Memphis Ultra

We decided to start a new running group called Memphis Ultra. Currently we have seven members. This all came about after five of us took a trip to Chatanooga to participate in the Stumpjump 50K. We had such a good time and saw so many people from Memphis, that we decided we should start a running group. Right now, we are looking for anyone in the Memphis area who like to run long distances. We are going to try to set up a group run every weekend. Eventually we would like to show up at races all over the place and represent Memphis running. We are not hardcore. Our times range all over the board. We are more excited about finishing races than finishing them fast. If anyone is interested, you should definitely join us for a run and some cold frosty beverages. If anything you will get a cool running jersey.

Run Rabbit Run

Sorry its taken me so long to respond, but this is one of my most busy times of year at work and this year at home as well.

I am not really sure why I run? I have always been kinda sporty. I like the idea of sports minus the intense competitiveness some sports carry. I originally started training to surprise Drew and Holly by showing up at one of their 5K races. After I completed my first 5K and told them that I had started running, I decided to try and go a little bit farther. I decided my next race would be the Nashville half marathon. After I completed that, I decided I wanted to see if I could go farther. By the end of my first summer running I have completed 2 ultra marathons. As you can tell, my running has kind of snowballed into a mental & physical competition with myself to see how far I can go. I will be attempting a 50 mile race this march. Right now, I am running to see how far I can go.

There are a lot of things that keep me running. I like the look I get when I tell people, " I am only doing an 18 mile race this weekend".
I like to be the one who cleans the spider webs off the trails in the morning.
I like to run with a head lamp until the sun comes up and shines through the trees.
I like the solitude of running alone and I also like the camaraderie of running with a group of people.
I like the way my body feels when I am about to fall out after 26 miles (Its kinda euphoric).
I like the way everyone on the trail is so friendly. You can meet a person during a race and find out things about them that some of their closest friends don't know.
I like to see the occasional wildlife on the trail.
I also like to observe the subtle changes on the trail through out the different seasons. For instance, the mushroom that's been sitting there for two weeks or the tree that takes longer to loose its leaves, or the one area that is always boggy, or the area where its always foggy in the mornings. I love nature.
Most of all, I like the feeling of accomplishment when I cross the finish line.

I guess its really a combination of multiple factors that make me run. One day I might be able to give you a solid answer but for now its a little bit of everything above and some other stuff too.