We chatted with Jimmy Warren, receiver of 1st place in last year’s 50K, about his experience running the Bell Ringer, staying motivated, and how Tennessee State Parks is bringing a unique perspective to trail running.
Q: Tell me a little bit about you and what you do when you’re not running
A: I work as an engineer. I recently moved from Tennessee to Colorado. Running is just a way for me to destress and keep in shape and make up for all the bad eating habits that I have.
Q: What got you into running?
A: I ran cross country in high school and just always tried to stay active playing sports through college. I had a kind of unpredictable work schedule so getting into any sort of team sports or things like that after college was difficult. Making anything by a schedule was always tough so it kind of just became the easy route to all things staying in shape and keeping my head on straight.
Q: As an engineer, do you ever find time to run during your workday?
A: I definitely do and did while working in Nashville. I would sneak out of the office to the greenways near where our office is and sometimes just take a walk or sometimes a run. I used to get stir crazy!
Q: How did you prepare for all of the races you’ve run
A: That’s a tough question to answer I think because I just want to run for a long time. You go to races like the Bell Ringer or some of these trail races and you see guys and gals who have been doing it since they were twenty and they’re in their seventies and they look and feel great. They look like they’re having a bunch of fun, and if I make it to seventy I want to be in that kind of shape and have that kind of attitude.
So I guess it’s a long term plan. I do pick a few races every year that I have high hopes for and I’ll train really hard, but that’s really just because I want to take fitness out of the equation for the race. I want to show up at the race and have a good time. I don’t want it to be a question of whether or not I can do the distance. I want to make it to that finish line celebration, I want to joke around with the volunteers and the aid stations, and I don’t want to suffer too much.
Q: You mentioned loving our aid stations. Tell me about your experiences with them.
A: They were great! There was one group in onesie pajamas cooking up bacon. That’s exactly what you wanted at that point because it was kind of dreary weather last year. We got all forms of precipitation from rain, freezing rain, and then snow all in about five hours. They really perk you up with signs and goofy outfits out there in the middle of the woods.
Q: The weather during December in Tennessee is pretty unpredictable as you mentioned. How do you navigate the highs and lows of a race like the Bell Ringer, and what advice would you give to someone who’s running a 50k for the first time?
A: I try to avoid any lows because I’ve had experiences going through some races previously where it was just not fun the whole way through and that’s not really what I want out of it. Fortunately, at the Bell Ringer, there weren’t too many lows. You definitely get these chances to interact with people at aid stations who are perky and cheery and just excited to be there, excited for you and that helps keep the energy high. You can hear cowbells and people cheering from miles away and it’s fun to look forward to finally running into these people who are there to support the event.
If there are people who are worried about a low point or something like that, I find that it helps to prepare a few things ahead of time and just force yourself to think about those when you’re not having fun. Step one is always to slow down if it’s too hard. If you feel like you want to stop running then walk for a bit or slow down and then have a few key thoughts locked away to think about.
Q: What’s your goal with the Bell Ringer this year?
My goal is to have fun! I love the idea of the Tennessee State Parks putting on these races. It’s a fantastic way to bring people in, maybe even for the first time. I grew up in West Tennessee as a Boy Scout so I’ve been to all of these state parks throughout my life and they can be seen as kind of remote I guess. It’s fun to get a big crowd out there and have an excuse to go and explore the park in kind of a whirlwind tour. It just has the best feel behind it. Coming from a lifetime of that being a form of recreation for me, it’s just a new perspective to go out there to what’s essentially a party and run around and have fun.
A: You now live in Colorado, so what’s it like to run races out there versus a race in Tennessee like the Bell Ringer.
Q: Why would you suggest someone run the Bell Ringer?
A: If it’s someone’s first trail race, Montgomery Bell is a great place to do it. Some people might be snobby about lack of elevation or something like that but I personally love just running through the trees and running by the lakes. It’s really peaceful and it’s a good example of the kind of serene beauty and appeal that Tennessee has. It checks all the boxes without being too big for its britches.
