Run A Mile For Dan (postscript)

Dan's a friend of mine.

Not the type of friend I call or see everyday or have over for holidays or my daughters birthday party but a good friend just the same. Truth is, I'm not sure he knows my daughters names - still, a good friend. But isn't that the way it is with many of the friends we have in ultra running? We run into each other at different events or share a few miles together during a race and then we part ways, hoping to remember each others names and looking forward to the time when our paths cross again sometime in the future. Well, that's the way it is for me anyway. I have to say though that during those times when our paths do cross, I feel a closeness to my ultra running friends that I have found difficult to duplicate with my friends and acquaintances of the non running variety. We may only see each other once or twice a year but to me we are still very close...family.

In ultras, I believe all the meaningless stuff that makes up our day to day lives is chipped away and we share with each other in a more meaningful way...our true selves..the best and sometimes the worst (but mostly the best). We get the opportunity to see each other for what we are. I think that's what resonates with me more than anything else. That is what makes running ultras special to me. Dan and a few others are that to me. Yep, Dan is definitely a friend of mine.

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The "Run A Mile For Dan" fundraiser was held last Saturday at the Placer High School track. The purpose of the event was to raise money to help pay the medical expenses not covered under Dan's insurance. Dan Moores is the proprietor of the Auburn Running Company and is currently in the hospital undergoing treatment for leukemia. Dan is a friend and a great guy so when I received an email from my friend Glenn asking what I knew about Dans health, I knew something was up and sent Dan a short email to check in. Needless to say, when Dan wrote back I was surprised and saddened to hear of his challenge. Matt Keyes of ARC contacted me and got the ball rolling on the fundraiser. Once the date was set, I cleared the calendar, called/emailed everyone I knew who owed me a favor and started the fundraising machine. Believe me, I have bought every gift wrap/cookie dough/tri tip bbq ticket my friends have ever thrown on my desk so now it was their turn to reciprocate. With Greg Soderlund and Tim Tweitmeier helping with the organization and handling the event day details at the track, Saturday was a done deal. And I need to mention that the pumpkin ginger soup being served at the finish line was beyond description. I need to figure out a way to carry some of that with me on long runs...but I digress.

For those of you not familiar with Auburn, CA or the Sierra Nevada foothills, the track at Placer High is hallowed ground in that each June it serves as the finish for the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run. On January 3rd, about 400 people got up early on a very cold Saturday morning to be a part of this worthy event. Some ran a lap and then headed off for Robie Point and the Western States Trail. Others, like me, were raising donations by the mile and were bound to the track for purposes of accuracy. It was a wonderfully heartfelt event with everyone from kids and grandparents to newbies and ultra legends taking the track with one single purpose..helping out a friend. The mission was to run as many laps as possible from 8:00am to noon. After my dnf in 2006, it was fun to visualize crossing the WS100 finish line 100 times.

With all the well wishers and positive energy on the track Saturday morning, I feel very good about Dan's chances for recovery. Actually, I have never doubted Dan's chances for recovery. The moment I heard of his condition, I just had an overwhelminly certain feeling that I would see Dan back out on the trails again. Hopefully it will be soon.

Nice work in getting this awesome fundraiser organized Matt. You're a good man and a good friend as well.

Happy New Year everybody. BBB