Words Matter, Actions Count

When my sister-in-law died last month at 67 years old, friends kindly sent words of sympathy. We heard stories of how she brightened the lives of the people who knew her. Laura was mentally handicapped and as my husband wrote in her obituary, “she wore the label proudly.” Laura called us every morning at 7:17 am from her home on the Outer Banks just to say hi and tell us “everything is wonderful ''. She called us at least seven times each day. Our love for Laura, her optimism, uniqueness, and her strong connection and dependency on us, has left a large hole in our lives. So, when people reach out to us to share their condolences, reminding us that we’re not alone in our grieving and that she will live on in the memories of those who she touched, it deeply nourishes and soothes us. Words matter. 

When I receive encouragement for my upcoming race, I listen. I believe that we see possibilities, strength and courage in others which is often difficult to see in ourselves. Last April, I casually mentioned to my friend, Mary Gillogly, that I had a crazy idea, to run 100 miles while fundraising for climate action. She listened. “I love it”, she said, “I’ll support you.” The next day she sent me a Venmo, “for your race and our planet.” Every month this past year, she has sent me a donation for Go Conscious Earth with a note, “you can do this.” She saw the finish line before I did. I believed her words before I believed them myself. I wanted to say, “Nooo, it was just a far-fetched idea… I didn’t really mean I was actually going to run 100 miles” but it was too late, the runner had left the barn and I started my training. Months went by and the checks from Mary kept coming. If it weren’t for Mary, I’m not sure if I would have put my words into action. She gave me courage to step into the unknown, into her vision of me.

Now into my 12th month of training, I’ve had a lot of time to think about the words in my head. Self-criticism can be such an obstacle in reaching our goals. “Too old, too slow, too vain.” I love the billboard message I see as I drive by, “Don’t believe everything you think!”  Kindness and patience are the moral standard but often difficult to apply towards ourselves. And what of my white privilege? I’ve had many advantages; an idyllic childhood, a supportive husband, a job that allows me the freedom to spend hours on a voluntary project, an education that has taught me healthy habits and a maturing faith in God. I have a responsibility to remember how fortunate I am and to do something positive with my privilege. Hopefully, when I express with words what is soul-searchingly true for me, there’s a good chance it’s a universal truth and therefore may resonate with others.

Your words matter to me. Every word of encouragement I hear reinforces my belief in myself and keeps me motivated. I’d love to hear from you during the race! If you feel so inclined, message Robert and he will compile your notes and surprise me with them during one of the eight times I will circle back through the main aid station. Funny stories, motivational phrases, off-color jokes or anything you can think of to keep me going, especially through the night. One of my favorite signs at the NYC Marathon was, “You think you have it hard, try holding this sign for 2 hours.” If you want to text me directly, I’ll be pulling an all-nighter on April 6th so don’t hesitate to reach out! 

Donations to Go Conscious Earth. Thank you so much to those of you who have donated or checked out the GCE website or just sent positive vibes. The climate crisis touches every being on this planet from microorganisms to humans. We’re concerned and we’re doing our part; supporting the work of GCE is just another way to help.  The cobalt mining in the DRC Congo is the most recent devastation but if we keep the pressure up, scientists will find synthetic solutions to electric car and cell phone batteries. In the meantime, the people of the Congo River Basin Rainforest need our immediate support to hold back the increasing encroachment of loggers, poachers, and miners. My long distance race and your donation are ways to take small action steps toward reaching a big goal. I can’t thank you enough. Donate here.

Please stand with me. Run with me in spirit. Whether you're with me through messages, thoughts, or deeds, please know how much I appreciate and love you. Here we go together, with words and actions that count.

100-Mile Tree: Strong, Enduring and Supported by a Forest

Acrylic, 18" x 24"

Painting by author

I'm running the Umstead100 Endurance Run, April 6-7 in Raleigh, NC while fundraising for Go Conscious Earth, whose mission is to empower the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Congo Basin Rainforest to protect their ancestral land upon which we all depend for survival. Please visit (and share!) my fundraising page GCE100 and make a donation for this critical cause. Also, please forward my collection of blogs to anyone who might be interested in learning more about my experience preparing for a very long race!

Thank you so much!

xo Anne

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