Our van rolled to a stop as we sat alongside a speedy Texas highway. An inconspicuous sign welcomed us to the H.E. Butt Foundation Camp, which would be our home for the weekend, as we waited for the rest of our fellow Band of Runners (BoR) crew to arrive.
BoR is a nonprofit organization that was designed to support military veterans by introducing them to the sport of trail running, and, by extension, to ultrarunning, which provides them with: 1) a community and 2) a taste of the healing aspects of nature. The camp location is generously donated to BoR each year, the week before Veterans Day.
This year, camp started with a meeting led by BoR founder and veteran ultrarunner, Liza Howard. She got right to it, “We don’t have sex, politics or religion in common. What we do have in common is a love for trails. That is what we’ll be sharing this week.” Howard’s admonition proved to set the tone for the camp, allowing people to connect to something bigger than themselves: a healing community.
With over 100 people in attendance this year, there were runners of all sizes, shapes and backgrounds. As Howard pointed out, all shared a love for trails and most had another major thing in common: military service. In spite of these commonalities, each person brought something unique to the table throughout the four days of camp.
BoR campers can count on a schedule that consists of: run, breakfast, classes; run, lunch, classes; run, dinner, group activities; sleep. The runs are short and attendees, called “campers,” are divided into groups based on fitness and experience level, so that their needs are specifically catered to. These groups each have mentors who coach campers and help ensure their safety. The mentors are a mix of former campers and experienced runners.
Phil Parsons’ story demonstrates what camp is all about. He was a camper and has been a BoR mentor for a few years. Raised in a religious cult, Phil came of age seeking answers. Unsure of what else to do, he joined the US Army and spent much of that time in the famed 101st Airborne Division with extensive time in active combat. He was left with questions and scars – largely in the form of mental health challenges. After his deployments, he knew he wasn’t well and felt alone. In his darkest moments, Phil attempted suicide. Initially, he chose isolation. He was stuck in his trauma, which is, by definition, stillness.
Phil eventually found his way to ultrarunning and dove into the sport, but his ultra attempts fell flat. He couldn’t seem to get further than mile 75 of a 100-miler.
In 2018, he arrived at the Band of Runners trail camp and found strength in connecting with others who had had similar experiences in the military. While he wasn’t ready to share his experiences, he learned a lot. More than anything, at that first camp, Phil discovered consistency. After applying what he learned, he trained for, and finally finished, his first 100-miler.
The true beauty of BoR comes with sharing and connecting. While trauma is not what the camp is about, it is a consistent theme for a lot of attendees. Many campers and mentors have suffered from extensive struggles with various mental illnesses, relating directly to military service. Mentors and campers alike bore the scars of their histories. However, what makes camp special is the fact that its members aren’t running from their past. They join together at a place of sustenance and connection. BoR is built to give space for healing and growing, set on the backdrop of running, at an oasis in the wilderness.