We recently traveled to Minnesota to visit family in the far north woods near the town of Park Rapids, population 4,200. I found myself on day two of our visit bellied up to the bar in a local dive. I know what you’re thinking, “Shocking!”
Well, the tale becomes a little more shocking after I downed a few Grain Belts and a couple began chatting me up. We soon discovered that we were both from Naperville. They explained that they had both recently retired and made the permanent move up to their family lake house. After a few more Grain Belts and the usual banter and questions regarding a common hometown, and each other’s bios, Jay (I never got his last name) asked me if I had ever been to the VFW in Naperville.
“Of course,” I said.
Then he asked me if I’d ever run in the VFW 0.1K race that they hold every September! I guess you could say I hogged the next 20 minutes of the conversation expounding on the merits, highlights and fundraising efforts of the Annual Naperville VFW Judd-A-Thon. While this is anecdotal, I don’t think it’s a stretch to now acknowledge the Judd-A-Thon as a Nationally Recognized Athletic Event!
If you have been living in a more remote and desolate locale than northern Minnesota and have not heard about the Judd-A-Thon, let me explain. It is a life-changing experience, where one runs, walks, skips or even summersaults oneself across 0.1K of real estate. For those of you who are distance-measurement-challenged, 0.1K is just under 110 yards! Yes, you read that correctly. It is commonly described as a ‘Fun Run,” but only a sadist could derive pleasure from a point-to-point, flat, paved course running the entire distance of a high school football field (end zones excluded).
I know what you’re thinking, “Pablo, how can I, a mere mortal, even fathom an endurance event of that magnitude, let alone run it?” Well, lucky for you I have been training since returning from Minnesota three days ago. You could call me an expert. If you cannot afford a personal trainer, or have access to ice baths, a masseuse and nutritionist, there are still little things you can do to prepare yourself. For instance, park a few spots from the door at the grocery store, instead of circling for a half hour for the nearest spot to open; on Saturday nights, rather than downing a 6-pack of Miller High Life, maybe switch to Miller Lite and only have four… and a shot. Perhaps lay off the cigarettes for a few hours—the day of the race at least.
Alright, maybe this isn’t really a race. It’s more a fundraiser (emphasis on the fun). All the money raised goes directly to the VFW National Home for Children located in Eaton Rapids, Michigan. As their website states, in January, 1925, the Home was founded, helping to fulfill the VFW pledge to “honor the dead by helping the living.”
Over the years, The National Home has evolved to address today’s additional challenges of re-integration, post-traumatic stress, unemployment and rehabilitation. The focus, however, remains on the children. It’s the VFW family way of lending a hand up, not a hand out, to those in need.
Go ahead, Google it. I guarantee after you read about the National Home, you’ll want to participate in this year’s 11th Annual Judd-A-Thon.
