Manna Run

It was light out but the sun had not yet begun to warm the crisp morning air. There was little sound beyond the steady rhythm of footsteps on the pavement, birds singing overhead, and snippets of conversations between runners. I decided by the time we got to White's Road Park that I was going to stay with her for the rest of the run. Not because I thought she needed me, but because I needed her. We all knew it was her goal to run the entire way today, and not give in to the temptation to walk. She had made her goal clear before we started, and asked that none of us let her quit. Because she said this, I knew I had to run the entire way, too. I couldn't let her see me walking. If she saw me give up, she might be more tempted to give up. Her goal became my goal. We call her Captain Cook. She is quiet. She is determined. She is a force to be reckoned with.

The fourth Wednesday of every 8-week session of DDIP boot camp, our training focuses on the needs of the community. A hundred or more participants meet, bearing donations of food, gift cards, diapers, and other items for Manna on Main Street, a charitable organization that provides for the needy. Many of the items are loaded into a truck, but many others are carried on the backs of the runners, giving a beautiful visual representation of bearing one another's burdens. This run is one of the many ways that DDIP is about more than just exercise.

Whatever the weather, we show up. We run in the rain.We run when it's hot. This past winter we ran with a beautiful snow falling down on us. Today it was perfect weather, around 54 degrees with low humidity. Single file, lining both sides of the street, we ran. I always wonder what we must look like to those early risers on their way to work, sitting in their cars and still wiping the sleep out of their eyes.

Once we arrive at Manna, we form two lines from the truck to the door and pass bags and boxes down the line, filling that little building with our contribution to the community. It is a spectacular sight - dozens of people who want to make a difference, bringing help and hope to families we may never have the pleasure to meet.

When the last bag has made it into the building, we circle up for a few words from "Dr. Drill", then head off to finish our run. It is always an uplifting time for me. I am reminded of what I have, and what I can contribute to others. The endorphin high we get from exercise is nothing compared to that feeling of gratitude and compassion that comes from giving to others.

* If you would like to donate to Manna on Main Street, visit www.mannaonmain.org