Of all the ways to enjoy the great outdoors, running has always struck me as the most painful.
I love canoeing, kayaking, hiking and biking, but the mere thought of running leaves me gasping for air. Despite that, I will be outside running on Saturday, Oct. 12 and venture to say that you, dear reader, should do the same.
Allow me to explain.
My good friend, Matt Zechmann, 29, is battling an exceptionally rare, life-threatening form of cancer which has no known consistent cures. It's called a Desmoid tumor, and because it is so rare––only two out of every million Americans are diagnosed with it each year––there is absolutely no government funding available to fund research for its cure.
Rather than idly accept his unfortunate fate, Matt decided to organize a fundraiser 5K Run/Walk to raise money to help Matt and others who share his frightening prognosis. The first-annual "Desmoid Dash" will take place at St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 9am.
Matt's Story
I'm lucky to be a journalist. I talk with folks from all walks of life and in the course of doing so I meet some pretty remarkable people. But I don't need to look any farther than my old high-school buddy Matt to be inspired.

Matt was diagnosed with a Desmoid tumor in 2009, after being violently ill off and on for roughly a year. Matt, who competes in national BBQ and rib competitions and had previously been a loyal friend to food of all sorts, suddenly couldn't keep any food down. Doctors said it was digestive issues or acid reflux––one doctor saw the rapid weight loss and near-daily vomiting and wondered if Matt was bulimic. But his mother, Sue, knew it was something more severe and was relentless in pursuing the true answer.