I Would Run 500 Miles – Freecember Origin Story
I don’t think of myself as a runner.
In fact, when I was younger, one time in middle school, near the end of running a mile for my school track team, I closed my eyes on the final straightaway… and fell off of the track. I had to jump sideways over the long jump pit. I have no memory of my coaches noticing I didn’t finish the race.
I only ran on the track team because they didn’t offer the team sports I played, most of which used running as a punishment.
I would choose just about any other sporting activity, but alas, I’ve found it’s hard to join in just-for-fun team sports as an adult.
6 years ago, human trafficking had broken my heart, and I wasn’t sure what to do about it.
So around American Thanksgiving (i.e. with about 3 days’ notice) I decided to try to go 100 miles on foot, outside, during December, and I invited a bunch of people to join me.
At that point, I couldn’t run 5k without walking. And it was cold and dreary and dark… and wet. Have you ever been in northern latitudes in December?
Pretty quickly, I realized I wasn’t going to make 100 miles on foot (that’s 5k a day for 30 days plus a 10k) so I gave myself permission to include cycling, as long as it was outside, too.
The first miserably wet, chilled to your bones bike ride, I thought about why I was doing this. No one was forcing me. Hardly anybody even knew.
I was doing it for a 6-year-old I had heard about, who was living in South-East Asia and survived slavery. I hadn't met her and still don't know her name, but there were caring people from an anti-trafficking charity who were walking with her who have and do.
I ended up thinking a poem. I made up a word: effortly. It’s the opposite of effortlessly.
Here's the poem:
I would not do this just for me
Biking here so effortly
I would not would not in the rain
Out in this chill grey dark and pain
But, today, I'm here by choice
Persisting now for one child's voice
Today, I ride for one small girl
Believing she is worth the world
As I thought the final lines, I wept.
That first Freecember (Freedom + December) in 2014 about 18 people joined in, and we raised about $2,048 for five different anti-trafficking charities.
Another year, WMF Bolivia raised $7,200 to provide a year’s worth of lunches for the children of women in their program.
HUG Project raised $10,000 and was able to hire a local, Thai speaking aftercare worker.
Last year, Beauty For Ashes raised $6,153 and hired a graduate of their program to help run it!
Since 2014, I’ve run another 100 miles each Freecember, from frosty 5ks to unofficial half-marathons, for a total of 500 miles (so far!).
Maybe you’re thinking, hey, that’s great for you non-runner, runner boy, but I’m definitely not running 100 miles or 5k or anything.
No worries!
You can do any challenge for Freecember! Anything that’s meaningful for you. Sing, read, host a party, walk, write, draw, skip lunch for 5 days, anything.
That first year I had a choice. Do nothing or do something.
This year our choice was doodle nothing or doodle something. So, we’re doodling every day. For freedom. We’re doing a family Freecember challenge for Chab Dai we’ve called Distance & Doodles. We’re going 100 miles as a family and drawing a doodle every day. With the busyness that comes with this season. And the travel. And the darkness.
And, and, and… I have to ask myself: Self, tell me again. Why are you doing this?
Our family’s joining in Freecember again because every man, woman and child deserves to live in freedom, with dignity and delight. And Chab Dai raises the tide of freedom. Worldwide.
You can help raise freedom, too.
This Freecember, I invite you to become a Freedom Raiser. Join in today and raise freedom. Worldwide.
P.S. It’s not too late to do a challenge! Every 100, 250 or 500 dollars/pounds makes a difference. You can do a “rest of the month”, a 12 Days of Freecember, a 5 day or even a single day! challenge. All you need to do is 1) decide your challenge, 2) set up your USA or UK challenge page, 3) tell people what you’re doing and why (in person, via email or social media) 4) share your challenge journey 5) invite people to give!
Learn more about Freecember on their webpage www.freecember.org
Want to partner with Chab Dai this Freecember? Click the ribbon below to learn how!
