Will run ... for 29 cents

(This was first posted Aug. 21, 2008.)


Some of our local runners do amazing things, including running duathlons, triathlons, treacherous trail races and 100-mile ultra-marathon races.

One of our El Paso runners, Chris Rowley (who is also owner of Up and Running), headed this morning to Leanhorse, South Dakota, where he will run in the Leanhorse Ultra-Marathon hundred mile race this weekend. Having Chris attempt this run, and considering the 1,000-plus miles he put in as preparation for this race, really speaks highly of Chris and his dedication to running as a sport.

It also speaks well of our El Paso running community. That's because Chris needed, and got, a lot of support from others on those preparation runs. Our local runners did some of the 20-, 30- and 35-mile preparation runs with Chris to help him get in the distance he needed to be in shape for Leanwood.

I can totally see the value of Chris doing Leanwood. For me, that value this morning was 29 cents.

29 cents?

Let me explain...

Chris has an interesting habit of turning our runs into something of a scavenger hunt for change left on the streets. He'll run through the drive-thru area of Burger King, jog past the pickup window at Walgreen's or dart in front of an oncoming Hummer, all just to grab a dime on the pavement.

A few weeks ago, Chris accidentally got me interested in his hobby-within-a-hobby. I say accidentally because, frankly, Chris doesn't really want any competition for the dimes and quarters he finds randomly on streets. Whoa to any soul who dares to run in front of him when he eyes a penny in a gutter.

I used to just see it as one of Chris' eccentricities, the same kind of likeable nuttiness that, well, led him to run the Leanhorse Ultra-Marathon.

But while running with Chris and watching him pick up a few coins here and there, I saw something sparkle in the street -- a beautiful, glistening quarter on the side of the road as we headed down Yandell. It was a quarter that seemed to call my name with its sweet, soft voice, whispering, "Jim, get me quick, before Chris does...."

My precious

It was my precious first quarter. Oh, how proud I felt, with that shiny quarter representing the fruits of my labor. It was a beacon in a dark world, which warmed my heart and gave me a newfound joy in living.

And now, because of this quarter in my hand, what I once intuitively understood had now become clear. Running wasn't just for exercise, any more than as our prehistoric ancestors ran just for fun. For them, running was all for the ultimate goal of following a beast and capturing their treasured meal for the next days and weeks.

Now, in this urban jungle that is our home, I realized that quarter had become my running treasure.

But I digress...
This morning, with Chris out of town during our Thursday run, I was able to hunt down 29 cents which I got to keep all to myself. My heart soared as I counted up my just rewards, achieved after my feet had pounded the road while I searched far and wide for those few precious coins.

Thank you, Chris.

Oh ... and good luck at Leanhorse.