By Ornery Author Ryan Chukuske
These are different times. We continue to hear that over and over. And yes, it’s certainly true but one thing has remained the same. The running community remains strong. We remain committed. And most importantly, we remain connected with each other even when we couldn’t always be with each other. Unfortunately, many of our favorite races were getting cancelled or rescheduled during the pandemic. However, the emergence of the virtual race allowed for us avid (or let’s be honest, stubborn) runners to keep on keeping on. Virtual races are nothing new. COVID didn’t create them but it certainly brought more attention to idea. And on May 14, 2021, I continued my tradition of participating for the second year in the Bigger than the Trail (BTTT) Block Party Virtual Run.
BTTT is a Midwest based, nonprofit organization that utilizes trail running as a means to advocate for mental health awareness. Tommy Byrnes began this group because of close and personal connections with mental health. The entire purpose of BTTT is to help provide educational support and treatment options. And it’s not just for people who run. Running can be a great method of dealing with mental health issues but it’s not the actual focus of BTTT. Instead, the organization is concerned with the individuals they can impact. The goal is to bring light to the real struggles and challenges that go along with mental health.
So, Tommy had an idea. This was taken straight from the BTTT website: The BTTT Block Party is a virtual event for everyone. We ask that you run solo or with members from your household, respecting social distancing guidelines. We have distances ranging from 1 mile to 100 miles. Whatever distance you choose, you participate in the block party by stepping out of your front door and using your neighborhood block to create your unique course. May is mental health month, and now more than ever, we want to let people know that mental health matters! Even though we can't be together physically, by registering for this event you are making a clear statement that mental health matters to you. The $20 registration fee is a tax-deductible donation that goes directly towards providing online counseling to those who need it most. The 2021 BTTT Block Party is a running event, as running is our organization's platform, but more importantly, we are fighting against the stigma of mental health. We may not be together in person for this event, but we will be doing everything we can to stay connected with all of you to make this experience unforgettable!
I am fortunate to be an ambassador for BTTT and this race was everything I needed. I decided once again that the 100-mile race would be my run of choice. Too many of my races had been cancelled or rescheduled and I needed something to get me out and tested (and I had the Kettle Moraine 100 miler coming up as well). I’d been staying very motivated during the whole “Stay at Home” order that had been placed on Minnesota. I participated in a virtual 200-mile challenge but that wasn’t an all at once kind of run. I did the 200 miles over the course of eight days. I wanted the BTTT Block Party race to feel as “real” as possible. So, I set up a “home base” of sorts in my camper that was parked in my front yard. This basically looked exactly how many aid stations look (if not a bit more luxurious). I had a grill, a refrigerator with sandwiches, a bed, bathroom, and fully stocked with your typical aid station food options. This would serve as my go to area throughout the entire 100-mile experience.
Although the event official began at 8am CST on May 15, it was made very clear that we could start whenever we wanted. I was paying attention to the weather report for the weekend and there was a lot of rain forecasted for what would be the back half of the 100 if I started at the exact start time. I was planning on spending most of the Friday before to get things set up, take care of normal weekend chores such as mowing the yard, restocking groceries, etc., however, that changed with the weather report. Instead, with the advice from my much more intelligent wife, I decided to start running on Friday afternoon. I rushed through Friday morning to get everything ready to go with the goal of starting by 1pm.
At 12:46pm, I was out for a grand adventure. I had no course. No direction. No spectacular pre-race gathering where there would typically be nervous energy fueled conversations with others. Nope. It was me against the next 100 miles of wherever the hell I felt like going. I decided to take a nice leisurely stroll down to the Minnesota River and get a bit of trail running in to start the adventure. I figured that I would take some larger chunks of mileage earlier in the race and stick it close to my camp as the time and miles added up. The river trail proved to be a great way to start as it was a gorgeous day and there were lots of people out walking, running, biking, etc. It kind of made it feel more like a real race. I said, “hello” to passersby and maintained a good 10 to 11-minute mile pace. Every now and then I found myself getting a bit too feisty and had to pull back.
After around 15 miles, I took a quick trip back to my house, grabbed the running stroller, and went to pick my three-year-old son up from daycare. After the drop off, I was at 18 miles and made my first trip to my camp. I refilled my water bottle, ate some ham, turkey, and cheese sandwiches and was back on my way. Now the real block party began. I started plotting out various neighborhoods to go visit. Basically, the plan was going to attempt to not repeat too much, see some of the city that I don’t typically get around to, and just try to keep my mind strong. I think that may have been the most difficult part of the virtual ultra. During regular races, it’s easy enough to start letting negative thoughts infiltrate the mind. Tell you that you’re not good enough. You’re not strong enough. It’s so easy to give up now. During a virtual race when your nice warm bed and a cold beer is only a few simple miles away, the mind plays some dirty tricks.
I stopped by the house because my wife had made a pizza. That was such a rejuvenating experience. I left feeling so alive. As night was starting to approach, I was closing in on 36 miles. I stopped by the house again to say goodnight, visit my camp, and adventure into the darkness. I decided to head out of the city again and onto another state trail. It was paved but still nice to leave the oh so joyous scenic views of people’s houses. I took a nice 14 mile out and back and then returned again to my camp. The rest of the night consisted of some short loops through neighborhoods close to the camp so that if I started to struggle, I could perhaps rest. I was gazing into the cloudless night sky and noticed that Venus was particularly bright. I became mesmerized by the beauty and solitude of both the planet and my journey. This journey was so amazing. No one else near me. Me against myself. Venus shining brightly. Venus…moving?
Yeah, turns out each time I gazed upon the beauty of bright and majestic Venus; I was actually spotting an airplane landing route that apparently was rather busy this particular evening. The mind sees what the mind wants. So yeah, hallucinations are always fun. As morning approached, I was looking forward to connecting via social media with other people running various distances for BTTT. The virtual chat/video room was going live at 8am. By that time, I had only 7 miles left to finish. It was cool to see so many people connected. I made a brief check-in and then as I approached mile 100, I logged back in to share my “finish line” experience with others. It was so inspirational.
Taken from the BTTT social media, whether running or walking, distances ranged from 1 mile to 100! We witnessed PRs achieved and records were broken; but more importantly, lives were impacted. This event raised over $30,000! This money funds online counseling services for those struggling with their mental health. As an organization, we've seen people in desperate need of support, and our biggest fear is the possibility of having to turn someone away due to a lack of funds. We are blown away by how many of you showed up and humbled by your generosity and willingness to fundraise. Because of you, lives will be changed! Thank you for donating, spreading awareness, and working with us to defeat the stigma around mental health. Together we can do so much!
Being a part of this amazing organization has truly been a blessing and an honor. So many of us struggle from various mental health issues and often, we find ourselves trying to hide our thoughts and feelings. I struggled with depression and anxiety for years before finally admitting that I needed to seek help. I kept telling myself that I could handle it on my own. I kept feeling embarrassed and a sense of shame for not being able to “control” myself. The truth is, mental health concerns are extremely normal. And we are here for each other. There are people out there that want to help. We just need the courage to say, “I need help.”
Stay Ornery and Journey on my friends.
