A reminder to remember

Editor's note: Daren Schumaker of Cedar Rapids and Dennis Lee of Walford are attempting to run across Iowa's 99 counties to raise money for the American Heart Association. The two have completed 70 counties. This is No. 70. Next: ????

By Daren Schumaker, community contributor

President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Dec. 7, 1941, as ' a date which will live in infamy.”

At 7:48 a.m. the Imperial Japanese Navy conducted a surprise attack on the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, a strike that led to the United States entering World War II and declaring war on Japan on Dec. 8, 1941, and on Germany and Italy on Dec. 11, 1941.

During the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, a total of 2,403 Americans were killed and an additional 1,178 Americans were wounded. Those who died and were wounded have been remembered since the sun set on that fateful day, and such a remembrance was made formal on Aug. 23, 1994, when Congress designated Dec. 7 as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. The events of and the lives lost on Dec. 7, 1941, are certainly worthy of remembrance, and should never be forgotten.

Many things around us are worthy remembrance. Consider this a reminder to remember.

At 8 a.m. on Dec. 7, 2014, we departed Walford and headed west on Interstate 80, passed through Des Moines, and eventually darted south and passed through Anita (crossing our route through and remembering our trek across Cass County) before arriving at the western border of Adair County. We departed at 11:20 a.m. and it didn't take us long to remember that it was December. A cold south wind stung our faces and dulled our excitement. Our route took us along a foggy Highway 92, and we passed Bridgewater before we had even warmed up to the journey before us.

We followed Highway 92 northeast and, as we completed our eighth mile, we found ourselves in Fontanelle, a small flash of excitement after several miles of grinding hills. While in Fontanelle, we remembered Christmas was right around the corner, and we posed for a few photographs with a display of Santa (and friends) that was located in the city park.

The fog eventually burned off and we entered Greenfield as we were chewing up our 13th mile. We spent a few miles in Greenfield and enjoyed many sights and sounds despite the small size of this county seat - especially enjoying the Adair County Courthouse, the E.E. Warren Opera House, Hotel Greenfield, and an old Ford dealership that had been restored to display the extensive Dennis & Marlene Schildberg Antique Car Collection - all things we will certainly remember. We also will remember speaking with a few folks who had seen us out running near Bridgewater and through Fontanelle on their drive into Greenfield. We gave them our story, singing our song and dancing our dance.

We are certain they will remember our song and dance - we put on quite the show.

On the other side of Greenfield, we climbed a hill and found ourselves running the flat top of a ridge for the better part of three miles before we realized, for the remainder of our journey, Highway 92 was littered with hills that were literally miles long. Time flew by, we almost forgot what we were doing. Almost. It was difficult to forget the two-mile hill that we climbed between our 22nd and 24th miles, and even more difficult to forget the cold rain that started to fall as we charged up a more than one-mile long hill to the finish.

We ran for 3:48:23 in Adair County, our 70th, as we crossed a rather uneventful 26.35 miles.

When it is all said and done, what will we remember? What will others remember? Both are good questions. Yes, each of us will remember some of the sights and sounds of our many trials and tribulations, our struggle.

Yes, others may even remember some of the sights and sounds we created, too. The fact of the matter is, long after the memories of each specific sight and sound have faded, only one thing will remain and be worth remembrance - the cause behind the struggle. Will others remember to remember this cause? Another good question.

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day will be remembered long after the memories of those who were there have faded because of the cause, a struggle for freedom. Don't get things twisted, our struggle is not comparable to World War II. However, our struggle, the same struggle that each of us faces, also is for a freedom of sorts.

Don't let your physical limitations, or what you perceive to be your physical limitations, win the war they wage against you. Fight back. On behalf of your body, your physical health, declare war on heart disease because like any war, it is a matter of life and death. Eat healthier. Walk when you can. Push your limits. Free yourself from whatever may be holding you back. Make your battle worth remembrance.

It doesn't matter if you win the war, but you can't win without fighting. Fight to be remembered. Fight for yourself, because if you don't, no one will.

Inspiration through perspiration. Become active or make a donation to Team 99 Counties or the American Heart Association to help fight heart disease today.