In early June of 2018, I completed my first - and last - ultra marathon, the Lighthouse Ultra, running 52 miles from Torch Lake to Petoskey, Michigan. After 10 hours and 40 minutes (and one second), I crossed the finish line, promptly collapsed on the grass, and vehemently swore I’d never do another one again. Exactly one month from today on April 20 I’ll be running the inaugural Thumb Coast Ultra. I stuck to my word: no more 50 milers, just a 50K this time, but at roughly 31 miles of race course to cover, it’s not your “average” marathon distance.
When I told my family and friends what I was training for, the response was inevitably along the lines of, “WHAT??” or “WHY?!” I may have asked myself the same question throughout some of my training runs through the long winter months (to be honest, I lucked out with a pretty mild snow season). As with my first ultra, the goal was to combine my passion for running and the large amounts of time I spend training and dedicate it to something bigger than me.
I don’t usually write Blue Water Running articles in the first person or from my point of view, nor do I aim to use the site to focus on my personal life or accomplishments. However, as writer J.G. Holland said, “Responsibility walks hand-in-hand with capacity and power”. I have the opportunity to use this platform to make a difference and reach more people than I could on my own.
This April, I will be running to raise awareness and funds for victims of human trafficking.
Human trafficking is a 150 BILLION dollar industry: it is the second-largest criminal industry in the world, after drug trafficking (https://michiganabolitionistproject.org/). At any given moment, there are 50 million people exploited for forced labor or sexual services against their will (https://theexodusroad.com/slavery-now). The Jim Caviezel movie, “Sound of Freedom” brought the horrors of international human trafficking to the forefront of America’s conscience, but statistics show that trafficking is also rampant in the USA, particularly in border areas. With our proximity to Canada, we have a unique situation in the Blue Water Area. Traffickers have been arrested in Port Huron, Kimball, Caseville, Huron County, and more. “Canada has been identified as a transit destination country, particularly for South Korean females, en route to the United States, as mentioned in the 2009 U.S. Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report. Detroit (via Toronto) was identified as an arrival gateway to the United States of sexually exploited minors”. Michigan ranks SEVENTH in the nation for the number of reported trafficking cases ( https://humantraffickingfront.org/human-trafficking-in-michigan/).
Many of Blue Water Running's subscribers and readers are teenagers and this age group is targeted by traffickers. With the prevalence of cell phones, social media, and the ability to reach victims through the internet, trafficking efforts have increased to target younger, more vulnerable populations, such as those from abusive or impoverished homes. Within 24 hours of being on the street, a runaway will be approached by a trafficker. Trafficking victims aren't typically abducted as portrayed in the movie "Taken", either: their traffickers are often someone they know. Foster children are one of the most heavily trafficked populations. The National Foster Youth Institute recently estimated that 60 percent of child sex trafficking victims have been in foster care. While there are higher risk factors for trafficking, victims come from all races, genders, nationalities, and socio-economic backgrounds. It happens in rural areas as well as urban cities. As an elementary teacher, I can look around my classroom and face a terrible truth: some of the kids sitting right in front of me could realistically be trafficking victims.
We might think that we can’t do anything about human trafficking. The problem feels too big, too complex, too dark. But every small spark of light makes a difference in the darkest places. Two of the organizations I support are The Exodus Road and Hope Against Trafficking. The Exodus Road is an international rescue agency committed to saving victims from a lifetime of exploitation and slavery. Their mission statement: “We envision a world in which humans are never bought, sold, or exploited”. Their mission, per their website, is to “disrupt the darkness of modern-day slavery by partnering with law enforcement to fight human trafficking crime, equipping communities to protect the vulnerable, and empowering survivors as they walk into freedom”. I became familiar with The Exodus Road through one of my favorite bands, Remedy Drive. Many of their songs were about human trafficking and their lead singer has himself gone on recovery missions to rescue victims of trafficking, specifically in Asia. Proceeds from their albums and merchandise (often made by survivors) support recovering victims as they transition out of slavery and into a new life. They have freed 2,479 people, trained and equipped 33,821 officers and citizens in anti-trafficking efforts, along with supporting 1,896 survivors in aftercare.
Hope Against Trafficking is a local agency based in Pontiac. Survivors stay for two years in a residential treatment program while they receive physical, mental, and educational resources to help them build a new future. Their website reads, “When Hope Against Trafficking started, our founders realized that there was a lack of long-term, safe, restorative environments for adult survivors of human trafficking. The women who have been rescued or escaped their traffickers lack hope as they have no safe haven, no financial stability, and fear for their lives. We provide a comprehensive and dedicated program with the vision of helping these survivors to thrive. 90% of women who try to get out of trafficking end up returning to the street through force, for survival or are killed. Our program gives them the chance they never had at life.” They also help educate school students about internet safety and awareness to prevent trafficking coercion.
During my 50-miler, things got really tough for me at approximately the halfway point: I developed an unexpected soft-tissue injury and had to walk significantly more than I’d trained for or planned to. As the sun began to set towards the last fifteen miles or so, there was a lot of frustration, a bit of crying/cursing about my decisions, and self-pity. But then I remembered why I had entered in the first place; what this race was even meant to be about. Not wanting to disappoint those who had supported me in my fundraising helped spur me on, but it was focusing on the trafficking victims and their lack of basic freedoms that really pushed me through the dark moments. They were forced to suffer unimaginable horrors against their will: what I was facing was miniscule in comparison and a choice I could make for myself. The Thumb Coast Ultra will be another opportunity to challenge myself mentally and physically, but most importantly, to do good for others.
For my 50K race, I’ve set a fundraising goal of $500 - ten dollars for each kilometer. When I ran in 2018, years before Blue Water Running launched, I raised approximately $1,200, so I think we can absolutely smash this goal. If you’d like to donate, you can use the link on the website or directly to my fundraiser page for The Exodus Road. 100% of the donations received via the website will be equally divided between the two organizations and I will update the totals throughout April until race day on the 20th. I also urge you to educate yourself on the signs and statistics of human trafficking to fight this insidious crime.
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