NEBRASKA – The idea of running for a greater cause has often crossed Steve Sousek’s mind. In 2020 he created RUNBORN, an entity to help support women in crisis and unborn children. In June 2020, Steve ran approximately 520 miles in 10 days across Nebraska and RUNBORN raised nearly $41,000 for St. Gianna Women’s Homes and Women’s Care Center of Lincoln, two charities that support women in abusive relationships or with difficult pregnancies.
This year Steve has an even more ambitious goal for RUNBORN. He is attempting to complete 5 Ironman Triathlons in 5 days as he makes a trek across Nebraska from Lyman at the Wyoming border to Nebraska City at the Iowa border. The route encompasses approximately 703 miles. Each day Steve will be completing one Ironman which is 2.4 miles swimming, 112 miles biking, and 26.2 miles running. He expects each day will take him 16 or more hours to complete and he will be burning more than 12,000 calories a day. His goal – raise $55,000 for the same two charities!
Steve said, “Last year it was difficult at times getting through that run, especially the last 1.5 days when I was battling a swollen and tender lower leg and ankle. But remembering why I was doing the run, offering up the suffering for the cause, and God giving me the strength and grace to carry me through, I was able to get to the finish. And the real reward came when I was able to present both charities with the funds all the generous people donated to RUNBORN. Definitely two very joyful days in my life.”
LISTEN TO STEVE SOUSEK’S FULL CONVERSATION WITH THE RURAL RADIO NETWORK’S AUSTIN JACOBSEN HERE.
Steve was so energized after presenting the check to the Women’s Care Center on his drive home he was inspired with the idea of running the Ironman Triathlons for RUNBORN 2021. “It all started by thinking I was going to be 55 years old this year, maybe I could do something themed around that. I kept thinking about how I enjoy biking, too, so I kept thinking what I could do for a run/bike event. Then it came to me – do a triathlon. A challenging triathlon, an “Ironman Triathlon”, and not 1, but 5 Ironman Triathlons in 5 days! There is my 55! That would be a challenge!”
This definitely will be a challenge for Steve. Although he has done a lot of running and biking and understands how his body functions and reacts on long runs or long rides, he has never done a triathlon, yet alone an Ironman Triathlon which is over 4 times the distance of an Olympic triathlon. The reason he has never done a triathlon – he doesn’t know how to swim, and actually has a fear of water! But Steve didn’t let that stop him. Remembering the mission of RUNBORN, and drawing on many prayers and God’s grace, Steve started taking personal swim lessons in February, and although not very fast, he has learned how to swim the breast stroke. “I still have a fear of water but Andrea, my instructor, has helped tremendously to reduce that fear and has been very patient and encouraging to help me learn how to swim. I actually have enough comfort in the pool now that I am starting to kind of enjoy it.” Steve is going to do all his swimming in pools though because he still likes the comfort of having an edge nearby or a bottom to stand on. He is not comfortable with open water swimming yet.
When asked where he gets his energy to do this Steve said, “I really feel like the idea of triathlons for RUNBORN 2021 was an inspired idea. I would never have come up with this idea on my own because of my fear of water. Knowing it must have been inspired I know that I should be doing this and somehow I will be given the graces and support I need to be able to accomplish it. It will definitely be a challenge to do 5 days in a row, but knowing my effort is encouraging people to make donations to help support and protect women and unborn children at risk will be my encouragement and the energy I will draw from to get me through each day.”
Runborn 2021 will take place from June 27 to July 1. Steve is excited that his route on day 4 (June 30) will take him through an area of Saunders County where he grew up on a farm near Prague and where he went to Bishop Neumann high school in Wahoo. Wahoo is his last overnight town and he said, “It will be special to run into Wahoo at the end of day 4 and start the last day by swimming at the Civic Center where I learned how to swim and then bike out of Wahoo.” Steve is hoping to see many friends and family cheer him on as he passes through the areas of Prague, Weston, Wahoo, Ceresco, Valparaiso, and Lincoln on June 30 and July 1.
The entire planned route can be seen at www.runborn.org. Runners or bikers are welcome to join him for any length of the trek and can sign up on the website.
All funds raised will be split between St. Gianna Women’s Homes and the Women’s Care Center of Lincoln, two pro-life organizations with a history of caring for women above and beyond the point of choosing life for their children.
St. Gianna’s is an apostolate of Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska (CSS) that provides victims of domestic violence and other forms of abuse with a range of services, including a fully furnished 24-unit long-term housing complex. Additionally, CSS provides education, employment, and counseling services for families left homeless because of domestic violence. St. Gianna’s gives women a safe, secure place to stay and begin rebuilding their lives.
Women’s Care Center (WCC) was founded by Dr. Janet Smith in 1984, and has since become the largest, most successful pregnancy resource center in America, serving 30,000 women annually from thirty-two centers in eleven states. WCC offers free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, self-sufficiency training, education, counseling, and support after birth for as long as is needed for each individual woman. Sarah Kroner, RN, headed up an endeavor to bring WCC to Lincoln in 2020 and WCC opened a facility in December at 5632 South 48th Street in Lincoln.
Steve said, “These women and children face much bigger challenges than the challenge before me – their actual life is being challenged and threatened. I am running for their lives, and this year swimming and biking as well, believing that my effort and physical sacrifice will inspire others to help support them with a financial donation, or sacrifice if you will, through RUNBORN.”
To see the RUNBORN story, learn more, join in on the triathlons, or donate to RUNBORN, visit www.runborn.org and follow Steve’s journey on Facebook, www.facebook.com/irunborn.
