On Deck...

The "Walkabout" from Longboard Larry. A good name, concept, and metaphor for what I dig about running and longboarding. Pilgrimages don't just come around at Thanksgiving.

Between 4 and 6 a.m., it is now not uncommon to catch a few longboards covering some of our running routes. If you don't see anyone out running on a Tuesday morning, it is likely there is a pool full of Rise Up Runners at the Talbot County Y.M.C.A. With cold comes cross training.

But that's not exactly what happened with me this winter. I got shown the way back to skateboarding. Not my old ollie, rail slide skateboarding, but long distance longboarding. 20 years ago, my free time was spent doing some combination of running, skateboarding and writing. That sounds much like the last couple weeks :)

I wouldn't have thought to combine distance running with longboarding. But having gone out for 16 miles, 13 miles, 9 miles, it is a great synthesis of things that are life affirming for me.

When I run I don't care if I never see pavement. So much the better. But now I'm in the habit of scoping around for smooth stretches of road or parking lots. I enjoy the variation. And I enjoy the possibities and adventures that distance longboarding has opened up. We have several great paved rail trails on Kent Island, around Annapolis, D.C., and leading into Baltimore. You'll be reading about our treks to various places--both online and in print.

In 2009, readers of The 4-1-Run will get their fill of trail running and running; fastpacking and multi-sport events; the antics of the Rise Up Runners, and adventures in longboarding. It's a current in RUR that's caught a few of us--Landy, Charlie and shortly Derek at the outset. If you want to get an idea of what is possible and what people are doing on longboards, check out James Peters's Pavedwave website and forum. A clearinghouse for long distance pumping and skateboarding. And if you think runners have the market and media corned for being nutty, you can check out Adam Colton and the crew embarking on Long Treks on Skate Decks--skating through South America.

As my race calendar develops for 2009, you'll notice the first event on it is a brainchild of Peters and the Pavedwave: Ultra Skate 2009. We'll be shooting for 100 miles and then decide if we'll keep going to try to make 24 hours. Yep, this is right up our alley :)