Where: Jenks River Walk (96th Street - West Side of River)
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RW Bump
I know this is re-treading on common knowledge, but sometimes it’s comforting to stride down memory run path to help invoke the joggerly senses – only I’m among the first to recognize that these invites don’t necessarily qualify as comforting. Senseless – yes. Easy on the noggin – er, not so much.
The renowned Runners World Bump is something that we didn’t invent. Rather, it happened naturally, and without any predetermined intervention or conniving strategeries with which to rustle the cosmic order. Turns out that as we have blissfully booked our training miles in quest of that ever elusive next race PR, never did we imagine what was transpiring in our wake.
I think it all started when we used to start our runs from the RW store, and typically headed to the river. It wasn’t very long before the powers that be took notice and collectively said “Hey, we gotta get these folks some better trails”.
“And we might as well upgrade the parks and facilities while we’re at it”. RW Bump Example #1. Similar thing with the road upgrades on Peoria and 41st, as again it was recognized that with so many runners flocking to the store every time Coach K sirened us with Gatorade and snacks,
that the city planners better improve ingress and egress access to the store. Bump #2.
Probably one of our more notable bumps occurred shortly after we started routing our training runs through downtown Tulsa.
BOK Center – Boom! OneOk Baseball Field – Pop! Brady District Resurgence – Pow! Downtown Street Replacements – Yessir! Other running group opens downtown store – Wave Rider and New Year’s run imitator! Big Time Bump #3.
Veteran’s Park to 18th and Riverside standard jaunt, probably our most familiar and most utilized of all the RW routes. It took a while, but not because we had lost our cosmic zing. No, it had to be just right, it had to be grand.
Well, I’m sure you’ve taken notice as we’ve stumbled past Bump #4 – the Blue Rose on the River Restaurant. It welcomes all comers, with a special place on its deck for the RW ground patrol.
Recently falling on barren times, we moved our Saturday runs to the Tulsa Fairgrounds, and evidence of our Bump #5 is already forming under our feet.
Shortly after our pre and post run rituals, bookings for a Boat and Travel Expo, and now a Home and Garden Event have emerged. There’s even beyond just preliminary talk for later in the year to revive the Tulsa State Fair. Coincidence? I say not a chance.
Not really a bump, but I’m sure everyone took notice of our Poker Run origination – right inside Lee Elementary, a Tulsa Public School. The same School that has been shut down for nearly 2 weeks and not available to anyone or any activities “melted” to the warming powers of RW’s Coach K, and couldn’t answer with a “You Betcha” with any more vigor and excitement than if it had come directly from Sarah P’s lips. Although it hasn’t happened yet, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least to learn that come Monday morning, with residual sweat aromatizement wafting through the ventilation system, that Lee throws open its doors and resumes its scholarly mission. Bump in Waiting.
And my how good news travels fast. Not to be outdone, the Jenksodians to Tulsa’s south have beckoned us to please come and test their paths. Seems the economy is down a bit, and the river development projects have stalled a tad.
Jenks has even vowed to have the parking lots cleared of ice and snow as a show of good will. They’ve also said to stay as long as we please, as long as we promise to bless the landings with our pre run sign wavings to invigorate the shopping spirits. We respond with a “it’s our bestowed duty YES!” Of course we will be there, only with the size of the task, it will likely take about 3 weekly doses to get things BUMPED around. We’ll Get this Party Started at 7:45 AM at Jenks River Walk (west side of 96th Street Bridge), and plan on bumping out 18 (Adv)/16 (Int) miles.
Bump It Up!
Larry
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