational effect on me for the last 38 years.
 

My mother will arrive home from Uganda today.  She has spent the last month traveling throughout Uganda gathering information for the school at Calo Me Lare.  I am inspired by her courage and her passion to help the children. By leaving the comfort of her family and home, and traveling half way around the world, she is helping shape a better future for the children and the nation of Uganda.  However her love and compassion she shows daily is the true inspiration. Mom you are making this world a better place.  INSPIRING!

A couple of weeks ago, I watched my father give an impassioned speech to a group of "Run To Uganda" team members.  During this speech he spoke of his first trip to Uganda.  He described sitting in his hotel room with Dirk Madden, who is one of the founders and current Executive Director of Project Hope Worldwide, and deciding at that moment "we need to do something for the orphans of Uganda."  From that trip and that decision, 64 orphans currently have a home to live in, food to eat, house mothers to love and nurture them, and teachers to educate them.  Once again the inspiration comes not just from founding the orphanage, but from a daily commitment to love and care about others.  Dad you are making this world a better place.  INSPIRING!

The children of Calo Me Lare have not been as fortunate as most of us.  They are true orphans (No Mother or Father).  The normal inspirational influences in their life have died, often tragically and/or violently, as a result of civil war or AIDS.  In most cases this would arouse feelings of anger, fear, and hopelessness.  It is our goal to provide love and compassion, and hopefully inspire the children to make a positive difference in the nation of Uganda.

However; I do not believe you have to travel worldwide to be inspiring.  We have opportunities everyday. In the spirit of keeping it simple I have narrowed it down to 2 important keys.

1. Love and Care About People:  People are very perceptive and are typically able to see true motivations.  Philanthropic acts with selfish motivations are quickly recognized and usually result in distrust. Actions made out of love and compassion are viewed as a sincere investment, and result in a greater amount of influence. 

“The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.”
― Kalu Ndukwe Kalu 

If you truly love others it will force you to the second key.

2. Take Action:  This does not necessarily mean to quit your job, sell all your belongings, and move across the world to a remote village.  Unless that is what you are called to do.  Taking action could be as simple as helping a neighbor with the groceries, reading a book to your child, volunteering at a local food bank.  These simple acts of kindness may inspire others to do the same, thus the trickle down effect.  I may sound naive, but I believe this is how we change our world.


What will you do to INSPIRE someone today?


Peace,

Jono

P.S.  Thank you Mom and Dad, for 38 years of inspiration.

Ouachita Switchbacks 50K Race Report

BETTER!

A few weeks ago I found out that I wouldn’t be able to run Athens Big Fork (ABF) marathon because I had already committed to Winter Rock 25k on the same day. I love ‘The Rock’ course but I had heard how difficult ABF was and I was craving a “New Years Challenge”. Granted, the Rock is always a challenge but I wanted something new. On the way home from the race, Aaron mentioned that the Ouachita Switchbacks 50k on the 19th would possibly be harder than ABF. For the past 2 ½ months I had planned on running the Switchbacks so, in the words of Barney Stinson, “Challenge accepted”!!!

Yes there is a trail there
Photo courtesy Russell Bennett

The morning of the 19^th was beautiful. The weather had cooperated and a few minutes after 8:00 AM 30-40 runners headed out to tackle what I soon found out would be the toughest course I had ever run. As I normally do, I started with between ½ and ¾ of the runners in front of me and a group of us settled in a pace that I was comfortable with to get warmed up. But once my muscles loosened up I wanted around some people so I could run at the pace my body was telling me was suitable to how I was feeling.

The first section was pretty technical but most of it was still runnable. However, that would soon change. After the aid station at mile 3.75 the trail started heading uphill. This was the beginning of what was essentially a 5 mile climb divided into 2 sections. The first being about 3.5 miles without much relief, followed by a .7 mile drop before heading up the 1.3 mile section of switchbacks that gives the race it’s name. Once we made it to the top we got to turn around and go back our starting point. Now this was going to be the fun and fast part, right? Well, it was easier on the quads but the trail was covered in golf ball to baseball sized loose rocks with sharp, pointy rocks fixed into the ground. These made it difficult to navigate without breaking an ankle, but to top it off there was a layer leaves and pine needles that hid most of those obstacles. And for a little added fun, little thorny vines hung over the trail mostly shin high just waiting to grab on for the ride. So instead of blazing downhill to make up time I had to take it a little easier and focus on getting down with my ankles and knees in their proper alignment.

Aside from a stupid misstep at an easy water crossing leaving both of my feet wet, the trip back to the aid station was pretty uneventful. I still had plenty of gas left in the tank and thought I would cruise on in to the start area. However, I was beginning to remember this next section of the trail being a long downhill section on the way out which would mean another climb was in coming up. My memory was correct and according to my Garmin it was around 1.75 miles of hills followed by technical ups and downs all the way to the parking lot. I ended up speed walking most of the hills and made the 17.9 mile round trip in 3 hours and 55 minutes.

Back at the start line I had some soul searching to do. My feet and knees ached from the rocks, my troubled Achilles was sore and my IT band had flared up at mile 2 and was still annoying me. The Race Director, Tommy Brennan, was there with a big smile on his face and lots of encouragement. I told him that I wasn’t sure if I could run another 13+ miles on trails that were that technical. He assured me that the next out and back section was not near as technical but did have a hill to climb both directions. I decided that I hadn’t come all this way to run 18 miles, so after re-filling water and getting some food down I headed out looking forward to some less technical and more runnable trails.

One of many Road Blocks
Photo courtesy of Russell Bennett

After the first mile I was cussing Tommy. This trail was even more treacherous than the first and I don’t think it was just because I was already a little fatigued. So it was time to break out my secret weapon…Music. I took off my hydration pack while hiking up the almost 2.5 mile hill, took out my phone and ear buds and got ready to see if a little music could get my spirits back up. When I turned on my phone I noticed I had a missed call from my dad. Since I had cell signal I decided to call him back. I needed someone to listen to me bitch and moan a little. After a brief and winded conversation I put on my ear buds and picked up the pace to the music. But it wasn’t long before I felt like I had had enough of the rocks and was contemplating turning around. It was about this time when a verse from a song changed my whole mind-set back to where it needed to be. “In the end, what leaves you broken; In the end…Makes you Better.”

It’s funny how 13 words completely changed my perspective. I was going to tough this thing out all the way to the finish, and more importantly, I was going to do it the way I try to make myself run all my races…With a smile on my face. Persevering was going to MAKE ME BETTER. Not only physically but mentally and emotionally. By the time I hit the TATUR staffed aid station I was whipped but still managed a smile and a positive attitude. It was at this point that I found out I was in 5^th place. I didn’t think there was anyone close behind me so I took it easy on the roughest sections and kept about a 10 minute/mile pace on the runnable areas for the next 1.5 miles to the river and the turnaround.

Photo courtesy of Russell Bennett

I had only been running for about 1 minute after the turnaround when I passed another runner coming at me. It shocked me that he was so close behind so I decided to turn up the speed and do everything I could to not get passed. I tackled the last 2.5 mile hill as hard as I could, running any section that was semi-flat and hiking as fast as I could on the steeper parts. Running between 8:30 to 9:30 miles on the semi-flat areas I made it back to the parking lot with a 31.1 mile total time of 7 hours 33 minutes and still in 5^th place. My Garmin showed 11,400 feet of elevation gain for the race. Donovan, who I rode to the race with, and Russell were there to cheer me in. All but 9 starters decided that the first 17.9 miles was where they would end their run, and almost all of them had already gone home so there was no celebrating or after party for me. Just a quick bowl of chili, half a beer and the 3.5 hour drive home. Now it’s a day later and my muscles ache, it’s hard to get up off the couch, and my walk with the dog was more like a shuffle, but, in the end…It made me BETTER!