How to Grow a Runner

The adventure began at 6am with a text, “We are outside.” I grabbed the bags I had meticulously packed over the previous three nights full of running cloths, long sleeves and pants, running lights, running shoes, head gear, cooling gear, nutrition supplements as well as food to consume while in the crew van. It was all packed and separated, labelled and organized to the great chagrin of my girlfriend. The airport outfit was also chosen based on packability and usefulness during the ultra marathon.   I exited my house, locked the door and said a loud and gregarious “Good Morning!” to Dale Cougot.   Dale Cougot. I met the man in a Starbucks in Richardson, Texas after a friend sent me his Facebook page where he advertised a wish to build a trail running group in the DFW area. I had been a road runner all my life and active in the triathlon community for many years, but always tenuous about trails. We messaged back and forth for a couple weeks before our schedules finally aligned en

So I started out writing a post about my training, but this became tough because in my mind, training is completely dependent on lifestyle and on who you are. So before I talk about my training, let me tell you about myself. My family runs. I grew up around an aunt and father and cousins who all ran for fitness and fun, and yearly as a group participated in a July 10k in downtown Atlanta, GA. I first joined this summer run when I was ten years old and to this day, the tale of this run is still my father’s favorite story to share about me as a child.   I did train for the race, but being a small kiddo at the time, my training covered a few short miles through our West Virginia neighborhood. They were slow and often very distracted when I saw trees or dogs or other things that seem more fun to a ten year old than training for a 10k in the Georgia Summer heat. When race day came, my dad drug me along through a grueling and hot six miles, only to watch me sprint ahead and thro