Mile in My Shoes

What Is Mile in My Shoes?

Mile in My Shoes brings together residents of the Twin Cities with diverse backgrounds through the power of running. Based in homeless shelters and reentry centers for people exiting incarceration, MiMS is a catalyst for community-building, boosting health and wellness, building leadership and self-efficacy, and spurring personal and social action.

By running together, our Resident Members and Run Mentors not only find common ground but begin to learn from and reach out to one another for support. As they transform themselves, they change one another.

The First Mile

Everyone starts with a run/walk for one mile on their first run. There is always a group of mentor runners to help achieve that first step goal. Many of the residents have never run before or are running after just coming out of prison.

This first mile is an adventure into a new place, physically and mentally. I remember one resident who ran an 8-minute first mile and then lit a cigarette to cool down. The goal is to help everyone know what a Mile in My Shoes feels like to that person.

One Hour, Twice a Week

Our typical weekday morning run finishes by 7 AM so residents can get off to work. We warm up, chat, run 3-4 miles, then do a parking lot workout at the end. Adam always had interesting and challenging workouts.

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6 AM. Rain or shine. Summer heat or Minnesota winter. We show up.

Learning to Pace

During the course of each season, we do at least two timed miles. For VOA south side, we run on the Greenway as an out-and-back.

Let me say that I had little experience pacing and no experience pacing anyone for the mile. I had only run one timed mile in my life, back in 2014.

My running partner sprinted out, and at the quarter-mile mark, I noticed we were at a sub-five-minute pace. As I struggled to breathe, I said, "I am not going to make it at this pace!"

He trudged on but started slowing as his breathing labored. We had dropped to a six-minute pace at halfway, and again I tried to slow things down, saying we needed to ease up a little.

At the three-quarter mile mark, we had to walk. I convinced him to at least start jogging again, and we did. We finished with an eight-minute mile. It was an excellent experience for both of us.

Racing Together

During the season, we train for the Downtown Run Around, an event put on by Mile in My Shoes in the summer. We also train for several races throughout the year, including the Minneapolis Half Marathon and the Twin Cities 10 Mile. The season culminates with a Thanksgiving run.

In 2019, I was able to pace Kelly at the Twin Cities Marathon. Running with Mile in My Shoes is the most rewarding experience of my running life, and one that I will cherish forever.

It's the People, Not the Running

At the end of the day, it's not the running that makes Mile in My Shoes unique. It's the people we meet and the authentic personal relationships we create.

It's our conversations during runs, especially during long training runs in the hot Minnesota summer. It's watching someone go from "I can't run a block" to crossing a marathon finish line.

Mile in My Shoes launched its first team in May 2014, started by Mishka Vertin and Michael Jurasits in partnership with Catholic Charities Higher Ground of Minneapolis. What started with a few volunteers has grown into something that changes lives every single week.