Everyday is Earth Day

Earth Day was last weekend where many people went out to hike or run a trail, clean up a park or plant a tree. Well, without fear of sounding like a Birkenstock wearing hippie tree hugger who greets everyone on the trail with namaste, I have to admit that, to me, everyday is Earth Day. I spend almost every morning running a trail and taking in nature. The visual beauty of West Texas where I live is stunning, but there are also the smells, sounds and even the feel of the Earth that I enjoy when I’m out on the trail. 

Moonrise Quitman Mountains in W. Texas

Team RWB Leadership Trail Running Camp

Last weekend I taught several trail running classes for our Team Red, White and Blue leaders who were attending the Leadership Academy in El Paso, TX. I’m not sure I was qualified for this task, but was flattered and honored for the invitation all the same. Our Team RWB leaders are very motivated and work hard to enrich the lives of our veterans by connecting them to their communities through physical and social activities. Several other of our El Paso chapter members also taught classes. Jessica covered trail running gear while her husband Tim, an orthopedic specialist, talked about running form and injury prevention. They are both very fast and accomplished ultra runners who are top finishers in some very tough races.

Highly motivated and passionate Eagle leaders!

Bataan Memorial Death March 2018

Last weekend I ran the Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands Missile Range, NM. The weather forecast was calling for a hot day with high winds in the afternoon so that was incentive for me to run as fast as possible in hopes of beating the elements. If you don’t know Bataan, it’s one of the largest joint military-civilian athletic events in the country if not the world. Almost 8500 participants marched with heavy packs or ran/walked the 26.2 mile or half marathon route this year. In addition, 2000 volunteers helped make the event possible.

A handful of survivors from the original 60-80 mile death march during WWII were also in attendance and a 100 year old survivor, Ben Skardon, marched a portion of the course. The morning opened, as always, with a somber ceremony remembering the fallen and honoring the remaining survivors of the brutal march in the Philippines in 1942. The ceremony included the Philippine and US national anthems, a ceremonial roll call, prayer and F-16 flyover by the Air Force.