How and when did you get into trail running?
In 2005 with no true background in running at all, computer desk book worm with “zip, zero, nada” sports inclination or ability.I was asked to complete the NYC marathon in place of a loved one whose battle with breast cancer took its toll. Little did I know that this would be of great significance later on.I got the running bug from there, it became part of my life and fueled the curiosity and excitement: what else can this amazing gift of a human machine do?
Destination road running became part of the bucket list, you know, the ” Rockn’Roll” series and the charity runs like “Susan G Komen”. Those became a way to explore and “sight seeing a city in one day” and give back in charity service while enjoying the sport I came to love. Volunteering was part of that emotional rush, the energy of each participant and the meaning of all the training behind the day they step on that starting line to the moment they cross their finish line. But this bug became a strong one and running goals became longer …much much longer.
In 2008, a hunger for challenging the boundaries of endurance, the next adventure was triathlon, Sprint, Olympic, Half Ironman and ultimately Ironman. Although exciting as well, three discipline sports lead to a lot of injuries and trail running became part of my cross training activity and meeting the folk of the Indiana Trail Running Club at Fort Ben. There met my first group of amazing trail running friends:Terry Fletcher, Debi Alexander, Rich Smith, Dave Darnell, Steve Decker, Sondra Davis, Erin Hazler, Sherri Ferguson, Robert Gee, Johnathan McClean, Brian Holzhousen, Steve Baber, Denise Poynter and many more.
Little did I know that the trails would become the main “kahuna”, the “mana of life energy” that would ignite the most amazing days of my life. Meeting Midwest trail running and ultra-running community of amazing supportive like minded trail junkies; who enjoyed the dirt, the grind, the community service, the challenge, the struggle and together, the honestly and truly celebrating milestones, the accomplishments and the victories of each other. Indiana Trail Running Club remains my extended “trail junkie” family and treasured lifelong friends since 2010.
Like minded people that transcended the limits and hop into the ultra distances, hundred milers became my sweet spot. With ITRA I volunteered with passion supporting and working running events for children and adults, as well as trail maintenance duties in multiple national parks of Indiana. IT100, Tecumseh, OPSF, DINO Series, Jackson 50/50 amongst others became staples of the impact of the Indiana trail running community and members of ITRA. And upon my cancer diagnosis on 11/11, it has been the friends I have been blessed to have to navigate this journey and support even crazier projects like crossing the length of PR in 2015 for the San Jorge Children Foundation. Then in 2018 a heart calling project Indiana Crossing for a Cure IC4C, traversing the length of indiana from the southernmost point to the northernmost point all to raise funds for pediatric cancer arriving at Riley Children’s Hospital on 11/11. All of these projects would not have been possible without the support of family, friends and above all the loving, caring crazies of the ITRA community.
What is your favorite memory with ITRA?
My favorite by far are the events we support both running and volunteering: Tecumseh Trail Challenge, DINO trail series, one of my favorites IT100, OPSF 50/50 and many more events for which we volunteer in the preparation, participate in the event and return muddy and giddy to encourage, support and cheer for others to achieve their goals may it be for the first time or a personal best; and giving big hugs, filled with admiration and joy for their success, ya, those hugs are unforgettable.
What are your favorite trails to run or hike?
In Indiana Fort Ben Harrison and Southwestway Park for a near to home escape, and without doubt Yellowood Hoosier National Forest.
Are you currently planning for any races or adventures?
When the “Oswalds” stop growing, and can call this “cancer” chapter a “done and done” the day will come to rejoin the trails and the camaraderie of the endurance and trail running community. For now, I remain vicariously enjoying the adventures, cheering and supporting fellow runners. Ever so often I get a burst of “whatchamacallit” and just show up on any given 11/11 day, do some crazy distance with Riley and San Jorge kiddos in my heart and pay dearly for weeks …yet with a big smile and a full heart.
Bucket list place you want to explore?
Definitely return to the western US Colorado and the Navajo Nation or maybe, just maybe….return for another long distance for “Crossing 4 A Cure”… BELIEVE! 😉