Locking the tailwheel and runways?

[SEE]

I don't use it as I am trying to perfect using the rudder (by watching how the AI set theirs when taking off) but was locking the Tailwheel a function that was actually available to pilots?

I also notice that quite a few on-line players manage to take off without using the runway but if I try that my plane falls apart. I always use the runway now but how do they manage to do that?