600 Mile Run for Elephants

On May 16, I began a 600 mile run for elephants. Step by step, mile by mile, I am fulfilling this physical challenge in support of The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, a place dedicated to the rescue, recovery, and lifelong care for elephants who have endured captivity, hardship, and displacement.

As I update this fundraising page on July 22, I am at mile 213. Each mile has been a small act of devotion. Each step has been a reminder that healing takes time, space, and protection. During my runs before work or after work, on the weekends, and on days off, I reflect on the gentle beings who deserve protection, freedom from captivity, and the fullness of experience that is the birthright for all of life.

This is more than a physical challenge, and truthfully I underestimated the extent of the physical challenge. I thought it would be easy, but daily running in torrential rain, over trails flowing with mud, beneath a heat bowl, or while smoke from distant fires linger in the trees, has proven itself to push me to the edge of my discipline. This has been a commitment to endurance, to compassion, and to protection for the quiet, powerful lives of beings who cannot advocate for themselves. If this speaks to you, I invite you to share this journey with me.

Thank you to all who have offered support so far, through financial donations to The Elephant Sanctuary or through the donation of miles. Of my 213 miles completed, five have been donated, and I love it that others have joined my 600 mile run for elephants.