In June, I will run roughly 340 miles (the course is a mystery until the race begins) across multiple southern states.  When I signed up for this race, I understood that I would be leaving my current privileges behind and facing constant food and water insecurity.  My hope is that, through my struggle, I can play a small role in reducing those same concerns for local children.

About Me:

Hi!  I’m Michael!  As blue-collar kid from Muskegon, I learned early on that three good (healthy) meals each day can be considered a luxury, even in our local community.  These days, as a co-owner of Pigeon Hill Brewing Company, I am extremely lucky to take many such “luxuries” for granted.  When I decided to give the “healthy, active lifestyle” a chance about five years ago, I never dreamed that it would lead me to running any real distance (at least not more than a 5k) or caring about the foods I put in my body.  Over the past five years, as I slowly progressed from struggling to run one block to seeking out ultra-marathons in the mountains, my mindset changed in step with my body.  These days, living a healthy active life - and eating the foods needed to support that - define a large part of who I am.

Admittedly, while my running has always been about community (from my “running family” to helping others who are just dipping their toes into trying to lead healthier lifestyles), my racing has always been selfish - it has been about me, trying to find my personal limits and push myself beyond them.  When I signed up for HOTS, the situation was no different: I signed up for this race to test myself.  Early on in training though, I had an epiphany:  This race was my test as an adult, but it mirrored situations I’d known as a child.  While I would not change my experiences for anything, I realized that I might have a chance - through racing - to improve those experiences for others.  There are over 16,000 children in Muskegon receiving free or reduced lunch each day, for many of whom lunch is the only “real” meal.  By taking food out of their list of concerns, and ensuring that they receive the proper healthy food for growing children, we offer them a chance to focus on the “race” itself - their personal health, their education, and their future.  And that’s how this fundraiser came to be… my race started with me, but I’m hoping it ends with fueling the journey of many who will outshine me.

The Last Annual Heart of the South:

The Last Annual Heart of the South (aka “HOTS”) is an entirely self-supported road race of somewhere between 300 and 350 miles (340 in 2020).  The course is unknown until the start, and the only aid/support is that which you carry on your back or can obtain along the route - or off it, if you are in enough need to add more miles and venture off-course.  Beginning on June 18th, runners are required to make their way across multiple southern states in baking heat, with nothing to help them succeed but their body, physical tenacity, and refusal to quit.  Although runners have ten days to complete the course before they are marked a “DNF” (Did Not Finish), I am training in the hopes of completing the course within 6 days or less.

Kids Food Muskegon (Muskegon):

All donations received have been earmarked for the Muskegon County Kids’ Food Basket.  

At its core, Kids’ Food Basket takes over where our public education system leaves off.  Many children living at or near the poverty level (15,979 in Muskegon County) receive free or reduced lunch (and may have the option for school breakfast).  While we are lucky to live in a country where these children are able to receive some degree of nutrition during school, it is easy to forget that they may have no food waiting for them at home.  For those who do have food at home, there may be no fresh healthy options available.  In order to start to level the playing field for achievement in academics - and life - we must ensure that all children understand, and have access to, good healthy meals.

During these unprecedented times, the need is felt more than ever.  As children experience the same struggles facing the rest of our population - zoom, in-person, zoom, in-person, etc - we must ensure that eating the foods they need to succeed is not amongst their struggles.  Kids’ Food Basket is endeavoring to remove that hurdle from their playing field; I hope you will join me in helping them.  Together, we can come together as a community to support the most vulnerable-- our children.