Tag Archives: Iron Phi

March 6, 2013

Day 5 of 8 – 6.0 Miles in Oxford, Mississippi

Oxford, Mississippi has been on my shortlist of towns to visit for quite some time. Having visited nearly 100+ campuses, many people have mentioned to me that a trip to Ole Miss is a must. The quintessential college town from what they say. When I was planning this year’s run, I knew that I wanted to make it to Oxford. The only trick about the trip would be that Megabus does not run from Memphis to Oxford or from Oxford to Birmingham. A little improvisation would need to be made to make it happen.

Ben Boden was kind enough to drive me from Memphis to Oxford, about an a hour and twenty minute drive. Ben and I arrived in Oxford and headed to its fabled square where I had planned to meet my great friend Sparky Reardon, my host while in Oxford. Wow, the Oxford Square is amazing. Literally a square, it is the hub of the city and it is full of charming stores, restaurants, bars and its impressive old courthouse. Five minutes on the Square will make you want to stay for days.

Ben and I met Sparky and his buddy Vernon at Ajax for dinner. Ajax is owned by an Ole Miss Phi Delt and does not disappoint. A traditional meal of catfish and greens arrived at my table. So good. While at dinner, I learned that Vernon is the uncle of the Manning boys. Yes, those Manning boys. Following dinner, we bid adieu to Ben and headed to the Tad Smith Coliseum, or the “Tad Pad” to watch Ole Miss take on Alabama.

Ole Miss has one of the most entertaining college basketball players to watch in the nation – Marshall Henderson. I’ve never seen such an animated player before. Plus, he shoots lights out. It was fun to see his style as you don’t see many like him. This clip explains his mentality.

Following the game, Sparky and I headed to his house. Man, I was pooped. I had been up since 1am with a nine mile run in the pouring rain under my belt. Seriously pooped.

I slept for six hours and woke up in the morning for my run. Sparky had lined up two of his cousins (also Ole Miss Phi Delts) to run with me that day. Bret Beauchamp and Charlie Cascio proved to be awesome running buddies and provided for many great laughs throughout the run, including one big laugh when they heard how I say the word Pecan. Both guys are remarkable runners as Bret runs the Boston Marathon each year in sub-3 hours and Charlie ran track and cross-country for Ole Miss. I even learned that Bret has been known to run around town in December dressed up as Santa Claus. I find this to be quite awesome.

We started our run at Rowan Oak, also known as the William Faulkner House. William Faulkner was an American writer and Nobel Prize laureate from Oxford, Mississippi. His house is now owned by the University of Mississippi and is used for a variety of things. Here, I thanked my colleague Luke Benfield. I wanted to thank Luke here as it reminded me greatly of Luke. Luke is a Southern Gentleman himself and a reader/writer. Luke is doing tremendous things in the world of education for Phi Delta Theta. Thanks Luke!

Bailey Wood’s Trail began its life as part of William Faulkner’s home and connects Rowan Oak to the University. Faulkner drew inspiration for his writing from the woods, and wrote on the trail. Here, I thanked Sparky for his extreme generosity.

I like to brag a bit about my friend Sparky Reardon. I consider Sparky to be a mentor (as do many Phis) and have heard him deliver many, many inspiring speeches over the years to thousands of undergraduate Phi Delts at our conferences. He is a moving speaker and is the Dean of Students at Ole Miss. When you Google “southern gentleman”, Sparky’s face should appear. I quickly learned that walking around Oxford, Mississippi with Sparky is like walking around with the Governor. I sure as heck know that Sparky wouldn’t be able to get away with anything in Oxford, as everyone knows him!

My favorite Sparky moment was seeing him on one of ESPN’s commercials. The piece is hilarious. He’s the guy in the suit that talks real fast.

The three of us ran Bailey Wood’s Trail to the University.

Our next stop was the Castellow Ford Center for the Performing Arts on campus, the home of the first 2008 Presidential Debate between Barack Obama and John McCain. Here, I thanked Kelly Derickson, a colleague of mine at Phi Delt. Kelly and I work together on the Fraternity’s communication efforts, and I thought it to be only fitting to thank her here. Her husband Tim is a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 53rd district, which includes Oxford, Ohio.

If you love civil rights history, you will love this article in the New York Times about Ole Miss, the recent debate, and how the community has progressed greatly over the years.

From the Ford Center, we ran to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, the home of the Ole Miss Rebel football team. There is much buzz about Ole Miss football as they just landed one of the top recruiting classes in the country. Expect great things from them in the SEC in the near future.

Here, I thanked the Brannon family once again. I thanked them here, because I wanted to honor their connection with an Iowa football legend, who was tragically killed a few years back. Ed Thomas was a legendary high school football coach at Applington-Parkersburg, a collection of small towns known for their strong football team. The city has put four men in the NFL, which is astonishing for its size. The community witnessed great tragedy in 2008 and 2009. In 2008, a tornado demolished the community of Parkersburg wiping out much of the city. A year later, their beloved football coach was murdered. Jason and his family are from Parkerburg, and Jason’s sister is married to one of Ed Thomas’ sons. The family attended the ESPYs a few years back when Coach Thomas was recognized at the awards show. I tell this story, because I thought about the Brannons a great deal when this all was going on.

We ran from the football stadium to the chapter house of Phi Delta Theta’s Mississippi Alpha Chapter. Greek life is huge at Ole Miss, and the houses are amazing. While I didn’t intend to, I woke up my buddy Matthew Porchivina to say hi. Matthew is the son of Rudy and Deb Porchivina. Rudy is a Past President of the General Council of Phi Delta Theta and a good friend. Deb is one of my favorite Iowa Hawkeyes. It’s so fun to see Matthew thriving as an undergraduate Phi Delt and pulling off a Brooks Brothers robe. He’ll be taking me halfway to Birmingham in a few hours, and for that, I’m extremely grateful.

At the house, the guys directed me to the plaque below, honoring my buddy Sparky.

A young Phi Delt then took a picture of Bret, Charlie and me in front of the house. Here, I thanked the brothers of Mississippi Alpha.

From the Phi Delt house, we ran to Sorority Row where as you can guess, many of the University’s sorority houses are located. They are quite the structure. We took the picture quickly as we hoped nobody would see three grown men in tights taking pictures of the sorority houses at 8:00am in the morning.

We then headed to the heart of campus, a place where tailgating is done best during the football season. The Grove is magnificent, and I can only imagine how much greater it would be stacked with Ole Miss fans during the fall. Here, I thanked my good friend Moe Stephens underneath the Walk of Champions sign. Moe is on the Fraternity’s General Council and has become a great friend over the years. Thanks Moe!

At one end of the Grove is the Lyceum, the University’s first building and structure that is on the University’s logo. How about that for an awesome campus building? Here, I thanked Sparky again. Are you seeing a theme here?

We also ran past one of the well-known 18 mph traffic signs at Ole Miss, a dedication to Archie Manning who wore #18 for Ole Miss. There are also 10 mph signs on campus in honor of Eli.

On our way to Oxford Square, we passed another sign worth highlighting. Delta Gamma Fraternity is the sister organization of Phi Delta Theta and was founded at Ole Miss.

Our next stop was the Square. Here I thanked my sister and brother-in-law in front of Square Books. Square Books is one of the neatest independently-owned book stores in the country. I found it fitting to thank my sister here, as we grew up with a librarian mother.

Right across the street stands the Oxford Square Courthouse, right in the middle of everything. Here, I thanked Sparky again.

Upon leaving the Square, I had to take a picture with the William Faulker statue. Guy was just staring at me.

We ran back to the car, and the guys took me by the local cemetery to see Faulkner’s grave before dropping me off at Sparky’s. It did not disappoint. As you can tell, local residents still like to have a cocktail with Mr. Faulkner.

After a quick shower, Sparky treated me to breakfast at Big Bad Breakfast. I had a feeling that I would enjoy it. And I did, a little too much. I had the “Good Old Boy” omelet, cheese grits and a biscuit. So much for those lost calories.

Sparky was even kind enough to buy a BBB t-shirt for me. I couldn’t resist picking up this one.

My time in Oxford is quickly coming to an end as I’ll be making my way to Birmingham this afternoon. I had a blast. Thanks again to Sparky, Vernon, Bret and Charlie for a memorable experience. I will be back.

Leave a comment | tags: 2012 Presidential Debate, Ajax, ALS Association, Archie Manning, Bailey Wood's Trail, Big Bad Breakfast, Castellow Ford Center, Delta Gamma, Ed Thomas, Eli Manning, Iron Phi, Lou Gehrig's Disease, Marshall Henderson, Megabus, Mississippi, Ole Miss, Oxford, Oxford Square, Oxford Square Courthouse, Parkersburg, Phi Delta Theta, Rowan Oak, Running, Sorority Row, Sparky Reardon, Square Books, Tad Smith Coliseum, The Grove, The Lyceum, University of Mississippi, Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, William Faulkner | posted in Uncategorized

March 4, 2013

7.65 Miles On Foot, 6.5 Miles By Bike In Nashville, Tennessee

By Steve Good

Nine hours after leaving Chicago I arrived in Nashville, Tennessee. We stopped through Indianapolis and Louisville en route to Nashville. Wow, nine hours by bus will take it out of you, but I was able to catch up on my writing and luckily had some space to stretch out.

When I arrived in Nashville, I was picked up by Nolan Pattee, my pledge dad from my days at Phi Delt at Iowa State. It’s been years since I’ve seen Nolan and his wife Brandi, so I greatly looked forward to my visit. Nolan and I caught up for a bit before hitting the sack.

Nolan and Brandi have four kids, with the oldest being six. Upon waking up, I went into Uncle Steve mode and had a blast with the kids prior to leaving for our run. Seriously, cutest kids ever.

I told Sadi that Tillie would thoroughly love her polka-dot outfit.

Nolan and I headed downtown for our run mid-morning. We started at LP Field, the home of the Tennessee Titans. Here, I threw on my Cincinnati Bengals shirt to thank Sean & Michelle Wagner. Sean has been a colleague at Phi Delt since I started in 2004 and is a Bengals season ticket holder. I thought it was only fitting to sport my Bengals gear in enemy territory. Who Dey!

From LP Field, we took off over the pedestrian bridge into downtown and was immediately welcomed with many a picture opportunity. I quickly had the opportunity to take my first Runner’s Choice photo of the day, thanking John and Kimmy Talcott. John and I worked together at Phi Delt, and the Talcotts now live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I stayed with them last year during my run, and I was able to see them a month ago when I was in Pittsburgh. John and Kimmy will soon be welcoming a little one to the family and will phenomenal parents.

We headed to Broadway, the main strip in Nashville. Broadway is stacked with honky-tonk bars, restaurants and gift shops. We spotted a giant cowboy boot and figured that it merited a Runner’s Choice photo. Here, I thanks my sister and brother-in-law again.

Just a block down the road, we ran into one of Nashville’s many street performers. I promised my cousins Adam & Lindsey Good that I’d stop by the Wild Horse Saloon for today’s picture, but I couldn’t pass up this opportunity. A small tip and picture later, we continued down Broadway.

We stopped by Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge for a quick pic, one of Nashville’s most famous watering holes.

From Tootsie’s we headed north a block and came upon the Ryman Auditorium. Ryman is the original home of the Grand Ole Opry. Tillie and I came to Nashville over the winter break a few years ago to see a show at Ryman. Despite bringing the average age down by a few years, we saw a phenomenal show that included country-stars Trace Adkins and Little Jimmy Dickens. On this trip, I thanked my aunt and uncle Tom & Colleen Good. Tom & Colleen have supported both of my running trips, and we love spending time with them in the fall during Iowa State football games. Thanks Tom & Colleen!

From Ryman, we headed to the Tennessee State Capitol that resides in downtown Nashville. It’s one of the smallest state capitals out there, but it’s charm makes up for its size. Here I thanked Drew Miller, who is a fellow Phi Delt from Iowa State. Thanks Drew!

From the capital, I had to make a quick stop by Printers Alley, the home of many great memories from my pal Joe Wechsler’s bachelor party back in the day. Printers Alley is a small street stocked with karaoke bars and other establishments that serve wonderful hot plates at night. I will never forget my time spent in the Alley!

We ran south towards the Country Music Hall of Fame. Right next to the Hall of Fame is the new Nashville Convention Center. Wow, what a structure. It’s still under construction, but I can only imagine how much business it will bring to the great city of Nashville.

Right next store is the famous Country Music Hall of Fame. I’ve been through the Hall of Fame before, and even though I’m not a huge fan of country music, it was one awesome experience. Here, I thanked Todd & Candice Thomas. One of the neatest things about these trips is the connection with people of whom I’ve never. I received a very nice message from Todd & Candice during my fundraising efforts. Candice mentioned that her grandmother had ALS, and it once again provided great motivation for today’s run. Thank you Todd & Candice!

Nolan and I headed west towards Music Row, but we soon came across Nashville’s public bike service. As you can see, Nolan was a fan, and it sparked an idea that the two of us would capitalize on later during the run.

So Nashville is obviously known for its connection with the music industry. It’s everywhere, and it is very neat to see. Music Row is an area of town that is packed full of the many businesses that serve this industry. We came across this random statue that merited a picture. Who knows what they are doing and why they neglected to wear clothing.

Near Music Row, I found a friend playing the piano. I had to take the opportunity to thank my main man DeMarkco Butler, a fellow Phi Delt staff member. I consider DeMarkco a little brother of sorts and I’m proud of the tremendous work that he is doing to bring Phi Delta Theta back or to new campuses. He’s knocking it out of the ballpark. While I promised to do the Dougie on Music Row, I quickly realized that I had no idea how to do the Dougie. I may need DeMarkco to “teach me how to Dougie.”

Nolan and I ran Music Row. It’s such a cool place, and it was neat to place a location to many of the things that drive this industry. We found Sony Music, but Taylor Swift was nowhere to be seen.

And the famous RCA Studio B that is home to numerous hits by many famous artists, including the one-and-only Elvis Preasley. So much history here!

Nolan and I thought it would be a great idea to stop for lunch at this point. Who said a belly full of fish tacos and nachos is a bad idea mid-run. We ate at the San Antonio Taco Company, one of my favorite places that I frequented when I helped restart the Fraternity’s chapter at Vanderbilt University. We enjoyed the delicious meal and relaxed at Starbucks a bit to charge my phone. It’s been awesome to catch up with Nolan on this trip, and I was able to learn more about his career and family life at Starbucks. He’s kicking tail and doing many great things.

Looking like a pair of 70-year old men, Nolan and I started “running” again onto Vanderbilt University. Our goal was to run normal when students passed us, but our hobble shone through. We ran over to the Phi Delt house on campus. Here, I thanked Scott and Lisa Mietchen. Scott finished up his role in 2012 as the President of Phi Delta Theta’s General Council. He did many great things for the organization. It’s been great to get to know the Mietchen family. I’ll never forget a snowmobiling trip with Sean Wagner, Scott and Chris Lapple a few years back in Wyoming. We had a blast.

After Vanderbilt, Nolan and I were struggling big time. We decided to alter our route and utilize the help of the local bike service. For $5, we picked up a few sweet red cruisers and continued the trek around town. We picked up the bikes at a park near Vanderbilt and headed to the Parthenon for a wonderful pic. The Parthenon is a full-size replica of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. As you can see, it’s quite the structure. Here, I thanked two very important people in my life, Neil & Suzanne Alexander. If I hadn’t started this run a year ago, I don’t know if I would know the Alexanders. A highlight of last year’s trip was connecting with the Alexanders. I received a few donations from the family, and through my trip, was able to learn about the Alexander’s story. Neil was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease a few years back, and has truly been an inspiration to me since I’ve met him. Following his diagnoses, Neil started the Live Like Lou Foundation and is doing so many great things to help other families who are being affected by ALS. Neil became a Phi Delt at this summer’s Phi Delt Convention in DC, a very proud moment for many of us. He’s been an inspiration to the Iron Phi program, and through his diagnosis, is helping us educate our members about this terrible disease. Neil’s approach leaves me in awe, and I am lucky to know him.

From the Parthnon, we cycled to the final stop, Belmont University. The Fraternity has a great chapter here, and I have been able to get to know a few of their members through the Iron Phi program. I had actually never been to the campus, but was amazed by it’s spectacular architecture. Here, I thanked my colleague Alex Stefanic. Alex has been the leadership consultant for the chapter over the past two years. Thanks Alex for your donation!

We made our way back downtown to celebrate a great day. Prior to heading back to Tootsie’s, Nolan took me to Fort Nashborough along the river. You have love old structures like this that have survived the new developments of downtown districts. We then headed to Tootsie’s, where we ran into a few fellow Iowans from Waverly.

Whew, what a day. Nearly eight miles on foot and 6+ miles on bike. We considered jumping in the river to complete the triathlon, but we quickly detracted from that idea.

It was great to come across a few familiar faces in Nashville. My family has neat history with the American Gothic painting by Grant Wood. My great-great-grandparents owned the house in the painting when it was painted. It’s located in Eldon, Iowa, my mother’s hometown.

Once again, a big thanks goes to the Pattees for their tremendous hospitality. Their family is wonderful, and it’s been great to catch up with them. They were even kind enough to get this for Cal.

My day has only begun, as I’ll be hopping the 1:40am Megabus from Nashville to Memphis, my first overnight trip. It shall be interesting. I look forward to a great day in Memphis tomorrow, but I need to get a bit of rest before then.

One final note – A week back, I learned that an Iowa State undergraduate Phi Delt, Kyle Bangston’s father was battling ALS. While we have approximately 10,000 undergraduate Phi Delts, only a handful have parents with ALS. This morning, Kyle’s father Paul passed away. My heart goes out to the Bangston family.

Leave a comment | tags: Belmont University, Broadway, Country Music, Country Music Hall of Fame, Fort Nashborough, Honky-Tonk, Iron Phi, Little Jimmy Dickens, LP Field, Megabus, Music Row, Nashville, Nashville Convention Center, Nolan Pattee, Parthenon, Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, Printers Alley, RCA Studo B, Running, Ryman Auditorium, San Antonio Taco Company, Sony Music, Steve Good, Tennesee State Capital, Tennessee, Tennessee Titans, Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, Trace Adkins, Vanderbilt University | posted in Tennessee

March 2, 2013

Day 1 of 8 – 7.75 Miles In Fort Dodge, Iowa (My Hometown!)

By Steve Good

Megabus Part Deux is officially underway. There was no better way to start my 2013 trip than by going home to Fort Dodge, Iowa, to run the city where I spent 16 or so years of my life. We’re all proud of our hometowns, and I am no different. I would select no other place besides Fort Dodge to have grown up. It’s where the young gent below turned into a semi-mature young adult.

So a little bit about Fort Dodge.

Population – A little more than 25,000

Home of the Fort Dodge Dodgers and St. Edmond Gaels

Fort Dodge traces its beginnings to 1850 when soldiers from the United States Army erected a fort at the junction of the Des Moines River and Lizard Creek. It was named after Henry Dodge, a U.S. senator from Wisconsin.

The major industries of Fort Dodge are gypsum and limestone mining, drywall manufacturing, trucking, the manufacture of veterinary pharmaceuticals and vaccines. Gypsum rock is processed into drywall and plaster products at several Fort Dodge manufacturing facilities. Drywall was patented by a Fort Dodge resident, and the gypsum used to create the Cardiff Giant hoax of the late 19th century was mined at Fort Dodge.

Fort Dodge is the home major national trucking companies Decker & SMX. I’ve seen these trucks driven all over this great country. Give em a honk next time you see them. Friendly folks on board.

The Fort Museum has a replica of the Cardiff Giant, which was a fossilized giant humanoid “discovered” at Cardiff, New York. The Cardiff Giant was later proved to be a hoax, sculpted from gypsum mined at Fort Dodge.

Fort Dodge has been the location of Iowa High School Athletic Association championship events. Currently, the cross country championships are held at John F. Kennedy Park north of the town. Fort Dodge also hosts the Iowa girls’ softball championship tournament at Harlan Rogers Park.

Famous Fort Dodgers

Nick Collison, professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder
Karl King, conductor of Barnum & Bailey’s Favorite
Lisa Koll, Olympian and NCAA record holder in 10,000 meters

Today’s run started at the Fort Dodge Senior High School, where I met up with my friend Blake Utley. More about Blake later. I was surprised to find that one of my favorite coaches, Rod Riessen, made the trip over to say hi. Coach Riessen was one of my football coaches/P.E. teaches in high school. I learned two very important lessons from Coach Riessen or “Riess” as we called him. 1) I learned what happens when you assume things (I think you all probably know the play on words), and 2) Never underestimate the value of an Australian push-up. I will also never forget the day of my first varsity football practice. We were doing drills with Coach Riess and I landed awkwardly on my hand. I was shocked to find out that my pinky finger was lodged in a 90-degree angle. I went to Coach Riess and stated, “Coach, I think I broke my f&*#* finger.” He agreed.

So I learned two very ironic things about Coach Riessen today that provided for some serious motivation during the run. 1) Coach, and fellow students at the University of Northern Iowa, had been a part of a Phi Delta Theta interest group when he was at school. While it didn’t work out, and they ended up joining SAE (I won’t hold that against him), it was purely ironic as I spent two years as the Director of Expansion for Phi Delta Theta, starting chapters across the country. 2) Coach Riessen lost his brother Rex to Lou Gehrig’s disease four years ago. I had no idea. He told us a very neat story about his brother was living in Indianapolis and Indianapolis Colt, Dallas Clark (fellow Iowan and relative of another PE teacher at FDSH) was extremely generous to the Riessen family as Rex fought his battle.

Coach Riessen, it was truly a pleasure to see you today.

While at the high school, I took my first donor picture in front of our sign. A big thanks to my cousin Amanda (Good) Buelcher for her donation. Amanda grew up around the corner from us, but her family ended up moving to the Seattle-area. It’s been years since I’ve seen her, but I look forward to when our paths cross once again.

From the high school, Blake and I ran to Dodger Stadium. I spent many days at the stadium, playing football and baseball and running track. It’s truly a gem of a high school stadium. We’re proud of our ivy-covered wall at the baseball stadium, and as a right-handed pull-hitter, I enjoyed the very short left-field fence! Here I thanked my fellow Dodgers Brad & Lindsay Klein, two of my best high school buds who ended up getting married. Brad & Lindsay live in Minneapolis with their adorable son Aiden. I’m lucky to see them fairly often in the fall at Iowa State football games.

I went rummaging through the archives at mom & dad’s house and found an awesome picture of Brad and I with another great friend Ben Carse. Classic. I think we were mimicking my dad’s clothes, which surprisingly enough are pretty hip now!

I also found one of my favorite pictures from my baseball days. I’m the guy in the shin guards.

From Dodger Stadium, we headed towards Fair Oaks Middle School where I spent time as a 5^th and 6^th grader. On the way, we stopped by Josh Mason’s chiropractic practice and CrossFit facility. We were able to say hi to Josh and peek in to see a group of people getting ready to start their CrossFit workout. I gave an across-the-room shout to another one of my favorite coaches growing up, Coach Timmerman. Great seeing you coach, wish we could have chatted for a few minutes.

At Fair Oaks, I thanked a schoolmate of my mine, Nicole Beck, now Nicole Ahrens. If my memory serves me right, I think Nicole and I were on the same team in both 5^th and 6^th grade. She’s awesome, and Blake mentioned that she is now teaching in the FD school district. Thanks so much for your donation Nicole!

The next stop was one of my Runner’s Choice stops, the Blanden Art Museum. The Blanden Memorial Art Museum, the first public museum of art in the state of Iowa. It is renowned as one of the finest small museums in the nation for its extensive permanent collection as well as popular touring exhibits. Here I thanked my wonderful sister and brother-in-law, Anne & Don Davidson. My sister is one of my rocks, and I’m one lucky brother. Anne and Don live in Omaha with their sons Will and Graham. I’m lucky to be able to see them more now living in Iowa. Anne was smart to purchase a Runner’s Choice in each city, so she’ll be getting many a shout-out during this trip.

From Blanden, we ran to the next Runner’s Choice, one of the finest establishments in town, in which I will never admit to entering. Welcome to the Top Hat Lounge. Let’s just say that the Top Hat is a place where you can get a drink and watch a dance at the same time. I’m not talking about the March Madness Big Dance either. Here, I thanked Roger Griffith, who I consider my second father. I mistakenly added his very innocent wife Paula on the sign before realizing that it probably wasn’t the best of ideas to thank Paula, who I consider my second mother at the local strip club. Paula and Roger are the parents of my best friend Travis. I probably spent just as much time at the Griffiths growing up as I did at my own home. Come to think of it, I probably owe the Griffiths a gift card from Hy-Vee for a couple thousand dollars. Paula & Roger, thanks for your donation, and Roger, shame on you for not telling me that the Top Hat is a strip club You’ll be happy to know that your donation will be going to the cause and was not turned into twenty-five one-dollar bills. Ok, I’m moving on before I get into trouble.

Following our stop at the Top Hat, I felt that it was necessary to run to my church, First United Methodist. It wasn’t a planned stop, nor did I thank any donor, I just needed to cleanse my soul. Having said that, I don’t think I ever truly appreciate the architecture of the church until today.

From First Methodist, we ran to Phillips Middle School, where I spent my 7^th and 8^th grade years. Blake filled me in that both Fair Oaks and Phillips will only have one more year as middle schools. The schools are being consolidated and will live in a brand new building in town. We were able to drive by the building later in the day. It’s awesome!

Here I thanked one of my ridiculous partners-in-crime, Mindy Christensen. Mindy is one of my great friends and one of a few people who truly gets my randomness. I was able to stay with Mindy & Marshall in Chicago last year when I went through Chicago. Despite almost breaking a bone falling town her icy steps, we had a blast in Chicago. She and Marshall have since moved to San Francisco, one of my favorite cities in the world. I think a trip may need to be in the works.

I also found this etched into the building. I enjoyed it.

In true fashion, I have to embarrass Mindy a bit. I was able to find one of my favorite pictures of the two of us from middle school. Another classic!

From Phillips, we ran to EXPO pool, where I spent my summers as the resident pool boy. Oh the memories here. Here are a few of my favorite memories:

1) One day I was changing the hydrochloric acid pump at the pool (not sure how anybody ever trusted me to do this) and it exploded on me. No joke. Some of the acid got on my face and neck. I panicked, stripped down to my skibs, came out of the back shed and jumped in the pool to rinse off. Little did I know that swimming lessons were going on and I was stuck in the deep end 95% naked.

2) Prior to the pool opening one summer, I was in the pool (with no water) sanding down some of the sharp edges. A work crew was also there working on the pool and had this crazy Rottweiler with them. Well the crew decided to leave for lunch and left Cujo who paced the pool barking at me the entire time. I was stuck in an empty pool getting fried by the sun. Every time I’d try to get out an run to safety, the dog would terrorize me. I ended up staying in the pool until the crew came back. Let’s just say that I left the pool that day with a killer tan.

3) The infamous pool-draining incident of 1999. Yep, I accidentally drained the pool. That is all.

At EXPO, we met Ryan Takatsuka, my second running buddy for the day. More about Ryan later. Ryan decided that we need to jump the fence to get my donor picture. So we did. Here I thanked Mindy again, as Mindy was a lifeguard at the pool.

From EXPO, we ran to Feelhaver Elementary School, where I spent my elementary days. Here I thanked my sister and brother-in-law again.

The night before, I located one of my favorite pictures of my sister and me on a family vacation in Saugatuck, Michigan.

From Feelhaver, we stopped at my house, 1718 North 14^th Street. It was so great to see the old place. The family was home, so we inconspicuously took the pic, where I thanked my immediate family.

There aren’t enough words to state how important my parents and sister are to me. My parents watch Cal every Friday which is awesome. I know that their positive influence will wear off nicely on Cal. My parents are my role models, and I am one lucky guy.

I had to find a classic pic of the fam. Mom doesn’t like her hair, but hey, it wouldn’t be a classic pic without a few bad hairstyles.

From my house, we made the long trek to Harlan Rogers Sports complex, our final desintation. The complex is a source of pride for us Fort Dodgers. Each year, the Iowa State Softball Tournament is held here. I used to work at Harlan Rogers doing concessions, parking and even umping a few games. One of the neatest things about Harlan is that it has little league fields that are replicas of Wrigley Field, Fenway Park and Yankees Stadium. Pretty cool.

Here, I thanked my mother-in-law Julie and her husband Rob. Rob and Julie are awesome. They live on a farm in a house on a hill in Madison County, Iowa. One of the Bridges of Madison County is just miles away. I always love visiting them. So get this, there is a neat tie-in at Harlan Rogers. My wonderful wife Tillie was born a day after Julie and Tillie’s dad Tim were at Harlan Rogers at one of Tim’s games. At Harlan, Julie was told to go home by her nurse. Sure enough, Tillie was born soon thereafter.

So a huge thanks goes out to Blake Utley, one of my running buddies today. Blake is one year younger than I am, but we played sports together all through high school, mostly because he is an awesome athlete and played with us older folk. I want to brag a bit about Blake here. Blake teaches at the high school and is a coach for the baseball team. Blake created a class that turns high school students into half-marathoners. He teaches them how to train properly, coaches the mental aspect of running and trains with them in preparation for their first half-marathon. Over the last three years, 130+ student at the high school have accomplished a half marathon. I think this is truly remarkable. Talk about a value-added class! I’m biased, but I truly believe in the many lessons that can be learned through running, and Blake is teaching that to our youth. Well done Blake!

We snapped a quick picture at Harlan. Two-thirds of the 1999 FDSH line-backing core right in front of you. Believe it or not.

My other running buddy for the day was classmate and great friend Ryan Takatsuka. The Takatsukas are FD legends. Ryan’s parents Deb and Alan just finished up 30+ years of teaching at FDSH. If you ask any Dodger, I’d predict that 75%+ would name either Deb or Big Al as their favorite teacher. I spent many days/nights at the Takatsukas hanging with Ryan and his twin brother Kai. Big Al may not remember this, but I will never forget a conversation with him during my senior year of high school. He called me into his classroom after school and had a very real conversation with me, one that I needed to hear. While I won’t go into details here, I wanted him to know that it changed my world.

So here’s my chance to brag about Ryan. First of all, Ryan was a cheerleader at Northern Iowa. As a fellow short man, I have mad respect for this. Ryan is probably 5’8’’, but I always marveled at his ability to do the many cheerleading lifts. My shoulder would fall off. Secondly, Ryan is keeping the Takatsuka legacy alive at FDSH. He teaches in his mother’s classroom and uses his father’s desk. So great.

We snapped our picture at the Fort Museum in front of our famous Fort. Ryan asked if I thought it’d be tough to get inside for a picture. I laughed. My type of humor brother.

No trip to Fort Dodge would be valid if I didn’t stop by the local favorite – Taco Tico. It has a cult following, and I’m a part of the cult. Here, I thanked Mindy one last time (she’s also a member of the cult) and devoured the Sancho platter with a side of crustos. Mmmm.

I had an absolute blast visiting my hometown. The memory was a churning all day long, and I am damn proud to be a Fort Dodge Dodger.

Until next time, I gotta get the heck out of Dodge to catch my bus.

3 comments | tags: ALS, Blake Utley, Blandedn Art Museum, Cardiff Giant, Decker, Dodger Stadium, Expo Pool, Fair Oaks Middle School, Feelhaver Elementary, First United Methodist, Fort Dodge, Fort Dodge Senior High, Harlan Rogers Park, Iowa, Iowa High School Athletic Association, Iron Phi, Karl King, Lisa Koll, Lou Gehrig's Disease, Megabus, Nick Collison, Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, Phillips Middle School, Running, Ryan Takatsuka, SMX, Steve Good, Taco Tico, Top Hat Lounge | posted in Iowa, Uncategorized

February 27, 2013

21 Answers To 21 Questions About My Upcoming Running Trip

By Steve Good

Last year, it was fun to answer a few questions prior to my trip and then look back on my answers at the end of the trip. So I’ve decided to do it again, with a few new questions.

Biggest Fear About The Trip

Last year, I was worried about how the weather might affect the bus schedule. This year, I’m not as worried about this as I’m traveling south. Hopefully, warmer weather and less risk ensues. I’d say my biggest fear this year is the mileage. I’m running more miles this year on far less training. The combination of snow, a broken treadmill a few weeks back, and a child has slowed me down a bit over the last month.

Thing I’m Looking Most Forward To

My visit to three of the cities this year (Memphis, Oxford, Athens) will be new experiences to me. Last year, I had previously been to each of the eight cities. While exploring new places is always fun, I always get most excited about seeing friends and spending time with them. I’ll be seeing quite a few people who I have not seen in years.

Biggest Thing I Learned Last Year

Simple. I don’t need as much stuff. Luckily I documented last year’s packing list and was able to cut it down quite a bit. I packed my bag tonight and everything fit easily.

City I’m Most Excited About

There are two cities that stand out in my eyes this year. First of all, I can’t wait to go back to my hometown. Although I now live only an hour away, I haven’t been to Fort Dodge in more than seven years. When I was in Cincy, Tillie and I would travel back to either Ames or Omaha for the holidays. I can’t wait to reflect on great memories, run by many places that helped shape my life and see how the city has changed. We all have pride in our hometown, and I’m damn proud of Fort Dodge. The other city that stands out is Oxford, Mississippi. I’ve traveled to close to 100 colleges and universities over the last eight years, but I’ve never been to Ole Miss. From what everyone says, Ole Miss and Oxford can’t be beat. The quintessential college town.

My Prediction For Best Landmark Picture

I think the best my be the last – The Iron Horse Statue. It stands in a random field outside of Athens, Georgia. It is the reason for 11+ miles on my last day, but it will be very symbolic to the run.

Miles From Start To Finish

1,539

Dollars Spent To Get To Athens, GA

$10.50 – No joke. I have two options for each of the five bus routes that I will take. I purchased all tickets for $1 from Megabus, as I was one of the first three tickets on each route. They charge $.50 to process the order.

Dollars Spent to Get Home

$130 one-way flight. My flight home is 13 times more costly than the front-end of my trip. Pretty crazy.

Longest Run

Athens – 11.2 miles

Shortest Run

Oxford – 5.4 miles

Predicted Miles Running

63.1

Longest Bus Trip

Chicago – Memphis – 9 hours

Shortest Bus Trip

Because I’m visiting Oxford, MS and there is no Megabus from Memphis to Oxford or from Oxford to Birmingham, I only actually have four Megabus rides. I think I’ll also be in a car from Atlanta to Athens, but I’m not sure yet. With that being said, the shortest bus trip is from Birmingham to Atlanta which is 2:55 minutes.

Worst Bus Schedule

My trip from Nashville to Memphis is overnight. I leave Nashville at 1:40am and get into Memphis at 6:00am. Should be interesting.

Meal I’m Looking Forward To The Most

BBQ in Memphis

Shout Out To The Individual Who Has Helped Me The Most Prior To The Trip

Ben Boden – Memphis. Memphis is a unique stop because I get in at 6am and have to get down to Oxford via car. Ben has been very hospitable offering to pick me up that morning, let me crash for a few hours at his place, drop me off at my starting point, run a bit with me and get me Oxford that evening. I owe him.

Most Time Spent In One City

Atlanta – I get in on Thursday early evening and will be based there until I fly back on Sunday morning.

Least Time Spent In One City

Chicago – 14 hours

Biggest City

Chicago – 2.8 million people

Smallest City

Oxford, Mississippi – 19,000 people

What I’ll Do To Celebrate At The End

Spend a few days with my beautiful bride in Atlanta/Athens and then fly home to a smiling baby.

1 comment | tags: Alabama, Athens, Atlanta, Birmingham, Chicago, Fort Dodge, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Iron Phi, Megabus, Memphis, Mississippi, Nashville, Oxford, Running Trip, Steve Good, Tennessee | posted in Uncategorized

January 21, 2013

Megabus Part Deux – 8 Days, 8 Cities, 60+ Miles Running

By Steve Good

Last year, from February 23 – March 1, I ran 60+ miles over the course of eight days in eight states and traveled via Megabus. I had an absolute blast. It sparked something for me, and it was the experience that led me to creating http://www.agoodrun.com. Because it was such a great experience, I’ve decided to do it again. I’ll be taking a different route (Fort Dodge (IA), Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Oxford (MS), Birmingham, Atlanta, Athens (GA)), but I expect it to be just as fun to explore, meet up with friends, and do a little good in the process.

I will once again be raising funds for Phi Delta Theta’s Iron Phi program, and I have a goal of $1,825 bringing my total to just under $8,500. Fifty percent of the dollars raised will be donated to The ALS Association to fight Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS research). ALS is an awful disease and one that we Phi Delts want to help erradicate. The other 50% of the dollars raised will support the Phi Delta Theta Foundation, an organization that has provided me with great experiences, opportunties, core values, and friends.

To celebrate the generosity of those who donate, I’m brining back the scavenger hunt approach. Below is a list of all eight cities and the landmarks I will be passing on my routes. You can “purchase” any amount of the route stops below. In return, you’ll get a picture of me with a personalized thank you sign that recognizes you in front of that landmark. I will be blogging throughout the week and my posts will include the pictues thanking donors. Runner’s choice ($10) stops are yet to be determined, but I will have a lot of fun with these. Make sure to include which landmark(s) you want to “purchase” when you make your donation. I will then update this page.

A few examples from last year:

You can make a donation on this page by clicking on the “Make a Gift” link below the thermometer. You can also send a check made out to Iron Phi to me at 2415 Clayton Drive, Ames, IA 50010 if you’d rather donate that way.

Saturday, March 2
Fort Dodge, Iowa (My Hometown!!): A Homecoming of Sorts – 7.5 Miles
Running with Blake Utley & Ryan Takatsuka

Fort Dodge Senior High School – Amanda (Good) Buechler
Dodger Stadium – Brad & Lindsay Klein
Fair Oaks Middle School – Nicole Ahrens
Phillips Middle School – Mindy Christensen
Expo Pool – Mindy Christensen
Feelhaver Elementary – Don & Anne Davidson
Home – 1718 N. 14th St. – Bill & Lindy & Anne Good
Harlan Rogers Sports Complex – Rob & Julie Waltz
Taco Tico – Mindy Christensen
Runner’s Choice – Don & Anne Davidson

Megabus to Chicago

Sunday, March 3
Chicago, Illinois: Bearing the Cold - 6.7 Miles
Running with Andy Tomka

Soldier Field – The Robles Family
Chicago Board of Trade – Adam & Lindsey Good
Willis Tower – Andy Tomka
United Center – Matt & Jessi Good
Wrigley Building – Allan Hammell
Chicago Tribune Tower – Riley Smith
Runner’s Choice – Matt & Jessi Good
Runner’s Choice – Colin Hueser
Runner’s Choice – Jason, Michael, Nancy Brannon
Runner’s Choice – Don & Anne Davidson

Megabus to Nashville

Monday, March 4
Nashville, Tennessee: Music City Miles - 6.8 Miles
Running with Nolan Pattee

LP Field – Sean & Michelle Wagner
State Capitol – Drew Miller
Ryman Auditorium – Tom & Colleen Good
Country Music Hall of Fame – Todd & Candice Thomas
Music Row – DeMarkco Butler
Belmont University – Alex Stefanic
Vanderbilt University – Scott Mietchen
Parthenon – Neil & Suzanne Alexander
Runner’s Choice – John & Kimmy Talcott
Runner’s Choice – Don & Anne Davidson

Megabus to Memphis

Tuesday, March 5
Memphis, Tennessee: All Jazzed Up - 9.4 Miles

Liberty Bowl – Jonathan Hernandez
Memphis Zoo – Randy & Lori Good
Sun Studio – Leigh Thiedeman
Beale Street – Neil & Suzanne Alexander
National Civil Rights Museum – DeMarkco Butler
Orpheum Theatre – Ben Boden
Peabody Hotel – Tom & Colleen Good
St. Jude Children’s Hospital – Fred Reimer
Graceland – Geoff Wood
Runner’s Choice – Don & Anne Davidson
Runner’s Choice – Adam & Lindsey Good
Runner’s Choice – Kyle Schilling

Travel to Oxford, MS

Wednesday, March 6
Oxford, Mississippi: A Visit With The Dean - 5.4 Miles
Running with Bret Beauchamp & Charlie Cascio

Rowan Oak – Luke Benfield
Bailey’s Woods Trail – Sparky Reardon
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium – Jason, Michael, Nancy Brannon
Phi Delta Theta House – The Brothers of MS Alpha
Sorority Row – Sparky Reardon
The Grove – Moe Stephens
The Lyceum – Sparky Reardon
Oxford Square – Sparky Reardon
Runner’s Choice – Kelly Derickson
Runner’s Choice – Don & Anne Davidson

Travel to Birmingham

Thursday, March 7
Birmingham, Alabama: Magic City Miles - 8.1 Miles
Running with Lynn Chapman

Vulcan Park – Rob & Julie Waltz
Birmingham Civil Rights Museum – Tyler Cronk
Good People Brewery – Matt & Jessi Good
Rickwood Field – Tom & Colleen Good
The Storyteller Statue – Ross Roti
Alabama Theatre – Haley Abel
Southeasetern Conference (SEC) Headquarters – Mario Villa
Runner’s Choice – Rob Pasquinucci
Runner’s Choice – Todd & Candice Thomas
Runner’s Choice – Don & Anne Davidson
Runner’s Choice – Bronk & Jessica Harms

Megabus to Atlanta

Friday, March 8
Atlanta, Georgia: Haulin’ Around Hotlanta - 8.0 Miles
Running with Jeremy Sale

Turner Field – Ernie Chan
State Capital – Drew Miller
MLK National Historic Site – Steve Huang
CNN Headquarters – Chris Yow
Georgia Dome – Keith Wysocki
Centennial Park (Olympics) – Neil & Suzanne Alexander
Coca-Cola Headquarters – Jeremy Sale
Georgia Tech – Jonathan Rogowski
Runner’s Choice – Tom & Colleen Good
Runner’s Choice – Don & Anne Davidson

Saturday, March 9
Athens, Georgia: The Search For UGA and the Iron Horse - 11.2 Miles

Megabus to Athens

Iron Horse Statue – Michael Hyatt
Sanford Stadium – Randy & Lori Good
40 Watt Club – Todd & Candice Thomas
The Double- Barreled Cannon – Haley Abel
The Tree That Owns Itself – Brent Rauch
With UGA (I will attempt to find the real one) – Joe & Sarah Wechsler
University of Georgia Arch – Marc & Jennifer Mores
Runner’s Choice – Jon & Ellen Collier
Runner’s Choice – Mario Villa
Runner’s Choice – Don & Anne Davidson

I hope that you’ll share this incredible adventure by supporting me in my journey. Your donations will be put to great use, helping to find a cure for ALS and helping college-aged men become the greatest version of themselves.

Thank you in advance for your generosity!

Sincerely,
Steve

Leave a comment | tags: ALS, ALS Association, Fraternity, Iron Phi, Lou Gehrig's Disease, Megabus, Phi Delta Theta, Running, Steve Good | posted in Uncategorized

October 18, 2012

8 err 4 Miles In A Chicken Suit With Ben Dictus in Portland, Oregon

By Steve Good

Written By Ben Dictus

This is a strange tale with an even stranger ending. I can say that it probably started out in the typical fashion of agoodrun.com run and was planned how I would expect others to have planned, but it somehow evolved into whatever it was that it was. Let’s start at the beginning, move towards the end, and maybe we can see what happened in process.

To start, thank you Steve for conceptualizing this project as well as Iron Phi. They both inspire me to push my athletic pursuits further than I would otherwise push them. More importantly, they helped me connect my running to a worthy cause – the fight against ALS. The Iron Phi program gave me the opportunity to raise money, very easily I might add, to fight the disease, but also provided me with the ability to educate others by having to explain it all of the time! Anyways, after signing up for Portland, Oregon, I had to find a way to connect agoodrun.com with the Iron Phi program (here is my Iron Phi page).

At first, my plan was simple, but one could easily argue that it lacked imagination. I just planned a cool route through Portland, hit all the crucial spots, and concurrently raised money through my Iron Phi page. Here is the roughly 8 mile route I “planned” to run.

But asking friends/family/Facebook to support ALS by donating will only get you so far – especially if it doesn’t carry the weight of the word “marathon” like it did the last time you raised money. You really need to give your potential donors something that makes them want to donate. So after meeting with limited donation success, I had the bright idea of creating some sort of incentive to encourage them. Specifically, I came up with the idea that if I hit $2,000 in donations, and if at least one person donated $100, I would run the course in a chicken suit. Why? I have no idea. Why does a chicken cross the road? We will get to that later. Anyways, I think what happened was that while thinking of incentives I saw the chicken suit – which I proudly own and wear for special occasions – while moving apartments this summer at just the right, or one might say wrong, time.

The chicken suit incentive was a hit and encouraged several close friends to donate $100 – which brought me up to a total of $1,750. Then the time came for me to run the route. Rather than be a stickler for the rules I had laid out – I chose to run the route in the chicken suit in the spirit of goodwill and thanks. I also thought that I might be able to get people to donate after the fact (hint, hint – link is above).

What follows is my account of the night of the run…

My first stop, actually my starting point, was the Rogue Public House. If you like beer and have never heard of Rogue, you actually don’t like beer. Rogue makes some of the best beer money can buy and they are some of the most creative brewers I have run across. They once had a crab-flavored porter that used real crabs in the brewing process. I liked it, but couldn’t taste the crab – sadly. They also collaborated with Voodoo Donuts (a later stop) to make a Bacon Maple Ale that was made with real maple and real bacon – inspired by a famous donut that has a slice of bacon on it. Don’t knock it until you try it. I choose this stop for two reasons: first, it is the pinnacle of quality beer in a city known for its quality beer (also the most breweries per capita in the world), and second, Steve Good loves their Kobe burgers! (Editors Note: Fact!) I want to thank Steve as well as the John Talcott for their donations. I convinced John Talcott to get a bottle of the Bacon Maple Ale from the Portland Airport (yes, there is a Rogue Bar and Gift Shop in the airport – this makes layovers here brilliant) and he liked it!

Before I get any further, I want to thank my biggest supporter – my wife and spiritual guide, Cassie. I love you more than ever and find every day with you more magical than the last. She not only allows these sorts of ideas to take root and occur, but she often comes along to support! I would guess she actually comes along to pick up the pieces (and rightly so), but I like to think support, like love, comes in many forms.

Stop #2 was the Dixie Bar. I have never been in the Dixie Bar and, to be honest, never planed on it. You see, it is a country bar and that is not my style – at all. It is not really Portland’s style either. I stopped here none-the-less to say thanks and honor two wonderful people – Heidi Johnson and Nathan Manteuful (better known as Nate Dogg). Nate Dogg has been my best friend since high school, donated several times, is the most sincere man I know, and will soon be marrying Hiedi. They both love country music for some reason. I technically owe them a night of hanging out at a country bar while maintaining a positive attitude, but I think this gets me off the hook. I love the two of you and look forward to your wedding!

I also want to recognize and honor Adam Nickel who died at the young age of 27 after crossing the finish line at the Little Rock Marathon in Arkansas. Can you imagine? He is the friend and fraternity brother that inspired me to run my first marathon and everyone one since then (8 of them now). I wear a shirt with his likeness for each race (and was for this endeavor) and think of him constantly while running. He also loved country music and would probably have liked Dixies. Miss you buddy.

Stop #3, Voodoo Donuts, was only two blocks down the street, but is a Portland landmark (they made a donut with Nyquil for a while!) While Portland is well known for its beer, it is equally well known for its attention to food. Although some may not consider donuts to be “food,” Voodoo is definitely worth a stop if you are in town. With donut names like Butterfingering (made with real Butterfingers) and Old Dirty Bastard, you cannot go wrong, but be warned there is always a line to get in. You can also find food carts in this area. Food carts are as Portland as anything and usually offer great quality food at great prices. You can find anything from high end PB&Js to Hawaiian delicacies like musabi. With over 475 different food cart choices, you should find something you like. Here I want to thank Lou E Perella – the E is just an E – for his donation. He is a mad scientist chef in New York and would really dig Portland’s food carts. Thanks for your continued friendship, support, and awesomeness! I am really looking forward to your wedding!

You can also find street music! Music is another of Portland’s “things.” Here is a little bluegrass troupe earning their living from the Voodoo waiting line. Strange thing is they didn’t even flinch when I walked up to listen. Why would they ? I want to thank some very important people with this stop. First off are all of my grandparents. While only Grandma Gert remains, they have all taught me so much. Most of the lessons I learned from them are only now making sense – which is either a tribute to their wisdom or an acknowledgment of my mental speed (it is actually both). I love and miss all of you. Second, is my little brother, Matt Dictus, who I look up to and try to learn from constantly. He may be younger in age, but he has figured out life way quicker than I have and I consider him to be the smartest guy I know. I respect him and love him deeply. Hopefully I can turn out like him someday! Third, are my parents. They have been insanely supportive and wonderful parents. Their positive attitudes and kindness are unmatched. They both have a way of finding the silver lining in any situation and I admire them for it. Thanks Mom and Dad for everything. I owe you big time! You might be wondering what the connection is between the bluegrass troupe and the family members that I have thanked. Well, my grandparents, brother, and parents are just like the bluegrass troupe who didn’t flinch when a guy in a chicken suit walked up. They all stopped being surprised by me long, long ago.

Stop #4, the “Keep Portland Weird” sign, is only across the street from Voodoo, but is another crucial landmark. There is a debate between Austin, TX and Portland, OR as to who is weirder, who was “weird” first, and so on – but let’s just agree that they are both weird places – even though Portland has the TV show Portlandia detailing its weirdness while Austin lacks a show. A guy running in a chicken suit? Yes, that is weird. But that is sub-par by Portland’s standards. There is a guy in Portland that rides a unicycle around, while wearing a kilt on the bottom, a Darth Vader outfit on the top, while playing the Star Wars theme song on the bagpipes. Try and beat that sort of weird Austin! Here I want to pay respect to Jon Winterfeldt – the weirdest, greatest man I have ever known. He stood up in my wedding and was going to stand up in my brothers before he passed away way before his time. He was okay with anything. He accepted everyone for who they were – no matter how weird they might be. He effortless connected with everyone he met and did so without judgment. I look forward to our reunion Winty and the time when we can “get weird” together once again!

Stop #5 was the Phi Delta Theta Oregon Epsilon chapter house at Portland State! I sadly missed an initiation they were holding that night, but was lucky enough to connect with a few of the brothers as they were returning from the event. As a regional volunteer for the Fraternity in the state of Oregon, I don’t have a favorite chapter. I love them all equally, but Oregon Epsilon wins the most improved award hands down. Since I arrived in 2009, they have gone from single digits in membership to nearly thirty, created and make use of contracts for those living in, and have a zero balance with GHQ – to name a few. I also really appreciate how well they communicate with me and how they invite me to everything they have going on! Here I want to thank Sean Wagner and Tyler Ratajczak for their donations. Tyler was my first chapter adviser back at Lawrence University, was my first donor for this enterprise, and has recently started his own quest to become an Iron Phi. Support him! Sean Wagner was one of my bosses at Phi Delta Theta while I was a consultant. When I think of him, I think of someone that makes informed decisions and who has a great moral compass. His dedication to his work and ability to do what is right are two things I try to emulate in my own life. Thanks Sean!

Here is an action shot (post-road crossing so lets hold the jokes for a bit). I want to thank my aunts Kater Gaffney and Ginny Janssen for their donations! They are two great people and I wish I could see them more often. From Ginny I learned that it is okay to ask any question at any time – no matter what – and from Kater I learned the power of laughter. Thank you both. I was supposed to take a picture by a bridge for them, but that was not going to happen under the circumstances that developed later that night.

Stop #6 was the Full Sail Brewery. Full Sail is another of Portland’s top-tier breweries. It is on the waterfront and is one of the more “fancy” breweries. In fact, they probably would not have let me in the building without a tie (despite wearing a full suit). Regardless, they make two excellent beers known as session beers. Try them out! They both won 2^nd places at the most recent Great American Beer Festival (GABF) in Denver. I am pictured here with fellow ORSU (the team I play for in Portland) rugby player, Dane Barclay, who came out to support me for a bit – thanks Dane. To pay homage to rugby, I want to recognize Garret T a fellow rugger and Phi Delt for his donation. Garret has been a mentor to me, whether he knows it or not, in my volunteer role with the Fraternity. He is skilled at the position, is professional in his approach, and injects an intentional enthusiasm into his work that is inspiring. Keep those good ideas coming and keep on rugging!

My next stop was supposed to be “The Commons Brewery,” but I never made it. Trouble crossing the road – literally. But before we get to that – I want to recognize the people I planned on recognizing even though I never made it to this stop and don’t have a photo. I chose “The Commons Brewery,” because it shows the other side of the brewing industry in Portland – the nano- or micro-brewery. Rogue and Full Sail fall into the craft brewery category and are on the bigger side. You can get their beers from any really good beer store anywhere in the country. You will not find Commons beers outside of Portland. You will not even find their beer in really good beer stores in Portland. They only open for a few hours on Friday and Saturday nights; otherwise, their beer is only served on tap at a few select locations. They are small and they like it that way. The also won a few awards at the GABF -which is a testament to the Commons brewers’ skills. There are lots of small breweries like this in Portland – of the 55 or so breweries in the city proper I would guess that half are the same size as The Commons. I want to thank my new parents – the Hales, who are anything but common. They not only produced, nurtured, and helped shape the woman I love, but they welcomed me into their family with open arms – both of which are extraordinary! I love you both and look forward to our next adventure!

The next stop that never happened was Hopworks Urban Brewery. Hopworks is very representative of Portland for two reasons: First and obvious is the beer. Second, it strongly focuses on being green and sustainable. The Mother Nature Network and SmartPlanet both ranked Portland 1^st as the 2012 greenest city (Austin took 10^th and 17^th, respectively – sorry Austin, had to do it). Hopworks is one of the breweries helping make those 1^st places possible. Rather than list all of their wonderful and green features, here is a link so you can see for yourself. I want to thank the Beth and Al Grossman for their donations and support. Al has been into renewable energy for a long time now and could be considered a sustainable prophet of sorts. Al, keep that dream alive. I do not know if Beth, as his mother, is into the whole green movement, but I know she likes beer! Therefore, Hopworks is a perfect place for both of you! Thank you both for being great influences in my life from early on!

Yep. Believe it. We have arrived at the point were chicken crossing the road jokes become acceptable and pertinent. Following the Full Sail Brewery stop and on the way to the Commons, I crossed the Ross Island Bridge and reached the halfway point distance-wise of my route (around 4 miles completed with 4 more to go). I stopped at the first cross-walk after crossing the bridge to let a few cars go by. When the last car drove by and the road was clear, I started to cross and looked over my shoulder to see if cars were coming from the other direction. Right as I turned my head, I was struck by a car. Please take time to notice the chicken fur stuck in the headlight in the picture above. Specially thanks to Talo Fetuuaho, the cameraman and rugby mate, for making the night possible and taking all of the pictures. Chasing a chicken around Portland may sound like fun, but it is hard work.

After the initial impact with the headlight, I was thrown onto the hood, cracked the windshield (see picture below) with my back/shoulders, and (this is the best part) was thrown forward onto my feet. That is right, I stuck a perfect ten landing after getting pegged by a car in a chicken suit. My first reaction was that I was somehow unscathed – I mean I landed on my feet after all, but a few steps showed me that my knee was in a bad place. I walked to the sidewalk, took a seat, and called my wife. The rest is a bit of a blur.

Cassie took me to the ER and I spent the next few days on my back in pretty serious pain. I will be in crutches for the next six weeks, I have had X-rays, and MRIs, and will likely need surgery. I have a tibial platueu fracture, medial collateral ligament damages, medial meniscal tears, and some anterior cruiciate ligament tearing. None of these are good injuries to have on their own (and I have had them all on their own before), but to have them all at once really sucks.

But guess what? I am going to heal. I will get better. I will run again. I will run another marathon. I will run an ultra-marathon. I will play and coach rugby again. I will coach wrestling again. I have worked my way through knee injuries before and I will do it again. But I am young and lucky. Doctors know what to do to fix me and get me back into functional shape. That is not the case for ALS victims. Doctors don’t know what to do and there has not been enough funding to figure it out. If you want to donate to ALS, you can do it here. If you found my post and story entertaining, you could also donate through my Iron Phi Page. I never did reach my $2000 dollar goal… Help me get there!!!

Get some general information about ALS here or to really learn about ALS, read this more personal story.

So you may still be asking, why did the chicken cross the road? The classic answer is: To get to the other side, of course. But I prefer how philosophers Epicurus and Plato would answer – which are respectively “for fun” and “for the greater good.”

2 comments | tags: ALS, Ben Dictus, Chicken Suit, Dixie Bar, Food Carts, Full Sail, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Iron Phi, Keep Portland Weird, Oregon, Phi Delta Theta, Portland, Portland State, Rogue Brewery, Running, The Commons Brewery, Voodoo Donuts | posted in Oregon

June 18, 2012

60KM (37.3 miles) in Halifax, Nova Scotia with Ernie Chan

By Steve Good

Written By Ernie Chan

I consider myself a fairly ambitious person, always living for the adrenaline of the next big challenge. When Steve opened up his blog to runners across the world, I knew I had to join in – and do it in a big way. I ran my first marathon last May at the age of 19, and I thought this would be a pretty cool opportunity to one-up myself and really make this a run to remember!

I am very proud and excited to be showing off Halifax, Nova Scotia – the beautiful city that I now call home. When it came time to decide where to head off for University (I grew up in Mississauga, Ontario – Canada’s 6^th largest city), it was a no-brainer to head out to the east coast – “the Maritimes”, as us Canadians like to refer to it. I needed a change of scenery, and I couldn’t have made a better choice in picking Dalhousie University.

One reason why I decided to do such a long run was so that I could involve more people in my run. I decided to do a little bit of a running partner relay, where I would have a new runner join me for each “leg” of my landmark run. Logistics can become a little difficult when you have long distances and many runners, but I was so lucky to have such awesome friends doing it with me and the day went by without a hitch!

Admittedly, my desire to do such a long run is partly attributed to the fact that I absolutely had to show off Peggy’s Cove – one of my favourite places in the entire world. Peggy’s Cove is a small rural community about 40 kilometers (24.9 miles) southwest of the city of Halifax, accessible by the Lighthouse Route scenic drive (Prospect Road). The Peggy’s Point Lighthouse and surrounding area is one of Nova Scotia’s most popular tourist attractions, built on beautiful natural granite outcropping and giving beautiful panoramic views of the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean. At the top of the hill is the Sou’wester Restaurant and Gift Shop, highly recommended for anybody making a visit. My running route takes me from Peggy’s Cove all the way into the city, and we left at 4:30AM in hopes of kicking off our run at the crack of dawn. My first running partner of the day was Daniel Alleyne, who is a sophomore at Dalhousie and hails from the island of Barbados. My Knights of Pallas Run Club got him hooked on running and he just recently completed the Halifax Bluenose Half-Marathon to become an Iron Phi.

Here, I would like to thank my mom and dad. Through constant support, love and happiness, they have built me an environment where I can do nothing but succeed. Dad, where do I even start? You are the man. If you would only stop wearing short-sleeved dress shirts, you would be the coolest dad ever! In all seriousness, it has taken me a long time to realize how great a role model you are and a couple simple thank you’s can’t pay back the opportunities that you have provided me. Mom, no matter how badly you try to embarrass and/or annoy me, you are such a loving and understanding mother and I know that I will make you proud. You were there by my side for every baseball game and music recital, following my every move on Facebook and Twitter, and there to see me grow up and head off on my own to university. I assure you that next time that I go out that I’ll only drink 2 beers, that I’ll stop wasting my time chasing girls, and that my university career isn’t just one long vacation on dad’s dime. A simple paragraph or two on this blog is not anywhere near enough the amount of thank you’s I have for my parents. I owe everything in my life to the best mom and dad a guy can ask for.

My first landmark stop was at Granite Springs Golf Course in Bayside, NS. Playing at Par 72, 6401 Yards from the tips, Granite Springs is a great course carved out of the beautiful Nova Scotian landscape. My busy schedule dictates that I don’t get out golfing as much as I would like, but there aren’t many things I like more than hitting the links on warm summer mornings! (This would not be considered one of those mornings.) My next running partner was none other than Nathan “Nay Nay” Brenan. If I could have shown you some of the pictures taken from my camera throughout the entire day, most of them would consist of Nathan being an absolute lunatic. As silly as he can be at times, I (reluctantly) included him in my next thank you.

A man is nothing without his sidekicks, and Nathan Brenan, Graham Erskine, and Keegan Colville combine to be my partners in crime. They also double as my pledge brother (Nathan), asian twin (Graham) and big brother (Keegan). Part of what makes being a member of Phi Delta Theta so great are the friendships that you are able to make. My university experience for the past 3 years would have been completely different if not for guys like these. The three of us have shared a lot of fun times, great laughs, and loving chirps over the years. They keep me honest and grounded, challenge me to be the best I can be, and most importantly, they exemplify everything that it means to be a good friend. They are inspirations amongst themselves: Graham being our chapter president, Keegan being the newly hired Director of Canadian Services for the fraternity, and Nathan bringing in a large haul of awards at the past year-end Founders Day Ball (I thought about writing just Nathan being Nathan… but I’m not sure anyone other than our friends would understand). I’m very thankful to call these three guys my brothers and my friends.

30KM of running in the pouring rain took me back into the city, where we stopped at Sir Sandford Fleming Park to enjoy the view of the Northwest Arm and the Dingle Tower. The Dingle Tower, apart from having a pretty funny name, holds both architectural and historical significance to the city of Halifax. It was designed by architect Sidney Perry Dumareq in 1910, and commemorates the colony of Nova Scotia being the first in the British Empire to achieve a representative government. The park itself is situated west of the main Halifax peninsula and provides spectacular views of both the city landscape and the narrow ocean inlet known as the Northwest Arm. Here, I peeled off my soaking wet layers for a fresh set of clothes/sneakers, and met up with Ben Desborough who would run with me as I made my approach into downtown. Des, as we like to call him, is currently training for his first triathlon and will hopefully also be on the road to becoming an Iron Phi.

Here at the Dingle Tower, I wanted to thank the Low Family – Barb, Terry, Peter and Brennan. From top to bottom, the members of the Low family are some of the coolest, most down to earth people on this planet. My friendship with Peter has always been tight, but over the past few years I have really gotten to know the rest of the Low family very well. Brennan has joined me here at Dalhousie University in Halifax, having just finished his freshman year. I’m really glad that he decided to come out to the east coast, and couldn’t be prouder to be his big brother in the fraternity. Barb and Terry have always welcomed me into their home and their beautiful cottage with open arms, and I love hearing the old stories from Peter and Brennan’s childhoods! Spending time with the entire Low family is always a lot of fun, and you really start to notice some similarities among all of them. I really feel like they are a second family for me, and I wish them all the best with their move up north into their dream home!

The sun finally started to peek out as we ran into the downtown core, where I made my stop at the Old Town Clock at the base of Citadel Hill. Standing at three stories high at the base of one of Canada’s coolest National Historic sites (Citadel Hill – a star shaped military fort), the Old Town Clock is one of the postcard items for the city of Halifax. The town clock served as the finish line for the Bluenose Marathon last year, which made it cool to be able to return for a picture. Unfortunately, this time around I wasn’t quite done yet. I was joined on my next leg by Rebecca Kestle, my favourite sixth-year senior. The best way I can describe Becca? She’s cool s#^*! – I’m really glad we’ve been able to become such good friends over this past year! The two of us take being running partners pretty seriously – we have matching Nike Pegasus running shoes and identical Ironman Triathalon running watches!

I took this opportunity to thank two of my mentors, Phil Cantrill and Mark Little. When I first joined Phi Delta Theta as a freshman, I was young, raw, and lived without real direction. I couldn’t be more lucky to have two devoted advisors throughout my university years – with Phil Cantrill and Mark Little’s guidance, I’ve been able to harness my skills and talents while gaining the confidence to step up as a leader on campus and in the community. The amount of time and effort that Phil and Mark put into our chapter is one of the main reasons why we have won so many accolades over the past decade. On top of all that, both Mark and Phil have been great friends for me even though they are both many years my senior and I can’t wait to join their ranks as we move into the future!

Pier 21 is a former ocean liner terminal that has been converted into Canada’s National Museum of Immigration. Nicknamed the “Gateway to Canada”, Pier 21 served as the primary point of entry for many immigrants from Europe and elsewhere between the years of 1928 and 1971. In addition, it served as a deployment site for Canadian troops during World War 2. I joined up here with Graham Erskine, one of the guys I had thanked earlier in the day. Graham usually hates running, but agreed to lace them up and do a short 2K through the shipyards with me on top of taking the lead on organizing all my runners throughout the course of the day.

For 10 years of my young life, I attended/worked at Peel Summer Academy – a summer camp for intellectually gifted children. Although I was only there for one month out of the entire year, I spent the other 11 months counting down the days until I was back at camp. It really was more than just a camp for me, it was a place where I felt truly comfortable, a place where I could let loose and really be myself. Some of my best memories throughout my childhood and adolescence took place on the UTM campus and in Newfoundland, and I will always hold them dear to my heart. It would be an endless list and an impossible task to list everyone who made my camp experience so incredible, but I do want to highlight and thank four incredible people who mean a lot to me. Laura Garner, Sam Iceton, Kat Watson and Miranda McIver were a huge part of my camp life and I couldn’t be more thankful to have met such wonderful people. Although we very rarely see each other or even talk that often, I still think about the four of you all the time. I’m sure if we were back in the same room together, we would be able to pick up right where we left off like not a day has passed – as the song goes, ”Even though we’re far away, we’ll never be apart.”

Point Pleasant Park is a large forested park located on the southernmost tip of the Halifax Peninsula, and was the location of my second-to-last stop. From the shoreline, you are able to look out across Halifax Harbour for some spectacular views and breathe in the crisp ocean air. My friend Meghan Peverill and I took our picture in front of the Bonaventure Anchor Monument before heading out on the next leg. The monument consists of the anchor from the aircraft carrier HMCS Bonaventure and recognizes the men and women of the Canadian Navy that lost their lives during peacetime.

It seems almost obligatory for somebody to thank the owner of this website, but I’ll take the bait. For somebody who I’ve met in person only once in my life, Steve Good deserves a lot of credit for getting me to the point where I am today. Steve’s brainchild, the Iron Phi program, served as a stepping stone for me, sparking a big change in my identity as a person and as a leader. From the moment that I started along the path to become an Iron Phi, I started living a healthier lifestyle, got more involved in my fraternity and local community, and developed a new-found confidence in myself that I didn’t have before. I haven’t looked back since. Steve is a huge social media guy much like myself, and I think our relationship really shows the power of online networking. Obviously, this website (agoodrun.com) is an incredible initiative and I am pleased to have the opportunity to share both my love of running and the beautiful city of Halifax with the world thanks to Steve!

In the heart of the Spring Garden district of downtown is the Halifax Public Gardens. This Victorian-Era garden was established in 1867 (the same year as the Canadian Confederation), covers 16 acres of land and provides an incredible green space in the heart of the city. It is a National Historic Site of Canada, and my final running partner Alexa Reedman and I took our next thank you picture in front of the main gates on the corner of Spring Garden Road and South Park Street.

It seems crazy to me that I’ve been friends with Alexa Reedman and Kaitlyn Forbes for less than a year – but oh, what a year it’s been. I met Alexa and Kaitlyn through the “Greek connection” – they are both members of the Alpha Eta chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta here in Halifax. In these 9 short months, I’ve been able to develop two friendships that I can’t believe it took me so long to find. Through the good times and bad, out on the sports field or on an adventure, Alexa and Kaitlyn are the constants that I always turn to. I can’t count the number of ridiculous/embarrassing moments, gut-splitting laughs, life chats and near-death experiences that I’ve had with these two – they just make my life a whole lot more exciting. Not only that, but they are both such kind, caring and driven individuals and I’m very thankful to have them by my side for every step that I take.

The 59^th kilometer gave me an excellent chance to reflect on just how far I had come as I ran back to the place where I call home, the George B. Robertson House. Located in the middle of the Dalhousie University campus, the big blue house on Seymour Street Is home to the Nova Scotia Alpha chapter of Phi Delta Theta.

Last but certainly not least, I wanted to thank my two younger brothers – Danny and Calvin. How lucky was I to grow up beside two awesome younger brothers? The two of you are my best friends, and I miss you guys more than anything in the world. Danny, you’re my inspiration in life, plain and simple. You’ve pointed me in the direction of my future career, helped me gain an appreciation for individuals with disabilities, and been the only brother that I haven’t had an argument with. Your ability to approach everything in life with happiness is something that I think we can all envy, and while you might not know it, you are one of the funniest people that I know. Calvin, one of the only things that I hate about living in Halifax is that I don’t get to spend any time with you anymore. Even though we are 5 years apart, we are essentially the same person (in reality, you’re just the better, cooler, smarter, more athletic version of me) and it sucks not being able to see you really grow up. We talk all the time about the crazy things that we will do when we are older, and I really hope you know that I’m holding us to all of it. We’re making it happen.

With that, my 60K run was finished – but my day was not! I wanted to take the opportunity to show off a great Halifax restaurant at the end of my run, so I gathered my friends once again for a post-run dinner at Murphy’s restaurant right down on the Halifax Waterfront. Murphy’s Cable Wharf is more than just a restaurant: the company also offers boat tours, nature tours, sightseeing and a souvenir shop. The unpredictable weather during the day meant we didn’t sit out on the patio (which was a good choice – it started pouring rain halfway through our meal), but a seat outside is highly recommended for a spectacular view of Halifax Harbour.

I wanted to take this opportunity at the end of the run to highlight our two charities of choice: the ALS Association of Canada, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Canada. Each running partner that ran with me during the day made a donation, which we pooled together and split evenly between the two organizations. These two charities hold significance to the Nova Scotia Alpha chapter of Phi Delta Theta (ALS Association of Canada) and the Alpha Eta chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Canada) as our main philanthropic partners.

It was a pretty long day, a very long run, and an incredible experience. I’m glad that I was able to spend my day doing one of my favourite things (running) with some of my favourite people – and I hope I was able to show you all a cool thing or two about the wonderful city of Halifax along the way. Be sure to pay Nova Scotia a visit if you ever get the chance, I’m sure you will love it!

Ernie is currently a senior at Dalhousie University, completing his bachelor’s degree in Psychology. He has aspirations to enter the field of social work, specializing with individuals and families affected by autism spectrum disorders. Ernie is an avid athlete, founding and captaining his own run club in addition to playing hockey and ultimate competitively year-round. In his free time, he likes to explore the great outdoors, jam away on his guitar/piano, and pretend like he knows things about gourmet cooking and digital photography.

1 comment | tags: Alexa Reedman, Citadel Hill, Dalhousie University, Daniel Alleyne, Dingle Tower, Ernie Chan, George B. Robertson House, Graham Erskine, Granite Springs Golf Course, Halifax, Halifax Bluenose Half-Marathon, Halifax Public Gardens, Iron Phi, Lighthouse Route Scenic Drive, Murphy's Cable Wharf, Nathan Brenan, National Museum of Immigration, Nova Scotia, Old Town Clock, Peel Summer Academy, Peggy's Cove, Phi Delta Theta, Pier 21, Point Pleasant Park, Rebecca Kestle, Running, Sir Sandford Fleming Park, Sou'wester Restaurant | posted in Nova Scotia

May 17, 2012

5.95 Miles in Flint, Michigan with Michael Boulter

By Steve Good

(Post written by Michael Boulter)

If you’re a “streak runner” like me, the best part of heading out the door for a run every day is that each run is a whole new experience. Having gone for a run of at least 3 miles every single day for the past 5 years, I was excited when Steve Good asked me to write about one of my “Good Runs”. I see agoodrun.com as not only an opportunity to add another adventure to my long log of daily runs but also as a way to share that experience with others.

I’m currently attending Kettering University in Flint, Michigan. Formerly the General Motors Institute, Kettering is a STEM school, specializing in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It’s a very unique school in that every student is required to complete two years of co-op work experience in order to earn their degree. In order to allow students to accomplish this, the school is divided into sections, A-Section and B-Section. Given that I’m B-Section, I attend school from the beginning of October until the end of December and from the beginning of April until the end of June. During my three months of summer and winter, I work for my cooperative education employer, gaining real-world experience. The end result of my four years of year-round school and work is that I graduate with the equivalent of two years of engineering expertise.

When I tell people that I live in Flint, Michigan for six months out of the year, they usually can’t imagine why anyone would want to live in a city with such a bad reputation. When I tell them that I venture out on the streets every day for my run, they begin to think that I’m borderline insane. The negative perception that people have of Flint and Detroit is part of what inspired me to write this blog post. Flint just isn’t given a fair shake by the media.

My focus for this blog post was to try to break the stereotype of Flint being a run-down rustbelt city. While work still needs to be done, the city is making great strides to fill the void from the departure of the automotive industry. In mapping out my run, I chose to pay homage to the city’s automotive heritage while also highlighting how the city is moving into the 21^st century.

The other focus of this run is on my chosen philanthropic initiative, Iron Phi. Iron Phi supports both the ALS Association, which fights LouGehrig’s disease, and the Phi Delta Theta Foundation, which supports my fraternity’s educational efforts. I first learned about Iron Phi from Steve Good at the Phi Delta Theta Emerging Leaders Institute in 2010. I had never thought of using my running talents in order to help a cause, and Steve really encouraged me to give it a go. Last year, I was able to raise $1200 for the cause and become my chapter’s first Iron Phi. Really, it was Iron Phi that exposed me to the idea of giving back. Before Iron Phi, I had never made a donation to a cause, nor had I raised money for one. I’d like to thank Steve not only for pushing me to “enjoy life by the help and society of others” by becoming an Iron Phi but also for establishing Iron Phi. It’s so encouraging to see someone I know start something that does so much good for others.

My Grand-Little Brother in the Fraternity, Josh Klein, and I headed out the door of the Phi Delt ranch for our six-mile run on a clear May evening. We headed toward downtown Flint for our first stop, the Durant-Dort Carriage Company.

This building is the birthplace of General Motors. William Durant led his automotive efforts from this location. It was here that much of the decision making for the development of Chevrolet and Buick took place. Not everyone knows it, but Flint was actually the richest United States city per capita in the 1970s. It’s thanks to Durant and the many General Motors plants in the area that the city was so successful.

At this stop, I chose to thank Bart Buesseler. Bart was my Pledge Educator and the brother who really convinced me to join Phi Delta Theta. He and I still stay in close contact, and I regularly ask for his input on president-related decisions for our fraternity. Really, I can’t imagine my college experience without my brothers pushing me to hold myself to a higher standard and try new things. I owe it all to you, Bart. Thanks!

From here, Josh and I jumped on the Flint River bike path, a beautiful new addition to the city. We took this to downtown Flint, where we stopped at our second spot on our run, the “Flint – Vehicle City” archway.

Downtown Flint is lined with these arches with the one at the end of town displaying the “Vehicle City” name for Flint. Each arch is lined with lights on the underside of it. At twilight, it makes for an awesome sight that really adds to city atmosphere for Flint. In the background, you can see a portion of the cityscape. Downtown Flint is doing very well with a huge variety of local restaurants and businesses. The old Durant Hotel was recently converted into an enormous apartment building for the many students who attend the University of Michigan Flint campus. One thing that a lot of people don’t realize is that Flint is quite the college town. With four universities in the area, Flint is home to more than 30,000 college students.

Here, I chose to thank Dave Farinelli. Dave is my Big Brother in the Fraternity and I owe a lot to him. He played a large part in recruiting me and has continued to serve as a mentor beyond pledging. It puts a smile on everyone’s face when Dave returns to the chapter house for get-togethers.

The next stop on my route was the Flint Cultural Center. Just outside town, the 30-acre campus is beautiful. The area does a great job of providing the city with some big-city amenities. From the Flint Institute of Arts, to the Longway Planetarium, to the Flint Institute of Music, to the Sloan Museum, it’s a beautiful area of the city that I’ve visited on numerous occasions. My primary destination in this area was the Buick Automotive Gallery.

The Buick Automotive Gallery does a great job of paying respect to the city’s automotive heritage. If you want to learn about Flint’s automotive history, there’s no better place to go. If you’re into having props, there’s a 1910 Buick Touring in the museum that guests are allowed to climb inside. You’ll also find a “Hellcat” tank destroyer built in Flint by Buick during World War II, a testament to the city’s spirit and ingenuity.

I thanked my first Little Brother in the Fraternity, Jordan Ruthe, at this stop. Jordan and I had all of the same classes during our first term at Kettering. I played a part in getting him to join Phi Delta Theta during my pledging term. The next term, I was given the honor of being his Big Brother. Jordan is a great guy and helped me to obtain my most recent co-op job in Washington DC. Although he’s transferred to George Mason, the chapter really misses him. Thanks, Jordan!

The Vernors mural in downtown Flint was the next stop on our run.

This is an awesome mural depicting gnomes crafting America’s oldest surviving ginger ale. Vernors was first made in Detroit during the Civil War. Legend has it that James Vernor discovered the secret recipe when returning from four years of war and opening one of his barrels to discover a concoction with a flavor that he had never imagined. The drink is a Michigan staple and this mural does a great job of honoring it. This is one of a few different murals in the area that give the city some extra character.

Here, I chose to thank Joe Jagadics. Joe is one of my best friends. He’s really caused me to think about what it means to be a Phi Delt. We’ve spent a considerable amount of time discussing The Bond of Phi Delta Theta, our Fraternity’s founding document, and just how we could really get all of the brothers in our chapter to really buy into the idea of holding ourselves to a higher standard. Thanks, Joe!

Right next to the Vernors mural is Halo Burger, a Flint institution.

Over 80 years old, Halo Burger has a few different locations in the Flint area and is a local treasure. Widely regarded as the best burger in Michigan, Flint expatriates make this their first destination whenever they return to the area. For anyone who is always chasing the world’s best burger, I’d highly recommend checking out Halo Burger.

In the background, you can get another view of downtown Flint. You can see the lights on the archways that I talked about earlier. The brick-paved main road through town gives the city an old-school feel that adds to the city’s character. It’s all these little things that make a trip through downtown Flint a pretty cool thing to experience.

At this stop, I thanked David Shaffer, another one of my Little Brothers in my Phi Delt chapter. One of the most rewarding things about being a Big Brother in a fraternity is watching your Little Brothers step up and take on leadership positions in the chapter. Shaffer has went above and beyond the call of duty. During his first year of membership, he filled our vacant Treasurer position and overhauled the office. He’s a great friend, and the future of our Fraternity is brighter because we have him at the helm.

Heading out of downtown Flint and toward Kettering, our next stop was “Chevy in the Hole”.

Admittedly, this spot is a Flint eyesore. Formerly the home of one of General Motors’ most profitable plants, it’s now nothing more than a 130-acre concrete wasteland. Across the road from the area, you’ll find plaques commemorating the Flint sit-down strike. Taking place at the end of the year in 1936, the strike gave birth to the UAW. Instead of picketing, workers sat in the factory for over a month, preventing others from taking their jobs and bringing production to a standstill.

Currently, Flint is undertaking a “phytoremediation initiative”. The city is planting more than 1,000 trees in the area in order to reclaim it, beautify the city, and help the environment. The effort signals the city’s acceptance of the fact that the General Motors presence in the city will never be what it once was. It’s great to see the city take a proactive role in attempting to overhaul Flint and bring a new dimension to the city.

I thanked Burl Keel at this stop. Burl is another one of my Little Brothers in the Fraternity. He currently serves as my Vice President and has been instrumental in upping the standards for the officers in our chapter. Not only that, but he has done tremendous work in revamping our bylaws and housing corporation constitution. Thanks, Burl!

Just up the road from Chevy in the Hole is Kettering University, the General Motors Institute.

Kettering churns out more mechanical engineers than any other school in the country year after year. The school has produced most of the leaders in the automotive industry and many more titans in other industries. Kettering is a great school that has provided me with more opportunities than I could’ve ever imagined. My co-op work experience has been invaluable in giving me a different view of the world and an appreciation for my engineering curriculum. This picture is of the entryway to the Academic Building, a historic building that is displayed on our school’s logo. I’ve greatly enjoyed my four years at Kettering, and it’s hard to believe that they’ll be coming to an end in just a few short weeks.

My fourth and final Little Brother, Kyle David, is who I chose to thank here. It’s only fitting that I thank Kyle in front of our school. Kyle sets the standard for academic achievement in our chapter and is a big part of why our chapter has had the highest grades on campus for the last two terms. Like Shaffer, Kyle has really stepped up and taken a leadership role in the Fraternity and I couldn’t be more proud to be his Big B.

Just up the road from Kettering University is the Michigan Delta chapter of Phi Delta Theta where we end our run.

Like I said earlier, I can’t imagine my college experience without Phi Delta Theta. This house has been my home for the last 4 years and parting ways with my brothers next month will be more difficult than I care to think about. While Kettering has taught me a lot, it can’t begin to compare to the life lessons that I’ve learned in the walls of the Michigan Delta chapter house.

Here, I thank my pledge brothers: Mike Rettler, John Lawniczak, Mike Russell, Derek Bluth, and Jared Sanders. The chapter has come a long way from when we first joined. Building the membership from 13 to 42 brothers, winning the President’s Cup, raising money for ALS through the GM to GMI Run, pushing each other to become better than when we first joined – the list of memories and accomplishments during our time here goes on and on. We couldn’t have done it without each other, and I’m proud to call you my pledge brothers.

Michael Boulter is a long-time runner. Having first started running in 2004, he’s been with the sport ever since. He enjoyed being a part of his high school cross country and track teams until his graduation in 2008. During college, he took up marathon running and has completed five marathons, placing in the Top-10 in both the Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo Marathons. He has qualified for the Boston Marathon in all five of his races, with a personal best marathon time of 2:43:50. His running streak will reach five years in June. At Kettering University, he is the President of the Michigan Delta chapter of Phi Delta Theta and former President of the Kettering Running Club. He will earn his Electrical Engineering degree this June and has spent his co-op terms working for companies ranging from automotive suppliers to the US government. After graduation, Michael will be working for Phi Delta Theta General Headquarters as an Expansion Consultant where he will help establish new Phi Delt chapters at schools across the country.

3 comments | tags: agoodrun.com, ALS Association, Buick, Buick Automotive Gallery, Chevrolet, Chevy in the Hole, Durant Hotel, Durant-Dort Carriage Company, Flint, Flint Cultural Center, General Motors, General Motors Institute, Halo Burger, Iron Phi, Kettering University, Michael Boulter, Michigan, Phi Delta Theta, Streak Runner, Vehicle City, Vernors | posted in Michigan

April 23, 2012

6.2 Miles in Cooperstown, New York

By Steve Good

For baseball fans, Cooperstown, New York is a little slice of heaven on earth. If you consider yourself a baseball fan, a pilgrimage to its birthplace should be on your bucket list of activities to complete during your life. You will not be disappointed. Nestled amongst hills, lakes, farms and beautiful countryside, this Village of 1,800 people is nearly perfect.

I flew into Albany, New York where my colleague Sean Wagner picked me up. We went downtown for a little grub until Chris Lapple arrived at the airport. The reason that we were in Cooperstown was for Phi Delta Theta’s re-dedication of the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award. The award is special to our organization as it is lives in the Hall of Fame and is given to a Major League Baseball player each year who embodies the spirit of Lou Gehrig both on and off the field. Lou Gehrig was a member of our organization.

Speaking of Gehrig, Sean filled me in that we had precious cargo in the car. He unveiled the Bond of Phi Delta Theta (a document that we Phi Delts all sign) that Lou Gehrig had signed upon initiation at Columbia University. Many of you know my slight obsession with Lou Gehrig, so I definitely had a moment staring at his signature.

With the running project starting next week, I decided to do one last run myself before I begin posting the runs of others. The next morning, I started my run on Main Street at the National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum, the cornerstone of the city.

As I headed down Main Street, I had to stop to take a few pictures of a few of my favorite baseball-themed businesses. So great.

Next stop was Doubleday Field, the birthplace of the game of baseball. The neat thing about Doubleday Field is that there are always games going on. Teams travel from all over to play on this historic field. I grabbed a few shots and took off.

My route for the morning was the 5K route that many Phi Delts would be running a few days later. My job for the weekend was to manage the 5K, so I wanted to know where I was going. I ran through the city and up and down a few rolling hills before I got back to the car. Cooperstown nestles up to the Otesego Lake, a lake that provides many an opportunity for a great picture.

I headed back to the hotel, picked up Chris Lapple and we headed back downtown for a little breakfast. We came upon the Cooperstown Diner and felt like we had to eat there.

After lunch we took care of a few things and checked into our next hotel for the weekend. Talk about a great place, the Otesaga Resort Hotel. Wow.

A few days later, I took my second run during the weekend, but this time I had company. About 20 Phi Delts participated in our Iron Phi 5K through the city. About 15 undergraduate students from Syracuse made the trip down and did a great job helping to run the 5K. They had made signs to put along the course. Pretty cool, eh?

The 5K had two packs, the fast guys trying to win the thing and us slow guys looking to enjoy the run. Upon crossing the finish line, we realized that we were the first guys to finish. Hmmmm. We quickly learned that the lead pack took a wrong turn at some point on the course – The true mark of a well-run 5K right? It provided for a great laugh. Luckily it was a fun run and there’s nothing wrong with a few extra calories burned.

After the 5K, I had to make one more stop before returning to the hotel. Upon arrival in Cooperstown, I realized that one of the more famous pieces of history from my hometown (Fort Dodge, Iowa) resided in Cooperstown at the Farmer’s Museum – The Cardiff Giant. The Cardiff Giant is on the list of most famous hoaxes in our country’s history. A few gentleman in New York hired men in Fort Dodge to carve out a 10-foot long block of gypsum (Fort Dodge has much gypsum) for what they said was to become a monument for Abraham Lincoln. The gypsum was carved into a giant, was buried in Cardiff, New York and the scammer (George Hull) dug it up, turned it into a publicity stunt, and sold tickets for the public to come see this “uncovered giant.” I think the story is awesome! I remember going to the Fort Museum as kid growing up in Fort Dodge and learning about the hoax. I had to drive out to the Farmer’s Museum to take a picture of the sign promoting the fact that the giant now rests there.

During the weekend, Phi Delta Theta hosted a few events at the Hall of Fame, so it was very neat to be able to work with their staff to get things ready to roll. I was a kid in a candy shop throughout the weekend and snapped many pictures within the Hall of Fame.

The weekend capped off with a gathering of Phi Delts at the Hall of Fame for a tour, program and dinner. Here, we unveiled the enhanced Lou Gehrig Memorial Award that hangs on the walls of the Hall of Fame. It was a proud moment for all of us Phi Delts.

As mentioned, next week begins the posts from my many runners involved in this project. I can’t tell you how excited I am.

Leave a comment | tags: Baseball Hall of Fame, Cardiff Giant, Cooperstown, Cooperstown Diner, Doubleday Field, Iron Phi, Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, New York, Otesaga Resort Hotel, Otsego Lake, Phi Delta Theta, Steve Good | posted in New York

February 26, 2012

Day 4 – A Cold 7.00 Miles in Cincinnati

By Steve Good

The Queen City! My home for 5+ years and a place that will always hold a very special place in heart. I arrived downtown Cincy at 5:40pm and was picked up by my friend Graham. Tillie and I became great friends with Graham and his fiancee Tracy during our time in Cincinnati and Graham and I can talk for hours about sports. The two of them are tying the knot soon and recently bought a house around the corner from ours in Cincinnati. Graham and I grabbed a bite to eat in Hyde Park and then headed to my other alma mater, Xavier University to watch the Musketeers take on the Richmond Spiders.

The game was on ESPN and we were able to drop down a few seats to sit next to Allen and Anne Cole. They are the parents of Andrew Cole, a colleague of mine at Phi Delt. Allen is a long-time employee of Xavier and was kind enough to arrange for our tickets. He provided this awesome homemade flag for the picture. In the background, you can see one the best mascots in the NCAA, Xavier’s Blue Blob.

After the game, Graham dropped me off at my house (a nice convenience to have during the long trip!) where I caught up on some laundry and waited for DeMarkco Butler to arrive. Big thanks to Luke Benfield who is living in our house for the hospitality. His pillow top mattress made for one awesome night of rest. The next morning, DeMarkco and I headed down to Fountain Square to begin our run. Here, I was able to thank Andrew Cole for his donation. Andrew is the proudest Cincinnatian I know, so it was fun to take this pic.

During my first three runs on this trip, I’ve had to bear the rain, snow and wind. Cincinnati gave us a new element – THE COLD. It was 23 degrees when we started our run. It was so cold, that I saw squirrels roasting their….. well, actually I saw DeMarkco use socks for gloves. Despite the wardrobe improvisation, DeMarkco was able to pull it off in style. Have you ever seen a more stylish runner with white sunglasses and socks on hands?

I had a pleasant surprise waiting for me at Fountain Square, as four members of the Racing Turtles came down to support me. A few years ago, Tillie and I joined this team to run in the Bourbon Chase, a 200-mile, overnight relay race through Kentucky’s famous Bourbon Trail. We had a blast on the run, and it was great to meet new friends in Cincinnati. Thank you Andrea, Carol, Pauly and Mike for supporting me during this trip.

We began our run and our first stop was in front of one of my favorite Cincy murals. You know, one of the coolest things about this trip has come in the form of donations made from people I’ve never met. Hannah White, is one of these people, so I stopped to thank her. I thought the tip of the hat portrayed in this mural was fitting for her gracious donation.

We headed towards Music Hall to see Cincinnati’s newest mural, one of my favorites to date. Isn’t this awesome? It’s a collection of faces including Mr. Red, Elton John, Grover, the Nutcracker, Eric Kunzel (a legendary conductor in Cincinnati and Phi Delt), Mr. Rogers and many others. What a great piece of art! Here, I was able to thank Nathan Thomas, a great friend and fellow Phi Delt who works at Bradley University.

We ran around to the front side of Music Hall where I was able to thank Andrew Cole again. Music Hall is located in Over-the-Rhine, just north of downtown Cincinnati. OTR has been through a rough patch (some of you may remember the Cincinnati riots a decade ago) but is currently going through a wonderful revitalization. It was awesome to see its progress.

From Music Hall, we headed toward the world headquarters of Proctor & Gamble. Proctor & Gamble has obviously had a tremendous presence in Cincinnati and its downtown campus is beautiful. Here, I was able to thank another one of my running buddies for the day, A.J. Arand. A.J. is St. Xavier graduate, a Phi Delt alumnus from the University of Cincinnati, an Iron Phi himself and an employee of P&G. He works with the Bounce brand and will do tremendous things. Thanks A.J. for making the trek with us today. Here, I also sensed that P&G was thanking me for the ridiculous amount of money that I will be spending on Pampers over the next few years. P&G, you’re welcome.

From P&G we headed to the Taft Museum of Art. Former President of the United States, William Howard Taft grew up in Cincinnati. Did you know that President Taft was the first president to throw out an opening pitch at a baseball game, first to own a car, last to own a cow (what a slacker) and was over 330 pounds (we shed a few calories for him during the run)? Here I was able to thank my bud Mario Villa. Mario and I began work at Phi Delt together and forged a great friendship despite his love for the Texas Longhorns.

After the Taft Museum, we ran towards the waterfront and The Banks project. Cincinnati is revitalizing its river banks, an area between Great American Ballpark (Reds) and Paul Brown Stadium (Bengals). It was fun to see its progress and I fully support this awesome new mural. Did you know that the Cincinnati Reds were the first professional baseball team? As a baseball fan, Cincy was a great place to learn about baseball history. Here, I was able to thank my aunt and uncle again, Colleen and Tom Good. I’ll be thanking them again at Babe Ruth’s birthplace in Baltimore, so I thought this was fitting as a runner’s choice.

One of the neatest pieces of The Banks project (in my opinion) is the Christian Moerlein beer garden that opened up last week. Cincinnati has a neat German heritage so beer gardens are obvious things to have. As you can see, it ponies up to Great American Ballpark.

We headed along the river to one of Cincinnati’s flying pigs. Cincinnati was once known as “Porkopolis” and has lovingly taken on the flying pig as the unofficial mascot. The Flying Pig Marathon was my first and talk about great branding, right? Nobody in Cincinnati can now say, “I’ll run a marathon when pigs fly.” Here, I was able to thank my wonderful parents Bill and Lindy Good. I could write a novel about how important my parents have been in my life, but I leave it as thank you mom and dad, I love you.

Near this flying pig statue, we observed this great statue of Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, a man whose legacy includes the name of this great city. I feel like Lucius could have kicked our butts in a race. Ironically enough, Lucius Quinctius is in the running for the name of our unborn child. I need to run this past Tillie first though.

We climbed the stairs up to Cincinnati’s Purple People Bridge to snap a few pictures. River towns are awesome and bring so much culture with them. We were able to see one of the many barges that pass through Cincinnati daily on the Ohio River.

Here, I was able to thank my main man and running buddy, DeMarkco Butler. DeMarkco is the current Director of Expansion for Phi Delta Theta and is doing a wonderful job. He’s a “little” brother to me of sorts and has become a great friend. DeMarkco loves to use the phrase “Beast mode” during his workouts, so I had to recognize the fact that we were definitely in beast mode for the day. Our 7 mile run was DeMarkco’s longest ever. I think that’s pretty sweet.

In true beast mode fashion, DeMarkco proceeded to display his strength by pretending to throw me in the river. His testosterone level was at an all-time high, so I went with it. Fortunately, nobody was injured.

We completed our run at Fountain Square and DeMarkco and I made the trek to the original location of my favorite Cincinnati delicacy. To be honest, I’m quite obsessed with Skyline Chili, Cincinnati’s famous sweet chili, and had to thank Chris Hill by running and eating a coney at the same time. Chris or “Cobra” to me worked with me on Phi Delta Theta’s educational initiatives and is another fan of the sweet Skyline goodness. You know, I wonder if I could convince P&G to make a Skyline-flavored baby food? What a brilliant idea.

As you can see, Skyline cheese coneys are a part of my favorite food group, the “you probably shouldn’t be eating this, especially if you’re running in eight states in eight days” food group. I savored every bite, DeMarkco gave me a minute to come back down from Cloud 9 and we headed back to the house to shower up.

The Cincinnati leg of my trip ended with a great lunch at the Taste of Belgium with Conrad Thiede. Conrad is one my favorites. A friend to all who live in downtown Cincinnati, a former colleague, a fellow Phi Delt, the Director of Planned Giving & Special Campaigns at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, an Iron Phi and most importantly, a fellow fan of the Biebs (Justin Bieber).

Conrad and I both ordered the Goetta Hash and it was DELICIOUS. Goetta is another food you’ll find often in Cincinnati.

Following lunch, it was off to the Megabus station for a six hour jaunt to Pittsburgh. What a great visit to Cincinnati.

1 comment | tags: ALS, Banks Project, Bourbon Chase, Cincinnati, Cincinnati Reds, Flying Pig, Fountain Square, Iron Phi, Megabus, Moerlein Beer, Music Hall, Phi Delta Theta, Proctor & Gamble, Purple People Bridge, Skyline Chili, Steve Good, Taft Museum, Taste of Belgium, Xavier | posted in Ohio

A Good Run

Tag Archives: Iron Phi

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