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Special guests to visit Shepherdstown for Freedom’s Run

By Staff | Aug 30, 2013

Shepherdstown will be hosting a premier of the new documentary, “In The High Country”, which is the result of a yearlong collaboration between mountain runner Anton Krupicka and filmmaker Joel Wolpert. The 30-minute film will be shown on Friday October 11 at the historic Shepherdstown Opera House and will be FREE- hosted by movie sponsor Two Rivers Treads and our local Shepherdstown Opera House. Anton and Joel will be there too. Raffle prizes from two of the other movie sponsors, Ultimate Directions and New Balance, will be given out.

A little more about the “In The High Country” and filmmaker Joel Wolpert. Filmmaker Joel Wolpert is a fellow West Virginian and friend. Joel lives in Belington. We both love natural movement and living. For a Running Times cover article last year, Joel chased after me on a skateboard . Not many have the talent to ride the long board like Joel, but taking pictures at the same time is another level.

** skateboard pic**

See Joel’s site (thewolpertinger.com/) for some amazing stills and videos. Joel weaves in nature, music, and movement. I embrace Joel’s work and the free spirit of Anton Krupicka, who is one of the World’s best Mountain and Ultra Runners. I feel Anton and I are connected in the early days of the minimal shoe movement. We were both taking hacksaws to shoe bottoms to level them for many years now. Anton has been instrumental in the New Balance Minimus design and refinements. As we sit behind our desks and stare at computers, I think in some we all wish we could be like Anton and wake up every day and run the trails in Colorado for a living.

“In the High Country” is an impressionistic mountain running film: a visual essay about a life in the mountains. It looks at running from a new perspective, both visually and in the style of running. This kind of movement blurs the lines between running and climbing, between human and mountain. One way to learn our place in the world is through millions of accumulated steps: on gravel roads, glacial creeks, and over high mountain summits. The film follows Krupicka’s evolution in running from his roots in Niobrara, Nebraska, to the Roost, his pickup truck home, and the miles in between; from itinerant shenanagins to speed soloing on the Flatirons.

We will also host West Virginian Jamie Summerlin who recently completed and amazing journey and wrote a book titled Freedom Run: A 100-Day, 3,452-Mile Journey Across America to Benefit Wounded Veterans

Jamie Summerlin from Morgantown set out on his cross country journey last summer to generate awareness and raise funds for wounded veterans. Through the help of his family and countless others, Summerlin ran the equivalent of 132 marathons in 100 days. In his new book Freedom Run, Summerlin collected heartfelt stories of courage and pride from many veterans he met along the way.

I have met Jamie and his family several times including a visit during the run itself. We donated shoes through our store. He went through many pairs. Jamie will line up for the run too. Visit his site for more www.FreedomrunUSA.com

The movie and talk are free to the public complements of sponsors The Shepherdstown Opera House and Two Rivers Treads. Movie times 6 and 8pm and Jamie talks 5 and 7pm.

The following day, October 12, is the Fifth Annual Freedom’s Run. Join the local runners from our town as well as those from over 40 states. Our race was given recognition in Runner’s World as a “Top 25 Half Marathon” in Feb 2013.

The event features a marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K and kids run. The courses are encased in National Park land, with some brief detours through the country roads and preserved historic towns. Events finish in historic Shepherdstown and there will be a post-race Oktoberfest party at the Bavarian Inn. All proceeds from Freedom’s Run return to the community to support fitness trails at local schools and activities surrounding our history and heritage. We are currently assisting the funding and building of our fourth school fitness trail at CW Shipley Elementary. Register now at www.freedomsrun.org

Come join us this October for two days of fun.