“He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will fall give up. But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”
-Isaiah 40:29-31
I’ll admit, I’m hesitant to write this. Kind of feel like an understudy in some big Broadway show – knowing the real stars carried the heavy load, hit those high notes and deserve so much recognition. But alas either by sheer weariness by those stars or perhaps to offer some observational viewpoint, I was asked to write the backblast (my first in fact…only a year+ in) for the Catawba Valley Angel Rally.
For those that might live under a rock, the Catawba Valley Angel Rally was your prototypical 5k/10k fundraising race for Ainsley’s Angels – a national group (with various regional chapters including our own Catawba Valley) that seeks to provide specialized wheelchairs for adults/kids/veterans with disabilities to feel that fast motion and wind in their hair from running…something I know so many of us take for granted. The racers are often propelled by friends and family and teammates in unique, fun races for all.
In their efforts to do good work, of course #thestation idiots bastardized it into 50k and 100k options – while also committing that a F3 HIM would be on the course from 9PM Friday to Sunday at 9AM (36 hours for the math challenged)…reminiscent of a 36 hour Fall effort to raise funds for a youth center in the Town of Catawba (we actually saw a FB posting the week before CVAA in which Mt. Sinai’s Pastor Donald Gray detailed the land for that center is being cleared as we speak…God in motion 🙏).
It is only appropriate to pivot from here that we must thank our God. His presence permeated this event since it’s an inception (I think dreamed up about a week or so after #36hoursofjoy in Catawba- yeah thanks JB, you crazy bastard) and could surely been seen in many moments of the weekend – AA’s Rooster 🐓 dancing with the athletes at the end of the race…literally picking them up and the “horse laughter” that ensued up from these special racers, perfect strangers finding commonality in a cause and pushing themselves beyond their own physical and mental walls to reach new heights (e.g., Sharon and Jameelah from Atlanta) or the 9-year old girl finishing the race under her own power (@wings mentioned last time he saw her, she could barely walk). I’m sure there a 1,000 more instances like it – God dipping down his very fingers into our lives for that brief moment…that thankfully live on in our memories a lifetime.
There also must be heaps of praise for @wings and tremendous supporting staff like @jakebrake and (running) soldiers like @diamonddave who will show up at any hour you need if you need. Many more people gave their time, dollars and energies to make this happen. But in my mind, it doesn’t happen or we don’t stay on the course 36 hours without those gents right there ☝🏻.
Wings was like the yak AND Sherpa guiding us up from base camp to reach the top of Everest. JB was like the sustenance (heaps of ancient grains since over 50) fed to that yak giving it energy and focus to get the job done. You realize this is almost the best analogy ever in a backblast, right? I’m joking but I’m not. These two men did just tremendous work and were fired up for the months leading up to and especially during the CVAA. I’m proud of them and thankful I get to hang around them at least those several days a week.
I know I’m leaving out so much from an awesome event – but I wanted to give one last personal touch/thoughts on the CVAA.
I spent the weeks leading up to the run listening to the David Goggins book “Can’t Hurt Me”. Many of the PAX had spoken highly of it (run through wall type stuff) and I finally cracked and bought the Audible book (highly recommend now). I finished just the day or so before the run – I relistened to a particular chapter as I ran my second 3 hour block of time (20 miles Saturday AM; 20 miles Sunday AM…a feat I’d never attempted) – when the heat was starting to build and I was all by my lonesome for about the last 1.5 hours of the 36 hour commitment.
It’s title and focus is “uncommon amongst uncommon”. Uncommon amongst uncommon….I must have said it in my head over 100 times as I ran those last many miles. I love it’s simplicity – it’s depth – the energy seemingly pent up within it. It helped drive me along when I admittedly wanted to stop…and I most definitely did.
But you 👈, me🤛🏼 – we are uncommon amongst uncommon. We aren’t afraid of the work, the sweat. We aren’t afraid of being vulnerable, to freely proclaim our faith. We aren’t afraid to welcome others, to call others our brothers. We go beyond what are others’ normal expectations – in fitness, in faith and fellowship. We make impacts and don’t let those ripples settle too much before we throw the next stone in. Be proud that you are uncommon amongst uncommon (UAU) but know it always take extra work to maintain it and to bring others along with you.
When I got to the end – basically the last runner bringing it home for our collective f3foothills team, the emotions kind of all hit me. I was worn out definitely – but really it was a tremendous joy that washed over me. I sat there for a second and cried – I felt like we had hit that UAU level…as a group, as community-members and as individuals. It was a complete challenge – and we had met it. I was spent but there was only joy in my tears.
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