Massage therapist Jessica Goldman went out for a run on April 16.
She plans to return sometime in June.
With six pairs of shoes at the ready and a retooled baby stroller to carry her gear, Goldman is running coast to coast to raise money for the Brain Injury Association of America, and to attempt to break the women’s trans-American run record, which currently stands at 69 days. She does this without a crew or van following her—through the desert heat and the Rocky Mountain snow, she’s making the trek on her own.
Goldman, a former Peace Corps volunteer, doesn’t think of her approximate 3,000-mile charitable journey as giving up a few months of her life. “I see it more as giving up a routine to go out and experience life,” she says. “The world is such a huge place and is full of opportunity, amazing people, and beautiful places. I hope to expand my horizons and learn more about myself and other people by challenging myself to my limits.”
Planning to run an average 50 miles a day, Goldman will sustain herself on vegan protein powder and what she finds at convenience stores and restaurants along the way. While her stroller (known affectionately as “Thingamabobaroo”) is carrying camping gear, she is also hoping to stay in hotels on occasion when they are available and affordable. For supporters across the country who are watching her progress, Goldman says she would love for folks to come out and cheer her on as she passes through their town. “I will also be seeking lodging, vegan food, showers, laundry facilities, and maybe a little bodywork along the way. I will carry a live tracking device so people will be able to see where I am on the map when they go to my blog.”
What does Goldman leave behind to fulfill this quest? A new massage practice that she recently opened in Dover, New Hampshire, will be shuttered until her return. But she’s not worried about her clients straying far. Many of them encouraged her to undertake this journey and have helped fund her efforts. “I have matched some of my clients who need regular care with appropriate temporary therapists while I am away, but I know that hurrying home for them will help me stay on track during my adventure.”
Keep up with Jessica Goldman’s progress as she runs across the country, or offer her a hot meal and a soft bed:
www.facebook.com/JessicaGoldmanForwardMotion
Make a donation to the Brain Injury Association of America in support of Jessica Goldman:
http://biausa.donorpages.com/ForwardMotion
Find out how Goldman got here. Read her blog at: http://goldmangoesforit.wordpress.com
Karrie Osborn is senior editor at ABMP.