Running the
Red Road
Be The Change
The Red Road
The “Red Road” is a concept from Black Elk, an Oglala Lakota Medicine Man from the late 1800s early 1900s. He talks about having 2 roads to walk down: the black road or the Red Road. The red road was the good path, the path of spirituality and living your life with integrity and a righteous purpose. Walking the red road meant you were going in the right direction in life, living with respect, humility and gratitude for what life has given you.
Prayer
Anytime you run you pray. Running is a form of prayer, whether you are religious or not it does not matter. Prayer does not mean prayer to a Christian God or Allah or Buddha. There is nothing inherently religious about prayer. It’s a universal concept of being in touch with your spiritual existence. When you make connection with the Earth, you are engaged in prayer. Having a more mindful approach to running helps foster all other Red Road values.
Humility
It did not begin with you. You are not the source of all your greatness. All of your doings and accomplishments are a result of a long line of cause and effect, ultimately sourcing from the Earth that we run on. We do not run on the Earth or conquer mountains. We run with permission from the Earth and with strength from all of our surroundings. We understand our equal relationship to all of our surroundings and run with gratitude for all of our blessings in life.
Honesty
We believe in being honest and having honesty guide all of our actions. If you lie or cheat, you poison yourself. Do not seek to gain at the expense of others’ generosity.
Generosity
We believe in giving back what has been given to us. Too many things today are for profit and exploitation. We understand the sacred circle of balance, of giving and taking. We do not seek to take more than what we need and when we can we bring more with us to give to others.
Respect
Respect means honoring yourself by honoring others. If you say you will show up, you show up. If you say you will help, help. If you have a genuine concern, express it with consideration for the effect your concern will have on others. Do not entitle yourself to others’ ideas, space or possessions.