HOW AND WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD SOMEONE COME UP WITH THE IDEA OF BICYCLING OVER 500 MILES AND RUNNING A MARATHON THE FOLLOWING DAY?

While driving back to Houston following a family visit in Arkansas that was combined with running the Little Rock Marathon, I had the usual hours of quiet time to think and reflect. I thought of my multiple “homes,” including Little Rock and now Houston, and how I enjoyed the many unique qualities of each. Eventually, as strings of thought wandered randomly, I thought about how friends were contributing to the betterment of their respective home towns. In Houston, my significant other, Patty, and several of our marathon-running friends regularly help the ladies at The Women’s Home get out and exercise by participating in the “Walking Club,” walking in the neighborhood and, on special occasions, at organized 5k run/walk events. I was also impressed with my friend Renee in Arkansas, who volunteered as an operator for a women’s crisis hot line, which led her to a complete career change. She now works for the county helping families.  I realized that many of my friends are deeply involved in and giving their time and energy to improve their communities. There are many worthy causes in the world that tug at our heart-strings, but I believe that the family is the foundation of our society, no matter what kind of family that may be. When this structure crumbles, there can be victims of all levels. We can’t always prevent such a thing from happening, but there are dedicated and passionate people who want to salvage as much as possible and enable the women and children to find hope and eventually find fulfilling lives.

In spite of all the 18-wheelers and highway exits and on-ramps missed and almost missed, respectively, these hours of deep thinking resulted in self-evaluation of my own contribution to my home towns, or the lack thereof. Before all that deep thinking, I had toyed with the idea of an endurance event that would surpass any other that I have done in the recent past (see my bio). But during the drive back from Arkansas, I calculated that it would be possible for a cyclist to get from Houston to Little Rock in a week, even with detours from the main highway. As a triathlete, the idea of following such a ride with a little run also seemed possible, maybe.  As part of their training, triathletes often do a “brick” workout, which is a bike ride followed immediately with a short run (hence, somehow, the nickname brick). Would it be too silly to ride over 500 miles and then run a whole marathon (26.2 miles)? Could it be that such an event, which would connect two of my home towns, could be combined with my wish to do something for them? It was an idea that would not fade away. After over a year, I finally decided that it could (and should) be important not just to me, but to the women and children in need, in both Houston and Little Rock, and that is what kept the idea alive. Such an event may be the best way for a guy like me to help: to support those organizations doing what they do so well, helping to protect local women and children.

I shared this idea with friends and family.  Everyone was surprised but enthusiastic and encouraging. My wonderful daughter, Miranda, quickly became a major driving force in getting this project underway. She even did the artwork for the website!  She comprises the Arkansas “staff” of the event and will also be my support crew on the highways leading into Little Rock.

The cycling route will generally follow Highway 59 through east Texas, without actually traveling on that busy highway. From Texarkana, it will follow Highway 67 as much as possible. Highway 5 will be the final route into Little Rock the day before the marathon. Although at least one day will involve 100 miles, the other days will average around 80 miles of cycling. I have faith that a national hotel chain will see the importance of this event and will donate a room each night in the towns along the route, but this is yet to be confirmed. I’ll call in each night to communicate with the world on my blog at brickforwomen.livejournal.com.

I do not want any of the expenses of the trip to come out of donations. Corporate and small business sponsors will be asked to underwrite the expenses so that 100% OF ALL DONATIONS WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE WOMEN’S HOME (HOUSTON) AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST (LITTLE ROCK), SPLIT 50/50, AND WILL BE TAX DEDUCTIBLE.

MY GOAL IS TO RAISE $10,000 FOR THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN OF HOUSTON AND LITTLE ROCK. Hopefully, that figure will be dwarfed by your munificence (cool word), and I won’t feel “silly” for doing this thing. If it goes well, it may become an annual event in which other like-minded people will join me. (Yes, I am confident that there are other crazies that would consider such a challenge, and they, too, will have contributed their time, energy and spirit to very worthy causes.) However, for the inaugural event I will be depending almost entirely on friends, family and YOU to make it a success.

Thank you for your generosity to others,
Rick Hood