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By David Freeze

Back in 2007, though it feels like yesterday, I got to spend a week in London. It had been a dream for quite a while to run the London Marathon and I finally made it happen. I flew over on an all-night flight to Berlin, then connected to London early on Saturday morning. The marathon was on Sunday, my first tour of the great city. I thought of this memorable adventure often while watching Queen Elizabeth’s funeral on Monday morning.

Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, the Thames River and so many more great sights of London just made for a fabulous week. I rented a room in the YMCA and walked nearly everywhere, interacting with interesting people and had yet another mountaintop experience. A few years afterwards, I taught a seminar at the South Branch of the Rowan County Library on finding your own adventure and I wanted to share some of the key points.

Adventure definition — an exciting or unusual experience, a bold and sometimes risky undertaking, often taking a chance while out of your comfort level. The most important thought related to this definition is that an adventure is something you may have thought about but haven’t done. Maybe your adventure scares you a little, or maybe you just keep putting it off. I’m fortunate to get to talk with people I meet almost daily about having adventures. But finding your own adventure doesn’t have to mean something physically hard and scary.

Why experience adventure? Because adventure is a form of play and nearly always includes some fun. Experiencing an adventure adds joy to life and will almost assuredly provide new perspectives and expand your personal freedoms. Once some boundary is opened, an adventure often breeds thoughts of more of the same. Or better yet, an even higher level of adventure. My first long-distance bike ride was an example of overcoming a boundary, then wanting an even greater achievement. I drove to West Virginia to ride along the Greenbrier River for three days in 2011. After falling off the bike before I rode out of the parking lot and then an exhausting ride in snow and rain, I fell in love with an adventure on two wheels. Totally worn out when driving home, I decided to seek a much longer and challenging cycling adventure. My next ride was 54 days across America.

More good things happen when we seek out adventure. Psychological benefits are numerous. We can supercharge learning and problem-solving plus adventure often stimulates imagination. Adventure also builds self-esteem, sense of well-being, refreshes the mind and body and increases energy. Often, I’m physically whipped at the end of long day, yet a boundless energy from somewhere within pushes me out the door the next morning.

Defining success when seeking and then planning your own personal adventure is easier than you think. Make sure your activity isn’t overwhelming, does match your interests and your available time frame, while meeting physical and financial constraints. Work through why you want to do this and who will go along. Seeking your adventure means getting more information, so getting started means doing your research, contacting experts, having an open mind and a willingness to adjust. Plan for leaving work behind while you seek adventure.

Some ideas from seminar attendees included skydiving, an African safari, visiting London, Paris, Ireland and Scotland, learning to waterski, pilot a plane, backpacking, beekeeping, hiking the John Muir trail in California. It might be as simple as visiting a new town or state, or camping outside on a rainy or chilly night. The possibilities are endless! Start researching and planning now and go find your own adventure!

The best thing to do with life is to live it!

The next race locally is the T-Man’s 5K in Mooresville on Oct. 8. Look for more information on this and other events at  www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.

By David Freeze

Competing in one of our fall races is a lot of fun! Rather running or walking the event, you have much to do with the fun meter and so do those around you. By being considerate of others and them doing the same for you, all involved can have a magical and memorable experience.

Here are a few things that we all should do right. As a veteran of over 1,000 races, I’ve seen all of these happen. And I continue to see them as a race volunteer.

Arrive on time to get checked in, make your bathroom visit and get to the starting line well before the horn or gun goes off. Best rule of thumb is to arrive at the race site an hour before start time.

Make sure you’ve paid the entry fee, are wearing the proper race bib and have it securely pinned on. Banditing the race (not paying but still running) has never been cool nor will it become so. When picking up your race bib, make sure before you leave the area that all information listed is correct. And use the pins provided to make sure it stays on.

Line up at the start line relative to your ability. Nearly everyone knows their ability to run or walk the race distance, but if you don’t, then line up toward the back. Most of those runners on the front line have earned their way there with consistently fast finishes. If you don’t belong there, move to the middle or back of the pack.

If you are running in a group, run at the very side of the road or toward the back. Trying to get around a slower group is very challenging in a race. Especially if the group started in the front and are gradually being passed by most of the competitors, thus ending up in the back anyway.

Say thanks to every volunteer you see, or if you’re out of breath, then wave and smile. The reason you can compete is because enough volunteers signed on to make the race happen. Your thanks may be all they get besides a shirt and refreshments. Same goes for police officers or firefighters working the event. Tell them you appreciate their presence.

Run the correct course. Shorting the course by running around cones or on the sidewalk is a prime example of poor sportsmanship.   

Don’t wear headphones in a race. You can’t hear what is happening around you and that is never good. Don’t bring your dog unless specifically told by organizers or the race brochure that you can. The worst racing accident I ever saw was caused by an excited dog. Road Runners Club of America does not allow either headphones or dogs in championship races and discourages them in all events except those that allow them.

When crossing the finish line, don’t immediately stop just a few steps across. Keep walking on through the finish chute so that you don’t block others. Don’t immediately stop and bend over or collapse on the ground. I heard these actions called “theatrics and attention getters” when I was a young runner and I’ll never forget it.

Don’t pass others in the finish chute. If you couldn’t beat them on the race course, its too late once the race is over.

Once the race is over, don’t take more than your share of the refreshments. I once knew a runner who usually tried to take boxes of donuts and bunches of bananas. Race organizers have a formula for refreshments based on the number of participants. Don’t leave someone else wanting.

And finally, if you liked the event, thank the organizers. Do it in person or by email later. I was once told, “It’s a lot harder to run a race than work it.” I’ve done plenty of both and I can assure you that organizing one is much harder.

Look for next Saturday’s Run to the River 5K and other events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.