Running with hope and faith: Local runner sets goals for 2012 by Michael Johnson, editor of the Leader News.
There's something in every runner that drives them to work their bodies to its limits. Some run for the rush of finishing as a front runner. Some run for their health. Some do it to say they could.
A seasoned runner in the area has decided that this year he's not running for himself. He's running for those in need. He realized this past year as he struggled through his own health concerns that there are millions of others that struggle everyday because of their sickness.
He was involved in running several races across the country last year with a major sponsor. As a runner, being able to fill his schedule with races in exotic locations was a great opportunity for him. But the results were doing little for anyone but himself.
In December, Jeff Turning Heart Jr. did something different. He was part of the Jingle Bell Run in Fargo, which raised money for the Arthritis Foundation.
The run opened his eyes to the condition. He learned about kids that have arthritis and have to suffer through it as well as those who deal with the pains later in life.
He ran the race in 17 degrees and had a better time than his run in the summer, which took him by surprise. Seeing all the different people running not for themselves but for others stuck to him like a pair of small running tights. He was used to the boasting and medals rewarded to those in a competitve race. This was much more rewarding.
"Back in high school and college it was all for medals," Turning Heart Said.
He caught the fever that is charity racing. He decided he would devote himself to running for others in 2012.
"Anyone can run random races," Turning Heart said. "I thought I would start doing it for charities."
He lined up six half marathons and 10 races for 2012. his schedule includes seven different charities. He fits the races in between working as an interpreter for the Lewis and Clark Fort Mandan Foundation. He ran a suicide prevention run during the Krolls Diner half marathon and a Breast Cancer Awareness run in October.
The suicide prevention race was for a friend of his he lost in July. He decided he would also run for diabetes, Crohns disease, Big Brothers, kids from broken homes, cancer survivors, and cystic fibrosis to go with the suicide prevention and breast cancer runs.
"All these races are not just for me," Turning Heart said. "Every race I'm doing is for every person that needs it."
He's calling it the Hope and Faith Tour. He decided to spread awareness of the different charities by creating a T-shirt that lists his charities.
His running starts strong in April and includes a race nearly every month through the spring and summer. One in July will take him to Napa Valley, California where he will run for the Crohns and Colitis Foundation. For that race he will be helping mentor a person who has the crohns disease. At about the same time he started mentoring, he was asked if he would consider running in a circuit that would give him a chance in the Olympics. He politely declined as he had some important people counting on him. He knows others with Crohns disease and he knew that if his gift of running could be of help then he would run.
But the runner that takes others on his shoulders is not without his own pains. He had foot, leg and neck issues last year as well as sickness that kept him from competing in some of the races he planned.
"I developed a strong mentality from previous years in college," Turning Heart said. "Runners don't have perfect days, they have to be prepared for anything."
Turning Heart learned some time ago that putting a Bible verse in his shoe has been a push for him. He often searches the New Testament for a verse that will offer guidance for the day. He reads it thoroughly, writes it out and places it in his shoe. The message sticks in his mind during the race.
During a recent race his verse included Second Corinthians 12:10. "That is why, for Christ's sake. I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
The message sticks to him through out the entire tour as he fights for strength for all that are weak.
His trademark has been the Mohawk which he proudly brought back even in the cold of winter. Some look at it as a rebellious look. Turning Heart looks at it as a look that was popular among warriors going off to war.
"This is my battle," Turning Heart said.
Turning Heart has a goal of raising $10,000.00 in his runs this year. He has reached over half of that goal already.
Since this article has been out, I have recieved both positive remarks and also, negative remarks. As usual, both remarks keep me going. Like I said, opinions are everywhere, some agreeing, some not. As a man once said, rise above the hate.
I was shocked that after work yesterday, I stopped in a gas station to rent 2 movies and a man came up and tapped me on the shoulder and said, "You're that one guy from the article?" and I just smiled and replied, "Yes, I am." and he told me to stop by sometime his work to talk with him because he wants to help contribute to my charities. That made me feel like I could take on the world and it did motivate me because it inspired many. Even if there are those who don't like me because of their own personal reasons, this is the moment that I look forward to.
One thing that everyone must know is that, I will not quit. Even if you tell me it is a hopeless cause, I will keep on going. I guess going through my own worst helped prepare me for this moment.
One question I will acknowledge is this one, about jealousy. Have I ever been jealous of others? And the answer is, who hasn't? When I was younger in both high school and college, I was jealous because of the talented runners I trained with and ran against. As I grew older, I let that go because being jealous, gets you nowhere in life. Just more negativity to find perfection when in truth, perfection is like a fairy tale, everyone searches for one but in the end, it can never be found but in stories.
Thank you all for reading and being loyal to this blog and to newcomers, welcome and get ready, this is only the beginning.
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