Greg has never been at a loss for nicknames.  As a youngster, and the smallest and thinnest of his 4 brothers and 3 sisters, his family nicknamed him Po’ boy.  Since he’s been living in Maryland, he is better known as Alabama, or Road Runner.  Whatever you call him though, you can’t help but respect the man, and the story behind the name.

Despite his unsuspecting alias, he grew up as the dependable one in the family.  His family always went to him, relied on him and expected the most out of him; that was until he started running with the wrong crowd in high school.  His reputable name quickly became associated with fighting, cussing, skipping school and eventually dropping out of the 12^th grade.  When he decided to skip school with a classmate one day, they both found themselves in a recruiter’s office and by days end, he had joined the army.  When he returned from his tour in Germany, he spend the next 21 years in a cycle of prison, parole, probation, community service and jail.  It was a cycle so pervasive that the “security” and non-violence that prison offered was no longer a threat.

His family tried hard to support him.  While looking after his 2 year old daughter was certainly a noble act of love, but it was during a visit with his sister in North Carolina where he witnessed perhaps  the most memorable gesture.  She brought him to an AA meeting where he met a woman who was living in SRO at MCVET.  His sister not only suggested he think about going to MCVET, but after the meeting drove Greg around the rougher parts of her town, threatening that he’d be living on the streets like them if he didn’t turn things around.  Greg’s response was, “I’d walk back to Alabama barefoot before I’d live like that.”

Before he even had a chance to argue, Greg’s family had called MCVET and arranged for his arrival.  Despite intake being on Tuesdays, his family collected his belongings and bought him a one way bus ticket for that Sunday afternoon.  His brother handed him $10 in case he needed anything, and only after the fact did Greg find out that his brother followed the bus right out of town to be sure Greg didn’t hop off along the way.

Greg maintains that the plan he formulated on that long bus ride was to get clean long enough to get a job and make enough money to return to Leighton, AL where he could resume his former way of life.  “I didn’t expect to do all this,” he says today.

Those first few weeks were riddled with excuses as to why he needed to go back to Alabama, but once he realized he wouldn’t be leaving MCVET anytime soon, he settled in for the long haul.  His first platoon morning chores brought him outside where he’d see these runners circling up every day.  He’d never been on a team before, and resolved to join as soon as he was time eligible.

Those early days were marked by the encouragement he garnered from each step he took and each teammate who supported him.  It quickly became apparent that Greg had a knack for long distance running.  He set his sights on the half marathon which he fondly remembers not so much because he finished, but because his teammate Cheyanne was there to run it with him, and don him with his favorite nickname, Road Runner.

Since then, Greg has run and completed countless races with grace and dexterity, and in some very respectable times.  But when he recounts his successes since arriving at MCVET, or joining Back on My Feet, he doesn’t list them terms of PR’s, trophies or number of marathons he’s completed.  Greg affectionately attributes his success to the teammates who have helped him achieve every step he’s earned along the way.

From his running partner LL, his surrogate team at CP on Tuesday nights – Shannon, Kayla, Sue, Dom and Harvey, to his training coaches Peter and Audrey who have taught him so much about running, pacing, hills, breathing and becoming a better runner, to Abby who is constantly encouraging him in everything he does, to Karen, Nikia, Erin, Kim, Claire and Mike who were a big part of him passing his GED test, to Audrey, Peter and Abby supporting his job search, to Ricky connecting him with a suit for his interview, to Amy and Abby helping him decorate his new apartment, the number of people he credits with his big successes and the daily decisions to stay positive is endless.

Now an alum of the Back on My Feet program, living in his own place, armed with his GED and a team of devoted supporters behind him, Greg is employed in the Environmental Services department at the National Baltimore Aquarium and is applying to BCCC to start his college degree.   “I didn’t expect to be here,” he keeps repeating, “I didn’t expect to move into my own place, I didn’t expect to go to college, I didn’t expect any of this.”

As a leader on the team, and a strong, confident runner, Greg also finds ways to be able to give back to the team.  He enjoys his most recent and revered nickname, “Coach” earned through his mentorship to his teammates, most notably, Kayla.  Greg has paced her through two half-marathon PR’s, most recently at the Baltimore Running Festival where he too broke his personal record in 1:38:24.  Greg is set to run and has high hopes of PR’ing in the Marine Corps Marathon this Sunday.

For all you have achieved, all you’ve overcome to get to where you are, and all you have ahead of you po’ boy, Alabama, Road Runner, Coach, Greg, we wish you the best of luck.

Beep beep!

Despite joining Back on My Feet’s team REST only two short months ago, Robin has already made a profound impact on his team members. Robin’s smile in the morning is contageous, and his dedication to running and self-improvement is admireable. Since joining the REST team on September 3rd, Robin has participated in two Back on My Feet races - the Outdoor Track Meet and the Pilgrim Kids Care 5k! He has also attended an Accenture Skills to Succeed course on Time Management and Performance Feedback. Most impressively, Robin has yet to miss a single morning run. 

In addition to his participation with Back on My Feet, Robin recently began an internship as a chef at Inspiration Corporation’s Cafe Too. Robin has always loved cooking, and the culinary training program at Inspiration Corporation has provided him with the opportunity to work independently and learn some delicious new recipes! Robin is actively looking for housing and is taking advantage of all the programming that the REST facility and Back on My Feet program have to offer. Robin feels like a new person because of his participation with Back on My Feet. As he would tell you:

“I’ve been given great support from everyone on the team. I feel so much better now. At first, I didn’t feel like running, but now I’m jogging! The events are great-apple picking and the marathon were so much fun! This program means a lot to me. It’s about the love and support that I get from each member and the volunteers. It lets me know that I can accomplish anything if I put my mind into it!”

October has been a busy, busy month for our Back on My Feet staff and we couldn’t have done it without some of our favorite Non-Residential Members helping us. A huge shout out goes to Terry Mullins, Colleen Doyle and Char McEwen. Thank you for all that you do! And on the other hand, let’s recognize some Residential Members that are kicking butt! Way to go guys!

	Terry Mullins, Non-Residential Member, Dallas LIFE “My favorite part of running with Back on My Feet is making new wonderful friends on a weekly basis who authentically support, encourage, and care for one another!  Eric Liddell once wrote “I run because I feel the pleasure of God” – I would paraphrase his sentiment by saying ” I run with Back on My Feet because I feel God’s pleasure in it.” The early morning hugs, greetings, cheering for each another, and circling up together is a contagious joy – I know it must bring Him great delight!”
	Ronnie P., Residential Member, Dallas LIFE Has been a member of the Dallas LIFE team since June 2011 and recently accepted a position with the Marriott Suites Market Center, joining eight other Back on My Feet teammates.
	Char McEwen, Non-Residential Member, Salvation Army “Charles S. recently completed his first 15k race in a great time.  I have observed Charles really push himself many times beyond what he thought he was capable of and never give up.  I am so proud of what he has accomplished both in his running and now getting his own apartment. He gets up at 3:00 a.m. so he can catch the bus and DART to be at our morning runs. That is discipline and commitment that will serve him well in any facet of life. He is so kind, so motivated and simply a wonderful human being. Which, of course, I could parrot when talking about Matthew and Donald and Cornelius and Bob and Tony and Jill and Ms. Polk…”
	Charles M., Residential Member, Salvation Army Charles joined Back on My Feet in August 2011 and recently moved into his own apartment from the Salvation Army facility. He continues to stay in touch with his teammates and raced in the DRC Loop 5K with Back on My Feet.
	Colleen Doyle, Non-Residential Member, The Bridge “I love the energy and camaraderie of Team Bridge! There has never been a morning that I’ve gotten up to run with Back on My Feet when I have thought ‘I wish I slept in this morning.’  The hugs and positive, upbeat energy that are waiting for me each morning are more than enough to wake me up and put me in a good mood for the day and it’s so nice to see a group of people who are so supportive of one another.”
	John H., Residential Member, The Bridge John joined Team Bridge in July 2011 and has been running with the team ever since. An overcomer, John is blind in one eye and suffers from cataracts in another. He often trips during morning runs and sometimes even falls. But he always gets back up.

This weekend ended with another race-day success! The Back on My Feet DC chapter teamed up and headed to the Baltimore Running Festival.  We were well represented by our veteran racers, with a few first-time marathoners in the mix!

This was the first marathon for our resident members Smiley, Marque E., Marvin O. and Dave W. Chris & Walter – both ultra marathon runners, who recently ran as part of our Ragnar Relay team – were our veteran marathoners. Our volunteers & members had a great day cheering on our runners, along with the 5,000 other racers tackling the longest distance of the day!

All of our racers crossed the finish line in under 5 1/2 hours – Walter even came away with a new marathon PR. A huge congrats goes out to all who participated!

Click here for more photos from the weekend.

Barb & Joe

Barb Shafer is a non-res runner with team HVAF. I have had the privilege of getting to know Barb over the past few months and she is a true joy to have in my life. She is one of those people you just feel comfortable around, even when you first meet her. Barb became involved with Back on My Feet Indianapolis right after our launch.

I’ll never forget the day I met Barb! I had been emailing with her for at least a month, and finally met her at the Carmel Half Marathon. It’s funny how you have preconceived notions about someone before you meet them. For some reason based on our emails, Barb was just who I thought she would be. There are so many amazing aspects of BoMF, but getting to know people like Barb, definitely tops the charts!

Learn more about Barb below and you will begin to understand what makes her so special:

Shoe Size: My shoe size is 7.5 but I wear an 8 in running shoes.

Post Run Food: After a run I HAVE to have a fountain Diet Coke with lots of ice.  I know it’s not so good for you, but it is one of my vices.

Favorite Race: I have enjoyed most races, but especially liked Disney World Marathon, Marine Corps Marathon, and the Charlevoix, MI Marathon.

Favorite Music: I love contemporary Christian music and love to listen to K-Love!

Bucket List: My bucket list includes completing a marathon in all 50 states!!  I have done only 11 states so far, so it may take me a while.

Years Running: I have been running for about 15 years.  Wish I had started earlier!  Had a friend who urged me to train for a half-marathon with her and got hooked.

Why do you Run: Running is my therapy.  Without it, I get crabby, moody and fat.  Love the challenge of running in different cities, and mixing it with another of my favorites: traveling.

How did you find out about BoMF: A friend sent me an email re: BOMF and was instantly intrigued.  After attending an orientation meeting, I knew it was where I needed to be.

What does BoMF mean to you: BoMF has been an answer to prayer.  It is wonderful to combine the love of running with a fabulous group of people who are really moving and shaking the world for the better.  The accountability keeps me getting up at 4:30am!

Why did you decide to FundRace: It is such a pleasure to FundRace for BoMF, because this program is doing so much for our residents.  It is a true joy to see them succeed, not only in completing the challenge of a race, but the challenges that they face in their personal lives.  To be able to contribute to that is what it’s all about for me.  When they succeed, the whole team succeeds.

What is your favorite BoMF memory: There are so many memories that are sweet to me, but just getting out there on the daily runs, hearing how the members are moving along in their lives, is the best. The non-residents are a pretty wonderful group  people.  Tom and Deb are such an inspiration for us all, I learn so much from the whole atmosphere.

I thank God that I can be a small part of this wonderful organization!

After a few runs with Back On My Feet, I found myself on a four-mile run early one morning and asked myself, “What am I doing? Really, why am I doing this?”

I wouldn’t consider myself a runner, I don’t particularly enjoy it, I have never challenged myself to run regularly in the past, and I’m unsure if I want to work toward a marathon in the future. As I ran with the group I saw many non-residential members who love to run. In fact, many are extremely active – diving into mountain biking, ultra-marathon racing, long-distance running, and  other activities. I also saw residential members who have trained for and completed marathons with Back On My Feet. I told myself, “the guy next to me has [struggled throughout his life with drinking and drug use]…If this guy is out here doing this, then I can do this too.”

However, sometimes I am still unsure if this group is for me. I didn’t join for the running, even though the majority of members are runners. I joined because I liked the message the organization presented as well as the accomplishments its members sought to attain, and I thought I could lose a few pounds by participating. On the surface, Back On My Feet appeared to be a positive program for those who need it most. Once I became more involved, however, I developed an entirely different perspective.

Back On My Feet’s mission states that the organization “promotes the self-sufficiency of those experiencing homelessness by engaging them in running as a means to build confidence, strength and self-esteem.”  My original perception was that Back on My Feet was suggesting that “help” travels in a one-way direction from non-residential members to residential members. With experience, though, I found this was far from accurate. Instead, Back on My Feet  builds a true communal support group among its members, residential and non-residential. Amid bodily pain, self-hesitancy toward running, and corresponding doubts about the program itself, my own experiences led me to re-evaluate why I ran with Back On My Feet.

When I first joined, I could not complete a full mile. Over the course of a few months I built up my stamina, endurance, and strength with the encouragement of other members; that kind encouragement was a new experience for me. Specifically, one morning I attempted to complete a four-mile run for the first time. On that day, Reed*, a fellow member (residential) and friend, became my cheerleader and assisted me in completing those four miles. Halfway through the four miles I wanted to give up, and he continually responded for the second two miles, “no, keep going, keep going…” I realized that day that I had been arrogant to believe I was helping him by participating in the program when indeed he was helping me as much, if not more. I’ve never had a cheerleader before: my parents were always supportive but never in the capacity that Reed imparted that day and that others have continually offered.

Reflecting on this experience and others, I reformed my understanding of Back On My Feet. I’d like to detail three of the most meaningful experiences I have had. First, and most personal, the cheerfully positive support I received while running, which may seem trivial, was previously absent from my life and atypical of the support I received from my immediate family. The people in Back On My Feet filled a gap in my life, a gap that has ties to familial bonds. Second, Back on My Feet taught me how to approach tasks and goals by taking one step at a time. That may seem cliched, but despite its unoriginality, it is a very useful metaphor in helping me achieve my own goals in my personal and professional endeavors.  Finally, the group established mutually constructed dependence, engagement, and camaraderie. Even though I do not enjoy running, I realize that not only am I doing something for myself, I am simultaneously doing something positive for others.

Bryan C. Clift is a current doctoral student at the University of Maryland School of Public Health in the Department of Kinesiology. The narratives and portraits about the experiences of Back On My Feet members were compiled using a descriptive ethnographic approach and resulted in a compelling and complex understanding of how Back On My Feet members’ cultural identities shape their experiences. Each representation herein is based on interviews with Back On My Feet members and over 100 hours of participant-observation. In addition to contributing toward academic publications these representations were constructed in part to advocate for Back On My Feet. Bryan can be contacted at bcclift@umd.edu.

*Name has been changed

The Fannie Mae Help the Homeless Walkathon is still one month away, but the some students are already taking action and doing their part. DC’s Eastern High School hosted their own Mini-walk today, with excellent attendance and spirited walkers!

Anyone can host a “Mini-walk“, and they are a great way to get the community around you involved in the Help the Homeless program. These walks are “a group of people coming together to walk in support of one of the Help the Homeless nonprofit service providers“ - such as Back on My Feet. A mini-walk can be hosted by any group, or community, such as athletic teams, neighborhoods, university/college clubs, schools, etc.

We’re honored that the students and faculty at Eastern High School organized this event! We’re looking forward to more mini-walks, as we all gear up for the big Walkathon on the National Mall, held on November 19, 2011.

It’s official! Back on My Sweets is on the market! Now you can be the owner of the first ever Back on My Feet cookbook! This collection of muffin and cupcake recipes is sure to be a pleaser for everyone on your holiday shopping list. Best of all, all proceeds of the book sales benefit Back on My Feet! What could be sweeter?

You can preview the book and buy your copy today! Why not make it a baker’s dozen?

August has been an exciting month for the Lake View Back on My Feet team! Luckily, it’s been a little bit cooler and a lot easier to run. Read more…