Team 99 Counties: Everyone can be great

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. They've completed 82 counties. This is No. 77. Next: Boone

By Daren Schumaker, community contributor

Alexander the Great. Peter the Great. Oz the Great and Powerful. Gonzo the Great.

Greatness comes in all shapes and sizes, and history has shown us greatness can be found in kings, czars, wizards and chicken-loving daredevils. Greatness is easier to see in some than in others, but if you look hard enough you can find greatness in the most unlikely of places. Alexander was born in Pella in the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. Peter was born in Moscow. Oz was born as Oscar Diggs in Omaha, Neb., before he was carried away in his hot air balloon by a tornado. Gonzo was born ... well, no one really knows where Gonzo was born, but you get the point.

Greatness can come from anywhere.

On May 10, we celebrated Mother's Day with an early morning departure from Walford and a westward drive toward Des Moines. As we passed through Des Moines, we pulled off Interstate 80 and met up with Iowa Public Radio's Rob Dillard who would be shadowing us for the day. We quickly returned to the road and rolled southwest to our destination - Adams County. Dillard asked us a few insightful questions, attempting to elicit great and meaningful responses. Our words were far from great, so we turned to the east and started to run - hoping our actions would do our talking for us.

We began our eastward march on an unremarkable portion of Highway 34 that consisted of a mountainous hill followed by more hills of the long and steep variety. The hills provided some cover from the cool wind that pushed storm clouds toward us out of the southeast as we kept on keeping on. Dillard followed along, hoping to witness something great, but all he saw was two striking good-looking guys running along Highway 34.

As we completed our ninth mile, we took a left onto Brooks Road and climbed more hills as we ran into Corning - running past the high school, through downtown and around the courthouse on our way to the birthplace of someone who was indeed great, 'The Great Carsoni” better known as Johnny Carson. We stood next to the small white house located on the corner of 13th Street and Davis Avenue for a few photographs before we headed south out of Corning on Quincy Street, merging back onto Highway 34 via Hunter Trail where the hills kindly reminded us they were still there.

As we returned to Highway 34 we flirted with disaster as the clouds darkened and it started to rain, a rain that quickly passed. We climbed yet another long hill as we completed our 14th mile, only to find ourselves tasked with running a surprisingly flat and uneventful five miles. The hills appeared and vanished throughout the remainder of our run, and that was the most excitement we experienced before reaching the eastern edge of Adams County. It had taken us 3:46:48 for our legs to carry us over our 26.2-mile route across Adams County, our 77th such journey.

Greatness can come from anywhere at any time. On Oct. 23, 1925, John William Carson was born in Corning - a small town in southwestern Iowa that has a population well south of 2,000 residents. If you pass through Corning, you will have a hard time finding what made John William Carson into 'The Great Carsoni.” Drink the water. Breathe the air. Stand in the corner lot where he was born. We're pretty sure none of those things alone, or in combination, will make you great.

Greatness can come when you least expect it, because greatness already is inside each of us. Places don't make people great, people make themselves great. They find the greatness inside of themselves and become great people who do great things. Find your own greatness and do great things. If your acts are appreciated, they are great. You need not conquer an empire, lead a cultural revolution, run the Wicked Witches out of the Emerald City or shoot yourself out of a cannon to be great. Be yourself. That will be enough to achieve greatness.

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

l To make a donation or buy a T-shirt, email Dennis Lee at telcoden@yahoo.com