A Letter to Dave

Hi Dave,

It was great seeing you out at the Camp this week and everything you were able to bring to the kids. Being that this is our only week where the on-site campers are all middle/high school age, having your Christian hip-hop seemed to light them up and bring them a little energy that we might not have been able to give.

You caught me off guard the first night when you came up to me and asked if I was a runner. A lot of people who ask me that question simply want to know how many miles I run a day, but you were looking for someone to run with. I couldn't believe my good fortune! One thing about the North Dakota countryside is that even though it is beautiful, sometimes it can be lonely with nobody to share it with.

You spent an enormous amount of time apologizing in advance for how slow your pace would be, but in all honesty you probably went faster than I normally do on my easy runs. People who take running seriously can usually do easy runs together, no matter what their PR's are, because easy days aren't about your pace. I don't even look at my watch anymore, because if I start breathing too hard, I know to slow down. I will admit that on Tuesday when my legs were exhausted, I was using an unusual amount of strength just trying to keep up with you. So don't sweat it that you've only been running for a little more than year- you pushed me.

I'm a talkative guy, but being able to listen to someone else's stories was truly a blessing. Hearing about your experiences growing up and all the people you've engaged with was refreshing. I also was interested in your stories about how difficult it is to run when you have young kids at home, now that  they are old enough to not want to ride in the stroller anymore. As you mentioned about how free it is to run out here, I often take for granted being able to go out and run whenever I want to, without worrying about people to take care of. So props to you for sticking with it in the face of adversity.

When you mentioned how beautiful the countryside is, you put a smile on my face. It's not too often that people from outside North Dakota can come here and appreciate the openness. In fact, it was touching to know that the week before you go rap in front of 35,000 kids in Detroit, you spent time with 35 kids in rural central North Dakota. I know that you had a major impact on them, and I'm assuming they did on you. I enjoyed sharing my limited knowledge of training with you, and in return I'm thankful for the deeper theological topics you've learned in seminary that you were able to share with me.

I want to let you know that the most awesome thing you did for me this week was at campfire in the middle of the week. You were eating an apple and somebody asked why you had brought it with you when we were handing out cheese-filled breadsticks to the kids. You pointed at me and said 'I go by what he says; he told me that apples are good for runners in training'. That meant a lot to me. I hope your trip goes safely this weekend, and that you can inspire the thousands of kids you meet next week. I hope you can find a person to run with and nice running places in the Detroit area. If it ever gets too noisy, just remember the quiet ND countryside with the wheat swaying in the breeze. Because odds are that's where I'll be. Peace be with you.