Completing Ultra Urban Challenge Is True Measure of Toughness
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WHEELING -- If there's any indication of how excited James Sayre and Darrell Tustin were to tackle the Ultra Urban Challenge presented by Bordas & Bordas at the Ogden Newspapers Wellness Weekend presented by WVU Medicine, it could be seen in the bibs they wore for the event.
Sayre was donning No. 1. Tustin wore No. 2.
They're not sure if the bibs were given out in numerical order, but they both said they didn't hesitate to register when they learned the event - melding the three main races of the Wellness Weekend into one overall challenge - would be available.
"When The Health Plan put out the email for us to go out there and get in, that same very day, I was like, 'I'm doing the Ultra," Tustin said.
"The people at work were like, 'Why?'" he added with a laugh. "And I said, 'I don't know.'"
"It was kind of the same feeling for me over at (WesBanco)," Sayre said.
The Ultra Urban Challenge is no joke of a task. Entrants start by competing in the Ogden Newspapers Half Marathon Classic on Saturday. Sayre ran the half. Tustin, who took up competitive speed walking last year, walked the course. Then the two woke up early Sunday to traverse the 15-kilometer course at the Heritage Trail Bicycle Tour.
They closed Sunday by taking on the Tough As Nails Urban Challenge presented by The Health Plan, the grueling six-mile obstacle course that sends warriors over and around many of the Friendly City's landmarks.
Tustin, at age 46, said a big reason he wanted to take on the Ultra Urban Challenge this year is to tick it off the list before it becomes too physically daunting to finish. He was most excited for the Tough As Nails, an event he has enjoyed running since its inception.
"I just love the obstacle courses," he said. "It's just the adrenaline you get to go through there. I do it for fun but it's still fun to do with some co-workers and enjoy the time. So when I come across saying I did something like that something at my age, I'll take it as an accomplishment."
Sayre said he got a strong reminder of just how challenging the three races can be from competing in all three in one weekend. It wasn't his maiden voyage along the hilly terrain of the Ogden Newspapers Half Marathon Classic, and as an Ohio Valley resident, those hills are no mystery. Yet it running them is never easy.
"Even though you live in the area, and you know Wheeling Hill is coming up, you're still not ready for it," he said.
Tustin and Sayre figure they'll be feeling every minute of those three races when they roll out of bed this morning, if they don't start feeling it earlier, but they both felt accomplished in taking on such a physically taxing task.
"It might not have been the best decision this year," Tustin said, "but it'll be better next year."
"It's a good decision," Sayre replied to him. "You'll feel good."
"Maybe," Tustin responded with a smile.