Run as One

Looking back on the posts I've written over the past year, I'd say that there is a common theme in my blog.  It's been unintentional but, really, unsurprising.  Running is rarely about using your legs to quickly power yourself from one point to another.  Whether it be a personal challenge, time with friends, or a way to explore an area, running (for most recreational runners) means something more.
I'm sure that I'll continue this theme for as long as I keep rolling on this blog.  I already have some partially thought out entries based on MMA analyst Robin Black's thoughts on fighting.  There's only so much you can write on tempo runs, time splits, and the technique of running.  Plus, it's not like I'm the expert on those things.
Yesterday was a prime example of "running is not just about the actual run."  Across the nation was the Run As One, hosted by Team Rubicon (teamrubiconusa.org), Team RWB (teamrwb.org), and Mission Continues (missioncontinues.org).  Locally, our San Angelo Team RWB chapter held a run both yesterday and today, as many of our regulars had other events yesterday but still wanted to participate.  (Is that a run on sentence?  Maybe I should get an editor for this thing.)

Pre-run yesterday (photo credit to Eric Murray)

We were lucky enough to have members from the San Antonio and Dallas Fort Worth chapters also show up.  And, maybe that's the point.  To clarify, I'll just lift this straight from the event page:

Run As One is held in honor of Marine veteran Clay Hunt, an original member of Team Rubicon, Mission Continues Fellow, and avid sportsman, who took his own life after battling PTSD and depression. Clay was an active participant in many veteran organizations and the event serves as a celebration of the networks that empower, unite, and enrich the lives of veterans. It is a symbol of leadership, action, and collaboration across the veteran landscape globally and within our local communities.

Run As One is a unique engagement opportunity. It began in 2012 as an attempt to bring previously hostile tribes in South Sudan together for healthy competition off the battlefield and has grown into a collaborative global event. When Clay passed, we realized we needed to forge a stronger community – both with veterans and civilians. Run As One is an opportunity to establish and renew bonds with our brothers and sisters in our partner organizations and communities. Demonstrate to the world our collective culture of inclusivity and camaraderie. So run. Run fast. Run slow. Run as a team. Appreciate and live the greater meaning of today. We know shared purpose and hard work towards a common goal builds the strongest communities, so run together, run as one. Use today to connect with all of your veteran brothers and sisters while establishing meaningful connections within the community.

 As you can see, this run wasn't a workout.  It wasn't about who could get it done the quickest.  Nor was it about split times or heart rate.  It was about being together.  It was about showing that we're there for each other, even if you're from 200 miles away and we've never met before.  I spent most of the run with Eric and Blanca.  As we ran, Blanca told us about a first responder fundraiser event that she needs volunteers for.  We discussed the best ways to get the military (Eric being Army and I'm Air Force) involved in her event.
On the drive home, I did a lot of thinking of the point of this run.  I think that the RWB members from other parts of Texas really drove it home to me.  It worked out that we had military, police, and civilians all chugging along together.  We had ages ranging from 2 to 60+.   We also had varying speeds, but made sure to circle back or wait on some of the slower runners.  It was about being together and supporting one another.  And, sometimes, that's the entire reason for lacing up those running shoes and heading out the door.