Centralight

"Most of the clothes they get are from charities, and it likely was one of only a few outfits he had to wear," Plumstead says. "There's no question there is poverty in the United States, but in Ethiopia it's on a totally different scale. You hear things about poverty, but you don't really know it until you've seen it with your own eyes." "After I graduated from CMU I moved to Chicago, and my roommate and I got into running to help break some bad habits and stay healthy," Plumstead says. "We entered the Chicago marathon, and our only goal was to finish it. Near the end we were so far back that we actually got passed by two people who were wearing M & M costumes. "After that, the running bug bit me, and I've been running ever since. And as much as the running in Ethiopia didn't concern me, I know I couldn't have made it without the members of my team." While the running aspect didn't keep Plumstead from readily registering for Run Across Ethiopia, the reality that he needed to raise $15,000 to participate raised some concerns. That is, until he fully understood the goals and mission of the trip and he received some much-needed encouragement from his wife, Cile, '97. "She was the one who actually said, 'Norm, you need to do this,' because she knew I forever would regret it if I didn't," says Plumstead, who has been married to Cile for 10 years and together they have two sons, Henry and Brody. "Now I can't imagine not having done it." In Ethiopia, the 253-mile run started in the capital city of Addis Ababa and ventured through the ancient Rift Valley and finished in Yirgacheffe, one of the premier coffee- growing regions. As the group ran through the countryside, Plumstead says residents came to the road to cheer and greet them. But in many of the regions outside the capital city, Plumstead saw how underserved many families in the region are. One image that forever will stand out in Plumstead's mind is of a young boy who greeted the group near his home. On a day where temperatures were in the upper 70s, the youngster stood outside wearing a snowsuit. Now several months after returning from his trip, Plumstead says he still is viewing his world differently each day. He explains that after seeing so many hard-working people moving forward with comparatively so little, he has a greater appreciation for what he has in his life. "Many of the people I met there would be lucky to complain about their computers being slow," he says. "We're extremely lucky to live where we live." In recognizing this, Plumstead says he is continuing to use what he has to connect with others and improve their lives, and at the same time they are helping to improve his. He says it is rewarding that he learned such a lesson through redefining his sense of community and connecting with others in his local, national and global communities. He passionately encourages other people to consider making similar connections. "I think there is plenty of room to help people right in your own backyard," Plumstead says. "People shouldn't be overwhelmed by the vastness of the need that's out there, they just need to identify with a group that shares their interests and start getting involved." Plumstead says On the Ground Global is pursuing similar running events in the near future in counties such as Palestine and Uruguay. And he says that after experiencing Run Across Ethiopia, he won't need his wife to push him to consider getting involved. • Ethiopia, in his own words Following his experiences in Ethiopia, Norm Plumstead shared some of his insights on his blog. Here are excerpts from his writings. I'd like to offer one runner's memories of Run Across Ethiopia. Because they are my impressions, they are clouded by my own fallible memory and biases. Having said that, I maintained a journal during the run so that I could reflect back on events with as much accuracy as possible. Enjoy ... My first run in Ethiopia On our first morning in Addis Ababa, Matt, Chris G and I went for a short run. We had landed late the previous night so we hadn't really seen anything of the city. We didn't know what we'd see and couldn't wait to explore. Because of how the Ethiopian calendar is laid out, it was Christmas Day and therefore the streets weren't as busy as usual. We stepped out the door of our hotel, turned right and started running. Although we got lots of curious glances, everyone was friendly. Surprisingly, some people even clapped for us. At one point, a guy joined with us and ran a half-mile. I've logged many miles in towns and cities across our country, and this has never happened. This experience confirmed for us that Ethiopians not only love running but are also extremely warm and welcoming. It was 30 minutes of running that I'll never forget. … Let me restate that (Run Across Ethiopia) was so much more than just simply a run. In the end, it was a vehicle to build bridges, create bonds and effect positive change. • centralight summer '11 25

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