Vanessa Runs's Blog, page 9
March 28, 2015
Day 71- Greenville to Leland to Cleveland up Highway 61 Mississippi Blues trail
Goodbye Mississippi! We ran through this fine state in only four days. See you later today, Memphis!
We had a late night rocking out with musician Preston Shannon and the mayor of Clarksdale (part owner of Ground Zero) in Clarksdale. We got Pat’s photo with both of them and the mayor promised to make a donation to The 100 Mile Club.
The crew logistics for us have shifted significantly now that our Juppy is missing. For one, it’s easy to throw Pat into the RV overnight if we don’t have lodging lined up. We are already a day ahead of schedule with Pat’s 35-40 mile days and I’ve made a new schedule through Tennessee.
I’m behind on my videos because we’re waiting to retrieve some footage from Jup’s GoPro. Sad to see that GoPro go and we miss Jup as well. If anyone has a GoPro they’re not using and can lend us for a couple more months, I’d love to use it to continue to document this journey.
Pat hit a rough patch yesterday when he ran into a hailstorm (no hail where we were at the aid station). His phone was charging in the RV so we had no idea until he got to us. He was cold, but not badly damaged.
Our brother Jup is getting along well! Be sure to check out his blog below if you haven’t already.
At the moment, Pat is needed lodging in:
1-Apr Linden, TN
2-Apr Wrigley, TN
3-Apr Nashville, TN
4-Apr Nashville, TN
8-Apr Wartburg, TN
9-Apr Knoxville, TN
10-Apr Knoxville, TN
11-Apr Morristown, TN
12-Apr Surgoinsville, TN
13-Apr Bristol, TN
Can you join us for a few miles?
Originally posted on Jup's Blog:
Well I got it all packed up and ready to go by 7.30am and off I went back into the buggy pushing world. I was sure it would take it out of me today after not pushing for ages and being looked after so well by Shacky and Vanessa. The sun was out and I was happy to be back out there moving forward.
I was heading towards Cleveland today which I wasn’t sure if I would make it and came up just a few miles short after getting 32 miles in for the day. I spent so much time chilling and enjoying the Museum in Leland.
As I came into Leland I noticed a girl getting out of a car in front of me and smiling and I thought straight away that it might have been someone Pat had chatted too. Not to be it was Tawana Andrew and…
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March 27, 2015
Day 69/70, Went back to Dallas to get some gear
We’re not sure if Pat is getting more attention because he’s alone, because he’s running with no shoes and shirtless, or because of Southern hospitality, but several people stopped their cars to speak to him and offer him food or clothes. It was funny but also very comforting and sweet. It was a beautiful day and I got some bike miles in, but it got rainy and cold near the end.
After the run we went out for coffee and wifi and then we hit up Po’ Monkey’s, a shack-turned-blues-joint. Here’s is Shacky’s Shacktoid about it:
Shacktoid – Merigold, MS
Willie “Po’ Monkey” Seaberry opened a juke joint at his home in this location in 1963. Seaberry (b. 1941) worked as a farmer and operated the club, where he continued to live, at night. By the 1990s Po’ Monkey’s was attracting a mixed crowd of locals as well as college students from Delta State University and blues aficionados in search of “authentic” juke joints.
The rural juke joint played an integral role in the development of the blues, offering a distinctly secular space for people to socialize, dance, and forget their everyday troubles. While many such jukes once dotted the cotton fields of the Delta countryside, Po’ Monkey’s was one of the relatively few to survive into the 21st century.
We plotted our course through Tennessee as well. It’s the same course, but Pat will be running roughly 35-40 miles each day. Yesterday he ran 34 (stopped a little early due to rain and cold).
Here is our schedule. We hope you can join us! We are still looking for lodging for Pat, schools to speak at, media, and one mail drop hopefully around Nashville. As always, we want people to join us for a few miles.
1-Apr Henderson, TN
2-Apr Linden, TN
3-Apr Wrigley, TN
4-Apr Nashville, TN
5-Apr Nashville, TN
6-Apr Lebanon, TN
7-Apr Cookeville, TN
8-Apr Clarkrange, TN
9-Apr Wartburg, TN
10-Apr Knoxville, TN
11-Apr Knoxville, TN
12-Apr Morristown, TN
13-Apr Surgoinsville, TN
14-Apr Bristol, TN
We’ve got a lot going on and excited to forge ahead! Jup is back on the road today too, a couple days behind us. Be sure to check out his blog below as well.
Onward!
Originally posted on Jup's Blog:
Well after a lot of thinking I decided I would go alone from now on, I have been struggling a bit with how slow I’m going and how much I have been making Pat wait. He has never said he wants to go faster and is always sweet with my pace but just knowing what he can do and in my eyes should go do made me come to this decision. The man can run and run fast. I so want to keep going with him, Shacky and Vanessa as we had so much fun everyday but I feel that this will be better. We still have a long ways to go and I think this run is a little more than just running for me, I think I’m here this time to just get it done and in a slower cruiser way. So thats why I had to let…
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March 26, 2015
Day 67- Sunshine, beautiful farms,lots of thinking and camping.
Big changes this morning to the Team.
We were sad to say goodbye to our Juppy as he went back to Dallas to retrieve his buggy and will pick up on his own from here on out. We left on wonderful terms and are still very much a Team, but he needed to listen to his body and slow down his speed and daily mileage. Pat’s “easy” pace is slightly faster and Pat’s body is happier in the 35-40 mile daily range.
There are no rules in a Transcon and I’m a firm believer of making your journey your own and doing it exactly the way that feels right to you. Both the guys are doing that now and although we will miss Jup very much, we are going to continue with Pat on the route we established, just moving a little quicker. Jup will be primarily self-supported with is buggy. You can still follow them both on the Run With Us America pages and we are in touch every day. I’ll be re-doing the schedule for Pat and Jup will be posting his own progress.
Yesterday Pat covered 42 miles on his own and we finished in Boyle, MS. The wonderful staff at Boyle Town Hall put us in touch with the Sherriff and he put Pat up in the local tornado storm shelter (just off its intended foundation since the crane got stuck in the mud).
I told Pat he could sleep there on the condition that if there was a tornado overnight, he would have the sole responsibility of repopulating the entire town of Boyle. He was welcome to the use of my kitty’s eggs (she would surely survive) to form a new race: The Pitty’s. They would be super hairy.
He agreed.
This morning we had coffee with the Sherriff and his buddies and we’re heading to Clarksdale tonight. On the way we’ll stop at Po’ Monkey’s on the Mississippi Blues Trail. Shacky is geeking out on all the history here.
Po’ Monkey’s is an old black dude’s shack of a house in the middle of nowhere with tons of history, beer and live music. The people here have been beyond kind. We are constantly approached and offered home-cooked meals. My kind of place.
A few days ago we were warned about this area. We were told it was full of riff-raffs and trouble. Apparently we fit right in with the riff-raff community because they have embraced us as one of their own. It’s a no-handshake-just-hugs type of place and everyone speaks in what I can best describe as happy-yelling. Huge black community, all of them expressive and curious and warm. Everyone sits outside on their porches and asks us how far we’ve traveled. I’ve gotten nothing but good vibes.
I saw a sign yesterday that said NO LOUD MUSIC. I think I like places where they have to make special rules for that.
Onward!
Originally posted on Jup's Blog:
Check out the sun beaming down on us this morning, Pat’s top came straight off. Great to have it back.We passed through lots of small towns today and the rest of the time was passing farms and water.
Shacky was on the camera again and got these sweet shots. A lot of wildlife out this way.
More rolling hills and straight roads but today we could see past the trees and there was heaps more farming or growing of Corn, Wheat and other veges. We got our 32 miles done in normal time even though I went slower.
I was thinking lots today about many different things and ran alone listening to music, then listening to the nothingness of the beauty around me on the road. You might think you would get sick of thinking with so much time everyday but most of the time I’m not thinking at all…
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March 23, 2015
Day 65-Day off, Day 66 – Crossett
I can’t believe we’re almost done with another state! I spent last night doing a massive restructuring of the website: http://www.runwithusamerica.com/
It had been a bit of an eyesore and none of us were entirely happy with it. It’s MUCH better now, and more good stuff coming. I will soon be posting maps and routes and tracking. For now, we have the donation and sponsor pages along with photos and video.
I’ve been swamped with book work for the past several months, but I just gave the final approvals yesterday for the final formatting. My baby is going to be 342 pages–woohoo! And I should be much more available for biking and running.
Even though I’m not a fan of the rain, it warms my heart to see the rivers swelling and flowing so strongly after seeing the effects of drought on the west coast for so long. I’m coming for you, Mississippi River!
We are currently looking for lodging in:
25-Mar Cleveland, MS
26-Mar Clarksdale, MS
27-Mar Helena-West Helena, AR
28-Mar Walls, MS
29-Mar Memphis, TN
30-Mar Memphis, TN
31-Mar Memphis, TN
Can you join us?
Originally posted on Jup's Blog:
Day off- We woke to rain but all I wanted to do today was chill and lie around, I have been a bit sore in a few different spots and just wanted to relax today. The Wall family who we are staying with love to hunt and they showed me how to use a Bow and Arrow. I made a little mistake and gripped to hard and the string hit my forearm twice, shit it was sore and instantly bruised which I thought was bloody funny although sore but poor dad was so sorry for it happening. Not his fault at all aye. Oh yeah i did hit the target more than I missed.
We went over to Nana Wall’s for dinner each night and all sat around the he table they have, The hand prints from a group of kids who cycled across the US and had…
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March 20, 2015
Day 63- Magnolia Arkansas. More rain but More Friends Yahoo
RAIN RAIN GO AWAY COME AGAIN ANOTHER DAY
More wet stuff today and I’ve been working on the Texas video. We also did the gas tally since we’re almost at the halfway point and so far we have spent $700 on the RV since leaving Huntingon Beach, CA. The rental plus gas for our second vehicle cost $800 (we got rid of it at the NM/TX border).
Food and lodging are other expenses, but we have received many donations. We have spent about $500 out of pocket on food and lodging.
That’s about it in crew-land! We’re doing our best to get the dog out in this rain–she’s not a fan.
Originally posted on Jup's Blog:
We are feeling the love big time with everyone who is helping us, supporting us and coming to join us on the road. Today we had David Valenzuela with us for the whole 32 miles we did. David is a Dirtbag runner who is from North Carolina, he stopped in on his way to CA. So awesome to share the rain with him haha.
We had a day of rain, no rain rain but still warm all day which was good, We found some cool animals today with this farm having Buffalo and Zebras in the same Paddock, don’t get that in NZ.
The boys all wrapped up as the rain came down. Pat finding things as always.
The road was pretty nice and heaps of shoulder to run on , We even went past Lake Columbia where we had a aid stop.
A few boys out on the…
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March 18, 2015
Day 61- Texakana end of Texas, Thankyou so much
Just a mish-mash of thoughts today as we say goodbye to Texas and start our first day in Arkansas. Texas was a beast. We had brutal weather but very warm hospitality. My mood went south in the snow and rain and I had a cold for a couple of days. It’s supposed to keep raining for a few days, but beyond that I’m looking forward to some sunny weather and I’m dying to get back to camping.
I got the first PDF draft of my final book and I’ve been going through formatting checks the last couple of days. When that’s done, I’m looking forward to having a lot more time for running and biking. I’m starting to get stir-crazy in the RV between working and bad weather.
Crew spirits are still good. Shacky and I managed to go out for breakfast a few days ago: something we’d do a lot more often on our own. It was lovely. I love breakfast foods as much as Ron Swanson. Shacky took really good care of me AND the guys while I was sick – I definitely picked a good one.
A few random crew thoughts:
I always used to say that crewing was harder than running, and I still stand by that. Especially for me because I get all mother hen and worry about the guys when they’re gone, especially in bad weather. I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO BE SAFE AND WARM. I also have a serious urge to constantly feed people (it may be clinical) and I’m working on toning that down. WHY U NO EAT??!!
Crewing for a Transcon is very much a mental exhaustion, and those are always harder than physical fatigue for me. Often I’ll wake up in the middle of the night in a near panic about something I forgot or need to do in the morning. A lot of juggling balls. (Haha… balls.)
BUT I love hard things and this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. I’ve never seen a lot of these parts of the country and would probably never see them otherwise. I’m loving all these tiny towns with their tiny little attractions. I also love the challenge of finding lodging, schools, media… it takes me way out of my comfort zone. Cold calling and knocking on a stranger’s door are not often part of my normal activities.
So! Onward! Hello Arkansas! The states after Texas should go by much quicker and before you know it we’ll be knocking on Michelle Obama’s door!
PS:
We are still looking for lodging on the following dates INCLUDING TONIGHT! If you know anyone who can help, please email me at vanessaruns@gmail.com.
18-Mar Magnolia, AR
19-Mar Magnolia, AR
22-Mar Crossett, AR
23-Mar Lake Village, AR
24-Mar Greenville, MS
25-Mar Cleveland, MS
26-Mar Clarksdale, MS
27-Mar Helena-West Helena, AR
28-Mar Walls, MS
29-Mar Memphis, TN
30-Mar Memphis, TN
31-Mar Memphis, TN
Originally posted on Jup's Blog:
Sun up and beautiful views from early on, We were excited as today was the last day of Texas and also the sun was out. It was hot as well, got up to 85 today which I think is around 20-25 in NZ, but the humidity was up too, we had missed the sun but it got us today.
Some more magic shots from today. We did 32.7 miles today in around 8 hrs. just cruised along.
St Patricks day and we had our green on, Pat was singing me Irish songs all day. But sadly no kisses from lovely ladies.
We found this run down water slide today and had to go check it out, Looks like it would have been fun.
Our beautiful crew getting shots while we were running, an amazing couple!!! Yes that is Vanessa still ding my pouch up challenge that even…
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March 15, 2015
Day 57- Sulphur springs, Rain, Friends
Yesterday we swung by the public library in Sulphur Springs, Texas and chatted with the librarian there about our journey across the country and The 100 Mile Club. It struck me how easily the explanations roll off my tongue now. I have inadvertently defaulted to a script about what we are doing and why.
Yes, The 100 Mile Club is a charity. Yes, we are fighting childhood obesity. Yes, we encourage kids to run 100 miles in a school year.
But if I am honest with myself, The 100 Mile Club—to me—isn’t about those things at all.
A few days ago right after a really bad spell of freezing rain we huddled into the Lazy T Lodge in Throckmorton, Texas. Pat had started a conversation with another guy who was staying there and mentioned my book. He also mentioned that running had changed my life.
This dude looked at me in disbelief. “RUNNING changed your life? Really?” He couldn’t imagine how. Yes, it sounds cheesy but very true.
I explained to him how it wasn’t the running but the realization that I could do so much more than I had believed. I never thought I could finish a marathon, or 50 miles, or 100 miles… but I did all those things multiple times. The follow-up question: “What ELSE can I do that I don’t believe I can?” changes your life because pretty soon you’re doing every awesome thing you ever wanted to.
That’s what The 100 Mile Club means to me. It’s an opportunity for kids to learn years before I did that they CAN do more, one step at a time. If I had known that at age six or ten or twelve, my life would have been even more different. And the lives of these kids will change forever.
It’s bigger than running. It’s bigger than sports. Yes, it’s great to stay active and fit but more important to me is that moment when a kid realizes that his or her secret dreams can become reality, even outside the track.
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Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/runwithusamerica
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw7PZuupX8U
Twitter: @runwithus2
Instagram: @runwithusamerica
Website: http://www.runwithusamerica.com
Donate to the 100 Mile Club: http://tinyurl.com/runwithusamerica
Track us Live! http://tinyurl.com/findjup
Originally posted on Jup's Blog:
My hamstring felt better this morning as me and Pat set off towards Sulphur Springs and knowing we had a holiday tomorrow was a good feeling. The weather wasn’t looking good and was raining a little pretty much from the start. About half way through the day it started to piss down and we got wet to the skin but it only lasted a hour or so but the temperature was still warm.
When we got to first aid stop our special guest all the way from Australia Lincoln Budge was ready to come run with us. Lincoln was over in Colorado and just last week up in Alaska for a trip and came down to get a few miles in with us. I was so happy and stoked to have him come join us. I meet Lincoln in Japan 2 yrs ago when he was competing in a Chair…
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March 13, 2015
Day 56- Overcast with a little mist, Hamstring, Texas BBQ & ribs
Well the journey continues as we pull into Sulphur Springs, Texas today. Tomorrow is a much-needed rest day (for me). This terrible weather is starting to get me down. So far we’ve had snow, freezing rain, and regular rain in Texas. I’ve been fighting a cold for a couple of days now so Shacky has taken on full crew duties. I don’t dare touch any runner food in case I’m contagious. So mostly Ginger, Kitty and I have been hanging indoors, drinking tea, eating garlic, and reading books. It’s not a bad life, but I’m ready for some sunshine, running and biking. COME ON, TEXAS SUN!
I did manage to finalize a route through Arkansas and Mississippi. We’re breaking off from the predetermined course we were on and doing our own thing. I’m excited we’ll be going through Memphis and Nashville. I’ve got a cowboy hat but I need me some cowboy boots!
Can you join us in the next few weeks?
18-Mar Magnolia, AR
19-Mar Magnolia, AR
20-Mar El Dorado, AR
21-Mar El Dorado, AR
22-Mar Crossett, AR
23-Mar Lake Village, AR
24-Mar Greenville, MS
25-Mar Cleveland, MS
26-Mar Clarksdale, MS
27-Mar Helena-West Helena, AR
28-Mar Walls, MS
29-Mar Memphis, TN
30-Mar Memphis, TN
31-Mar Memphis, TN
Originally posted on Jup's Blog:
The goal was Greenville some 29.8miles away from Rockwall and we were on route 66 all day. Not much shoulder for a start but not heaps of traffic and rolling hills with lots of farms all day long. We both started well and were moving nicely.
Then I had a little problem pop up again, My left hamstring decided it wanted to give me trouble again. Not sure why or what upset it but it came in strong. I slowed straight away so I wouldn’t push it. I thought straight away that I would have to walk the rest of the day which I was a little sad as we had a shorter day already and was keen to chill in the hotel when we finished. Never mind at least I could move forward aye.
We past though a lot of small towns and this one cow had the longest…
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March 4, 2015
Day 47 – Aspermont, Rule School and finished in Haskell
Runners Jup Brown (New Zealand) and Patrick Sweeney (California) are crossing the USA on foot to raise money and awareness for the 100 Mile Club charity: http://100mileclub.com/
They began running in Huntington Beach on January 16th and plan to finish in New York this summer. They have already covered more than 40 50Ks on foot…more than the entire length of New Zealand! And they aren’t even halfway there.
They are also taking time to stop and speak to children in schools or churches along the way about the importance of staying active and healthy. The last school they visited was in Rule, Texas.
The runners are:
Patrick Sweeney: http://seatoseawithpatricksweeney.blogspot.com/
Jup Brown: https://jupbrown.wordpress.com/
Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/runwithusamerica
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw7PZuupX8U
Twitter: @runwithus2
Instagram: @runwithusamerica
Website: http://www.runwithusamerica.com
Donate to the 100 Mile Club: http://tinyurl.com/runwithusamerica
Track us Live! http://tinyurl.com/findjup
Originally posted on Jup's Blog:
A warmer morning today which was nice and it warmed up a bit more later too, so much that Pat had his top off for a bit. Foggy at start when we went though Aspermont but then slowly got better.
I love this old abandoned house but not sure about this Flea market , check out whats for sale and in what order haha Texas style. The views changed through out the day which was nice and roads not as straight as I thought they would be out here. Lots more farms,cows and horses out this way and also lots of cotton farms which go for as far as you can see. The cotton is so soft like you buy it in the shop. not sure what they do to it but judging by the feel its not much.
A few more shots from todays run.
Running along the roads…
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February 25, 2015
Day 40 – Radio interviews, suns back out, nice sunset
With crewing it’s easy to fall into the fluster and rush of things and ultimately miss the entire journey. Every morning I wake up with the conviction that I can’t let that happen.
As crew, we see the country in a different way than the runners even though we are moving in the same spaces. The runners on the road get the handshakes, the interviews, and the best and worst of Mother Nature.
We do a lot of back and forth driving into and out of cities. We see the small, local businesses. We pick up the vibe of every small town. We meet the grocery cashier workers, the gas station attendants, the people who sell propane. We speak to them about their struggles and challenges as well as what they love about their cities. They are our main resources, giving us tips and contacts.
In New Mexico we have seen the worst of the poorest parts of the country. We have walked the dog among heaps of garbage and we have woken up to prostitutes fighting outside the RV. These are not towns that get tourists or visitors.
I grew up in government housing so places like these are familiar. I have been struck deeply by how fortunate I am to have escaped the dead end life I was headed for and how the children here might also have great potential but little opportunity.
When you’re a child living in a town like this and an outsider comes to your school to speak, that’s a big deal. That never happens. You listen to them closely and you believe everything they say. If they say you can do better, if they say you can achieve your dreams, for many that’s the first time anyone has ever told them that.
In my childhood, two people outside of my impoverished community told me I could make something of myself. One of them was a teacher, and I believed her.
I am not the one running or speaking at schools, but we touch different people as crew. In Magdalena, New Mexico, while the guys were out running, a little girl named Vanessa interrupted my work. I ended up speaking to her for hours about her dream of building machines and making a robotic dog. She lived with her grandmother who didn’t even know what wifi was and she didn’t get any computer time at school, but she left understanding that she could become an engineer.
Never doubt for one second that you are making a difference.
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What’s it Like to Quit Your Job and Travel?
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Check out my book: The Summit Seeker
Stay tuned for my next book: Daughters of Distance
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Originally posted on Jup's Blog:
Yesterday we meet the team from Majestic Radio and we were invited to have a chat at 7am this morning. It was awesome to be able to go Live and chat to the people of Roswell and everyone who tunes in to their stations. We got to chat on 4 different stations at prime time 7-8am. Thankyou so so much to all the Dj’s and staff for making us feel super welcome and getting the word out of our adventure.
Then we got out to the start to run at 9.15am and just when the sun was coming out, Roxanne was with us again for her second day on the road. Now todays run was 35.4 miles long and man was it straight , I mean in that 56kms we only slightly turned a corner no more than 4 times. You could see so far ahead I thought we saw…
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