Freedom Run Read online

  Acknowledgments

  At the exact moment I knew I had life figured out, life decided to go in a different direction. Comfort became uncomfortable, uncomfortable became the norm. A life that was focused on personal goals and achievements became unrewarding, leaving me with a void that could not be filled. With the assistance of my wife, Tiffany, I began to understand that life was not about me and my self-gratification, but accepting the idea that those accomplishments could be used to inspire and encourage so many others. I will forever be grateful for her patience and support, as what we accomplished during this journey could not have been successful without her by my side. Understanding that, just as in the military, we work best when we work as a team, and when we do, there is no dream too big, no goal that’s insurmountable. Close friends and family that I leaned on, your love, support and encouragement carried me through the good times and bad. I am thankful to the brave men and women who slip on their boots and uniforms every day, always at the ready, willing to pay the ultimate price to secure our freedom when danger knocks at the door. I want to thank Matthew Brann for helping me put our journey to paper, thankful that we can share the stories of not only the heroes who wear the uniform, but the people in the towns and cities who share the same pride in our military and country as we do. To the thousands of people along the way who encouraged me in spirit and deed, this endeavor could not have been the success it was without your support. Lastly, I am so thankful for my children, Nicholas and Shayna, as they continue to amaze me with their desire to love others and the way they challenge me to be a better father every day.

  — JS

  I owe Jamie Summerlin an immense amount of gratitude for allowing me to be a part of this inspiring project. Sitting down and listening to him talk about his idea for this journey during the early stages of its inception, I knew this was something big that I wanted to be a part of in a small way. I am also appreciative of Fitness Information Technology at West Virginia University for providing me with the training and experience that assisted me in helping to write and publish this book. While working on this project, I have become more appreciative of the dedicated military men and women who volunteer to serve and protect our country, and their families who also sacrifice. Finally, I want to thank my children, Maverick and Makaleigh, for the inspiration they provide, and my wife, Maria, for her encouragement and for being a wonderful example, much like Jamie, of how persistence and hard work enable you to achieve your dreams.

  — MLB

  Foreword

  Throughout the past decade, I have had the opportunity to meet many extraordinary people. Of them all, one individual will always stand out because of his passion—Jamie Summerlin.

  Meeting Jamie for the first time was an overwhelming experience. He was so engaging. He was so enthusiastic. He was so crazy. When I heard him talk about his plan to run across the United States in 100 days I wondered, can you even do that? It was absurd, farfetched even. Right? No. Not if you spend more than 30 seconds with him. In just a moment, I realized that Jamie was a man on a mission and I immediately offered my total support.

  As a former Army soldier, I knew he would inspire and motivate many others just as he did me. When I learned that Jamie’s run was going to benefit wounded veterans in particular, that made his mission even more special to me. Not only did many of my fellow soldiers serving with me in Iraq suffer unimaginable physical and emotional impairments, but to this day I continue to carry the physical scars from my service-related injuries.

  As Americans, it is sometimes too easy to forget about our soldiers who continue to fight, protect and serve our country. Jamie gives us a very physical reminder. Through his words and actions, he inspires others to stand up for our veterans and support our troops, those stationed throughout the world who continue to protect us and are still fighting at war.

  Throughout his run, Jamie proved that he would not be prevented from achieving his goal. He was inspired. He was committed. He was brave. He was tenacious. No matter how many people told him this was an impossible task, he kept striving forward one step at a time. He ran through rain, snow, heat and wind. No matter the weather, he kept his head high and legs running. He was determined to succeed and to raise awareness and appreciation of our nation’s veterans.

  I am confident Jamie’s courage was undoubtedly a source of inspiration and strength for all veterans and their families he met throughout the country. He will tell you it was just his small sacrifice to honor the commitment of our veterans, many of whom returned broken or did not return at all. But Jamie sacrificed so much to ensure America’s veterans were appropriately honored. He made a life-changing decision and, in turn, he changed so many lives.

  It is important to note, this is not a story of “you had to be there.” Rather, this is a story of “what will you do?” This is a story about the very best we as Americans can offer. I hope everyone who reads Freedom Run appreciates Jamie’s vision and what he has done for America’s veterans.

  I am confident that once you finish reading his story you, too, will be inspired and realize that for Jamie Summerlin and so many of us, his amazing journey was only the beginning of the mission to honor our deserving veterans.

  —Jessica Lynch

  former Army PFC and Prisoner of War

  Prologue

  Sitting across the dining room table from my wife on a beautiful late morning in July 2010, I knew I had a tough sales pitch to make. What I was about to propose to Tiffany would alter our family’s lifestyle in every imaginable way. We were living the proverbial American dream: We had a great marriage, a son and daughter, cats and a dog, a nice house and two good jobs. We were living a comfortable life. That Saturday morning, as I chugged a glass of Gatorade, I approached Tiffany about getting out of our comfort zone and supporting me in a run across America.

  The idea came to me during a six-hour training run earlier that morning when I was preparing for a 50-mile sunset to sunrise race. Accompanied only by my thoughts during that long run, I began to think about my new passion for long-distance running and my rapid progression, without sustaining injuries, in the sport.

  “There’s got to be more to life than this,” I thought. “There’s got to be a reason why I’m able to increase my mileage so dramatically yet still run injury free when nobody says it’s possible. Maybe running is what I can use to accomplish something more meaningful. Maybe that is my calling in life.”

  It’s only natural that I wanted to tie one of my passions to another—the United States military. My wife and I are both Marine Corps veterans, so our military men and women have always held a special place in our hearts. But as I approached my late 30s and was contemplating the true impact and purpose of my life, I realized that there was so much more I could—and should—be doing to have a greater effect on others.

  During that talk with Tiffany at our dining room table, I explained to her my thoughts about where we were in life and how I had a strong desire to do more than just go through the motions. What I was asking our family to do would be a major sacrifice, but I knew it was worthwhile because I hoped to increase awareness and assistance for those who were making the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

  “Tiff, you know how I’ve been reading David Horton’s book on running the Appalachian Trail?”

  “Yes,” she said.

  “I’ve been thinking a lot about that lately. On my run this morning, it hit me. I think I need to run across America. I know it may sound a little crazy, but it’s something I want to do to make an impact for others.”

  Without hesitation, Tiffany said, “Let’s do it!” but I could see a bit of skepticism on her face.

  During that and subsequent talks, we reflected on our time in the military, and how we notice
d that people were becoming numb to the conflicts we had been fighting the past decade. Lives were continuing to be lost and men and women were coming home injured. Yet the sacrifices that our military men and women and their families were making had begun to fade from America’s consciousness. The stories of the ongoing wars had gone from front-page news to briefs and blurbs buried deep within the daily newspapers. I hoped in some small way to shine a light back on the amazing heroes who were serving and had served our country.

  We also saw in our own dealings with government agencies that had been set up to provide assistance to veterans that some needs were not being met. Yet we had also witnessed first-hand how some great private and not-for-profit organizations were making an impact in our military veterans’ lives. It was my desire to assist those deserving organizations by raising funds that could help them carry out their mission.

  Considering the challenges our men and women were facing as they returned home from overseas—sometimes with injuries that would change their lives forever—I wanted to dream of something big. I envisioned tackling a challenge that few had ever attempted, and even fewer had accomplished. I wanted to do something that wasn’t just a one-night wonder that caught people’s attention for only a brief moment until they sought out the next cause to follow. I wanted to do something that people could follow long-term and get behind for a period of time, allowing them to experience the ups and downs of the journey with me and affording them the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of even a small fraction of the challenges that our military men and women go through every day during and after their service. I wanted to run across America in 100 days!

  If my initial conversation with my wife was met with some skepticism that morning, it was with good reason. Tiffany certainly had a sense of pride in our military, but she had also heard me toss around grandiose ideas before—things that sounded fun and exciting but that I never fully pursued. But this was different. And over the next few months, she came to realize that this idea was something that I was passionate about. As she began to embrace my vision, her “Let’s do it” response proved to be more than just words. She was now in full support—and belief—of this endeavor.

  Tiffany had seen a transformation in me over the past year. A year prior to our dining room table talk, I had begun training for my first marathon. Previously, I had never run further than 12 miles at one time. After completing that first marathon in November 2009, I was hooked. Six weeks later, I ran my first 50-kilometer (approximately 31 miles) ultramarathon in 15 degree temps and six inches of snow.

  I was not winning races, yet I felt like a winner every time I crossed the finish line. Each long-distance race I entered allowed me to see beyond my perceived limits. I felt so free and alive during and after the runs, crossing the finish line of yet another race with a sense of accomplishment that I hadn’t felt in years. I was learning more and more about myself with each step I took. I had morphed from doing casual 3-mile runs to doing 50-mile overnight races. I had developed a new passion in my life.

  Even still, I felt that there had to be more to it, and I wanted to tap into what that more was. That’s why I felt like I had to undertake a challenge that would not only push me physically, mentally and emotionally, but also encourage and inspire others. To me, running 3,000+ miles across the country without a day of rest for 100 consecutive days made every bit of sense. To others, including some of my closest friends, it sounded insane.

  One of the first people I shared my idea with outside of my family was my good friend Dave Rodriguez, who was serving as a Logistics Captain in the U.S. Army at the time. I knew if anyone could understand me and my reasons behind wanting to run across the country, he would be the guy. He and I had known each other for about 10 years and we had the common bond of military service. He loved the idea, but also told me he thought I was nuts. That was the same sentiment of the next people I shared the idea with. Aaron and Sandy Yocum are two close friends who I developed a special bond with through the endurance events I had participated in. As a novice runner, I respected their knowledge and love for the sport that had been developed over many years, so I was interested in hearing their take on my idea.

  “You’re absolutely crazy,” Sandy told me after she stopped chuckling. “You just ran your first marathon last year, and now you want to run across America?”

  “That’s exactly right,” I responded.

  Aaron and Sandy talked to me about the fact that not only was I planning on doing something extremely challenging, but I was also planning on doing it in 100 days with no rest days built into my schedule.

  “It’s doable. I mean, people have done it before,” Sandy said. “But they’ve usually been people that have been running for more than 12 months in their entire lives.”

  “I know, but it’s something I have to do,” I said. “These men and women who serve and have served our country deserve it. Plus, I feel like there has to be more to this than just going from three-mile runs to overnight races without experiencing injury, and being pretty successful at it.”

  “You have our support 100%,” they both said. “We still think you’re insane, though.”

  I knew that a run across America would obviously require a lot of planning and a tremendous sacrifice from my entire family. Once my family committed to this journey with me, I never once considered failure an option. My training became stricter and the races became longer, but I also seemed happier and more alive than I had ever been. My energy levels increased, as did my miles and lack of sleep, but I found true enjoyment in what I was doing because I realized in my heart that it was for a greater cause. I have a passion for running, but I am even more passionate about the brave men and women who wear our nation’s uniforms with pride each and every day. This journey would go beyond me and the feat I was about to undertake. I wanted to make this a story about the true heroes and I hoped each footstep I took would honor and encourage veterans faced with challenges after returning home from the wars.

  I thought it would only be appropriate to finish on July 4, a date that symbolizes our nation’s freedom. So on the morning of March 26, 2012, I stepped out of the waters of the Pacific Ocean in Coos Bay, Oregon, and for the next 100 days I planned to give our veterans the honor and respect they deserved.

  Reader Quotes

  “Freedom Run is a captivating book that is not only a story of one man’s amazing run across the US, but also a story about the true American spirit. My family and I have hearts of prayer for those who have fought for our country, so I was proud to read about how Jamie Summerlin has used a sport that has meant so much to me to give back to our veterans.”

  — Jim Ryun, former U.S. Congressman, 3-time Olympian and world-record holder

  “Freedom Run is Jamie Summerlin’s inspiring story of how he set out to run across America to help wounded warriors, found himself along the way and proved that one person can make a difference by bringing us together to champion the common good that is in all of us.”

  — Marshall Ulrich, endurance athlete, trans-American crosser and author of Running on Empty

  “This tremendous cross-country run is a testament not only to Jamie’s perseverance and strength, but even more importantly, to the men and women who inspired him to take up this challenge. Jamie’s dedication to our nation and commitment to helping those who have been injured in service to this country is quite simply truly inspiring. He is showing all of us that we can each do more.”

  — Joe Manchin, U.S. Senator

  Freedom Run

  a 100-Day, 3,452-Mile Journey Across America to Benefit Wounded Veterans

  by Jamie Summerlin

  with Matthew L. Brann

  Fitness Information Technology

  A Division of the International Center for Performance Excellence

  262 Coliseum, WVU-CPASS

  P.O. Box 6116

  Morgantown, WV 26506-6116

  Chapter 1: Transformations

  As I slid my fe
et out of my sweaty socks and running shoes and slid them into the Atlantic Ocean off Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, the morning tide gripped my tired legs, trying to pull me farther away from the shore. The pull of the water was nearly as overwhelming as the emotions I was experiencing. I was overcome by feelings of jubilation, relief and exhaustion as I allowed my mind to escape into the cool, frothy waters just as the orange glow of the sun was beginning to peek over the ocean’s horizon early on the morning of July 6, 2012. It felt good to celebrate the end of my 100-day run across America, capped off by a 100-mile, 24-hour run to the Atlantic Ocean.

  Peeling my running shoes off for the final time on my 3,452-mile journey, I couldn’t help but think back to when I was putting my sneakers on for the first time three years earlier, when I took the first steps toward running my first marathon, which laid the foundation for this coast-to-coast run across the United States. As I glanced back across the beach at my wife, Tiffany, I reflected back on the first steps of this journey. At the same time, I also asked myself a few questions: “What had I just accomplished? Where would my life take me next? Where is the nearest bed?”

  It had been just 115 days earlier when my wife, our two children, Nicholas and Shayna, and I left our driveway and comfortable surroundings of Morgantown, West Virginia. We were excited, anxious and nervous about what lay ahead of us as we drove a recently purchased RV west toward Oregon, the starting point of my coast-to-coast run.

  The sights I saw, the landscapes I traveled through and the people I met during the trip fulfilled a lifelong desire. As a child growing up in small town America, my dreams always took me outside of the borders of the small, tight-knit community in which I lived. I often dreamed of traveling the world, getting away from the simple life that we had grown so accustomed to. If we drove to Wal-Mart in the neighboring county, it was a big trip. If we drove the hour to get to the nearest shopping mall on the weekend, it was something I bragged about when I went to school the following Monday.