Steve Ochoa Arizona Starter -State line to Springerville- Personal Diary

I first heard of the “Americas United Flag Across America Run” on the way to work on the radio back around October 25 when the flag was still in Louisiana. I listened to what it was representing and how it was being run to commemorate the ill-fated flights of September 11. All though I had already volunteered to give blood and had donated to the relief fund I still felt as if I had not sacrificed enough. So when I heard of the event I immediately new that this was one more small thing I could do. When I arrived in my office I logged onto the website and registered. I requested to run on the east side of the state due to the fact that I was born and raised there in the small proud mining town of Clifton. Needless to say after several E-mails and a couple of phone calls later I was set to be the state starter taking the flag from our New Mexico neighbors and running it from the state line to the pleasant town of Springerville.

Finally the day was here after a five-hour drive from Chandler to Springerville the night before and a whole night of getting up and looking at the alarm clock every hour. My sister Helen and I were on our way to the staging area at the local McDonalds, at 5:10 am. There we met up with Ken White the state coordinator and together we headed for the border to meet up with the New Mexico runners and the flag. After about 15 minutes of driving we came around a corner in the dark of the early morning and came upon a multitude of lights and shadows in the road. My heart began to beat with excitement witnessing the scurrying and the mingling of silhouettes on this brisk dark fall morning. I began to walk up to the group of about 20 people with my eyes searching for a glimpse of the flag. As I neared the pilot van I caught my first look, there she was swaying in the cool November breeze. She was beautiful the vehicle lights shining on her colors, displaying little wear considering the distance she had come. I walked up to the crowd and introduced myself and was warmly greeted by a dozen different people whom I wished I could remember by name. I talked to a group of 3 runners that had driven down from Utah just for the event, and had run the day before. They gave me some hints on how to carry the flag and what to expect. They noticed that I had on a Clifton Fire Dept. shirt and asked if I was with Clifton Fire. I responded by telling them that I had been, when I lived in Clifton and was still proud to have been of service to the community where I was born and raised.

As the handoff time grew near, 6:00 am, (the scheduled had off time) I began to think of what I was about to embark on. I was instructed to get back over to my state and the New Mexico runners continued towards the final 50 yards of there run. At the state line there was a small ceremony I was handed the flag and with and with a cheer from the crowd I began to run into my home state of Arizona which I was proud to represent. As I began the run alone in the dark I thought of the events that had come to pass leading up to this day, my eyes welled up and I was forced to choke back the urge to cry. I thought about all the innocent people who had been taken from there loved ones on Sept. 11, and all the pain that would remain in the hearts of a generation of lives. As I continued to run, I listened to the flag fluttering in the wind above my head and for a moment I was one in spirit with my departed brother and sisters.

Shortly after beginning the run Mike Burr the originator and one of the coordinators of this grand event, joined in and kept me company on the this stretch of rolling Arizona highlands. My assignment was to run from the state line to downtown Springerville about 14.5 miles in 3 hours. Mike and I talked as we ran and after about 4 miles he suggested I take a break and get some water back at the van that followed, while he continued. Reluctant to stop I followed his suggestion and drank some water and sat for about 2 minutes and I was back on the road running. Upon going back out on the highway he mentioned to me that I should have waited until we had made it to the top of the hill before I joined back in. He said you don’t get out of the van at the bottom of the hill, we both laughed and continued running. I alternated again at about the 10-mile mark with Frank the guy who had been driving the Cruise America Van. I rode in the van long enough to drink some more water chat a little and take care of business. This time I waited to jump out at the top of the hill where I took the flag from Frank and continued on to Springerville. The remaining miles were fantastic, I felt good the air was crisp and clear with remnants of the previous days rain clouds hanging in the sky. My legs were pumped with power and energy and my breathing took on a rhythm. I thought about how fortunate I was to be alive and free, two things that I take for granted living in America. I began to pick up speed and maintained a running pace that put was to put us a head of schedule by an hour. My shoulders had begun to get sore and my hands were beginning to tire from holding the pole, which had been gripped by hundreds of previous runners with their own stories. At the Springerville city limits Ken White, the Arizona State coordinator jumped out of the van to take a turn at carrying “Old Glory”. I passed on the flag to him and together we ran into Springerville. On the edge of town we saw a wave of children running out from their school to greet us. Upon reaching the kids, accompanied by their teachers we stopped and gave them a chance to hold the flag and we all took pictures. I was so grateful to be part of such a positive event. After about 10 minutes we started on towards downtown. A gentleman from Tucson had met up with us outside of the school and when we resumed he took over running with the flag as I accompanied him.

We ran by people who were outside their businesses cheering and waving us on. Soon we came up to an older gentlemen standing by his pickup with U.S. flag draped over his tailgate. He stood with his chest out and his head held high and his eyes locked on the flag viewing it with reverence. As we ran up to him he saluted the flag and stood at complete attention. We asked him if he would like to hold the flag and it was all he could do to accept, holding back the tears of joy and pride. I will never forget him and his sacred allegiance to his flag, his country and what it stands for. I will never forget the feelings he projected as he stood there holding the flag and admiring it. No one has ever said so much to me and instilled so much meaning with out uttering a single word, as this true patriot did this day. After a few moments he handed back the flag and tried to thank us, but again could not get a word out through his trembling lips. I said to him as I shook his hand, “Thank you for your service to our country and for all you have done to help keep us free”. He acknowledged with a nod, and then with his eyes focused and his posture at attention he looked at the flag and saluted as we turned and continued our run into town.

My time with the flag was in its last half mile and I was thankful to have been a part of it. We reached the first staging area and took a lot of pictures at the post office across from McDonalds. I was repeatedly thanked by the coordinators for showing up and covering the area between the boarder and Springerville. In turn I was thanking them for the once in a lifetime opportunity to participate in such a meaningful affair. Mike, Frank, Robyn, Gary, Ken and the countless others that have put there heart and soul into making this momentous event possible are the ones that should be thanked. I gave only a minute fraction of what they have given. The Fireman, Policemen, EMS, volunteers and rescue workers around the country are the ones that should be thanked. Those in the military overseas right now, their families, veterans like the gentlemen in Springerville and all over the United States are the ones who should be thanked. Those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and the families who remain here without them should be thanked. And any of us who support what our country stands for and remain united against all aggressors both domestically and abroad should be thanked. God Bless America and God bless you all.

A humbled Runner and American,

Steve Ochoa

Click on the Links Below to Visit Our Sponsors Registered Event Promoters