RunAcrossTheUSA.com

[Matt]

Well, today my classes officially start. The last week and a half have been a whirlwind of travel, meeting people, and getting ready for college life.

Already The Run seems like a distant memory to me, but I can tell how profoundly it has changed my thinking: Classes, homework, and midterms don't concern me as they would have a year ago, they seem relatively simple when compared to walking all day through the burning sun. I suppose if I can apply the tenacity with which we attacked to other portions of my life, I will be successful in whatever I do.

I don't know exactly how to define The Run for me. I saw the country, obviously, and more importantly I met hundreds of fascinating people, people who I hope to see again very soon. I strengthened my friendship with Brandon to a point where I would call him my brother. It was definitely a time of maturing, being out on my own with nothing to do but walk and think gave me plenty of time to contemplate every facet of my life.

I guess The Run meant more to me than can be easily summed up in any one news post, in the same way that it has meant many things to all of the different people who followed us along our journey with excitement, concern, joy, and prayers. It's amazing how something as simple as going from Point A to Point B can change and inspire people, and it was inspirational to us to read all of your e-mails about what The Run meant to you, and how highly you regarded our journey.

This journey has, technically, come to an end. Still, there are many things that remain to be finished, from simple tasks such as finishing our pictures (http://www.runacrosstheusa.com/images/8-26 for the most recent pictures, the last set should be up soon) and video, to much larger tasks like continuing to raise money for Africa and to write our book (which I hope you will all buy.)

People often asked us if we knew what we were getting ourselves into, would we have still gotten on that bus at 2 AM and headed off to the Atlantic. In retrospect, I can honestly say I would. The people, the experiences, and the land that we passed through fascinated us, strengthened us, and found us wiser for having completed it.

So, I guess I'm saying that I'm glad we did it - though I wouldn't do it again.