Korima Run Day 7 - My New-York family

For the last official day of the Korima Run, I had a real treat planned, thanks to my friend Alan Wegener. He's one of the many Leatherman's Loop runners who've become my New-York family since 2012, when I was supposed to experience my very first Loop with Caballo Blanco. Fate, obviously, decided otherwise and when I told the race organizer, El Copadre Tony, that I wouldn't attend because the grief was too heavy, he said to please come anyway and join them. And it was one of the best things that happened to me in these times.

Because of the Loop, I got to meet all these wonderful, colorful new people and they've been in my life ever since. So when Alan read about the Korima Run, he sent me a message and we coordinated this little Saturday morning shenanigan. He gathered with a group of runners, among which Jugglin' Joe Cloidt and Lee Willett, and I contacted them before our mutual runs for a surprise little morning chat :)

As always, everyone was in a good mood and it was great to be in touch with kindred spirits. Karine was here with me, and got to tele-meet everyone for the first time. The sun was up, at least on my end, and we spent the run talking about the Leatherman's Loop, how I got there and all the positive it brought in my life.

So thank you Alan, for always being around, always having a good word and always being a friend of the Raramuri. Thank you New-York runners for your spirit and your support, may you run free and happy. Thank you for showing our friends that they have friends all over this world.

The Leatherman's Loop 2016

There are running events that have inspired me and spurred me on as a runner. And then, there are running events that have changed me as a person.

When I ran my first Leatherman’s Loop, in 2012, times couldn’t be any harder. Micah had just died, my life was in ruins and I had kindly asked the Leatherman runners to please excuse me for not coming. They had none of it and requested instead that I and Olaf come present our recent running footage with Micah and honor our friend’s memory.

This would be the start of an amazing friendship and a lasting relationship with a group of beautiful people I now consider family.

Little Wings and two dweebs

I got to meet Christy Little Wings first. Instant love ensued. Then Dean, of course, who can make me burst into laughter at any given moment with a witty joke. El Copadre Tony, who welcomed me with the warmest of open arms, and Judy soon after. Born-Mas-Loco Kurt and his crazy homemade sandals. Jugglin’ Joe Cloidt, Karen, Gerry and his lightning bolt of a son Aemonn, Rob Cummings, Smilin’ Mike Poletta, Dave, Danny The Lion and the list goes on and on…

Every single one of these people reminds me why I run. All of them are beautiful, quirky, genuine, honest humans with colorful spirits. If your friends are a mirror of your soul, these people make me a beautiful person.

Pre-mud shot

The run itself is its own thing; a mudfest with waist-high river crossings, which begins each year by a prayer to Beauty. A wild rumble in the woods with yodlers and bagpipes to keep you smiling. An event that is nothing else than a huge party of runners who’ve been waiting for this as the starting gun to spring and to a new season of running happy, healthy and free. It’s nothing short of the best 10k you’ll ever run.

This year was extra fun because Rob surprised my good friend El Kodiak with an impromptu invite to join the fun as “The Stowaway” (that’s even what his bib said). We packed our stuff into my little truck and drove down together, taking every chance to be the happy idiots that we are. After having to show our passports to buy beer, making a wrong turn into back roads and off-roading with Dust-E in the back of a camping area, we finally arrived at the race site at sundown, just in time to see the awesome “Circle of peace”.

The top 2 on my podium in the girl + awesome divison

See, where other races will put up sponsor booths or podiums or a stage with music, the Leatherman’s Loop will always do something to inspire, to bring together and to make life a little better. This year, El Copadre’s family gathered to create an enormous “peace” sign with trail marker flags on the lawn of the Pound Ridge Reservation where the run takes place. Before the start was given, Tony addressed the crowd and, among other things, invited all runners to take some of these flags back home, saying “Take home a piece of peace”.

So we woke up to a gorgeous, sunny day, brewed some coffee and joined our friends at the starting line. We laughed and prayed and hugged and smiled and took off and splashed and splattered and sunk and rolled and sprinted and huffed and laughed some more. Simply, we lived one of these perfect moments that make life wonderful.

Beauty all around me as I run

I don’t know what I ever did to deserve being adopted by such an awesome family, but every April, my heart sings and my spirit dances with some of the best, craziest, authentic Human beings I have had the privilege to encounter.

Leatherman People, I love all of you!

El Copadre Tony, and the tribe.
(credit: Closer North)

Leatherman’s Loop 2013 : Beauty All Around

Beauty before me when I run.
Beauty behind me when I run.
Beauty below me when I run.
Beauty above me when I run.
Beauty beside me when I run.
Beauty within me when I run.

I see Beauty all around.
In beauty may I walk.
In beauty may I see.
In beauty may we all be. - Danny The Lion

I love running for all that it brought me in terms of well-being, freedom and health. But above and beyond all that, I love running for the connections it creates. I spent last weekend basking in the warm friendship of these connections, old and new. And I feel rejuvenated, positive, happy.

I first heard of the Leatherman’s Loop from my friend the White Horse, who said last year we should all run it together as a quick post-UMCB reunion. “These people”, he told me, “you will love. They get it.” The Leatherman’s Loop turned out to be my first run after Micah disappeared, a moment of abysmal sadness, but also my first moment of hope. I was welcomed with open arms by a whole community of complete strangers who instantly turned into family. I met Christy Little Wings, El Copadre Tony, Gerry the Red Zorro and Eamonn who runs like the wind, Kurt, Dean, Mike, Rob and so many others.

Coming back this year was, as were many other experiences over the past year, like completing a circle. I like that the event happens right after the last clouds of winter, as the first blue skies of spring start to light up life again. And as each spring brings new wonders and discoveries, so did this year’s Leatherman’s Loop. I was hosted by race founder Dave Cope in his beautiful house by the lake, with circling red-tailed hawks over the peaceful, quiet forest. I spent fantastic moments, sitting in the van, just talking about life and its struggles, then I was taught to juggle. I saw my friend El Copadre being honored by a whole community who recognizes the values of curiosity, storytelling and the preservation of history. I shared trails with friends, old and new.


We all shivered together, Sunday morning on the starting line. Dean and his gorgeous wild mane, Kurt with his Jesus sandals, Olaf with my shoes, Christy with a cheek-to-cheek grin, Gerry with his game face on, and me with way too many layers of clothing. All was good in the world. Danny stepped up and blessed us with beauty, then someone rang a cowbell. Everyone, including Santa Claus and the orange-haired troll, rampaged down the open field. The Leatherman’s Loop was on again.

Since Kurt was wearing his feathered adventure hat, we ran singing the Indiana Jones theme. Sadly, we lost Gorgeous Dean somewhere before the first river crossing, but we pressed on, mixing running, tree-dodging and mud skating. We splished and we splashed and, of course, it was over way too soon, but not before Kurt found a way to end up barefoot again.

I completed my run passing the mariachis, grinning and laughing, with mud stains up to my ears, high-fiving the other finishers and stuffing my face with bananas and a fantastic new discovery called an “everything bagel”. I can’t see a better way to spend a Sunday morning.

I will be back again at The Leatherman’s Loop, to swim in the mud of course, but mostly to be totally surrounded by the beauty and happiness that warms my heart and fills me with pure joy.

Beauty.

All around.