July 20, 2020

The 60’s were much about the Beatles and their tune “All You Need is Love” represents that decade well. I don’t remember much about the 60’s as I was born in ’62. The 70’s were more relevant to my development, or lack thereof. A song title theme for the 70’s could be, “What’s Love Got to do With It”! A t-shirt/bumper sticker slogan I recall from the 70’s, “If It Feels Good, Do It”.

I’ve had to learn to forget much of the BS I learned in the 70’s. I suspect the dumbing down process that set the stage for our current political and social environment was ramping up in the 70’s with junk food going mainstream and people looking for ever more immediate gratification, at the long run cost of their mental and physical wellness. The 70’s are when shoes that make your feet stupid went “viral”. People ate mass quantities of crap to go with those dumb feet. GIGO. Garbage In, Garbage Out. I graduated young from high school with the class of ’80, with a lot of GIGO.

“When I think back
On all the crap I learned in high school
It’s a wonder
I can think at all”

Paul Simon, Kodachrome

“There are two goddesses in your head. The Goddess of Wisdom and the Goddess of Wealth. Everyone thinks they need to get wealth first, and wisdom will come. So they concern themselves with chasing money. But they have it backwards. You have to give your heart to the Goddess of Wisdom, giver her all your love and attention, and the Goddess of Wealth will become jealous, and follow you.” Running Coach, Joe Vigil

Attempting to really believe and live the above quote Joe introduced is not easy. I found it in the best selling book, Born To Run, back in early 2010. At the time I needed to clear a lot of garbage from my head and replace it with truths and wisdom. That was when I was trying to figure out what I needed to do to lower cancer risk, get healthy and enjoy life. Coach Joe also said “Ask nothing of your running and get the world in return”. Wise man, that Joe.

This is about love. Being in love. Romantic love. Family love. Love as a verb. Attracting more love into our lives. Loving the earth and all of its inhabitants. Loving ourselves. Loving our feet. Loving our food! The first photo above is extra special for many reasons. The pandemic, as scary and destructive as it is, seems to have created many unpredictable and positive consequences. One of those has been the having the most time with my wife Megan, since we were married Nov. 30th of ’96 after dating four years. It’s been only her since we met. On Sunday morning July 12, after having already run for over 24 hours, I came back to life before meeting Meg to pace me to the finish. About one of three hundred mile races, some super magic happens and I finish the final 30, 20 or 10 miles strong, happy, faster than the prior mile average. I pass people without being passed and generally feel like a real life superman. It’s practically an out of body experience. It’s a time to forget about the past 70++ miles and just GO. And that rare 100 mile race photo for 2020 got a lot of love on social media! People enjoyed it for many reasons. Love and joy being two.

Meg is a Boston Qualifier and I didn’t want her to have to shuffle super slow for a few hours. Fortunately that was not the case. I ran hard and we had fun. Some of my favorite ultra and life mantras are “energy flows where attention goes” and “an abundance of wisdom, positive energy, fun, love, laughter and more flows frequently and easily to and from me”. If we say, think and feel something enough and with enthusiasm, it’s more likely to manifest. There’s little downside and much upside to this focusing on good “stuff” we want vs negative things we wish to avoid. While I was really struggling thru the “witching hour”, I used the Cincinnati Moeller Football Teams cheer from the 70’s, “we feel good, oh we feel so good. HOOOHH.” I shouted it out into the woods till I laughed and felt great. By the time I found my wife and daughter, I was into runner’s high mode.

November of 2021 will be our 25th Wedding Anniversary and I certainly hope we enjoy at least another 25. Some irony from the pandemic for me was that I was able to replace some cancelled races with a couple of “do it yourself” 100 mile run fundraiser events. The first was on a chilly Mother’s Day weekend, several of us started a 50+ mile “out” run from our home in Beavercreek to Loveland, Ohio via bike trails we pick up at our mailbox. Two of us completed the full 50+ miles to return. In the process, I set up a Facebook Fundraiser for The FoodBank locally and was pleasantly surprised we raised over $1400, while having fun doing so!! Win-Win. My wife and daughters were out there to cheer and my wife ran in the final eight miles as well. It was so nice to have her company, then a quick shower at the “finish” line. I had buckles made for about $20 each, including one for Helen’s husband Dana, who crewed the entire 26.5 hours of our running!!

While out on that first DIY run, I kicked around the idea of not turning around in Loveland for a future run and heading on South to Kentucky for a “point-to-point” effort. I figured maybe the stars would line up for that some year. A few short weeks later, I found myself at some protests and rallies relative to injustice, police brutality and Black Lives Matter. I watched my three daughters nearly get tear gassed by the officers in my hometown, while I moved back a few times to keep our dog safe, and experienced the fear for their safety along with the pride of knowing they were willing to sacrifice for a greater good.

I’ve studied Gandhi’s life and have some idea of how Mother Teresa’s mind worked, so my ideas for activism are more in line with focusing on something positive you wish to see. Typically my focus is on people’s wellness, mindset and how we can help the environment as we help ourselves. My rally sign was about love, inspired by Bob Marley. On my morning run, Saturday June 6th, I was thinking of a more ideal “rally” sign and came up with “Rally 4 Justice”. Then I wondered if I could do a Run for Justice Fundraiser? By the end of that five mile run, I had it mostly figured out in my mind. I’d do the point-to-point DIY run to Kentucky and raise money for social justice. Rather than start from home, I’d go to Springfield, Ohio which is North and East of here to run the entire Little Miami Scenic Trail, about 78 miles. Then I’d run to Cincinnati and over one or more bridges into Kentucky. Holy crap. Epic!! But, I had just asked dozens of friends to donate and they did so. And, people sacrificed time, energy, gas etc., to support us just a month prior and I had a “real” 100 miler coming up soon. I only had one possible weekend and just a few days to set it up. Could I do the fundraiser and the run that fast? That same day, the rally speech by Frederick Cox III was spot on, exactly what I needed and was already planning. I would do something more than attend a rally, march and hold up a sign. Sure, white people attending rallies was great and a form of leadership, but what else?

My idea was losing steam but not passion on that Saturday, but the very next day, out of the blue, my friend Helen messaged to see if I’d like run 50 miles to Loveland with her husband crewing! After some back and forth, we had a rough plan to go a full 100 miles, and my wife would crew the final 25 miles or so. Boom, two 100 milers in a row. Energy flows where attention goes. 100 is only double 50. :~) Some say 100 miles ain’t that far. They are silly.

By Sunday evening I was watching 60 Minutes and viewed an excellent interview with the top spokesperson for the NAACP National Legal And Education Fund. After a little more digging, I realized this was a solid organization and worthy. Megan traveled to Cincinnati on her day off to help me lay out the part of the route she would crew and pace from about 700 to 100 mile, including a trip up to the lookout from the very cool Mt. Adams lookout. She ran the final half marathon or so and we raised $1860 via over 50 donors and 55 donations! Abundance flows frequently and easily to and from me. Seek wisdom, and realize money is a form of energy.

A few days before this run, Harvey Lewis; a world renowned plant powered Cincinnati based ultra runner noticed what I was planning. Harvey suggested we finish the run by taking the “Freedom” bridge from Kentucky and ending our 100 miles at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center! What a great idea. After the Civil War, a bridge was built over the Ohio River where the current bridge ends near the entrance to the “Freedom Center”. Getting on that bridge to Ohio represented freedom. On the Freedom Center is a flame that caught my eye, and became the ideal graphic for this run and buckle. It was an extraordinary run in historic and turbulent times and I was thrilled to get it done with help from my dear wife. She’s a gem.

The irony of the pandemic was that it freed up some people to help us with ideas we might never have even thought up during the typical hustle and bustle of life. In spite of the fears, frustrations and stress, we can “go wtihin” and create incredible memories and experiences. I’ve already gotten three very special 100 mile ultra done, with all three exclusively in various Xero Shoes too. And my feet, legs etc are ready for more. Working on those ideas now! Let the adventures continue. And, while I had no idea how plan might work, I came away with a new sense of hope, as my mostly white FB friends opened up their hearts and wallets for the NAACP. BLM.

All you need is love …

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