Browsing Tag

Social Causes

Running Around The World

March 3, 2013

Life sometimes provides us with opportunities that we could never imagine for ourselves and it’s up to each of us to take each one and seize it.

I’m typing this on an airport shuttle bus bound for Tokyo’s Narita airport for the final flight of a round-the-world trip for a client that began in mid January on the sunny beaches of Santa Monica. Since then, I’ve had a chance to slip on my sneakers and take off running in some truly incredible places on this beautiful blue planet.

In just over a week, I’ll be running in the Hunger Walk/Run in Atlanta for the second time. Continue Reading…

Inspiration

A Game Changing Birthday Wish

July 22, 2012
charity: water

2 weeks ago, I sat in the beautiful Newmark Theater in Portland, Oregon as I listened to Scott Harrison of charity: water describe his story and the history of this incredible organization. Like me, Scott spent many years in the nightlife scene and saw enough sketchiness to last him a lifetime. Yet, after all the years of drinking, drugging and everything in between, Scott had a realization that he wanted his life to stand for more than just a stream of good parties.

Scott spent time in West Africa alongside volunteer doctors who were treating hundreds of patients a day that would otherwise have endured unimaginable suffering from a variety of maladies. Continue Reading…

Inspiration

Spreading Joy

March 23, 2012
Brandon & Jeremy - Hunger Walk/Run 2011

Joy. It’s one of those words that gets used far too infrequently in my opinion. I believe that we are at our best when we are living in joy.

Some people exude joy everywhere they go, even in the most mundane activities. I’ve been fortunate to know several people like that over the years. 3 days ago, I lost one of them in a tragic accident and my heart feels very heavy today as I think about it.

My friend and neighbor, Jeremy Smith, was one of the most positive, upbeat, enthusiastic people I have ever met in my life.

Continue Reading…

Inspiration

21 Minutes 58 Seconds

March 15, 2012
Hunger Walk/Run

1 week ago, I did something that I could barely imagine just a month or so ago – I ran a 5K fun run for the Atlanta Community Food Bank in a brisk 21 minutes an 58 seconds.

The annual Hunger Walk/Run is something I’ve participated in for many years, but this year, I donned a pair of running shoes and a determination to push myself further than I had ever gone before.

I wrote about my reasons for not running before in an earlier post, and in all honesty I was still slightly unsure of how my endurance would hold out in the actual run. Continue Reading…

Inspiration

Doing the thing you think you cannot do

March 7, 2012
Brandon's Run

“You must do the thing you think you cannot do” – Eleanor Roosevelt

When I was in high school, I told myself that I wasn’t a runner. ‘I have bad knees.’  This is a belief I held onto, and I believed it all the way into adulthood. I’ve always been a pretty active person, particularly when it comes to outdoor activities, but running had been completely off the table.

An interesting thing happened lately, though. I went for a run in the park across the street from my new home. It was only about 2.5 miles, but the pace was respectable (8’14” if I recall). I did it again a week later, and then again a few days after that. Continue Reading…