RUNBORN CHALLENGE 2024

RUNBORN 2024 theme is

“I know well the plans I have in mind for you”
JER 29:11

This is year 5 for RUNBORN. Although I originally only thought it was going to be a one-time event, after the success of the 1st year I felt called to continue doing it as long as God allowed, and then I personally hoped and set a goal to attempt at least 5 years. And here we are – 5th year! It seems like it gets tougher every year to train, plan, and organize, but I was inspired this year to do something again. Especially since this seems like such an important Pro-Life awareness year for Nebraska. The last couple of years I have faced some physical health battles and feel like I was not able to do RUNBORN justice with my physical effort. I definitely do not feel 100% yet, and nowhere near the condition I was in the first year, but God has been helping me improve and for the most part has been keeping me healthy this year.

God has me on a journey, and I just have to trust the plans he has in mind for me and for Runborn. It has been a journey of ups and downs, celebrations and challenges, easy times and struggles. My first year was really the year I enjoyed the most, especially the pilgrimage aspect of it stopping at 46 churches to say a decade of the rosary at each. So since this is year 5, which is the latest longevity goal I had set (although I never know when will be the last year God will have me on this journey of doing solo events – He may give me a revised longevity goal after this year, only He knows!), I thought it would be fitting to repeat the first year 520 mile route in case it is a bookend to Runborn. But sometimes when I think I have reached a bookend, God says there is a new chapter on the next page. “I know well the plans I have in mind for you……”

But this year instead of trying to run two marathons a day for 10 days I am planning on completing the route in 5 days by running 15-20 miles a day and biking 85-90 miles each day, basically covering 104 miles total per day, on average. I will start at the Colorado border just west of Grant on Saturday, June 22, and finish in Plattsmouth on Wednesday, June 26. Visit our “Maps” page to see the route and schedule in more detail. You will also be able to track my live progress each day of the event, on the “Maps” page and on www.facebook.com/irunborn .

I am blessed God has allowed me to remain healthy so far this year and I have had the opportunity to prepare and train for another challenging event. I am really looking forward to traveling across the state again. I think the last 2 years battling health issues and injury have been a good humbling experience for me and a good reminder that God is in charge. He has me on this journey with RUNBORN and I just need to follow his plan. He has been doing remarkable things with it so far and I need to stay patient, trust, and open to whatever he wants to ask of me.

I really feel like a successful RUNBORN 2024 event is critical this year. With all the things we have going on in the state this year surrounding abortion, I think RUNBORN can play a role in raising awareness how many resources there are available for people to choose life over abortion. I’m sure God will create opportunities during the event for Runborn to impact people in a positive way. He will provide ways to fulfill, “I know well the plans I have in mind for you……”

Sometimes I hear people are concerned for me regarding these challenging events I do for RUNBORN. I appreciate people’s concern for me and understand that it can be hard to see it from my perspective, but I just have to do what I feel called to do. Trust me, I’m not really crazy. God just continually puts things in front of me to strengthen me and remind me I have nothing to fear if I am following His plan for me. Some examples:

Daily reflection in The Word Among Us – “Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with a passion to do the work to which he has called you (Acts 13:2).”
Daily Reflection from Dynamic Catholic (quote from Resisting Happiness by Matthew Kelly) – “The moment we open ourselves up to God’s plans is the moment miracles begin to happen in our lives.”
An inspiring and timely homily from Fr. Wahlmeier with this final line – “Find the one that God created you to be.”
And of course – “I know well the plans I have in mind for you…” Jer 29:11

As I reflect on the first four years of Runborn, and when I am struggling to push forward with all the things I need to do in preparing for Runborn 2024, I am overwhelmed with appreciation, gratitude, and joy that I have been a small part of the success of Runborn raising over $101,000 so far to benefit St. Gianna Women’s Homes and the Women’s Care Center of Lincoln. The real credit goes to all of the generous donors that support Runborn. You are the ones who are actually impacting the lives of the women, children, and the unborn these organizations serve. THANK YOU for all your support these last 4 years and for the support I am sure will overflow again this year. Every contribution, no matter how big or small, makes a difference!