The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Just Another Runner’s Perspective

January 2025

Written By Gale Fischer

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

“There’ll be downhills for coasting, race PRs for toasting, and running with friends through the snow.”

12/11/2024: With an hour remaining in my workday, I opened the weather app on my phone to check for updates on the radar. Just like most weekdays, I planned to change into my running gear and head out for an hour run at four PM. A winter weather advisory was in effect for the area, and although the incoming snow would likely not keep me from running, I still had looked at the hourly forecast several times today. It looked as if the front edge of the storm was due to enter our area around the time I would step out into the elements. I glanced out the window at the blustery winds whipping around scattered snowflakes that had started falling from the sky, confirming what the radar was predicting. An hour later as I began my run, the frigid air stung my nose and I started to shiver as my body reacted to the sub-freezing temperatures. The cold air made things uncomfortable for a half mile or so, but within minutes my body was generating enough heat to make the wintery conditions not nearly as harsh.

The snow fell gently to the ground for the first twenty minutes as I made my way east on Michigan Avenue, with the wind at my back. With each passing minute, it seemed as if the snowflakes appeared to grow bigger in size and the white blanket of powder collecting on the ground was becoming thicker. As I turned south on Eleven Mile Road, I could feel the wind to my right, and when I switched directions a few minutes later and ran west on F Drive, my effort increased with the wind providing a wall of resistance. As the snow began to collect on the road I navigated between dry segments of asphalt, packed snow, and slippery patches. I adjusted my stride with the road conditions increasing my effort,  but I didn’t care. With this being one of my first runs of the season in the midst of snowfall, paired with the Christmas music on my playlist, I found myself lost in the festive atmosphere. As I sat in front of the fire blazing beside the hearthstone in my living room a few hours later with the snowfall creating white-out conditions, I was grateful for the spirit of the season generated by my earlier run. It was a perfect way to decompress after a day at work. 

As a runner, I love living in the Midwest. Each season presents varied conditions to run in with the transition from spring to summer and fall to winter offering a fresh perspective. There are differing elements that accompany winter, spring, summer, and fall that help to make running a fresh experience year-round. The holiday season is a joyous time of year in all corners of the world with each offering a varied climate, but for me, the sight of snow falling from the sky with a carpet of white covering the earth’s surface makes the weeks between Thanksgiving and  New Year’s Day a little more pleasing. I always enjoy the run this time of year.

So what is it that makes running during the holiday season so special? There is more than one answer to this question. For many, the month of December offers a respite from the rigors of racing and training for competition. The fall racing season is in the rearview mirror with the spring session far off on the horizon. The focused regimen for spring races typically will not start until the first of the year or later. December often becomes a time just to run without a structured plan of action, providing an opportunity to recharge the batteries. The change in focus from scripted distances and paces to going by feel can be a refreshing change of pace.

The joy and feel-good nature of the holidays can bring a month of cheer to many. You don’t have to be a child to get excited about all that comes with this special time of year. It’s not as if there are not moments of bliss year around but these pleasant feelings for some are more plentiful as the year comes to a close. Time spent with family, celebrations among friends, and the delight in giving and receiving contribute to this festive time of year. As amazing as the blessings of the holiday season are there are times when it can also become overwhelming. A run can offer a chance to relax and calm the excitement.

Running can take the edge off at times but it can also provide a unique way to enjoy the festivities of the season. Group runs at night are often planned to weave through neighborhoods decorated with Christmas lights. There are individuals in every group who dress in elf costumes and Santa hats, adorning their attire with colored lights, adding to the holiday flavor while enjoying our sport. Some even run to and from businesses and residences, stopping briefly at each location to sing Christmas carols. Running is just another way to celebrate this time of year.

As joyous as the gala at the end of each year is, there are those who struggle during the holidays. For these individuals, not-so-pleasant memories might be associated with Christmas and the New Year. For these runners, running becomes even more important this time of year. It can provide a distraction while offering all the emotional benefits to ease the holiday struggles. 

Running offers joy and comfort year-round. The holidays can provide abundant opportunities to enhance this happiness as the magic of each mile meshes with the wizardry of the season. Run without the pressures of training and racing. Celebrate the holidays in the unique way that running offers. Use running to diminish the stress associated with the season. Whatever your motivation let running be a part of this time of year. 

Until next time, this has been just another runner’s perspective.

Dominic Lowrie Story

Just Another Runner’s Story July 2023 Written by Gale Fischer

For the Love of the Game

“I love to run, it makes me smile, I think I’ll run another mile.”

There are several ingredients that come together to create a winning formula for a high school athlete. A competitive drive, focus, hard work, mental capacity, and a willingness to learn. These are all characteristics that define Harper Creek, cross country, and track runner, Dominic Lowrie. All of these traits have played a role in Dominic becoming one of the better runners in the Battle Creek area and one of the best to ever run for Harper Creek, but the one thing that undoubtedly has helped him to achieve success more than anything else is the love that he has for his sport. Dominic was exposed to sports early on as a young child, enjoying each one before eventually finding his passion as a runner.

Dominic’s father Mark, describes why it was so important for Dominic and his younger brother, Nathaniel, to be exposed to a variety of sports at an early age. “We had the kids participate in as many sports as possible. We wanted them to be active and healthy.” Mark recalls in particular the need for Dominic to stay active.  “Dominic would frustrate me when he was younger with his constant need to be moving. One example that I vividly remember is he would often be at the dinner table, take a bite, and then walk around the table and take another bite.”

Although running would eventually become Dominic’s sport, he admits that due to his inability to stay still, he appreciated whatever sport he could participate in. “I played soccer, baseball, and floor hockey with the Wattles Park Men’s Club. I tried to participate in most sports available to me at that age.”

Dominic’s mom, Lera, had enjoyed running for much of her life but had to give it up due to a back injury and surgery. Dominic’s father Mark,  also took up running when Dominic was a student at Wattles Park Elementary. Mark was not an athlete in high school but tried running for a few years, mainly for health reasons. “I was participating in the Biggest Loser weight loss challenge at the YMCA several years ago. There were some people in this group that started to run so I decided to give it a try as well. Our group made a goal to run the inaugural Battle Creek Half Marathon in 2016.” Dominic had shown an interest in running a few years prior to this and joined Mark for part of the half marathon. “Dominic snuck in and ran the last seven miles with me.”

Mark and Lera’s participation in running played into Dominic’s love for the sport as he would tag along, participating in 5K races that Mom and Dad signed up for, or the children’s runs that were a part of these events but his joy for running did not necessarily start from seeing his parents run. A fitness program organized through the elementary school that he attended is what finally separated running from all other sports for Dominic. “When I was in second grade, Mrs. Beaver (Chris), one of the school recess/lunch aids at Wattles Park Elementary, had set up a school-wide program for kids to run or walk laps for recess. We would accumulate laps and the boy and girl with the most laps would win a bike donated by Team Active.”  The fitness program known as Operation Fit, is utilized by many schools in the Battle Creek area to promote an active healthy lifestyle. Each year Operation Fit runs approximately six weeks in the spring. When Dominic’s school first began promoting Operation Fit they named it WOW (Wattles Outstanding Walkers). 

With his energy level and competitive drive, Dominic immediately latched on to Operation Fit. “Each day I would go outside and run as many laps as I could after our lunch. I would eat as fast as possible and our lunch supervisor, Mrs. Davison (Susanne), would let me leave to go outside early. Mrs. Berning (Laurie), another recess aid, would let me go one last lap each day after the whistle was blown to signify the end of recess. I was always the first one out and the last one in.” It wasn’t as if Dominic didn’t enjoy the social aspect of recess but while Operation Fit was up and running, playing with his friends didn’t seem quite as important to him. “I figured I could run around and play tag or I could run laps and win a bike. It seemed logical to my second-grade brain to do the laps. I was highly competitive as well.”

Dominic wasn’t the only student who was all in for trying to accumulate the most laps. “My second-grade year, a classmate of mine, Ethan Tabidaon, and I were in a heated competition. In the end, we tied. Because there were two winners and only one bike a gift card was used as another prize. Ethan chose a gift card and I got a bike.” 

Dominic followed up his last two years at Wattles Park Elementary, claiming first place boy for Operation Fit both years. At the time he didn’t look ahead to the future and think about what kind of success running might offer him as a high school athlete but he realized from his experience with Operation Fit that he loved running. “At the time I didn’t know how fast I could be but I enjoyed it. It became a game for me. I would see someone in front of me and I would chase them down and then try to catch my breath. Teachers and other students would always ask me each day how many laps I had. It was a culture of encouragement.”

Another annual event put on by Wattles Park Elementary physical education teacher, Paul Cotts, added to Dominic’s passion for running. Each year leading into Halloween Mr. Cotts organizes a one-mile run with the boy and girl with the fastest time for each grade taking home the coveted trophy, a pumpkin. Dominic claimed first place for his grade for both 2nd and 3rd grade but was unable to participate in 4th grade due to illness. 

Dominic would continue running some for fun but would have to wait a year after moving from Wattles Park to the Middle School to fuel his competitive drive as a runner. As a sixth-grade student, he was finally able to compete for the cross-country team. He would experience some success as a Middle School runner but his true potential would not be seen until high school. There are some moments that stick out as memorable for Dominic competing in Middle School. “We had a girl by the name of Kayla Kane on our Middle School team. She was two years ahead of me. She was the fastest girl and always beat most of our boys. We had a mile time trial later in the year and I finally beat her. I was so excited that I was finally as fast as her.” Dominic recalls another memory in sixth grade from the Lakeview Invitational. “For the Lakeview Invite my sixth-grade year I remember crossing the finish line thinking that I really did something special with my time then I realized that it was four tenths shorter than all of the other courses that I had run.”  In general, Dominic remembers always having fun with his teammates in Middle School for practices and when setting up the cross country course for home meets.

Entering high school Dominic’s focus and output seemed to shift. He still found great joy in running but setting goals and becoming competitive seemed to become a more important component of running for him. As a freshman, Dominic would join a group of seniors who had dominated the previous two years, coming off the heels of two regional championships, punching tickets to the state cross-country championship meet for two consecutive years. This group collectively, was arguably the most dominant group of boys in the history of Harper Creek cross country. Dominic had set an early goal to break the Harper Creek freshman record and his coaches quickly realized that he would find a spot on this team of talented seniors. He quickly earned his role as a varsity runner, seemingly knocking time off of his personal best with each and every race. There are a few specific moments that Dominic considers most memorable at this juncture in his high school running career. “Both my freshman and sophomore year the Sturgis Invite was memorable. In my freshman year, I broke the Harper Creek freshman record at Sturgis with a time of 16:52 and in my sophomore year, I made it on the school's top ten board with a time of 16:19 at Sturgis. My current PR was set at Turkeyville my sophomore year with a time of 15:59 which put me at number four on the Harper Creek leaderboard.”

There are other key moments which have defined Dominic’s high school career through his freshman and sophomore seasons. He joined his teammates at the state cross country meet his freshman year and qualified individually along with teammate Brian Odell for the state meet his sophomore year. Dominic earned all state honors, finishing 18th. He was voted his team’s most valuable runner his sophomore year by his coaches and teammates, finishing first for Harper Creek in every race and winning many outright. Dominic was plagued with injuries for his freshman year of track but came back this past season with a personal record in the mile with a time of four minutes and twenty five seconds and a personal record in the two mile with a time of nine minutes and thirty seven seconds. He and his teammates were able to qualify for the state team track meet this past season and Dominic also qualified in the mile and two mile for the individual state track meet. 

Dominic’s determination and love for the sport have been the driving force for his blazing times as a runner but he admits that there are many who have helped support him in his success. “Mr. Cotts, my elementary school gym teacher, helped in the development of my competitiveness with his organization of the annual Pumpkin Run. Mrs. Beaver was the one adult who I credit for spawning my love for running with her bringing Operation Fit to Wattles Park and encouraging me each and every day. I always appreciated Mrs. Davidson and Mrs. Berning for letting me leave lunch early and come in late from recess, allowing me to log as many laps as possible. Mr. Fischer, another teacher at Wattles Park and a passionate runner as well, always encouraged me as a runner. I am grateful to Team Active for donating the prizes each year for Operation Fit. In general many of the teachers at Wattles Park Elementary showed me so much support in my love for running and lap accumulation for Operation Fit.”

Upon making the transition from elementary to Middle School Dominic was blessed again with valuable mentorship. “My Middle School cross country and track coaches, Mr. Crooks and Mr. Oaks were a great support for me as I moved into competitive running.” Like many students, Middle School provides a huge opportunity for athletics. This represents the first time for young athletes to compete with their classmates and represent their school.

Dominic’s potential as a runner began peeking through the shadows when compiling miles for Operation Fit as he ran each day around the walking path circling Wattles Park Elementary School’s playground. When he joined  the world of high school athletics his potential was on full display. Dominic gives credit to adults who mentored him for this  transformation. “The guidance provided by my three high school cross country coaches has helped me with things I have achieved so far in cross country. Coach Gadwood truly cares about the sport and his athletes. Coach Fischer has  always helped and guided me in dealing with nagging injuries. Coach Berning has always been great at motivating me and my teammates.”

Dominic had a rough go of it his freshman track season due to injuries but he was able to come out his sophomore year and prove to himself that he could succeed as a track runner. “Coach Quick, my track coach, is always pushing me. He really helped me to drop my time in the mile and two mile from my freshman year to my sophomore year.”  Another integral component in the transformation that Dominic made on the oval can be credited to a personal trainer that he has been working with. “Rob Lillie, my personal trainer, has helped me with injury prevention and strength training. Working with Rob helped me to reach a personal record this past season in the mile and the two mile.” Rob has worked behind the scenes to help many high school runners transition from solid runner to all state runner. 

Other adults outside of the school setting have also been responsible for Dominic’s success.  “My parents have always done a  great job in supporting me and keeping me emotionally stable and my uncle Ron Petty who used to be a runner has always been incredibly supportive of my running. He helped foster my love for running. He will sit through the worst conditions to watch me run.” 

The inspiration that Dominic has received from peers in his sport is perhaps felt in running at all levels from high school athletes to adults who have immersed themselves in the running community. Competitors have always helped Dominic to reach a second gear but two in particular have helped him to thrive. “Jack Bidwell from Marshall and Aiden Moore from Lakeview are my biggest competition and they really have pushed me.” Dominic truly respects his competition. 

Perhaps Dominic’s biggest support has come from his teammates. “My team in general has been supportive. My freshman year we had a talented group of seniors. This group of seniors was very supportive and helped to push me. This was an incredible group of guys as are the  guys who are on my team now.”

Running has blessed Dominic not only socially but as a student as well. It has given him a set of tools for high school and beyond. “Running has given me almost every friend that I have. Cross-country is an interesting sport because the second you cross the finish line your competitors become your best friends. I go to a cross-country camp every year with kids from Portage and Otsego. I always feel at home with other athletes who come to this camp. Running gives me time to process things and come to terms with issues. It is very therapeutic and relaxing. It gives me peace of mind. I am a better person because of running. It has helped me as a student.” 

Dominic has many of the attributes high school athletes must have for success. Perhaps one area that separates him from many of his peers is his attention to detail when setting goals and the steps he takes in trying to achieve these goals. He has developed a three-level approach to goal setting. “I have a goal-setting system that I call the three Ps: Probable, Possible, Perfect. My current 5K PR is 15:59 so based on this I have set my probable goal as running a time of 15:30, my  possible goal is 15:15 and my perfect goal 14:59. I’d also like to finish in the top five at the state meet.”  Dominic understands that to reach any of these goals it is critical that he remain injury free. 

Mark is in awe of his son’s goal setting and the commitment he has shown in trying to achieve these goals. “Dominic will consistently set high reaching goals. He works hard to do this including training hard while also allowing his  body to recover with stretching and ice baths. While his friends take in the entire experience of Friday nights under the lights, Dominic insists on leaving each football game at halftime so that he can get a good night of sleep before his Saturday cross-country meets. I can remember when he broke the freshman record. I remember being so proud of him not by getting the record but because of his goal setting, focus and hard work.”

Dominic is only halfway through his high school athletic career. Although nothing is guaranteed, running at the next level is on the radar. He has been in contact with coaches from  Alma, Saginaw Valley, Michigan Tech, Lake Superior State, and Kalamazoo College. When the dust settles and his competitive running days are behind him Dominic would like to continue running and someday possibly be a coach. 

I have had the rare opportunity to witness Dominic’s transformation as a runner. Being a longtime runner myself with a passion for the sport and a teacher in elementary school that Dominic attended, it was heartwarming for me to witness his excitement as a young child with a love for running. Having the opportunity to help coach Domininc five years later in high school was a special treat for me. Many of the runners that I have coached hang up their running shoes after their high school career is complete. Through the conversations that I have had with Dominic I am sure that he will still be running even when he is my age. As a coach and runner, seeing my athletes succeed with personal records, league championships and all-state honors is thrilling. Seeing a former athlete still enjoying running five years, ten years and decades after high school may not be as thrilling but it is just as fulfilling. Dominic’s success so far makes me happy but what makes me smile the most is the love that he has for running. 

Everyone has a story.  Stay tuned next month for another runner’s story.

Scott Struck Follow Up Story

Just Another Runner’s Story December 2024 Written by Gale Fischer

Self-Reflection

“There’s no way to un-run an ultra marathon. The world is the same but your view of yourself is now fundamentally different.”

—Paul Butzi

Ultra runners are certainly a rare breed. Spending hours at a time running distances that many would consider too long to drive for a day trip is a mind-boggling scenario for the non-runner. As challenging as it may seem to run thirty, fifty, or even one hundred miles at a time, the focus required to complete such a daunting task comes down to a very simplistic approach. It all boils down to moving forward one stride at a time while ignoring your body's plea to stop. To keep moving for twenty to thirty hours at a time requires an extreme effort physically, but the mental determination becomes just as difficult. One must step away mentally. While completing an ultra event there are periods of time that become out-of-body experiences. When out on the racecourse for hours at a time running through daylight and into the darkness, opportunities for self-reflection are abundant. If you desire to learn things about yourself that you may not already know, running an ultra-marathon might be something to consider. This month’s featured runner, Scott Struck, has learned more about the human spirit than any book could teach, while self-reflecting en route to finishing several ultra-marathons, including fourteen at the one-hundred-mile distance.

Scott would have never imagined running such extreme distances as a teenager or young adult. He began his journey in our sport as he approached middle age. “I had recently turned thirty-eight and felt like I was getting old. I needed to start getting active. My kids were old enough to leave alone for an hour or so at a time. I started running shorter distances on my own.” Eventually, Scott decided to sign up for a 5K race. “I ran the Run for the Greyhounds, a 5K race put on by a greyhound rescue group. This was a few years after I started running. I continued to run on my own and participate in some local races. For the first few years, it was just shorter distances around 5K.”

Although Scott had participated in some local races he hadn’t established any connections with the running community. Running on his own was therapeutic and he enjoyed it, but it was inevitable that he would be introduced to social running. “I started meeting local runners in Battle Creek and also began running with the Urban Herd every Wednesday in Kalamazoo. Eventually, I connected with Teresa Fulcomer Brian Trainor, and Lorenna Trainor. I would run with them weekly. Teresa and I became running partners and have run and raced together through the years.” Scott, Teresa, Brian, and Lorenna would meet up a few times each week in Battle Creek to run three to five miles. Longer distances would soon pique Scott’s interest, however. “The four of us gradually edged into the half-marathon distance. We hooked up with the Kalamazoo Area Runners (KAR) Beyond training group and started bumping up to the marathon distance.”

Scott and Teresa got their feet wet with the marathon. They both seemed content with keeping it to this distance but their mindset would change. “Teresa and I had done the half-marathon at Run Woodstock, a weekend highlighted by trail races of various distances near Ann Arbor, Michigan. We were intrigued by runners completing the 50K race, so we decided that we would try this distance. Our logic was that it wasn’t much further than a marathon.” A seed was planted and Scott’s journey as an ultra runner began. “We signed up for the Huff 50K in Albion, Indiana. It was a two-loop course. Teresa and I ran it with Lisa Piper, another local runner.” There was a tiny glitch for the three of them on race day but this didn’t scare Scott in his future pursuit to keep upping the distance. “We ended up getting off course, Eventually, we started seeing runners coming opposite of us and decided to turn around and follow them. This added three or four miles to our first 50K.” Over the next few years, Scott and Teresa gained experience at the 50K distance, running the Huff 50K four consecutive years. They also tried a longer race, running the fifty-mile option at Run Woodstock.

Running the fifty-mile was a learning experience for Scott. It changed his game plan for longer distances. “I remember thirty-five miles in being gassed out. I figured out that to have a better experience with ultras I needed to slow down. Teresa and I walked from mile thirty-five to forty-five and then we were ready to run again. I needed to refuel and regroup. I had a hard time digesting what I would eat. I feel that the pace I was running was too fast and creating GI issues. I really had gotten into the ultra distance without really knowing how to pace and how to keep nourished.” 

Running several 50Ks felt like a small step up from the marathon for Scott. It wasn’t as if it was easy but it seemed manageable to keep going a few more miles without changing how he trained and raced. The fifty-mile race changed his mindset. He became intrigued with ultra running and was hungry to learn more about preparing and completing distances of fifty miles and more. “I started listening to podcasts on Trail Runner Nation and reading Trail Running Magazine. I began to get insight into how to train, race, and take in nutrition. I learned a ton from experienced ultra runners, nutritionists, and doctors who made appearances on these podcasts.” One race in particular that was discussed in the magazines that Scott was reading and in the podcasts that he was listening to became a source of curiosity. “They talked a lot about the Western States One Hundred-Mile Ultra. I became curious and intrigued about Western States but at the time never considered running one hundred miles. I didn’t think that I could do it.” Scott may have underestimated how many miles he could cover continuously but perhaps subconsciously a seed had been planted.

The idea of running one hundred miles may have been a goal on the horizon for Scott with his race crush being the Western States Endurance Run. His interest in this event intensified while on a vacation with one of his children. “In 2014 I went to Lake Tahoe with my daughter, Samantha to participate in the Tahoe Trifecta. She ran the 10k. I did three half-marathons in three consecutive days. We also did a lot of sightseeing. One of the days we went over to Squaw Valley (Palisades at Tahoe). The Western States trail goes through this area. I decided to check out the trail and ended up running eight miles.” Scott was like a little kid in a candy store. He felt a combination of excitement and nervousness in being able to run a segment of the Western States course. It seemed that this eight-mile section was as close as he would come to running his dream race. “I was enamored to be able to run this trail but just about died. I was not at all prepared for the elevation and incline. This confirmed my hypothesis that I could never run one hundred miles. I didn’t have the endurance and I wasn’t a mountain man. I realized that running Western States was just a dream. The fifty-mile distance seemed to be my ceiling.” 

Training for and running one hundred miles takes a mental mindset that requires confidence. It seemed that Scott had a desire to try the distance but he didn’t see it as a possibility physically. He would finally take a leap of faith a few years after visiting Squaw Valley. “Teresa and I had done some fifty milers and 100ks and finally, in 2017, we decided to try a hundred miler. We both finished our first one-hundred-mile race on the Hennepin Canal State Park Trail in Central Illinois. Teresa’s knee was giving her a lot of pain. We made it to fifty miles and met up with Matthew Santner who was going to pace us for the last half.” Matthew, Scott, and Teresa evaluated the situation and made a difficult decision. “Teresa wanted Matthew and I to go on and she insisted she would continue on her own. Matthew and I got to the next aid station and lingered for a few minutes eating food and warming by the fire waiting to see when Teresa would come in. She was hurting but she still wanted us to go on. We ran as long as we could and walked to last twenty-five miles. I finished in the twenty-eight-hour range. I was so tired and so beat up but I was thrilled with what I had just accomplished.” Scott was brimming with confidence having completed one hundred miles but didn’t celebrate too long. Both Matthew and Scott turned their focus to Teresa. They waited anxiously and finally, Teresa hobbled in a few hours later, making the thirty-hour cut-off with only ten minutes to spare. Teresa and Scott had conquered the mental and physical hurdles but their bodies had been beat up. Before getting some much-needed sleep both agreed that this would be their only one-hundred-mile race but when Scott awoke later he was ready to find his next one-hundred-mile race.

Teresa was not as fast to flip the script on her decision to retire from running one-hundred-mile races. Scott didn’t press her but his influence would help Teresa to forget about the misery she suffered on the Hennipen Trail. “We both ran the Tunnel Hill One Hundred Mile Ultra a year later. Teresa had to drop out at mile seventy-seven due to severe knee pain. I finished with a faster time than at Hennipen. Teresa and I had heard about run/walk intervals. We decided to implement this strategy into our training for Tunnell Hill and used it on race day. We played with the interval lengths for a while. We settled on a combination of five minutes of running and one minute of walking. I have since transitioned to an interval of three minutes running and one-minute walking.” 

After finishing Tunnell Hill Scott continued to participate in a variety of ultra events including several one-hundred-mile races.  Scott began to feel more comfortable with the distance. It's not that ultra running was easy but it turned into a combination of a routine and addiction. As he gained experience running one hundred miles he began to think more and more about participating in his dream endurance event. “I qualified and earned a lottery spot for the Western States Endurance Run 2024. I ran it but missed the cut-off time fifty-eight miles in. Around mile forty I got a bloody nose due to the elevation and dry air. I could not get the bleeding to stop and was swallowing blood which caused nausea.” Scott’s pace began to slow considerably and the possibility of not hitting the cut-off time at the next checkpoint became a reality. He was frustrated and discouraged but kept moving forward missing the forty-mile cut-off time by five minutes. “Although it was discouraging I was thrilled at the opportunity to go out and try. I was out of my element with the elevation, incline, and terrain but I am grateful for the entire experience.” 

To date, Scott has completed fourteen one-hundred-mile events. He doesn’t necessarily have a goal for how many he will complete but just goes by feel. “Each time I say to myself that this is the last one but then I change my mind.” 

Running has become a passion for Scott, especially the longer distances. He has learned and been inspired by many in the running community and has tried to give back in the same way he has been blessed. “I have paced half-marathons and full-marathons. I always sign on as a pacer for a pace that I am comfortable with. Pacing is important because you can provide so much help to other runners. It allows me to chat with people which is fun but it also allows me to encourage when it is needed.” 

Through the years Scott has found other ways to share his knowledge and mentor other runners. “I got into coaching back in 2013 with the Battle Creek Fast Track program, a training program for the 5K distance. I have also volunteered for several training cycles as a team leader for the KAR Beyond Marathon and Half-Marathon training group. I have been certified as a running coach through the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) for five years.” As Scott gained more experience as an ultra runner he expanded his coaching to those seeking to tackle a distance longer than a marathon. “I began coaching virtually for Ornery Mule Racing two years ago. We work with all kinds of runners but most of my clients are first-time ultra runners. I have had about sixteen clients through the years, throughout the USA and overseas as well.”

Coaching has allowed him to use his experience as a runner to mentor others but has been as positive for him as it has been for those he has coached. “Coaching is a great way to give back to the running community. I have been blessed by running and learning from other runners. This is my opportunity to pass on what I have learned from others. It provides peace of mind to others in a crazy world. I want to share this with my running peers. When I first started running I made a lot of mistakes. I want to prevent people from making some of the mistakes that I have made.” Scott has enjoyed a career as a psychologist for many years. The skills he has developed in this role have benefited him as an ultra runner and in coaching others. 

Scott has learned many life lessons with all of the miles that he has run. Running has helped him to evolve in his perspective of life and advice to others. “Stick with it and ask people for help if you have a problem. Join a running group and get into the running community. Runners are friendly and like to share their sport with others. It is important to approach running with the mindset that I get to run not that I have to run. Cherish the opportunities that running creates.”

As a young adult Scott would never have predicted that one day he would enjoy running. He started as a way to stay active as he entered mid-life. Running distances up to one hundred miles would have seemed absurd but here he is nearly two decades into his running journey with fourteen one-hundred-mile runs under his belt. The hours of training and racing have introduced him to acquaintances and friendships that will last a lifetime but just as important is each cumulative mile has taught him things about himself he would never have known if he had never become an ultra runner.

Everyone has a story.  Stay tuned next month for another runner’s story.

Jess Davis Story

Harper’s Unsung Heroes December 2024 Written by Gale Fischer 

The Influence of a Teacher

“A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning.”

—-Brad Henry

As teachers, we have the opportunity every day to influence students and potentially create moments that can shape the trajectory of a child’s life. Although we are cognizant of this influence, we often are unaware of the ripple effect that we create as our students go forward and use their experiences in our classrooms to make a difference in our world. This month’s Unsung Hero, Jess Davis, has been the recipient of mentorship and guidance from an entire generation of teachers starting in her elementary school years and continuing through high school graduation. This special group of adults has fueled her love for learning while keeping her afloat during some tumultuous times in her childhood. 

Jess talks about her early years before she and her family settled down in the Cereal City. “I was born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1986. My older brother Joe was born in 1983 and my younger sister Jamie was born in 1987. My dad was in the Air Force and stationed in Omaha at the time of my birth. Dad was sent to Washington through the Air Force a few years later and we moved to Spokane when I was three years old.”

 A few years after taking up residence in Spokane, Jess and her family packed their bags and moved again. She reflects on this time in her life. “When I was five years old Dad retired from the Air Force. We moved to Battle Creek to be near his family. Initially, he worked out at Fort Custer in some of the manufacturing plants but later became an electronics teacher at the Career Center. He had a lot of experience in this field from his years working on planes in the Air Force. Mom worked at Waste Management when we moved to Battle Creek, eventually starting her lifelong position at Cook Jackson Contractors as office manager.”

Jess and her family moved to the Post edition when they first came to Battle Creek. She and her siblings attended school at Post Elementary. Jess reflects on some fond memories from this time.“When I attended Post Elementary there was a farm camp out at the Outdoor Education Center. We were bussed out a few times a week during the summer. I remember learning the basics of agriculture there, and I developed a love of gardening because of this. One of my favorite memories from farm camp was making marigold dip using marigold petals and cream cheese. It was delicious. I was amazed that this dip came from a flower.” Jess and her siblings lived in the same neighborhood as Post Elementary and walked to school each morning and back home at the end of the school day. She enjoyed this daily commute and vividly remembers the smells each morning coming from the cereal plants, an experience that is unique to children who live in Battle Creek. The farm camp each summer was something that fostered Jess’s love for hands-on learning but there was another factor that provided a pleasant educational experience for Jess at Post Elementary. “I had some phenomenal teachers from my days in elementary school, including Mrs. Strand, Mrs. Sharp, and Mrs. Downey,” Jess recalls. “I was blessed to have many inspiring teachers at Post, Harper Creek Middle School, and Harper Creek High School. I could fill an entire page listing all of them.”

Jess and her family moved from the Post Edition to the south side of Battle Creek as Jess made the shift from fourth to fifth grade. She gives some details about changing school districts. “Moving to Harper Creek was a tough transition at first but I soon grew to enjoy my new school district. One of my favorite memories was made with the peanut butter and jelly experiment in Mr. Sikora’s sixth-grade science classroom. Our assignment was to write directions for making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and then we would follow someone else’s directions word for word. It was always a disaster but so much fun.”  Just as she experienced in her elementary years at Post, Harper Creek also gave her some great memories with some phenomenal teachers. “I was lucky enough to have both Mr. and Mrs. Sikora as teachers. I always felt that each had great patience with me and helped to push me to get where I needed to be. All of my science teachers were phenomenal. Along with my dad’s experience with science and the instruction that I received from my science teachers, I developed a love for this discipline.” 

Although Jess developed a joy for school and for learning, her childhood years and time as a teenager were not always easy. She dealt with some things that tugged at her heart, creating confusion, anxiety, and stress. She reflects on these turbulent times in her life. “I experienced sexual trauma during my youth beginning in elementary school. I didn’t know how to handle this and kept it to myself.” As Jess entered her teen years the pressure created from the trauma seemed to intensify. “It shattered my confidence and when I was in high school it led to some poor decisions. I became shy and was always worried about making mistakes. I turned to drinking in high school and I was sexually assaulted at a party. Everything had built up. I lacked self-worth. I had developed a plan for suicide.” Some of the decisions that Jess made led to struggles in school, but she still loved school and was eager to learn. Her teachers wouldn’t allow her to fall between the cracks. Jess reflects on this. “My teachers refused to let me fail. Mr. Hicks is one example of this. He helped me dig out of a hole that I had fallen into for his math class.”

The mixed emotions that invaded Jess’ soul seemed to be spiraling out of control. Confusion and feelings of worthlessness were eating away at her from the inside out. Fortunately, the tide would change with a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Jess describes that although things were not perfect, the healing process was in the works. “Eventually, it got to a point where I felt God intervened. I started going to church again.” Positive changes were happening in Jess’s life but mental struggles also came with some of these changes. “This was also hard because I began to lose the connections that I had with my group of friends, who I partied and drank with. Eventually, I found new alliances from friendships I made at church.” 

The trauma that Jess dealt with as a child left scars during her crucial years of growth and development but there were also many fond memories and experiences that came with her childhood. Jess talks about these memories. “Although I struggled with things in high school one thing that helped me was getting involved in cheer. This gave me some confidence.” Jess also competed on the track team and was a member of the National Honor Society and Student Council in high school. 

Jess also enjoyed hanging out with her family as a child. “We did a lot of camping when I was a kid. I loved being outside and camping with my family was a great way to spend time outdoors. We also spent a lot of time together in other ways as a family. My brother Joe was a wrestler and so we spent a lot of time at the gym watching him compete and working in the concession stand. I also remember watching some of the classic TV shows from the 80s and 90s together as a family and eating popcorn.”  Beyond school activities and time spent with family, Jess also worked part-time at Binder Park Zoo for a decade during her high school and college years. This became a great outlet for her with the variety it provided for her. Her supervisor at Binder Park was more than just her employer. Jess describes the impact of this relationship. “My boss and eventual second mom, Vickie Taft helped me face a lot of the yucky stuff that I was dealing with in my life during the time that I worked at the zoo. She had this grace about her and counseled many more  than just me over the years.”

The trauma that Jess was exposed to as a child was truly unfortunate. Satisfying memories of learning in school and participating on the cheer team along with the time spent hanging out with family helped to numb some of the emotional pain, but Jess still struggled to fight her demons in isolation. Her faith eventually created the fork in the road that she desperately needed. Jess reflects on other interventions. “I received counseling as a teenager but this didn’t help because I really didn’t want to go but later in college I sought out counseling on my own. I feel I have healed but I always try to be self-aware and know when I need to get counseling.”

Jess had some great role models in all of her years as a student. These teachers may have been just ordinary men and women but they quietly went about their day providing guidance and support for all of their students. They made learning exciting for her and continually fed her hunger to learn. They may have lit a tiny spark for her future as a teacher. Jess reminisces about when she first thought that teaching might be something she’d like to do as an adult. “When I was in high school I cadet taught in first grade at Sonoma with Kris Gilbert and Holly Ryan. I loved this experience and it helped me realize  that I wanted to work with kids.”

Jess graduated from Harper Creek High School in 2004, and started college, staying close to home. She talks about her journey as a college student. “I started at Kellogg Community College in 2004 and then transferred to Spring Arbor College in 2007.” Jess graduated from Spring Arbor in 2010, earning a BA teaching degree with a Spanish certification for Kindergarten through eighth grade, a Kindergarten through fifth-grade self-contained certification, and certification to teach Middle School science.

Jess was now a recent college graduate, with a teaching degree. She was ready to throw her hat in the teaching ring. The landscape for teaching jobs was much different in 2010 than it is today. It seems that all districts are struggling to find enough teachers to fill their rosters now but at the time that Jess graduated from college, every available teaching assignment had a long list of applicants. Jess was fortunate to land a teaching job right out of college. She reflects on her job search as a recent college graduate. “Harper Creek had a Spanish teaching position opening at the Middle School for the 2010/2011 school year. I put in my application and was hired. I worked in this position for six years.” Jess then spent a year teaching fifth-grade science at Harper Creek Middle School before moving back to the Spanish department.  “I went to Wattles Park in 2017 to teach Spanish for one year and then back to the Middle School in 2018 to teach science. I have taught science at the Middle School since then.” For much of her time as an employee of Harper Creek, Jess’s job duties have gone beyond the classroom. She has spent the past ten years as the High School cheer coach. She has recently stepped down from this role with the arrival of a baby for her and her husband but hopes to return to coaching someday.

Jess's journey in becoming a mom wasn’t an easy one. It was filled with struggles but also an attitude of hope and never giving up. She discusses the details of marriage and parenthood. “I met Michael when I was nineteen while attending a college youth group outing. We later found out that my grandma and his grandma grew up together. We had many connections to each other before we officially met. We started dating six months later,  dated for a year, and broke up.” Although their status as a couple was put on hold Jess and Michael remained friends. “We decided to start dating again four years later, and we were married in 2012.”

After a year of marriage, Jess and Michael decided it was time to start a family but this would become a process filled with highs and lows. She describes the long road for her and Michael in becoming Mom and Dad. “We tried for a year and were unable to conceive.” They eventually explored other options after a year without a pregnancy. “We went through seven years of fertility treatment, but this didn’t seem to work. It appeared as though Invitro Fertilization (IVF) was the next option but after talking to our doctor we opted out of this. We were told that the success rate for us for IVF was minimal and our insurance would not cover it. The years of fertility treatment had been exhausting emotionally and physically. We decided to just take a break for a few years.” 

Jess had dreamt of adoption and motherhood since she was a teenager. With all they had been through, Michael opened up to the idea of adopting. Jess describes the next chapter in their journey.  “We met with an adoption agency and In 2020 we were set to adopt a newborn child. We prepared a baby room, but as the day to take the baby home approached the parents changed their minds. I understood their decision to keep their baby but this was still hard for us. It was our first real sign of hope to be parents but it didn’t work out.”

Having the adoption fall through was a setback for Jess and Michael. There was a period of mourning but then they quickly sought out another adoption. Jess talks about the next steps in their journey to become parents. “We were on a waitlist with an adoption agency for three years. We rarely heard from the agency. We were also licensed to foster in January of 2024. We hadn’t received a call yet to adopt so thought being foster parents would be a great option while waiting to adopt a child.” 

After years of waiting, their prayers were finally answered. “Valentine’s Day of 2024 we received a call that a newborn baby girl was waiting for her forever family. We met her nine days after she was born. She was born five weeks early. We stayed with her in the NICU for six days and then brought her home with us. We named her Eliana (meaning: my God has answered).” Eliana has been a blessing for Jess and Michael but there have been bumps along the path already traveled and more to come in the road ahead. “Being a premature baby, she is still behind in her development. Her health is fine and she is making progress with her development. She is a happy baby. We are still waiting on the official adoption. We are confident that this won’t be much longer. Eliana’s birth parents are African American and we realize there will be challenges for all of us in the future being two white parents raising a child of another race. We are hopeful that the makeup of our family will help to open more minds in the future. Eliana has brought much joy to Michael and me and our entire family. It has been a valuable experience. We are learning every day.”

In the grips of trauma, Jess has overcome many obstacles in her life. Her experiences are undeserved but this is life. The good and bad that she has faced in her life have given her the tools necessary to impact our students positively. These skills will also help her flourish as a mom. Her reflections on her journey and what she has learned are as follows. “How you get through tough times is important. Good can still exist. I have dealt with much trauma and have gotten through it because of my faith and also the support from friends, family, teachers, and community. Life is hard and sometimes you need to lean on others. I have learned that being open about some of the tough stuff can help others and provide encouragement seek professional help and continue with the healing process.”