Press Coverage in Guelph

Check out this wonderful piece, on the Hunger 500 and the Universities Fighting World Hunger Summit,  from a local TV station in Guelph: CTV News

Day 17 - The End!

The last day is finally here. After only 22 miles of running today, Joe and the Hunger 500 team arrived at the University of Guelph, in Ontario, Canada. In true form, the weather was blisteringly cold with strong headwinds the whole way! 

Joe arrived to the university with a two car police escort, that followed him through the campus. The caravan pulled up to the University Centre, as Joe and the team were met with warm cheers by Hunger Summit Delegates, the University's President and press. It was a wonderful and touching way to end our journey, and we are incredibly grateful for everyone's support. We are very fortunate to have so much encouragement, and truly couldn't have made it without the love, inspiration and prayers of our supporters along the way and at home. 

Day 16

Day 16 was much harder than expected! You'd think that by now we'd be a well-oiled machine, but today was definitely one of the biggest challenges. The hardest obstacle was figuring out how to run to Guelph, without taking any major freeways. We had a GPS, Road Atlas and even a Map-Quested route, but the best directions we got were the old fashion way - from pedestrians walking on the sidewalk! Our new friends helped us avoid running on "the deadliest freeway in Canada". 

Today, more than ever, it's the people that we meet along the way that give us strength and inspiration. We ended our strenuous day with a nightcap at the hotel bar, where we met an Australian man who asked Joe lots of thoughtful questions about his run. It's amazing how just one person can change the whole mood of the day, just by caring and asking how they can help. We've encountered countless people along our run that help keep us going, and we are so grateful for each individual's encouragement to push forward. 

Coverage on NBC affiliate in Hagerstown

Way back on Day 3, we did an interview with a local NBC station in Hagerstown, Maryland. You can see a behind the scenes clip of the interview with Joe, in the Day 3 video. It's a great article, and we love their support! Check it out: Coverage on NBC affiliate in Hagerstown

Day 15

Day 15 was pretty smooth sailing. Joe ran about 28 miles, in the beautiful Canadian countryside. We drove though farms covered in snow, past horse pastures and quaint country homes with red barns. At lunch, we met up with Doug Coutts from the World Food Programme. Doug got us all very excited about the Hunger Summit in Guelph, and we are greatly looking forward to hearing Joe speak at the Clinton Awards Banquet on Saturday night! 

Day 14

Day 14 was another milestone, reaching the Peace Bridge that crosses from New York to Canada. Joe only has three more days until we arrive at the Universities Fighting World Hunger Summit, in Guelph. Although it's hard to believe that this journey is almost over, we're still trying to take it one step at a time. Joe has about 78 more miles to run in the next three days, and it's our job to make sure that he achieves his goal. Joe's Achilles' tendon's still very tight, but he's resting as much as he can and taking ice baths every night. 

Day 13

We woke up to a foot of snow on Day 13! It took us two hours to get to our starting point, which was a huge set back to begin our day. It was very cold today, which made for tough running conditions. Luckily, Joe had his mom and brother to help him out with his run. Joe's injuries are starting to heal, but his Achilles' tendon is flaring up a bit. 

Today is our teammate, Leslie's birthday! We celebrated her all day with treats and a birthday song at the end of the run. Tonight we went to a wonderful Jamaican restaurant near downtown Buffalo, NY. Leslie has been instrumental on our journey, raising awareness of the growing world hunger problem. She is one special lady, and we all feel incredibly lucky to have gotten to know over the past few weeks. 

Day 12

Day 12 flew by with the help of Kris and Dave, Joe's mom and brother, who are now a part of our team! Dave ran 20 miles with Joe, making his 30 miles much more enjoyable. We're all so impressed with Dave, who's longest run before today was five or six miles. It was really fun hanging out with them and we are greatly looking forward to more adventures tomorrow! 

Day 11

Day 11, and oh what a day! The snow came in this morning with great gusto. Swirls of wind and snow from the Great Lakes circled the roads as we drove to our starting spot. Joe braved the storm, clocking in 22 miles for the day. We're actually slightly ahead of schedule, so this really isn't a huge set back. His greatest obstacles today, were his shoes that were wet and cold. At one point he switched to cold weather hiking boots, but they weren't flexible enough to run in. We discussed ways to keep his shoes dry, but in the end he just went for it!

A New Video Camera

A very important part of our journey thus far has been making video documentation. We've had such amazing feedback on our daily video's, and we're so proud of our work. A huge part of the video making process, of course, is the actual video recording. Up to this point, I've had pretty good success recording with my regular ol' Canon PowerShot, but lately I've been having some major issues. 

I'm not sure whether it's my computer, or the camera I'm using, but one of them is causing me some serious frustration! I'll work on a video for for a few hours, and then suddenly I'll have lost all my work. I've never downloaded so many videos from my camera before, and I think this could be the problem. So, today I purchased a new Flip Video camera (which I should have done a long time ago) and I'm hoping this will make all the difference! xo Daphne

Day 10

Day Ten was another grind. It was sunny, which we loved, but the heat began to melt the snow - which turned into a muddy mess. The roads were slightly flatter today, which was great for Joe, who completed 30 miles today and even had time for a mid-day nap. The Hunger 500 team will grow tomorrow evening, welcoming Joe's mom and brother. We are so excited for a new change of pace, and Joe is thrilled to have a new running partner (get ready Dave!). 

Hometown Paper Covers The Hunger 500

The Santa Rosa Press Democrat did a small piece on Joe, being the fist West Coast paper to follow The Hunger 500! Check it out: Press Democrat Article

Day 9

Today marked the half-way point in our journey, and Joe has now run over 250 miles! Joe's currently running though the mountainous terrain of one of Pennsylvania's National Forests. Although the scenery is breathtaking, the roads are tight with little to no shoulder. Meanwhile, huge logging trucks fly by at speeds that make you hold your breath. Needless to say, it is not very safe. So, as a precautionary measure, we slightly changed our route and hopefully this will make our journey safer. 

Lock Haven University Hunger Banquet

Last night the Hunger 500 team attended a Hunger Banquet at Lock Haven University, in Pennsylvania. Joe and Leslie gave a wonderful talk on world hunger, and answered lots of thoughtful questions. The folks at Lock Haven put into perspective how few calories people that are hungry around the world get, with an eye-opening display of facts on hunger. Thanks so much for your inspiring Banquet, Lock Haven, and keep up the good work! (For better video clarity, please see our Facebook page). 

Day 8

At the beginning of our second week, on Day Eight, we're taking a moment to speak out for those who don't have a voice. The purpose of Joe's run is to raise awareness of world hunger. Every five seconds a person dies of hunger, and Joe is running to change this. 

As for Joe's injuries and spirits, he is doing as expected. He is tired, sore and cold. His motivation to pull through comes from all different sources, including people's encouragement, his drive to complete what he set out to do and of course, being part of the battle in the fight against world hunger. 

Tomorrow marks the half-way point in our journey, where Joe will have run 250 miles. We're very excited about this milestone, and it will surely be celebrated! Video coming soon. 

Day 7

With over 200 miles clocked in, Day 7 completes our first week of the Hunger 500! Joe's knee is still hurting, but he dug deep and pulled out 28 miles over mountainous terrain today. Todays video highlights the caloric intake needed, for Joe to to what he's doing. 

Bread New Mexico: Running from Washington to Ontario to Highlight Hu...

Bread New Mexico: Running from Washington to Ontario to Highlight Hu...: "Think you know what hunger is? Nearly ten million children under five years old die each year in developing countries. Over half of these de..."

Let's Fight Hunger!

The first time I heard that 25,000 people die every day of hunger I was shocked. 25,000 families, today, are mourning the child they watched die, the mother, father, sister, brother,friend. How many lives does hunger affect every day? Not only the pain and weakness that it physically causes, but the mental drain it brind not to know when and where your next few bites of food are coming. It must be agony for parents to not be able to put food on their table.

My second emotion was denial. We have had enough food in the world to feed everyone since the 1960s. How have so many generations set back at literally let their fellow citizens of the world starve to death? How have I not heard that simple malnutrition kills more people that AIDS, TB and malaria combined? How can we close our eyes to such a massive AND solvable problem? I was angry, bewildered and determined. Angry- that for so long we have simple sat by and let this go on. Bewildered- at what a student of 19 could do in the small Southern town of Auburn, Alabama, for a problem that affects people all over the world. Determined- to do something to make a difference, even if it was just for one person. 

I am completely conviced that one person can make a difference in the life of someone who is hungry. It costs 25 cents to feed a child in an international school feeding program, even a poor college student can afford a 25 cent donation. The United States budget for food aid is about to be cut in half. Anyone can make a 3 minute phone call to their congressman to ask them to keep feeding desperately hungry people~after all it only makes up less that 1% of the budget. Its simple to pick an extra can up at the grocery to give to the local food bank or volunterr for an hour at a homeless shelter.

There are one billion hungry people. But I have decided to be one person that will fight for them. What are you going to do?

Christmas in PA

My friends often tease me about listening to Christmas music for several months of the year. I just LOVE Christmas. Well friends, here in the great state of Pennsylvania they feel the same way! Loads of houses still have their halls decked for the holidays. The whole city of Hagerstown still has banners on every block, donned with candy canes and snowmen that wish everyone "Happy Holidays" and "Seasons Greetings." Maybe it's their way of coping with the cold weather...who knows? The Christmas cheer certainly outweighs the Valentine hype, although we are stongly considering a romanitc dinner for 4 at "Dinky's" :) So, on behalf of this winter wonderland, Happy Holidays! (We don't discriminate as to which one.) And Happy Running!

~Leslie, a proud member of the Hunger 500 family

Day 6 (Valentine's Day)

Happy Valentines Day! Today was a vast improvement, all around, from yesterday. The knee part of Joe's IT Band is feeling much better, thanks to re-positioning his knee brace. He also added a small orthotics piece into his shoe to help correct his step, that was off balance due to the slope of the roads. Joe walked for the begining of the day and eventually began running again. 

The hunger 500 team is working diligently to help Joe recover quickly. This includes everything from helping him keep hydrated, get rest, and ice his knee. As any athlete knows, it's easy to get caught up in the negatives when you're injured, so check out our video and see how we tried to keep it light and stay positive for Joe! 

Day 5

Day five was a tough one. Not only is the team starting to really feel the grind, but so is Joe's left knee. Today was nothing but brutal, steep, chilly hills. Just when our spirits were at an all-time low for the trip, a ray of sunshine crossed our path. A wonderful bright and bubbly nurse, named Leslie, pulled up behind our van and donated all the money she had on her (literally, dumping out her car's change compartment in our hands). It's people like Nurse Leslie that make this world a better place. 

Due to Joe's aching knee, he was forced to walk (and even skip to relieve pain) for most of the day. To make up for the time spent walking, Joe ran straight through lunch and never stopped to rest. Joe ran for 7 hours and 45 minutes continuously, covering 31.6 miles. Needless to say, it was painful to watch. But, once again, it's people like Nurse Leslie that keep us all going! 

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Joe received his first goodie package yesterday! This delicious gift was sent from the lovely Mrs. Jennifer, our dear friend Robert's mom. She sent Joe three dozen homemade peanut butter oatmeal cookies - that we're too good not to share. Thanks again Mrs. Jennifer, and keep em' comin! 

Day 4

Day four started out incredibly well, with our new friend Jairo from Maryland running with Joe. Jairo watched our van trailing Joe in a remote part of the state (incidentally near the start of the JFK 50 miler course) and knew that since only dedicated runners have the stamina to run the terrain near his home, we must be up to something big. Jairo tracked us down and made plans to join Joe for the fist 20 miles of his Day 4 run. 

Having a partner in this this frigid weather was so helpful for Joe. Jairo's been running since his teens and, as a Michigan native, is clearly acclimated to cold-weather running.  Running with a partner kept Joe from thinking too hard about the parts of his body that were begging him to stop. So this video's for you Jairo, thank you so much for helping us along our journey!

Day 3

Day three started out chilly, but we finished with warm sunshine and Joe feeling "fantastic!" While driving along our route, and just about to climb an Appalachian pass, a fellow runner drove up behind us and asked if he could join Joe on his run! Tomorrow morning, he will run with Joe for the first 20 miles.  

We stopped for lunch and had a quick interview with an NBC station in Hagerstown, Maryland. Now in Pennsylvania, we're staying in Chambersberg for the next three nights (which the team is thrilled for). Leslie and Daphne found a delicious little Italian eatery, that we can't wait to try tonight. Watch our adventure unfold in the video below! 

Day 2

Day two of The Hunger 500 is in the books! Daphne joined Joe for the first couple miles of the run, we stopped and had lunch at a delicious BBQ joint called the Black Hog in Frederick, Maryland, spoke with a local news reporter along route, and our day ended with an empowering Hunger Banquet at Mount Saint Mary's University. 

The students at the MSMU were wonderful and asked lots of thoughtful questions not only about Joe's run, but also about how they can personally make a difference in the fight against world hunger. In addition to our warm welcome, the students raised over $800 towards our cause (including purchasing their own Hunger 500 t-shits) and are continuing to collect funds while we're on the run. They sent Joe on his way with an MSMU running tee that he will no doubt wear with gratitude and pride. Thanks again MSMU for your enthusiasm and inspiration! Click on the link below to see our Day 2 video. 

Fantastic Press

The Hunger 500 team has been working hard to get the word out. Several news stations, radio shows and newspapers have picked up the story and helping spread the word that hunger affects 1 billion people a day even though there is plenty of food to feed everyone! Today, Joe stopped right in the middle of his 28th mile to talk to a news reporter from Fredrick, MD! Here are a few of the links to some great stories!

Washington Examiner- 3 minute interview
http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/people/2011/02/3-minute-interview-joseph-henry

Guelph News
- Hunger has man on the run all the way to Guelph
http://news.guelphmercury.com/news/news/article/758723

Press Broadcasts on The Hunger 500

 

We're so thrilled to see The Hunger 500 getting some great press in our local news! Please check out the links below to learn more. 

UAB News focused on Joe's training and goals of raising awareness on the issue of world hunger. Featured in the clip is Joe's classmate and weight training coach, Cody Robinson, who helped Joe prepare for his run. The video shows an inside view of Joe in the training room and how he's getting ready to run 500 miles in 17 days! Click on the link below to view the footage:

UAB News Piece

Fox 6 News in Alabama ran an excellent piece on Joe, focusing on his run. You can see clips of Joe running through his local neighborhood, and interviewing outside of his apartment in Birmingham. Click on the link below to view the footage:

Fox 6 News Interview

The Launch

Project Hunger 500 is underway! We left Birmingham, Alabama for Washington, D.C. on Sunday and made great time (considering most people were off the roads, watching the Super Bowl). Monday and Tuesday were a huge success, talking to Congressmen from Alabama, as well as meeting with the wonderful folks at the World Food Program USA and Friends of the World Food Program. We kicked off the Hunger 500 run today with great excitement from the steps of the Capital building. An enormous thanks goes out to all those that met us at the launch, especially the brave runners from Georgetown who joined Joe for the first 5 miles! 

Our our fearless team consists of Joe, our determined runner, Rick, Joe's dad who flew in from California, Daphne, Joe's wife, and Leslie, both a friend and a classmate of Joe's from UAB. Leslie is a founding member of Universities Fighting World Hunger and continues to be instrumental in working with outside partners along the run who want to get involved with our goals. If you have any questions on how to contact The Hunger 500 Team, please email Leslie at leslieloyd@gmail.com. Check out our first day video for a closer look! 

Kick-Off Banquet

To kick off the start of the Hunger 500 in Birmingham, the team held a Hunger Banquet at UAB. We had an excellent turnout, and we were so touched by everyone that showed their support! 

The style of the banquet was unique, representing just how large the problem of hunger is across the world. Each participant was given a ticket randomly assigning them to upper-class, middle-class or lower-class, when they entered the room. The upper-class ticket holders represented the 15% of the world who eat extremely well; eating a three course meal, at a fancy table and being doted on by servers. The middle-class, representing roughly 35% of the world, sat at a plain table and ate rice and beans, with a utensil. The lower-class, representing 50% of the world, sat on the floor and ate rice with no utensils. Lunch was followed by a few speeches on hunger, and followed by a Q and A about the run. 

People that attended the banquet also pledged miles that they will run during the Hunger 500.  Our goal was to have 500 miles pledged, and we had well over 1,000 by the end of the banquet! We also sold our Hunger 500 T-Shirts that raised money for the run, and were very pleased with the number of attendees that purchased a shirt. Thanks so much to everyone that purchased a shirt - we can't wait to see you sporting them around town (running those pledged miles)! 

Happy Running!

Hunger 500 Team

Patience

With less than two weeks left until the start of the Hunger 500 I have officially entered my least favorite part of training: the dreaded taper.  The taper always seems to come around just when I am beginning to really hit a groove; when I really find my stride so to speak.  Just when the miles start to roll off a little easier than they have been is when I am forced to not push the limits.  I have a theory that this attitude or state of mind happens at this exact time precisely because I know I have to start tapering.  That if I did not have to taper, I would not be as enthusiastic about my miles.  This is not a novel sentiment by any means.  Much of what we desire as humans is linked to a wanting of what we cannot have.  As soon as I know that I should not be off running for hours and hours on end, it is exactly what I want to do.  I find myself making excuses to run longer, where usually I make very convincing arguments for the other side.  So why put myself through the agony of a taper?  Many runners only utilize a minimal taper, but for an event like the Hunger 500 the danger of going in with tired legs is too high.  As a very inspiring ultrarunner, Kelly Ridgway, has said, "It's better to be undertrained than overtrained".  During a taper, running becomes the giant elephant that follows you around wherever you go.  At times, the want to run can be consuming, despite knowing that it is not in my best interest.  Successfully tapering requires a great deal of forethought, patience and projection.  So much of running is about being in the moment, experiencing life as it comes at you.  One of my favorite aspects of running is that it requires very little forethought.  If I want to run, I can put on my shoes and head out into the world.  Tapering removes this aspect of running and replaces it with an annoying voice that constantly asks you if you should be running this hard or this far when your event is so close on the horizon.  But, like the other difficulties I have faced in preparing for the Hunger 500, there is nothing to do but embrace the taper.  So I have decided not to fight the taper this time around, but to enjoy it.  To enjoy only running a little bit.  To enjoy being off my feet more than usual.  Because in less than two weeks I will not have the opportunity to do so.

Practicing Patience,

Joe

Doubtful

Doubt can creep into almost any situation.  Like a frigid breeze when you step out the front door for a morning run, it hits you before you know it and can stop you dead in your tracks.  Doubt is a funny sort of thing.  It is a rare sort of ailment that seems to worsen if you attempt to treat it.  I am a problem solver by nature, I inherently want to fix situations immediately.  Doubt laughs at this way of thinking.  It is almost as if focusing on doubt in any way only feeds the beast, a beast with a voracious appetite.  If not addressed properly, doubt can balloon out of control in mere moments.  We have all felt the fingers of doubt grab us at one time or another.  Before a race, a presentation, a job interview, we tend to think, "Can I really do this?".  If left unchecked, doubt will sabotage your big moment every time.  Doubt can undo weeks, months, or even years of training and preparation in a heartbeat.  Doubt can make a minute seem like an hour, a mile seem like a marathon.  With the start of the Hunger 500 less than four weeks away, doubt has started to rear its ugly head.  I have started to ask myself the same questions others have been asking me for the last few months.  More recently, I have felt the beast gaining strength, preparing to take me down.  Perhaps it is the final preparation of the logistics involved, or the building interest from media and sponsors, or perhaps it is simply my innate need for self-preservation.  Doubt tells me that I should stop now because if I go for it, really go for it, and fail, I will only have myself to blame.  There is a tremendous about of vulnerability in putting oneself "out there", so to speak.  The Hunger 500 has left me feeling exposed at times.  But is vulnerability or exposure a bad thing?  If we never put ourselves out there, never test our limits, will we ever grow?  I argue that creeping feelings of doubt should be embraced.  That if doubt never bothers to make an appearance, you are never expanding your limits.  The presence of doubt can be a barometer or sorts, used to measure your ability to push yourself.  There is no denying that the Hunger 500 has been and will be a limit-pushing experience for me.  I have decided to embrace doubt and know that it will only hold any power over me if I am fearful of it.  So, can I really complete the Hunger 500? I know I have prepared my mind and body to go beyond its normal limits.  I know I have the support of family, friends, classmates, coworkers, and teachers.  I know that doubts will creep in.  Accepting that doubts are inevitable takes away their power, much like disarming a soldier.  I can only lose this battle if I allow doubt to defeat me, something that I do not plan on doing.

Stay Doubtful,

Joe

Finding Balance

Happy New Year and sorry for the delay since the last post; between graduating, holiday events, working, training and hunting for a career to start after the Hunger 500, my world has been hectic.  I have felt the need to center myself as the start date continues to draw closer.  I am not sure if it is the enormity of the mileage that I will cover on a daily basis, the logistical hurdles that continue to appear, or the pressure to make the event a success, but I have been feeling relatively overwhelmed in recent weeks.  I have found my needed balance in the support that continues to pour in.  The fact that friends, family members, classmates, coworkers, teachers, and even complete strangers are willing to support this event has kept me focused during the chaos.  Although much still remains to be solidified I am encouraged by the faith that others continue to place in me.  My training has been going well, largely thanks to Cody and my running mates from the Birmingham Track Club, who have accompanied me on some of my longer runs.  I ran the Rocket City Marathon in December with Bo, Troxell, and Andrea, and set a personal best of 3:28 for the 26.2 miles, despite not tapering for the event.  I will continue to ramp up my strength training and mileage in the coming weeks, before tapering a bit in late January and early February.  The Hunger 500 team has remained aggressive in our efforts to secure sponsors, participants, and media exposure.  Although it feels as if we are calling on deaf ears from time to time, it is vital to the success of the project to continue to push on these fronts.  If I have learned anything during this process it is that continued patience and focus is often rewarded.  I know the road ahead is filled with challenges, but I find strength to persevere in your support and thank you dearly for your encouragement.  As always, we welcome any advice or help in making the Hunger 500 as successful as it can be.