This must be the place: ‘I don’t know, don’t really care, let there be songs to fill the air’
It’s 11 a.m. Monday. Currently sitting in the rec room of my aunt’s high-end apartment complex on the outskirts of Charlotte.
This must be the place: ‘No, I’d rather go and journey where the diamond crescent’s glowing’
Parking the truck at the intersection of the Appalachian Trail and the Nolichucky River on the outskirts of the small town of Erwin, Tennessee, early Monday afternoon, a hot sun kissed my forehead emerging from the vehicle all while lacing up the ole trail running shoes.
Freedom on foot: Cashiers man shares trail running passion through guide company
These days, Brendon Voelker’s life revolves around running, but eight years ago the Texas native was still struggling to complete his first mile.
He was overweight and out of shape back then, and while he could happily spend a day riding around on his road bike, running a mile was out of the question. But after a weight loss journey that left him 80 pounds lighter, Voelker made it a personal goal to get that first mile under his belt. By the end of 2013, he’d completed a nonstop 5K for the first time, and the distances ballooned from there.
Mountains at a running pace
Andrew Shepherd has only been a runner for about two years. But when he took up the hobby, he was after more than a casual 5K.
