A few years back, when my wife Shelly and I drove out to Arizona from our previous home in Pennsylvania to start our new lives in the desert, I assumed it would be our last move for a long while. After all, Shelly had a great remote job with Bucknell University, I was settling into a second career in running-related pursuits, and both of us really enjoy Arizona as a home.
I developed an amazing running community in the area and got to participate in many memorable events, including the 2025 Cocodona 250 Mile, the low-key 2025 Circle of Hell Run, several editions of the Hotfoot Hamster timed event, and the 2024 Javelina 100 Mile. But alas, as has been the case so many times in our lives, we have once again learned that there are no sure things in life. We are on the move again.
AJW heading into Sedona, Arizona, at mile 162 on the third day of 2025 Cocodona 250 Mile. Photos: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Last week, after a relatively quick interview process, Shelly started a new job as Director of Scholarship Gifts at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon, and as a result, we are now in the process of moving there. Moving is nothing new to us, as my three-decade career in education has led us to relocate several times from Arizona, California, Idaho, Virginia, Arkansas, and Pennsylvania. Additionally, a move to Oregon is not altogether surprising, as the state is familiar to us. Shelly’s mother and brother live there, as does our youngest son, Tully. Nonetheless, packing up and leaving a place, especially a place one loves so much, is not easy.
Home Is Where We Run
Over the years, the stress and strain of moving have been tempered through running. In each place we’ve moved, running has allowed me to adjust to my surroundings and find a home in a new place, even while longing for the old one. The lessons learned along the way have given me the strength and skills to adapt — both to life and running — in ways I may not have done otherwise.
AJW enjoying his 500-meter laps at the 2024 Hotfoot Hamster. Photo courtesy of Andy Jones-Wilkins.
In California, the expansive rolling hills of the East Bay and the soaring redwoods in the trails above Oakland gave me perspective and showed me how truly big the world is. Surviving the cold, dark winters of Idaho hardened my resolve and gave me a chance to face up to challenging conditions with hope rather than frustration. In Virginia, the ancient, stately Appalachian Mountains provided me with a daily reminder of how short life truly is and how important it is to savor every day. And while here in Arizona, running in the hot, dry Sonoran Desert served to simplify my life and allowed me to strive to enjoy every moment.
As I sit on the precipice of this next move to Oregon, I do not know what lessons are waiting for me out there in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. While I know the running community is vibrant and the forested trails are plentiful, the unknown and mystery of a new place is simultaneously exciting and nerve-racking. What I do know is that there will come a day when I finally settle into my new life in Corvallis, when I will wake up in the predawn light, lace up my running shoes, and head out for a run. While running, I will be sure to open myself up to all my new home has to offer and let running through space do what it has always done by providing me sustenance and revelation, as well as a lesson or two from which I can continue to grow and evolve as a runner and as a person.
AJW running the nighttime section of the 2024 Javelina 100 Mile. Photo courtesy of Andy Jones-Wilkins.
Bottoms up!
AJW’s Beer of the Week
This week’s Beer of the Week comes from Dirt Road Brewing in Philomath, Oregon. MX-Style Vienna Lager is a unique Vienna lager brewed in a Mexican style. Crisp and slightly sweet, MX-Style blends the best of both worlds to produce a wonderfully refreshing and drinkable beer to be enjoyed just about any time.
Call for Comments
- How does running help you cope with big life changes?
- Do you live near Corvallis? What should AJW know?
