I've been 'TAGGED'

I've been 'TAGGED' by Ben Holmes, of the KC Trail Nerds. Gotta answer these questions about running now.

1- How would you describe your running 10 years ago?

This would have been was during my college years and my running consisted of a mile sprint to/from the gym. I never ran for fun during highschool or while playing sports - it was just for getting in shape. At this point, running was just that - WORK. I'd do the mile as fast as I could (5-6 minutes), hit the weights for an hour, then sprint the mile back to my dorm.

I didn't get into trail running until 1999/2000 when I discovered several trails around Athens, GA. In the past 8 years, only a small fraction of my running mileage has been on pavement. It's DIRT ONLY for me!


2-What is your best and worst run/race experience?

My worst running experiences all involve some nagging injury that flares up during a run - bad feet, sore ankles, chaffing, etc. There really isn't ONE bad experience though.

All my great experiences involve me running in new places, finding a random trail, getting lost then finding my way back.

When Lucy had an interview in Salt Lake City in February '06, I was running around the campus of Univ. of Utah and and saw a path that started up the mountain. Two hours later, I was at the top of the mountain sitting on a stone bench in a foot of snow watching the sun go down! A deer skipped in front of me and glanced my way...probably wondering what the heck I was doing wearing only tennis shoes and thin running shorts sitting on a frozen rock in winter when the sun was about to go down!!! Once I realized I was about to be stuck at the top of a mountain in dark during the winter, I ran (fell) down the mountain and made it back just after dark. It was MUCH HARDER going down the mountain due to the path being covered in snow/ice. I could only run so fast going up which limited the number of times I tripped or fell, but I rolled in the snow several times going down due to hidden rocks.

FUN TIMES!


3- Why do you run?

To clear my mind. To experience something more than work, computers, emails, etc. To push my body to its limits while I'm able. To feel my muslces burn and air rush in/out of my lungs. To finish long races....just because.

4- What is the best or worst piece of advice you've been given about running?

Best - leave your watch behind. Worst - stop while your young and injury free.

5- Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know.

I was the shortstop on a traveling softball team for 5 years. The season usually lasted 8 months and we'd play every-other-weekend around the state of GA. It was fun until my eye site deteriorated. I can't wear contacts due to my funked-up eyes (shaped funny) and glasses tend to fog up when the weather is 90 degrees w/ 100% humidity. Needless to say, it's not fun when a 6'5", 250lb guy is up to bat and my glasses fog up. When it became dangerous, I quit!!! A softball up site the head isn't good for ones' health.

Also I collect/roll change for several years at a time to take on vacations!!! I paid for my trip to Santa Fe for the Illustration Conf in '01 w/ change. Ditto for the '03 Conf in Philly and now I'm doing the same thing for the Conf. in New York in a few weeks. I've saved about $900 in five years.