RANH: WHY?

It used to be easy to tell people what I do on my free time. "Oh.. I run 100 mile races and stuff.. it's fun." I get a really collection of responses and they're all the same. "I could never do that," "I don't even like to drive that far." "How do you do that.. better yet.. WHY?" Some of these responses I am able to provide a pretty candid response in return.

For instance, when someone says, "I could never do that" my reply is typically "And that's why." After I smirk at their puzzled look complete with slightly tilted head, I get to explain to the individual that the first step do doing something so grande is Believeing that you can. No one on this earth ever ran a marathon without first believing in their ability to even do so. Make no mistake about it.. this doesn't make running vast distances any easier, it's only the first step of many steps... many many steps if you want to turn it into a pun.

"I don't even like to drive that far." Who does? I mean, 128.8 miles. When you put it into perspective: If you drove from Boston, MA, 130 miles on the interstate system, you'd make it to Waterbury, CT. Who DOES like to drive that far? I know I don't but thats mostly because I'd rather spend my time otherwise. Like running, and pushing my body and mind to the limits to see what I'm made of and find out a little more in regards to who I am.

However it's the question "WHY?" that puzzles me the most. There is no static answer. A lot of ultra-runners like to reply simply with a "Because I can," but over the years I feel that this is more a cop-out as opposed to actually answering the question. Why... why? Hmmm.. this is something I struggle with during every run. I find myself all of 10 miles in thinking, "Why did I sign up for this." I guess there are a lot of reasons why and I'll try to list some of them now.

Moe
I think it all starts with my Grandfather. His nickname was "Moe" which is what he typically called everyone regardless of if he knew your name or not. He lived the last 14 years of his life in a Wheelchair following a major stroke. I have many memories of my grandfather, all of them good thankfully. He was my best friend but of all the years I knew him, I had more years with him in a wheelchair then with him walking. In 2006, I held his hand as he gasped his last breath and I watched him pass on from a battle with Cancer thanks to years working in a coal mine (black lung) and smoking cigarettes for 70+ years. I think about the heart disease and other ailments that seem to run through my genes and in all reality I'm kind of trying to stave off what doesn't need to be inevitable. But when I think about Moe I think about that damn wheelchair.. and when I run I run because he couldn't... and I always find myself talking to him while I'm "out there" letting him know that I'm running for the two of us.

Generational Discourse
I'm currently a senior at the University of New Hampshire. My wife went to school here for 6 years before I started. I've been on this campus for the last 10 years and as I look around and observe the different generations entering this institution, things are only getting worse. A recent article on Cnn.com talks about our obsession with Smartphones. Thats is never more evident in any other place then here. As I walk around campus it's hard to ignore the sheer number of "kids" who are stuffing their faces into their phone.. during class and while walking across campus... while they text or update Facebook. Why does this problem matter to RANH? In my experience with this population I'm finding that they're all missing out on observing the world around them. This same generation is starting to lack a certain level of appreciation that is needed when it comes to feeling the true need in preserving our natural environments. This is a much bigger problem than I think most people give credit towards.

For example: This past weekend I took a class trip to The Balsams Grand Resort in Dixville Notch New Hampshire. Dixville Notch is about even with the northern border of Vermont (49th parallel) and is settled within the real wild Great North Woods of NH. The trip was all expenses paid and included an immaculate dinner and breakfast. The first thing these kids complained about is the fact that there were no TV's in their bedrooms. Then, while taking a tour of this hotel (National Historic Registry and all) they could;t removed their faces and fingers from their phones. When we got to "The Ballot Room" where the 1st in the nation primary takes place... and people from all over the world know of this place.. these kids many of whom are all from New England had no idea that anything important even happens in this room... nor had they ever heard of it.

While here at UNH I've always included the UNH community into the Run Across New Hampshire. The last two years I've been featured in the school paper where articles have talked about "this crazy kid and his super long run" for fundraisers. I've always welcomed a small handful of students who have joined me.. and this has been great. But this is why this year's run is so important and why we've teamed up with Conservation NH. There is a LOT of work to do and more so in over crowded Sprawling New England then any other place in our country. We need to get people to see this natural beauty around them and we must get them to appreciate it. Before we left the Balsams Sunday the students got to get a view form the Panorama Golf Course.. their faces lit up at the view of the northern country side.. and 30 seconds later.. they were texting away. This is a HUGE problem and if you don't think it is now.. it's only just beginning.

New Hampshire
I love this state. It's where I've lived my entire life. But when I say state I'm talking about the land. The land is rugged yet gorgeous. From the White Mountains to the Connecicute and Merrimack River Valleys to the Ocean. I've hiked every 4000 footer this state has to offer, I've run from West to East, I've swam in the ocean, I've run the Belknap Range... Monadnock and the sunapee region is the only place in this state that I haven't explored up close and personal and it's important to me that not only I do this.. but that some other people do to. 130 Miles of Continuous trail... The Appalachian trail stretches 161 Miles from VT to ME borders... I wonder how many folks know that another long distance trail exists? And that's not all... you can leave format the summit of Monadnock and hike on the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail (MMT) all the way to dang near New Haven Connecticut!

This is another reason why this is such an important adventure. It was the 1950's when a few AMC members created the Appalachian Mountain Clubs Four Thousand Footer Club. They did this as a way to disperse the hikers in the White Mountains. Hikers, for years, had been over-populating the Franconia Ridge and the Presidential Range.. that something had to be done. So they created a list of all the 4000 Footers as a way to get people to explore "other places" in the mountains. It worked! But here we are in the 2010's and people are now flocking and over populating ALL of these peaks.. it's time once again for this idea of dispersant to be revisited. I hope through this adventure, folks will have an opportunity to learn about these two greenways in the hopes that folks will start to hike here as well and understand that even though the mountains are shorter, the woods are still quiet and adventure is abound, less populated.. you get the idea.

Unique
This adventure, like it's predessor of the last two years, is something that's never been done. No one has yet to run or hike the SKRG in its entirety in one day and no one has run the two greenways simultaneously. When I first got into ultra-running, I got into it because of its uniqueness. I wanted to run the 48 Four-Thousand footers in NH the fastest.. and as you've read here, it seems like running in the White's is no longer unique. So I'm taking my ball, if you will, to anew playground to try and showcase more of what this state has to offer.

Misc.
Hey, lets face it; I think this adventure it pretty important. It's important to get people outside. It's important to appreciate the world in which we live and the world around us. It's important to inspire and motivate others to reach for and achieve their own human potential. It's important that people know EXACTLY what it is that Conservation NH is doing to turn the tide on urban sprawl and responsible sustainable land management. And do I think I can do this? Hell yes I do... I wouldn't start if I didn't.. but time will still tell and that is the beauty of it all. That level of mystique and uncertainty.