Running is not only something that I love to do but it's the journey during that run. Over the years I've taken off out my front door hundreds if not thousands of times with really no reason other than to put in miles. Over the last year or so my running has made me think a lot of others in ways that I never thought before. Such as those who can't run and enjoy that "Journey" like I get to at anytime. People ask me just about every day, why and how do you run so much and they usually say to me "It's so boring" or "I hate running". No running is not fun, it's a mind set. Sometimes putting a purpose behind each run such as weight loss, better health or just training for your first 1/2 or full marathon is a good enough WHY to start running. There's a purpose behind those runs. Also I've discovered that running allows you to do lots and lots of thinking, sometimes funny thoughts pop up in your head, sometimes crazy stuff pops up, you can sometimes get emotional. Running allows you to not only get in excersice but it also allows you to clear your head. You are sometimes your own best therapist during your run.
So in the past year or so while logging in so many miles and doing some crazy thinking a thought popped up in my head. I said to myself, self, turn what you love to do into benefiting others. During one of my long runs, as I turned onto Brawley School Rd a thought popped into my head. My wife and I volunteer at our local soup kitchen so why not start "Running 4 Hunger". And so after finishing that run I came home went straight to my computer and posted what I was going to do for the Mooresville Soup Kitchen and the support was overwhelming. That was the start of the "WHY" behind the now journey of my runs.
Miles 4 Hope- Well this was not only a monumental task as far as trying run 100 miles in less than 24 hours but putting together something like this in less than 30 days.When the thought came to me thanks to my good friend Lorrie Cassanos who introduced me to a wonderful friend of hers Nilsa Maldanado. Nilsa had stage 4 cancer and thats when the light bulb went off and I asked Lorrie, what do you think about doing a run for Nilsa. She said that sounds AWESOME! So it was on. My first phone call was to 2 people who without them Miles 4 Hope would never have happened.
Starr Kiser and Coral Riley, not only great friend of mine but 2 of the most wonderful, kind hearted people anyone can meet and owners of the best event planning business in the Charlotte area. They are the owners of Slick Events and when I called Starr and told her of my crazy ass idea, she said 3 words "BRING IT ON!" And boy did they deliver and in 30 days with the help of so many wonderful sponsors, friends, my wonderful wife Andrea, daughter Alaysia and the community which a lot of them are on the side of my blog helped bring this wonderful event together.
To be able to not only do something like Miles 4 Hope and Running 4 Hunger but to have the WHY behind it all. WHY am I doing all this, well there's a reason, its for those who can't, like Nilsa. For those family's who wait in line for hours for food and who are looking for that one meal to feed there child or children, thats WHY. Giving back to my community has become very important to me and by doing it with my legs and feet is the biggest joy for me. I will never go through the pain and suffering during any run like what Nilsa went through during her bout with stage 4 cancer or that family waiting in that line at the soup kitchen hungry and hoping its not there last meal.
I will continue to have the WHY behind every journey, to do what ever I can for those who are less fortunate and for those who need the help.
So I ask you! What is your WHY? How are you going to give back to your community. It doesn't matter how small of a donation or how little of your time, it all ads up to helping that one person who may need that one last meal, one last pair of shoes or that one dollar to help them get over that hump. We've all been there in some way or another, please don't be afraid to give back and trust me when I tell you this...Its the best damn feeling ever. So Live it...Seek It...Run it! Richard
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