Run Trouble - The Finish Line

I'm going to keep this short, as I have a lot of work to do today to get this run going again. When I'm back on the road, and have a clearer sense of the situation, I'll cover some of this in detail.

So, I'm in Flagstaff...I have no run crew, I'm alone...sort of.

My crew, which are decent folks, ended up finding out that this endeavor was a little more intense than they had expected. They're an older couple, and we all agreed in the end that this was probably a job better suited for folks closer to my age.

We had to compromise some miles in California simply because we ran out of road to legally run on, which sucked...but was expected. I've simply kept up with any miles missed so I can tack them on in Texas to get the intended mile count I plan to run.

Also, to keep the crew together I sacrificed some miles to keep everyone happy and moving forward. Eventually, however...I couldn't justify any more loss of running miles for any reason, and in the end that was why my crew and I parted ways. It's a tedious job I had them doing, and really...if you're not prepared to adjust often to weird circumstances, it's not going to be much fun. I'm a fly by the seat of my pants sort of fella. This trip requires an ability to do just that.

I dealt with an early injury, some ridiculous running circumstances, record heat, and a few other messes that have definitely made this run a learning experience. For those reasons, I've neglected the site a little. Well...a lot. That's not cool, and I intend to keep this thing well updated from here on out.

Bob and Lana did their best, and I'm glad to have had their help in getting this off the ground. I'd still probably be in Southern California if not for them.

Some good news now.

My driver Bob, who invested a boatload of money in this run, is STILL going to support me financially. That's big, important, and I'm very thankful for that. As a matter of fact, I've got a great cabin to stay in thanks to Bob and Lana while I'm getting my ducks in a row.

Also, I'm extending the run into Austin. I'll still officially end the run in Lubbock, but running Austin was simply too good an opportunity to pass up and I have a lot of support there. This will help me make up missed miles, and also give me a chance to see family down that way that may not be able to make it to Lubbock when I finally arrive there.

Right now, I have a lot of people working to get me back on the road. My trainer Eric has plugged me in with the Love Hope Strength Foundation (check them out via the Friends and Sponors page), and they're actively looking for ways to get me back out and running. Same goes for my cousin Aubrey, her mother, my father, multiple ACS contacts around the country, and the great media contacts I've accumulated over the last few months.

I'll be taken care of, I know it.

That said, I don't plan on being in one place for a week. If need be, I'll be buying a pack and heading out on foot alone until someone can meet up with me to continue the run as intended...or until I walk into Texas. Either way, and this is important....I'm finishing the run.

I appreciate all of the kind words and well wishes. For those of you back home, I'll see you when I get there. For everyone else, thanks for keeping me in your thoughts.

-Dustin