Dirt Circus 2024 - Running with Legends

"The crisp cold air filled my lungs. My heart was racing, nearly beating out of my chest. My legs felt heavy like steel barrels. My eyes were ferociously scanning every rock, leaf, branch & bump ahead as if my life depended on it. The trail seemed to disappear at times with everything in sight blending together. Fall in Arkansas had the trail covered with a beautiful blanket of spectacularly colored leaves. Something you don’t see much of in southern California! But there I was competing in the USATF 10k Championship with arguably some of the fastest people in America!"?

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HOW THE HECK DID I GET HERE!?

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Let me back up. A few months ago, I had sent a DM to the UltraSignup Instagram profile telling them I wanted to buy a lot of gift cards. The idea at the time was some sort of partnership around gift cards. Unexpectedly, they responded back within a couple of days saying they’d like to meet. A few emails back and forth and all of the sudden one of their CEOs, David Callahan gets pulled into the conversation as it caught his attention. Before I knew it we had landed a meeting with an epic brand in the trail community and a thought leader in the space. I was stoked! Never in a million years did I think I’d be speaking with UltraSignup about a collaborative partnership and yet here I was within a few weeks of being in a new position at cloudIT . David and Ben Yardley, MBA joined our first meeting where we were all introduced. I had a vision for what we wanted to do but it was still very unclear how it was all going to come together. I told them about my health journey the past couple years and how running completely changed my life. I shared with them my passion for the community and a desire to be a part of something bigger. I was determined to bring two totally different worlds together; trail running and IT/Cybersecurity. One being my passion and the other being my career. We started to brainstorm over several sessions and eventually landed on this event coming up in a few months called Dirt Circus. Located in Bentonville, Arkansas, this was the setting for the USATF 10k Championship. A race I had never heard of. But it seemed like a unique event. The perfect event to launch a partnership. Still a little uncertain how IT/Cybersecurity would tie into trail running and wondering how it would all come together, we pressed on and committed to planning for this event. After all, what could these two worlds possibly have in common?

The answer. Mental Health.

You see, IT and Cybersecurity are stressful. For years I’ve worked in the world of IT and Cybersecurity and every year the industry moves faster, expects less errors, and is increasingly more demanding making it even more stressful. This is for EVERYONE involved. Whether you’re selling the solution, receiving a service, choosing a vendor, or performing the actual IT & Cybersecurity support, testing, and remediation, you’re in a web of stress!?A nonprofit organization already on the forefront of this is Bigger Than The Trail. Creating a positive impact on mental health through awareness, community, and sport. Check them out to see how you can help support their cause.

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We talk about stress in IT and cybersecurity but if we were to break it down to three types of stress here, they are.

SALES STRESS:

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For sales there’s a large education gap with most of the SMB (small to midsize business) market when it comes to IT and Cybersecurity. Due to this it requires a lot of time and effort to help a prospective client understand how technology aligns with their business goals and why many layers of cybersecurity are necessary to mitigate risk and protect their business. We are tasked with helping business leaders make an informed decision even if they aren’t technical. Often shifting the mindset of IT and cybersecurity from being a cost center to being a revenue generator and an investment that protects their assets and the families that rely on their paycheck.

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CUSTOMER STRESS:

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If you’re a buyer vetting out a new partner, everyone sounds the same and it’s especially hard when vendors speak technically in terms that go over our heads. I can’t tell you how many horror stories I hear about every week from multiple organizations and how their technology provider failed them. There’s a lot on the line when choosing a trusted IT and Cybersecurity partner. Most of the time it’s because the partner didn’t slow down and take the time needed to truly understand their business, people, technology, and unique processes. After all, technology can make or break your business. And if you’re in a position of leadership making this decision, then it all falls on you. Forcing management to take extreme ownership. Talk about stress… I’m glad I’m on the side of sales because I couldn’t imagine being a buyer trying to focus on growing my own team and business while at the same time trying to keep up with technology and the ever-evolving diverse vendor landscape around IT and cybersecurity. No thanks!

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OPERATIONAL STRESS:

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If you’re on the support side, your @$$ feels like it’s on the line every day! The customer demands are growing and turn around on problem resolution is expected faster with little to no room for error. People’s literal businesses and families they feed are at stake when something goes wrong in the world of IT and Cybersecurity. I have watched many colleagues over the years on the support side lose themselves. Getting so wrapped up in their career that they forget to take care of themselves. Often causing them to develop unhealthy habits, leading to high levels of stressful IT situations and ultimately burnout.

CREATING A MOVEMENT

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So where am I going with all of this and how does it relate to running? Well, I’ll tell you. Since technology brings us so much stress, it’s important to pay close attention to our mental health and look for ways we can decompress. Getting outside and moving helps. That’s where running (or moving) comes into play. Getting up, moving, and breaking a sweat significantly enhances our ability to overcome stressors in life and can create a world where we truly feel limitless. Moving increases blood flow. Increased blood flow clears up brain fog and allows us to think more abstractly. With a clearer more creative mind, we're able to problem solve better take action with more confidence. With more confidence we're able to inspire more people who need it. It's a never-ending ripple effect all from simply moving more. Thats the mindset we should be aiming for is a world in which we live where there are no boundaries to what we can achieve.? No setback that will derail us from our mission. Nobody to tell us how far we can go.? That’s what the #RuncloudIT movement is all about! Inspiring others to passionately pursue their purpose and potential!

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THE CASH PRIZE & RAFFLE

To make things a little sweeter cloudIT donated to the prize purse making this the largest cash purse prize in short distance trail running history (at least to my knowledge). As if that wasn't enough, we also launched a raffle allowing entrants the chance to win FREE RACES FOR 2025. *Up to a $2,000. Free to enter but also awarded more entries for every $1 they donated. Helping bring more donations to the prize purse bringing the total to over $15,000!! It was really cool to see all the excitement around this come together. And it felt good to reward passionate, elite runners who work hard at their craft, inspire others, and deserve to be compensated for what they do for the sport.

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EARLY MORNING SETUP

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So here we were after months of planning, waking up at 4am in Bentonville, AR where over 800 miles of beautiful trails exist. We had designed specific logos for the event, ordered hats, shirts, wristbands, fanny packs, towels, stickers, and wristbands to giveaway at the event. Thanks to Jasmine Borden we had fun games, interviews and questions about running and cybersecurity that helped engage and educate the crowd.? Natalie Wolfson joined us too and helped setup as well as participate in the Women's 10k championship too. We worked diligently with two amazing race directors, Rob Goyen & Amanda Kubeczka who made things so easy for us. Accommodating us every step of the way. They helped make sure we understood all aspects of the event from the live stream production to logistics of merchandise and even allowed is to participate in the race! Hats off to them for running such an awesome event.

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The morning of the event came quick, and boy was it cold!! While setting up we had the opportunity to introduce ourselves to other vendors and staff. One of those people was Jamil Coury . Founder of Aravaipa event company and Trail Running Entrepreneur. Someone I (along with many other runners) look up to in the space who has really made a name for himself in helping protect the culture of the sport while also managing to grow it, too. He owns Mountain Outpost, which was the production company for this event putting on the live stream. He also recently purchased UltraRunning Magazine earlier this year. Jamil and I had the opportunity to connect prior to the event 1on1 where we got to know each other a bit more. After sharing my story with him and letting him know David Goggin’s book, Can’t Hurt Me, helped inspire me and exposed me to the world of Ultra-Running I was fascinated to learn that he ran beside him along with the likes of Christopher McDougall. Chris was the author of Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World has Never Seen back in the early 2000’s. The people and stories that inspired me to change my life was a time Jamil had lived through firsthand. He shared with me what it was like running besides Goggins who had a broken toe (of course) and Christopher McDougall and Jenn Shelton who were doing their research down in Chihuahua, Mexico spending time with the Tarahumarans known for their simple life, happiness, health, and of course, their running! Rob Goyden shared stories with me about spending a few weeks with these amazing people and getting to know a lot of the personas referred to in the book. Not to mention an unforgettable experience of a lifetime being welcomed and engrained into their historic culture. I spoke with Andy Jones-Wilkins & Jay Kelley about the early days of running and how before it was mainstream you just saw someone running and would literally run up alongside them and begin a conversation asking all about each other's journey. Andy shared his claim to fame being the time he came in 2nd place to the one and only Scott Jurek at Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run back in 2005. This was during Soctt Jurek's championship reign in the early 2000’s where he won WS100 7 times consecutively from 1999-2005. It was so cool to speak to some absolute legends and hear these stories firsthand. Something I don’t take for granted, I will cherish forever, and I will never forget.?

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THE INTERVIEW BEFORE THE RACE

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About 20 minutes before the race starts Jamil comes up to me and asks if I wanted to do an interview before or after the race. I knew they had planned to interview me but somehow it still caught me off guard. Maybe it was the fact that I was I was about to be on a live broadcast. Or maybe it was surreal having Jamil, a thought leader in the space seeking me out to interview. It also could’ve been the fact that I was about to share my story to the biggest audience to date. Most certainly it was a combination of all these things.? Anyhow, I figured I’d be pretty sweaty afterwards and most likely out of breath and inaudible so probably best I do this interview before the race.

There I was. sitting on the couch across from Chris Worden and Andy, the two commentators for the live race broadcast. They delivered the first question, and I began talking at what felt like 100mph. I kept telling myself internally to “Slow down. Take a deep breath.” Once I gathered myself every word seemed to fall into place and the conversation began to flow naturally with Chris and Andy. At one point they asked me what inspired the #runcloudIT movement. This led me to talking about my journey of wanting to be better. Digging deeper and knowing I had more potential within me. I let them know that we lost my brother-in-law, Nick Tuck, a few years back due to mental health challenges and that really stung. It opened my family's eyes to our own mental health journeys immensely. I felt myself getting choked up as I told them that and probably best, I had sunglasses on so they couldn’t see my eyes well up! It’s tough being vulnerable. It’s especially tough doing so to a larger audience. But it’s a necessary evil if you ever want to help inspire others. Imagine if we held back all our vulnerabilities and shortcomings. How much growth would we sacrifice over a lifetime? How many missed opportunities to help others would we overlook? What would Goggin’s story be like without knowing how his dad treated him? What would Oprah’s story be like without knowing her upbringing? What would J.K. Rowling’s story be like if she hadn’t shared her struggles while writing Harry Potter? As I’m writing this article, I’m literally talking with Mike DiGiovanni about how being vulnerable is so important and how it makes us human. Telling our story is one of the most difficult things we will ever do, but it is also the most rewarding. I could go so much deeper into this topic, but we’ll save that for another time… The interview goes on and we joke about whether or not I’m going to try to keep up with the elite runners. I told them no doubt that I could, but only through that first turn! I wouldn’t make my promises beyond that. Before I knew it the interview came to an end. I thanked both Andy and Chris for the conversation and I left the couch to go get ready for the race.?

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THE RACE?

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?“10 minutes until we start the Men’s 10k!” Yells Rob Goyen . Up to this point I had been doing everything BUT getting my mind in this race. Now with 10 minutes remaining I needed to use the restroom, change, and make it to the starting line. I make it to the start with 1 minute to spare. Cape and all. That’s right. I had a custom branded #runcloudIT cape made for this event thanks to Jasmine Borden . I thought it would be fun, make for a great overhead drone shot, and help #KeepTrailRunningWeird!!

BANG!! The race begins and everyone starts in an all-out sprint. There we went, running through a long grassy plain to start. All the while hoping i didn’t step foot in a hole and roll my ankle.? I accomplished my goal of keeping up with the elite through the first turn. Surprisingly, I made it to the 3rd turn before losing site of the front of the pack. This single-track trail was super narrow and gave little room for error. The course was marked for turns but somehow, I went right taking me 50 yards off course. I didn’t hear anyone behind me and thought to myself, “There’s no way I’m that far ahead of the rest of the pack.” Sure, enough I looked back and saw everyone going straight crossing the road where I should’ve been. Frustrated, but not out of it, I hustled back to get back on course. This mistake let about a dozen runners pass me. Although this wasn’t ideal, I pressed on running for that PR. I caught back up to some of the pack and realized quickly it’s not easy to pass someone on a single-track trail. It’s like driving a Formula 1 race car and trying to squeeze by someone on a tight turn. Often having to run around a tree or up on a rock to pass someone. It was madness! Madness that I loved. It brought a whole new element to the experience.

About 3 miles in at a sub 8 min pace with a few hundred feet of elevation gain at this point I could really feel the fatigue setting in. The crisp cold air filled my lungs. My heart was racing, nearly beating out of my chest. My legs felt heavy like steel barrels. My eyes were ferociously scanning every rock, leaf, branch & bump ahead as if my life depended on it. The trail seemed to disappear at times with everything in sight blending together. Fall in Arkansas has the trail covered with a beautiful blanket of spectacularly colored leaves. As if these elements didn’t make it challenging enough, algae hid on top of rocks covered by the Fall leaves causing unforeseen slips and near disasters if you didn’t react quick enough. Making each step one that would keep you on your toes. Miles 4 and 5 I kept the lead on another runner who was right on my tail. I could hear his footsteps, heavy breathing and occasionally gripe as he slipped too. I tried to hold him off until the finish but another mishap taking me a few steps off course forced me to give up the lead.

What I learned in this short distance trail race is that it was much harder on the runner in front who had open space in front of them. Constantly scanning the terrain ahead which takes up a lot more mental energy than if you’re right behind someone. Being right behind someone you can almost set yourself in cruise control, simply following the runner ahead allowing them to make all the tough decisions as the course unfolds. Either way was difficult. I just found it intriguing that this subtle difference of being out in front or right behind someone could make such a significant impact on the runner's mental capacity. It gave me even more respect for the elite runners out front keeping that lead and mental strain on high. After all it is the strongest mindset that wins that day.?

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As we approached the finish line, I began to hear cowbells and people cheering. Giving me the second wind I needed. I scraped whatever drive I had left in me and sprinted to the finish. White cape and all flying behind me like I was the main character of some comic book. I finished just under 60 minutes and went about 3/4 mile off course in total. My team met me at the finish kind enough to get me some water and food to scarf down. Time seemed to stand still. It was a surreal moment. It was the first event as a company we had attended, and I felt it couldn’t have gone any better. Here I was out of breath, sweaty, and physically drained, yet I felt an immense sense of belonging and euphoria as I stood there amongst others in the community. Most I had met for the very first time but somehow felt like I had known them for years. Maybe it was our passion for the sport that pulled us in together. Whatever it was, I was happy.

THE AFTERMATH

After the race we packed up the booth and helped clean up around the event. All of us were exhausted. We headed back to the hotel for a nap before joining the rest of the attendees at a special event held at Bentonville Brewing Company . We caught up with everyone, received some running tips from the pros, and wished everyone safe travels to their next adventure. Most attendees were going straight to Austin, Texas for The Running Event . Although this sounded like a blast, I was very much looking forward to getting back home to my wife and kids. Until next time!

THANK YOU

If you read this far then I am super appreciative. So thank you for that!! I've been thinking about writing for a long time and wondering what I would write about. I overthought it for a while but came back to writing about things I experience in everyday life. I have a personal mission to help inspire others to passionately pursue their purpose and potential. I figure the only way to do that is to put myself out there more. Moving forward I will write about anything from running, leadership, stressful IT situations I see at work, sales, mindset, and family. My hope is to help others find their way in their own journey. I'll do my best to connect the dots between topics in the articles I publish.

Bottomline, if you made it this far odds are you enjoyed this snapshot into my life and found something valuable to take with you. If that's the case, then please subscribe to my newsletter for future editions! I promise to not overwhelm you with content but rather plan to write every other week on the topics I mentioned above.

Thanks again for tuning in and have a great rest of the week!

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

Cheers,

Ozzy Nu?ez

#runcloudIT #Running #Sales #Leadership #Mindset