Running and Flying
Dear Steph,
Hello from Tennessee!!! My name is Nick, and I am a student at East Tennessee State University. I was browsing though wingsuit photos (as I regularly do) and I came across your picture that led me to your website. It is a dream of mine (and my best friend) to fly winguits. I have read up on requirements for schooling, (AFF and 200 jumps) but I was wondering if you knew of a way to get the jumps rather quickly? It’s been eating at me for a while, and has been throwing my plans to travel to the infamous “Crack” with my best friend for a loop. We have been infatuated with wingsuits, climbing, slacklining, B.A.S.E jumping, S.C.U.B.A, etc. since our freshman year in high school. We have been certified or well trained in just about every one of our endeavors, with the exception of navigating the sky. If you have any advice, recommendations, or words of wisdom, we would love to hear it!
Since it’s also 2:00 am here, I figured I could ramble. As a blogger, I’m sure you can relate.
I also checked out several of your recipes. I plan on making some in the VERY near future. I am vegetarian and sometimes, finding good tasting and non processed food can be a hassle. I became vegetarian at the beginning of August due to some medical problems and thankfully, it has made a huge difference.
Climbing is also a passion of mine, although I have had to stop due to recent surgery. I plan on jumping back in full force once the doctor clears me, until then I just try to take it easy. (Only four more days!!!)
I’ve only recently got into running. I’m hoping I will be able to keep it up, as I haven’t been much of a runner. (Any thoughts on that would also be amazing)
Anyway, thank you for doing what you do and if you read all of this, thank you for tolerating my ramble 🙂
Clear skies and good hand holds!
Nick
Hi Nick,
Thanks for writing to me 🙂 It sounds like you and your best friend have been stoked about jumping for several years. So you are going to love the process. I’m assuming it’s only the expense that makes you want to find a shortcut, because it sounds like you are really passionate about flying. Don’t cheat yourself of the process of learning to skydive and fly–the crack is not going anywhere. If you want to do skydives quickly (i.e. cheaply) go to the Parachute Center in Lodi. It’s close to half the price of anywhere else, but you will need to be pretty together and look after yourself there. Mainly what I have to say about skydiving is that it’s great. I base jump almost every day, and I skydive as much as possible too. For me, skydiving is definitely not just something to be gotten through until you can base jump. It’s something to do very regularly, to stay current and maintain good skills in the air. And it’s also really enjoyable.
Running is kind of the opposite: doesn’t cost anything, everyone knows how to do it. It can be hard in the first few weeks of starting, because it just does not feel good! But usually after about two weeks of running every other day or so, it suddenly feels great and it becomes addictive. I have never run on pavement and even going 200 yards on the road feels like eternal torture to me. But trail running is one of the greatest things ever, I think.
Good luck 🙂
Steph
I’ve tried to explain this running on pavement/trail running thing to others, usually people who have lived in cities for a while. I have to travel a lot for work, usually to large cities with no easily accessible trail systems. Running 30 minutes feels like an eternity. Those dirt, but practically sidewalk trails are held in similar esteem. When I’m on a real trail with rocks and changing terrain, I lose track of time and can easily be out for 2 hours without any inkling that I have other things to do.
I know, even dirt roads seem impossibly hard to run 🙂
I have to agree with trail vs street running. I ran on roads extensively for years — almost always in parks and scenic roads — but the pounding eventually got to me and I gave it up. Then, I began to read about people’s experiences running on the trail. I started up again last fall. Even during the winter with snow on the trail (I slip on micro-spikes over the trainers) it’s much, much better than pavement. I let my mind go and feel very free. My dog, Asta (a Fox Terrier) runs with me and loves it, too! A boy with his dog in the woods. What can be better?
awwww 🙂