A million reasons to run
By JUDI BOWERS
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Wednesday, December 26, 2007 3:40 PM PST
Chad Hall, left, and Jim Gordon hold the banner as the group runs through Big Bear in support of Ryan Hall Dec. 23. (JUDI BOWERS/Big Bear Grizzly)Bells were ringing and jingling during the early morning Dec. 23. Santa may have been making a reconnaissance mission, but the jingle bells were those of runners on the move.
The Jingle Bell run was an impromptu gathering of Big Bear Valley runners and walkers who took part in the first event to Move a Million Miles for Ryan Hall. The jaunt was short, but lively, led by Ryan, his wife, Sara, his brother Chad and sister, Kacey. Runners left Starbucks in the Interlaken Center headed along Big Bear Boulevard and looped back down Fox Farm Road.
Ryan Hall will compete in the marathon in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. The Big Bear Lake resident began his quest toward the Olympics as a runner at Big Bear High School.
Move a Million Miles for Ryan Hall isn’t a fund-raiser. It’s a way to get the Valley moving and show its support for Ryan. “It’s definitely special,” Ryan says of the efforts. It’s a great send off and it’s important to have the community support, he adds.
The push behind Move a Million Miles for Ryan Hall comes from the Lighthouse Project, spearheaded by Tim Wood and Beth Gardner, who both ran Dec. 23. Gardner said the effort is to get the Valley to participate in more physical activity. The events will hopefully make incremental differences in people’s lives and show support for Ryan at the same time.
Each participant doesn’t have to log one million miles, they are cumulative and communitywide. Miles need to be human propelled. Running, walking, hiking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, anything that takes energy rather than gravity to log the miles, counts. That means if you jump on the treadmill everyday, keep track of those miles—they count.
Ryan thinks it’s possible for Big Bear to reach the million-mile mark. If everyone gets on board and the miles are cumulative, he sees the goal as reachable.
Ryan also says it’s possible he could come home from China in August with a medal. “I’m and up and comer,” he says. He has run with guys who are faster, and says he had the opportunity to see them in the London Marathon and will see them there again this year.
“I’m learning to race at that level,” Ryan says.
On Dec. 23, the community members who ran along side Ryan and his family were there for a variety of reasons. Steve Hirschler has been running daily, something he started to take part in the Jared Landaker Memorial Run. As a member of the Lighthouse Project, Hirschler says the Million Miles event is for a good cause.
“How many times do you get to run with an Olympic athlete?” asked Tyler Wood. It’s an experience he won’t forget and supporting Ryan and the Lighthouse Project are goals he believes in.
George Crezee has this sign hanging on the side of his wood carving business in Big Bear Lake. At left, Kasey, center, and Sara Hall, right, lead a group back to Starbucks Dec. 23 as part of the Jingle Bell run supporting Olympian Ryan Hall. (JUDI BOWERS/Big Bear Grizzly)Jim Gordon was in New York City when Ryan won the Olympic qualifier. Gordon loves to run and he watched Ryan on Saturday in New York, then ran the New York City Marathon on Sunday. Gordon held onto the banner as the group left Starbucks Dec. 23.
Sarah Miggins and Alison Bates are motivated. Miggins said the Jingle Bells run was training because she and Bates are training to run the Big Bear Marathon scheduled for September. Bates says she supports the Million Miles cause because it’s important for Big Bear to be active. “It’s about getting Big Bear moving and healthy,” Bates says.
Ryan and his wife, Sara, are moving and healthy. Sara will compete in an Olympic qualifying race in June, so the million miles may be for more than one Hall.
To log your miles for the cause, visit
www.millionmilesforryanhall.comto register. The Web site should be operational just after the holidays.
Contact reporter Judi Bowers at 909-866-3456, ext. 137 or by e-mail at
jbowers@bigbeargrizzly.net.