“We wish to spend our time running on a mountain or forest trail, sitting around a campfire, living close to nature and seeking what is wild and free.”
If I were to scratch out the 2 pronouns in the above
statement and replace them with “I” and “my”… it would represent me perfectly.
Over the years… my view on trail running has transformed from being a
hobby/sport into a lifestyle. I now need nature like I need bread and water. I
feel most at peace and connected with the universe when I’m moving through the
woods under my own accord. The self-propelled freedom that trail running offers
has completely changed my outlook on life. It’s truly made me step back and
sincerely appreciate not only the beauty of God’s creation… but to also appreciate
the relationships, hardships and the little moments that make life so uniquely beautiful.
As simple and pure as trail running can be… I feel as though
it oftentimes gets tainted. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the
race scene and to get tunnel vision with your training. I am no different. I
often find myself focusing on the next big event and veering towards a more
competitive mindset. Thankfully… I’ve learned to realize when I get to this
point and it is now easier for me to reel myself back in and get back to my
roots. Though racing is a blast… I more enjoy the daily routine of getting into
nature for a run. Some of my favorite moments have come when I’m alone or with
close friends on an adventure in the mountains… no race... no competition... just moving freely exploring wild places...
I’ve been blessed beyond belief to have the opportunity to
be an ambassador for a handful of companies. I can’t even begin to explain how
much the FARM has done for me. The FARM has been incredibly supportive
of my goals and ambitions and has helped me become an all-around better
mountain athlete. Beau and Sloan are 2 of the most passionate people I’ve ever
met and if you’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting or working with them… their
love for their profession and love for their patient's well being shines through.
I’m a firm believer in supporting companies and products
that I truly believe, trust and/or
use. Much like the FARM… Territory Run Co is another company that I
stand behind 100%.
Territory Run Co is an independent trail running apparel
brand based out of Portland, Oregon that was created to empower the wild hearted. Back
when Territory first started up… the owner (Brett) contacted me to see if I had
any interest in helping spread the word of his company in the South. Today... I am
fortunate enough to be an actual ambassador for the company. Don’t get me
wrong… Territory has a ton of rad clothing and gear… but that’s not the main
reason I love this company. The main reason I love this company is for what
they stand for and the culture/lifestyle they promote…
“We wish to spend our time running on a mountain or forest trail,
sitting around a campfire, living close to nature and seeking what is wild and
free.”
I dig their mission statement because it’s basically my
mission statement. Territory is not geared towards ultra distances. It’s not
geared towards the elite fast runners. It’s geared towards anyone that has a passion
for getting outdoors, being active and striving to be closer to nature.
Pic by: Territory Run Co
I think sometimes people get the misconception that trail
running is just for those who want to run long distances. I for one adore
covering long distances, traversing mountain ranges and pushing my limits
through the more harsh and rugged terrain… and I will continue exploring these
boundaries until I am no longer capable. But you don’t have to cover long
distances or run fast to be a trail runner or to enjoy the trails. Trail running
is what YOU make it… what YOU want to get out of your time in nature. You don’t
have to prove or explain yourself to anyone. Every single person sees the world differently.
There’s no right or wrong way to enjoy the trails. If you don't feel comfortable running... then walk. If you don't have time or don't have the desire to spend hours upon hours wandering the woods... then simply walk outside of your office for 10 minutes and enjoy the fresh air. Some of my favorite and most
meaningful runs have been less the 4 miles… less than an hour… to one of my
favorite spots… King’s Chair.
Pic by: Varina Hart
Kings Chair is a popular hiking destination nestled at the
north end of Oak Mountain State Park. In my opinion… King’s Chair
overlook provides the best view in the whole park!
Its rocky cliff side
provides the perfect spot to soak in the beauty of Alabama.
The route primarily used starts at the North Trail Head and
follows the Blue Trail for roughly 2 miles. For such a short distance… it is one of
the harder routes in the park (right under 1000ft gain for the 4m round trip).
The trail is filled with rocks, roots and climbs...
Pic by: Varina Hart
There is honestly no telling how many times I’ve made the
trek to Kings Chair in the last 5yrs I’ve been running. But no matter how many
times I run the route… it always seems different. Like each sunrise… no 2 runs
have been the same.
I’ve spent countless hours alone on this cliff side… day dreaming...
Pic by: Varina Hart
Relaxing...
Being weird…
Praying...
Countless hours with close friends…
Pic by: Sunny Workman
Even spent some hours clinking bottles in celebration of new jobs,
birthdays and other achievements…
Pic by: Chulwon Parks
**Disclaimer: I ALWAYS
PACK MY TRASH IN and PACK IT OUT! EVERY. SINGLE. PIECE. ALWAYS. You
should too! ALWAYS.**
**Do NOT litter the trails. The trails gods are always
watching.**
One of my favorite things is when I get the chance to play trail guide to
people that have never been to Kings Chair. I get so many messages from people
asking directions… or asking if I will take them to the overlook. There’s
nothing more enjoyable than showing someone a beautiful place for the first
time.
Though there is no guarantee that you will always get a
spectacular view…
The trip up is ALWAYS
worth it.
Pic by: Varina Hart
But out of all the time I’ve spent up at Kings Chair… the
most magical moments have been at sunrise…
There is something ridiculously satisfying about flipping on
a headlamp and setting out through the woods on a run in the pre-dawn darkness.
Maybe it’s the idea that the world for the most part is still asleep… and it is
as if the world is my own personal playground.
Pushing up a mountain in the dark… watching the sky start
to slowly gain color through the canopy… and finally settling in on a
summit/overlook to wait for the universe to display its glory by eloquently
painting the sky with the most vivid colors…
Well… if you can't tell... it excites me like nothing else.
Pic by: Ryan James
Over the years… God has blessed me with plenty of
breathtaking sunrises from Kings Chair!
Since Kings Chair is on the north end of the park and the
only gate that opens at 6am is the south gate… it is extremely difficult to get
up to Kings Chair before sun up. It usually takes a speedy
effort and a certain season of the year to get up to the overlook with enough time to see the sun actually rise above the horizon.
When the Territory Run Co ambassador crew started hosting
Runners of the Wild Sunrise Runs… I got excited and knew immediately that I
wanted to plan one for Kings Chair. I figured most of the trail runners in the area would love the opportunity to get into the park early for a sunrise... but I didn't want to strictly limit it to a "running" event. Instead... I wanted to promote it as more of a run/hike/just come out an enjoy the woods kind of event. I figured if there was a shorter and set route with the premise of it being a "group" outing... it would attract a more diverse group. I thought the "group" outing would give the people that were nervous about being in the woods in the dark... or the ones not familiar with the trails... a chance to safely and confidently experience a trip to King's Chair. Though I figured most of the group would be trail runners... I really wanted to give an opportunity to ANYONE (road runners, hikers, non runners, etc) who had an interest in the event.
I’ve had the pleasure of directing the inaugural running of Race to the Lake that took place last summer and worked closely with the park to set the event up… so I shot an email over to the park’s events coordinator to pitch the idea. Anna quickly responded with an excited approval. I have to say… this girl is nothing short of amazing! Anna has been extremely helpful and incredibly supportive of the trial running community! I’m so thankful we have someone so passionate about the park and the outdoors in the events coordinator position at OMSP!
I’ve had the pleasure of directing the inaugural running of Race to the Lake that took place last summer and worked closely with the park to set the event up… so I shot an email over to the park’s events coordinator to pitch the idea. Anna quickly responded with an excited approval. I have to say… this girl is nothing short of amazing! Anna has been extremely helpful and incredibly supportive of the trial running community! I’m so thankful we have someone so passionate about the park and the outdoors in the events coordinator position at OMSP!
After a quick back and forth… we worked out the details with
the park. They were going to allow us to gain entry at 5am. A 5am entry would give
everyone plenty of time to drive out to the north trail head and get ready to
set out on a run by 530am. I want to extend a huge thank you to Anna and Oak
Mountain State Park for allowing me to put on the event! I truly appreciate the
support and yall’s willingness to make experiences like this happen!
Runners of the Wild – Kings Chair Sunrise Run
I pulled into the North Trail Head parking lot around 510am and sat on my tailgate sipping coffee. When I first set up the event... I had honestly expected no more than 15-20 people to commit to the run. I had promoted the event via Facebook and Instagram... and thanks to the BUTS Facebook page, Oak Mt's, Buy Local's, Hike Alabama's and other various Instagram reposts...it had spread around Birmingham pretty quickly. And boy was I wrong about the numbers... within a matter of minutes... the entire North Trail Head parking lot was completely filled! I was blown away with the size of the turnout. Over 40 people showed up!
A few minutes before 530am... I gathered everyone together and spoke briefly about the outing.
"A quick show of hands... how many people have NEVER been to King's Chair before?"
I got really excited when over half the group raised their hands because I knew they were in for a treat.
Beau Beard and David Corrie hopped out front to lead the group onto the trail (I appreciate that guys... not sure if I told yall!) while I stayed back to wait a few minutes for any late arrivals. Once the parking lot went dark and was no longer filled with the light of headlamps... I started out on the Red Trail. Selfishly I wanted to take an alternate path to see if I could catch sight of the line of lights marching through the darkness... and to be honest... those few moments I spent running up the Red/Blue Connector alone... were hands down my favorite part of the morning. Why? I think Stacy Williams nailed it when she said...
"it seemed so surreal when we looked up ahead and behind us on the way up and saw a line of headlamps winding up the mountain."
Pic by: Abby Cahill
Knowing that most of the people that formed the line of lights that was bouncing along the trail in the dark of morning were doing something completely out of their routine and possibly out of their comfort zone... was incredibly inspiring.
I didn't want anyone to miss a turn... so I ran up ahead of the group a little to get to the top of the ridge to direct people out to King's Chair.
I didn't want anyone to miss a turn... so I ran up ahead of the group a little to get to the top of the ridge to direct people out to King's Chair.
I loved watching the line of lights making their way between the ridges...
The sun was set to rise at 620am... so I waited till 610am at the turn before heading up to join the rest of the group...
When I arrived at King's Chair... I really couldn't believe how many people were there!
Those that got up before the sun caught some pretty sweet views of the moon...
Pic by: Russell Williams
Pic by: Karen Mcdonald
It was great seeing so many familiar faces...
And smiles on faces of people that I've never even seen before...
Pic by: Julie Davis Pearce
It never ceases to amaze me how something as simple as watching the sun rise... can bring people together in such happiness...
Pic by: James Enders
Pic by: Mark Ingle
Pic by: Mark Ingle
Pic by: Kelli Hood
Pic by: Karen Mcdonald
Pic by: Ladd Davis
The King's Chair crowd finally dispersed. Some went on their separate ways and continued their morning on the trails to see the other sights in the park...
Pic by: Hunter Lane
Others made their way back down to the parking lot. Unfortunately the package of Territory Run Co stickers and water bottles that I was going to pass out post run was lost in transit earlier in the week... so to make up for it...I bought a few dozen donuts.
Being his awesome self... Brett let me raffle off 2 shirts from the sign in list! I gave everyone who signed the notebook a number and then through a random online number generator drew 2 names to receive a Territory Run Co shirt!
In my brief time on this planet... I've found reason to believe that nature is the universal language. Nature doesn't judge you for your beliefs... doesn't care which religion you practice... doesn't look at you any differently because of your ethnicity. I honestly feel that nature is one of the few things we all have in common and can enjoy harmoniously together.
Pic by: Beau Beard
I hope to continue doing these types of events. Events that make people get out of their normal routine and allows a chance to slow down and experience the beauty of nature with other like minded people. Thanks again to Territory Run Co and Oak Mountain State Park for making this event possible. I hope each of you received a blessing from the gorgeous Sunday morning. Stay wild.
"Run long, run wild and howl loudly!"
