From two-packs to CamelBaks—One man’s journey…

By: Angus Lane, Charm City Run Annapolis Store Manager

My name is Angus Livingston Oneil Lane. I was born October 6, 1975, in Pensacola, Florida.  I am the youngest of six children—two girls and four boys.

As I was growing up, my family was always very active.  Camping, hiking, surfing and soccer were everyday activities.  As the youngest child, I was the last to leave home.  When I was 15 years old, my parents made the decision to end their 25 years of marriage.  Looking back I think they were just waiting for me to become old enough to be able to deal with the separation.

Once my parents split my life took a dramatic turn.  I began to smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol.  No more was I doing the hiking and soccer I loved.  All that I saw was frustration and anger.

My mother moved to Annapolis, Maryland when I was 16.  I lived with my father for the next few years but, ultimately, moved to Annapolis as well, looking for a new start, having not found any direction in my life up to this point.

Things seemed to be going better, but I noticed that I was smoking and drinking even more excessively than I had been.  Still searching for my path in life, I took a job as a merchant mariner in the Gulf of Mexico.  Through my twenties—and into my thirties—I would work offshore.

In 2008 I saw very little hope in my life and knew that a change had to happen. So at 32 years old I turned a corner, put down the alcohol and cigarettes and headed down a new path.  My father had died the year before and at one point he had been a runner.  I thought, “How can I honor the memory of my father?  Running!”  It became my connection to him and my outlet for dealing with life.  I have been running for the past five years, with many marathon and ultra-marathons under my feet, and at this point I strive for a new challenge.

My goal is to run from Pensacola, Florida to Annapolis, MD  in 40 days or less.  I will average 25-30 miles a day to complete the journey within that time frame.

There is no doubt in my mind that I can achieve this goal.

Running has not only changed me physically, but spiritually and emotionally as well.  I’ve become a better husband to my wife and a more attentive father to my girls.

This is not just a run for me but a run for anyone who wants to change his or her life for the better. I want people to know that at your worst, you can pick yourself up, move beyond difficulty and create a new direction for yourself.

I went from two packs of cigarettes a day to Camel-baks and running shoes in less than four years.  One thing I would like to do is show people that you can achieve goals that you have set in your life and overcome not just physical adversity, but emotional and spiritual adversity as well.