Ultra-Walking

A few weeks ago, the Star-Telegram ran this article by David Casstevens about Jeff Rudisill, a man in his 60s who is walking across the U.S.  I was immediately taken by the task itself and the attitude of Rudisill.  He's by no means the first person to take such a journey, but I couldn't help giving him a distant slap on the back for his boldness and simplicity.

Can you live for a year on this many supplies?

A few years back, Rudisill spread out a map of the United States, and drew a line from Southern California to Emerald Isle, S.C.  From there he began planning his route.  Starting in August of last year, he began walking, pushing his cart of supplies.  As of now, he's in South Carolina, getting close to his destination.  Along the way, he has reveled in the places he's seen and the people he's met.  "This is a pretty nice nation, with a lot of good people."  You can read about the people and place of his journey at his blog, http://walkingman2011.blogspot.com/


Rudisill's home for most of the journey.  He spent some nights in home or hotels, too.

 Casstevens sums up Rudisill's walking philosophy like this:

Jeff Rudisill isn't walking across America to honor the troops or save the whales or raise money to find a cure for plantar fasciitis.  God didn't tell him to do this. . . . Is he doing this for the environment? The homeless? Women's rights? World peace?  A smile creased his tanned face as the earnest, slow-talking man considered the questions. He answered with Forrest Gump simplicity.  "I like walkin'," he said.

I don't fault anyone who does walk or run or anything else to raise money or awareness for his or her favorite cause.  But I love Rudisill's heart here.  What more reason does he need that a love of walking?

I look at running like that.  I don't run to raise money or awareness (but I'm not saying I ever will.).  I certainly don't run to win a race or set a record (OK, I might as well admit I never will, anyway!).  There's nothing wrong with running just to run, walking just to walk.  I like runnin'.  Maybe when I'm in my 60s, I'll run across the U.S.