The middle of a 42 km race through the jungle isn’t really the kind of place you’d expect to meet the person you’re going to marry, but when trail running is your passion, like it is for Sarah Huber, Air Force Outdoor Recreation manager in Osan, Korea, that’s exactly what happened.
Trail running, and other extreme adventure sports, have a way of bringing people together. It’s the shared experience, the sense of community that comes with spending days moving through some of the toughest terrain you can find that build a connection between racers (although that connection doesn’t always lead to marriage).
“I think community, the outdoor community in particular, is more chill than what you find in a fitness center, or gym,” said Huber. “You can do a mountain bike race, or just mountain biking with friends and come back and feeling good, hanging out, and socializing.”
Huber’s love of trail running lead her to her next challenge, adventure racing. “When I was in Guam, I got into adventure racing,” she said. “I was doing 24-hour adventure races where you have a team of four. You have a topographic map, a compass, and checkpoints. Your goal is to get to these checkpoints. You get there by kayaking, mountain biking, coasteering, or trail running. Your whole body is being used right? Even mentally, you’re being challenged.”
The idea that you’re outside doing something you love, while also exercising is a critical component of functional fitness. “I think that’s key to anyone. You’re out in the fresh air, you’re doing all these things,” she pauses. “I feel like I am in the best shape of my life because of being in the outdoor fitness world and changing my workout routines, and not just in the gym.”
Leveling the fitness playing field
Functional fitness takes you beyond life in a gym to the great outdoors (and the challenges that come with them) and push you to get into shape, while having fun. It changes what traditional fitness looks like and helps people go beyond the issues they might have with exercising. Functional fitness levels the playing field and helps you find a welcoming environment.
“I think it becomes less intimidating particularly for women,” said Huber. “Most women want a buddy if they’re going to walk into a gym. You don’t always need a buddy to go out for a run. There’s a lot more independence and choice in the outdoors. You drop all of your judgements and insecurities and just go.”
As Huber says, it’s about finding activities that don’t seem like a workout, but secretly are, which helps encourage people to stay active. “Hiking is an outdoor fit activity. Kayaking is an outdoor fitness activity it’s just not been labeled that way. Putting a fitness label on these activities is starting help people realize the deeper benefits. They are no longer viewed as just fun.”
Experience new cultures through the outdoors
Huber often runs challenges and trips out of Osan ODR. Korea has the Four Rivers Trail, which is a bike path throughout the entire country. Exploring outdoors spaces like this offers Airmen a way to see Korea in a completely new way. It’s one thing to take a sightseeing tour, it’s something completely different to participate in the culture through the outdoors. “People might come on an Outdoor Rec trip the first time they visit Four Rivers, then go back again on their own. We give people the exposure and confidence they need to venture out and explore further,” says Huber.
“There are activities and trips for everyone. We have a local trail that’s really good. On Friday mornings I’ve been taking people out there, I tell them, I’m going to show you this trail. If you need to walk that’s fine!” Huber laughs, “I tell them, ‘No one needs to be a superhero today!’”
Discover Air Force Outdoor Recreation where you are. Visit https://afoutdoors.com or, your installation or Force Support Squadron website.
