Cross Country Missions

For anyone reading this that doesn't know me, my name is Raymond Varner and I have 3 big passions, God, Running, and Missions. I am the director of a small organization called Cross Country Missions where I host races (Yeti Set Run is coming up in January) to raise money for mission work. I also run... ALOT.

I started this blog to record my efforts to raise money for missions as I trained for a 100 mile race in 2012. As part of my training for the 100 mile race I am running in the Run For the Ranch Marathon on Sunday the 18th. If anyone feels led to donate money, 100% of this money is going to be put towards the 2011-2012 mission of Joplin Relief!! The same thing applies for the Yeti Set Run races in January.

The Goal is to raise $5,000 for Joplin Relief by the end of 2012!!!

If you feel led to donate you can mail $$ to:
Cross Country Missions
1315 East Thoman Street
Springfield Mo 65803

OR use paypal at:
crosscountrymissions.org

Too Long

It has been far too long since my last blog entry. Over this time I have completed some very successful 20 and 10 mile training runs around Springfield. Each time choosing a different route even though before I started the run I had planned on running a certain route, I ended up changing that route with in the first few miles of the run. In the middle of November at about 12am I went out for a 20 mile run with nothing but my shoes, shorts and a water pack. It was beautiful weather and I wasn't hindered by any traffic due to every normal person being in bed. However, my next couple 20 milers were a bit more chilly. I ran along I-44 for awhile and that was a super chilly run! I couldn't find my running beanie so I took the only thing I could find (one of those knitted beanies with the strings that have fluff balls on the ends). At first the strings were under my pack so they weren't bouncing around but eventually they worked their way loose and I ended up tying them around my chin.

I went on a road trip with my amazing girlfriend to Columbia where we dressed up as Hillbillies for the XCX costume mud run at Truck Stop Missouri.


I ran the Springfield Turkey Trot 5k hoping to get in the 16's but I got way to excited at the start and went out at a 5 minute mile and suffered in the end. I didn't even get a PR on this run. I did place 24th out of about 8,000 people.