What makes you feel alive when you are doing it and why?
Growing up in Yucca Valley, California, I often went running with my father through nearby Joshua Tree National Park, and I fell in love with the sport.
Long-distance running makes me feel alive. When I’m running, I’m immersed in my surroundings, and able engage the world with an open mind. The sound of my breathing and my feet hitting the ground drives away distractions, freeing me to a deeper consideration of challenges I am facing or events in my life. As a Marine, I’ve lived in five different locations, and I have learned each of them by my running routes: I loved the thrill of passing Obama’s motorcade as I ran through the National Mall, running circles around the flight deck of the aircraft carrier, and running the Freedom Trail in Boston with my Officer’s School classmates.
When traveling, the first thing I do is lace up my shoes and hit the streets, wandering through back alleys and nature trails, often running past my comfortable half-way point in my curiosity about what lies around the next corner. During the COVID pandemic, running outdoors has been my constant; nodding at my fellow runners offers a shared moment with strangers in a world of social distancing. Running is not only a solo sport, but also a bonding activity – I’ve formed lasting friendships with all my running partners.
Today as Marine Corps commander, whenever I feel one of my divisions needs encouragement, we go for a group run: running together as a team gives us a common purpose, and forms a bond removed from rank or position as we find our collective pace, stumbling exhausted together through the last mile. That feeling – connected to the people around me, immersed in my environment, and pushing myself to the limit – makes me feel alive.