Foot Notes: Take me to church

Andy Sandrik
For the Public Opinion

I couldn't tell you the last time I've been to church on a Sunday.

Growing up, I attended almost every weekend, but then college happened. Sure, there were the expected roadblocks of the university life, like sleeping in and occasionally nursing a hangover. But there was something else that occurred over those years: Interactions with people, good people, who held beliefs that were different from my own. 

These interactions made me question everything I had previously accepted as fact. It made me wonder what the "correct" religion was and made me wonder even more what happens to those who faithfully believe otherwise.

It's hard to comprehend the incomprehensible, and if you spend too much time thinking about these types of things, you will undoubtedly leave with more questions than answers. It's a process that can overwhelm and even frighten.

So I avoid talking about religion and try not to think about it. But I'd be silly to believe there is not someone, or something, watching over us. I know this to be true every time I go for a long run on a Sunday morning.

This sense of spirituality was more prominent than ever last weekend when I stepped out the door to complete 10 miles on the trails. As soon as I stepped foot outside, with the howling wind blowing the door wide open, I could feel the immediate sting from the chill of the cold. I made my way through the frosted vegetation in my garden and slipped out the back gate.

With black clouds hovering above, I plugged in my headphones and tried to brush aside the powerful natural forces at work on this frigid and lonely morning. My first destination was a new trail, one that I've had on my radar for a few weeks. 

The trail runs alongside a fence. On one side is the hustle and bustle of the highway and on the other side is the peace and serenity of the forest. I am happy to be on the quiet side. The leaves have long since fallen from the trees and I have to run carefully, especially on a steep downhill, as they slip and slide beneath my feet.

As I work my way toward the end of the first trail and approach the five-mile mark, the wind roars and tugs away at my headphones, so I pull them out. These 90s tunes can wait for another day. 

My new soundtrack features a host of new sounds: The wind, of course, as well as my breathing, the rustling of leaves, and a pair of foxes screeching at one another. I've taken this second trail many times, but with the trees bare, I can now see additional paths running through the woods, as well as a long line of teepees made from sticks.

As I advance to my third trail, a high school cross country course, the dark clouds make way for the sun and warmth. My legs and body, which have had significantly less mileage since my half marathon training cycle, are yearning for a conclusion to this run.

My heart and soul, completely at peace, are begging for more.

It's runs like these, with crisp air to breathe and beauty surrounding me, that make me forget about the corruption and divisive politics of the world. I'm left in awe of my surroundings and feeling thankful for the blessings I have. 

This is my church.

If there's any doubt remaining that a higher being exists, it disappears when I walk through the door and am greeted by a smiling baby, a barking dog, a 4-year-old asking me to play video games, and a wife holding a list of chores for me to do. For all of their collective strengths and faults, I am fully aware that their presence in my life is a gift.
My intent is to soak in every moment like this, and every run, until the day I die. I'm not exactly sure what will happen at that point, but wherever I go, I sure hope there's a trail.

1 STEP BACK, 3 STEPS FORWARD

Waynesboro's Linden Showalter took his third crack at the JFK 50 Mile last weekend and completed the race as Franklin County's top finisher.

Showalter, 58, grew stronger as the race progressed and finished in 9:46:06. He says that he ran his fastest from Miles 42-50 and that his fastest mile was his 50th. Showalter has become a better runner with age. He took a wild swing and a miss at the JFK 50 when he was 16 before returning to the race at 44 and clocking a 9:51:08 in 2003.

Showalter topped a small group of locals that included Fayetteville's Stephanie McBeth (11:03:10), Chambersburg's Reece O'Connell (11:15:20) and Neal Hospelhorn (12:47:08), as well as Mercersburg's Jeffrey Boehmer (12:16:47). Laurie Dymond, of Chambersburg, completed 38 miles.

In Chambersburg, the Sophie's Six 6K proved to be a remarkably fast race, with 34 of 126 runners completing the event at a pace faster than 8:00/mile. Carlisle's Chris McCabe, 28, won in 20:42 over Chambersburg's Christopher Diaz (21:59) and Scott Long (23:20). The top female was Shippensburg's Grace Hipple, 11, who finished in 27:09 to beat out 12-year-old Kayla Mills (27:13) and Jill Hazelton (27:57), both of Chambersburg.

Plenty of other fast runners crossed the finish line, including Shippensburg's Issac Covert (23:53), Harrison Hipple (24:31), Cheryl Hipple (28:44) and Ron Slozat (28:52), Chambersburg's Daniel Perry (25:06), Lane Kuhns (25:54), Jeremy Hawk (25:55), Rocco Zubia (26:23), David Dymond (26:56), Richard Myers (27:05), Mark Ward (27:33), Dustin Timmons (27:33), Emma Armstrong (28:14), Caitlyn Elbin (28:19), Paul Sick (28:20), Maxwell Unger (28:36), Trisha Thomas (29:40), Jennifer Morris (29:45) and Cayce Elbin (29:46), and Fayetteville's Kellen Stepler (25:15), Karter Reath (25:29), Trey Stepler (26:34), Andrew Martin (28:36), Olivia Martin (29:01) and Madi Ford (30:03).

The Philadelphia Marathon drew a handful of locals, including Waynesboro's Emily Dickey and Emily Young, who each crossed the finish line in 4:40:54, as well as Greencastle's Conni Miller (5:59:50). In the Philly Half, Mercersburg's Rebecca Rose, 23, impressed with her time of 1:37:12. She topped Shippensburg's Kathleen Mirgon (2:04:55) and Chambersburg's Crystal Lantz (2:14:22).

Thanksgiving races got to an early start in Lancaster and Lebanon, where four area runners carried the Franklin County banner. Shippensburg's Michael Rudisill (24:52) and Chambersburg's Ginger Weaver (51:46) completed the Pie Gobbler 5K, while Mercersburg's Marleigh Palmer (35:53) and Kimberly Lesher (35:55) crossed the finish line at the Give Thanks for Lebanon 5K.

And now, a look ahead to this weekend:

Chambersburg XC Alumni Run: Saturday, 11 a.m., in Chambersburg. Runners of all abilities are invited to show up and compete in this three-mile race, held at Falling Springs Elementary. Pizza and awards to follow. 

Cocoa Bean 5K: Saturday, 9 a.m., in Hershey. Run this race to help provide food for those in need. Check out the event on runningintheusa.com.

North Central Railroad Marathon: Saturday, 8:30 a.m., in Sparks (Md.). Known as the "flattest marathon in Maryland," this trail race runs faster than you might think and serves as a Boston qualifier. A half marathon race is also available. Find the race on ncrtrailmarathon.com.

Also this weekend: Pie Gobbler 5K (Saturday, in Mt. Wolf); Spring Valley 4-Miler (Sunday, in Spring Valley); Turkey Burnoff 10-Miler (Saturday, in Gaithersburg, Md.).