Running for Rest: A Championship Mindset

When is the last time you went for a run? I mean a real good run of a mile or more. I know for me it has been far too long. Back when I was in my early 20's I was really excited about running, I even ran in a half-marathon. But as time has passed, I have not made the commitment to the lifetime sport that I should have. But this entry in The Shield is not about me, but about a friend, a coworker, and brother in Christ, Manitowoc Lutheran High School's International Program Director, and assistant cross-country coach Mr. Nathan (Nate) King.

On Saturday morning December 10th, 2022 while most of us were still fast asleep, Nate was waking up early and preparing himself for his next race. Over the course of his life Nate has run in several races of varying lengths, including several marathons. This time it was different, this time he would take on the 50K. For those wondering, a marathon is just over 42K, and for those of us not so familiar with the metric system, 50K is just over 31 miles. So...Nate set out to run the equivalent of going from Manitowoc Lutheran High School all the way to Messiah Lutheran Church in Green Bay/Bellevue.

There were far more than just the 50K runners at this event, there was also the half, full marathon runners, all running different variations of the same course, all finishing at the same spot, roughly around the same time due to staggered start times. The race itself took place just north of Tucson, AZ in the township of Oracle (elevation 4,524') at 6:30 a.m. before the sun rose over the desert on a crisp 37-degree morning. The runners made their way through Casa Del Oro. The thermal heat of the desert began to warm the air. After two out-and-backs (where the runners, traverse a large loop multiple times to add distance) on Biosphere Road, through Oracle Junction the runners would finish in Catalina. (3,123′)