Following Through

Okay, last long night run, I bailed @ 24 miles. I said "I felt a few blisters coming on" but if I were to admit it to myself, it was a way to justify cutting out early. This is VERY WRONG. When you commit to something, you need to see it through to the very end. One needs to "break through" those mental boundaries that we all set up within our minds. We always seem to justify things we do even when we know that we have not done our best. Not this time though. My mental picture when we gathered for our 2nd 30 mile night training run was to finish strong & complete the task.

Brian; as always; gives us our last minute directions. Bob & friends listen intently.

Soon after heading off, the group began to spread out & everybody moved into their usual positions (for me, it is generally near the back of the pack).

Talking was lively at first as we were all still fresh. Scott; a newcomer to our group was in fine form as he heads east on the trail after crossing Yale Ave.

By the time we all got to Memorial, it was dusk. Cold drinks & snacks awaited us courtesy of our beloved crews; Derek & Laurie England, Brian Hoover & Sonya. Brian directs Kirk to the treats.

When you are out on the trail in the dark & often alone, your mind plays tricks on you. Such was the case when I saw this HUGE MAN EATING crawdad cross the trail & almost take off my leg!

(Well it looked huge when I ran across it in the dark anyway.)

We continued onwards towards NSU & a sign advertising for the university caught me as perfect for the moment.

I mean we "had gathered here" (at the aid station) & we "had gone far" (by now we were at the 15-16 mile turn around. I mean, how far can we go?

Here my running mentor & good friend K1 (aka Trail Zombie) chats with Sonya while he messes with his camera (as always).

Lyle & Charis also were at the half way point & offered a nice pose for the camera.

Before heading back, Sonya was kind enough to take a photo of the "Special Ks".

Oh, and these "special K's as well; K1 & K2.

About 9 of us completed the full 30 mile run & we felt Great. Thanks to K1 for hangin' back with me near the end.

Next stop - 50 Mile Midnight Madness running July.

Run on & God Bless;
K2

Running Hope Through America

Lisa Smith-Batchen, one of the world's premier ultra-runners, will be the first person to attempt (or should I say complete) run 50 miles in each of the 50 states.

Lisa came through Tulsa on her way to completing this awesome & inspiring goal. Know No Boundaries as well as many friends of Runner's World Tulsa & the Tulsa Area Trail Ultra runners (TATUR) got to run some

(or all) with her and her good friend & running partner Sister Mary Beth Lloyd.

Kathy was leading the pack in the wee hours of the morning while the rest of us accompanied Lisa & Sister Mary Beth. Lisa's project; Running Hope Through America; is done through her foundation, The Dreamchaser Foundation. 100% of the donations will be distributed between (3) organizations -

• Orphan Foundation of America


• AIDS Orphans Rising


• Caring House Project

If there were ever a person who truly pushes the boundaries & who has beaten the internal mental battle that keeps us all trapped within our mental/physical/spiritual prison, it is Lisa.

Runner's World Tulsa set up aid station tents at the start & turn around points in order to provide needed snacks & drinks for Lisa, Sister Mary Beth & all of the rest of us who joined in to support Lisa.

Sr. Mary Beth & Arnold zip through while Brian maned the tent.

Once the sun came up, there seemed to be more people who came out to run with Lisa & Sister Mary Beth & to support here cause.

We even had a moment to play cowboy when we took a brief side trip along the West side of the River Parks trails & hoped on an old western stage coach.

As you can see, Lisa has a very daunting schedule with a lot of road time in their RV. She was in Little Rock, Arkansas Friday & after Tulsa, will be heading down to Dallas, Texas to continue on here journey.

And like every one of life's endeavors, we need some time to stop & rest, re-group & re-focus ;even if it is just changing shoes & getting off of our feet for a few minutes & donning a pair of compression tights (I've gotta try these one day).

It was nice for Joe to join us after running in the Aquarium Half Marathon held earlier in the morning.

We even had our own local ultra running celebrity Ken Childress (aka Trail Zombie & K1) also join us after the Aquarium Half Marathon.

With this said & the state of Oklahoma now checked off of Lisa's list, & will offer my deepest prayers to her & Sister Mary Beth.

May God's strength always be with you in all that you do & may He richly bless you & your efforts and when our time is done & we are face to face with Heavenly Our Father, may He welcome you into heaven with the words "Well done my good & faithful servant. Welcome home."

God Bless you & be sure to Know No Boundaries.

K2

April TATUR TOTS Run on Turkey Mountain

After a brief hiatus from running (mainly due to the fact that I have been in the Omani desert for several weeks), KNB was back in good form (well maybe not so good form). Several friends met in the Turkey Mountain parking lot for a great trail run "on the mountain". (I have never figured out why it is called " a mountain" or what the association is with turkeys.)

The sky was a bit ominous as dark clouds & threatening rain were all around us.

Off we headed onto the trails.

Ahh, the fresh scent of wet leaves, humid woody air & an occasional squishy step.

Over the mountain & through the woods we tramped. Unfortunately Grandma's House was no where to be found.Fourtunately the Big Bad Wolf was also not found (nor did he find us).

Occasionally however, we get to experience trail running at its best. We had the occasion to have twins on the trail.Not exactly idential twins, but close. No tears & no discouragement on trail running. Yes there are the occasional "boo boo", but we are then offered the wonderful opportunity to see God's beauty unfold before us as we step out of the woods.

And with this parting shot, I will bid you farewell & God's Blessings on you, your family & your loved ones.

Until next time;

K2

Anything on the horizon?

KNB is constantly looking for what is on the horizon, what is out there that can truly push the boundaries?


First is the 50 Mile Midnight Madness being held right here in Tulsa, Oklahoma on July 2nd - 3rd.

Some good heat training will be needed as July gets a bit toasty here in T-Town.

I also got an e-mail from the Lean Horse Ultra in South Dakota later in August. The video is quite entising. Let's see what life throws our way to see if we can make it.

http://vimeo.com/8599616

This is a 100 miler & is supposed to be a great course.

Further into the year is Part 3 of Mother Road! (YEA). This will be a bit closer to home as it runs from the NE corner of the OKlahoma/Kansas border, runs along old Route 66 & ends at the Hard Rock Hotel here in Tulsa.

Let's see what the next few months brings & what boundaries we can break through.

Fundraising efforts will be ratcheting up so visit our website to help.

www.knownoboundaries.org

God Bless You;

K2

Mentoring

Mentors; we could all use them & they help guide us in many areas of our lives. We have spiritual mentors, business mentors, financial mentors & sports mentors. All of them are people who have achieved some level of excellence in an area that we are aspiring to improve. They can make a major difference in whether or not we reach that "dream level" of excellence or often times even finish our goal at all.

Everyone talks about how important they are, companies discuss the role that they play in new hires & up & coming managers so we can all agree that having a mentor (or two) could play a crucial role in many aspects of or lives.

Where does one find a mentor? They can be a local person in our city who we know, it could be someone we are introduced to through an acquaintance, it could be a work associate or even some who has long died & we learn from them through books. With all of this said, one would think that finding a mentor would be fairly easy.

Well my friend, I hate to burst your bubble, but they are not. Companies talk about the importance of mentors but yet they do not have mentorship programs. Okay maybe they have the for newly hired college graduates, but what about those of us already in the workforce who are aspiring to grow & achieve more. We seem to be left alone. They talk the talk but do not walk the walk.

Such is the same even with those we know. They also know the importance of a mentor & might have even had someone mentor them, but now one is willing to take the time or make the effort to mentor someone else.

So what is a person to do who may be seeking a mentor? Well my friend, my suggestion would be to become a mentor yourself. I believe that if we become mentors to someone else, it will create the environment, the magnetism, the karma so to speak, that will ultimately draw that mentor into your life at just the right time & will be just the right person.

Your homework then, is to go out into the world & become a mentor to someone.

God Bless You;
Ken