Bringing In the New Year

Bringing In the new year

“I am onto my next great adventure” - Ben Spitzer

It’s almost 5 AM on December 31st. I have been up since 3:30 AM. I was going to go back to sleep, but I was thinking about things and just decided to head downstairs, feed the dogs, make some coffee, and do some writing. I have been thinking about this year and what 2025 may bring.

2024 was an eventful year. In my journal, I wrote out all the big things that came with 2024 this morning. I won’t write them all down here again but I think it would be good to go over a few:

1. My dad died on July 20, 2024.

2. I started a new job with The Phoenix.

3. Britta is pregnant with our first baby.

4. I had my surgery done to remove all the extra skin that was left after losing over 120 pounds years ago.

5. I ran the NYC Marathon.

6. I ran the Detroit Free Press International Half Marathon and posted a PR for 13.1.

7. I celebrated five years of sobriety on May 3, 2024

I am incredibly grateful for this year. It will go down as one of the most eventful years of my life. I am most grateful for my sobriety, which has allowed me to show up fully for all of these major events. This next year I hope to remain open and humble. I hope to learn and grow, and I’m sure I will if I show up fully.

As far as Run4Ben goes, we plan to wrap it up this year. It has been a long journey and it is time to bring it to a close. My dad has passed and it is time to share our story.

To be honest, I don’t know where the documentary will go. I don’t know who it will touch. I don’t fully know how we’ll finish or who will be part of the final process. I hope that the right people find it. I hope that the right people champion it. I hope it touches people who may be going through a tough time who may not know what to do or where to turn, and who may feel alone and scared. I hope it brings hope to others and makes a positive impact in the world, just as my dad did.

It is my turn to move forward with my story and to be a father to my son. Wow! I can’t believe where this story has ended up. In writing that it is my time to “be a father to my son”, I realized how this journey with my dad in the last years of his life has prepared me to be a father. What an amazing gift.

Just Don't Take It All Too Seriously

Each morning, I write in my journal and make a gratitude list. I share that list with a few sober friends, and they, in turn, often share their lists with me. It’s a wonderful practice, and I gain so much from the things they find gratitude for each day. It helps expand my own gratitude and is simply a great way to begin the day.

One of my good buddies often includes this on his list: “Just don’t take it all too seriously.”

I always love when that shows up on his list. It reminds me not to take everything so seriously. I think about it often, and every once in a while, it makes its way onto my own list.

In pursuing a more meaningful life, I often get lost in taking things too seriously. When this happens, I become so focused on trying to get everything right that I forget to look around and truly appreciate the beauty and joy in everyday life. I forget to laugh and become burdened with the feeling that if I’m relaxing or having too much fun, I might be wasting time—time I could spend improving, growing, learning, and refining every single facet of my existence. I feel like I HAVE to get it right, and I take it all too seriously.

In Essentialism by Greg McKeown, he talks about how humans learn through play. Some of our best thinking happens while playing. Play is essential to us as humans, yet I often downplay it (no pun intended). I think it’s part of our culture: when we grow up, we’re expected to be serious and take on responsibilities, and responsibilities are not fun. Life is tough, and since we’re grown up, we’d better get to it and leave childish play behind, taking everything too seriously.

The truth is, when I slow down, look around, and take time to be grateful, I realize how lucky and blessed I am. I think of my favorite passage, Matthew 6:25-27: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

I love it when I see little birds bouncing around outside, especially if I’m at a café and they’re hopping about, looking for scraps of food dropped by the patrons. I know that nature can be violent and unrelenting, but in that moment, those little birds are being taken care of. They don’t need to worry. They can enjoy the day, eat the little scraps, and sing their songs.

Life is a beautiful gift, and I’m thankful for the times I don’t take it all too seriously. I can be completely present, appreciating the gifts of the present moment.

Morning Thoughts 9/29

The other day I was running. I had just received some good news and the first thing I thought was, “I should call my dad.” Directly after that thought the realization that I can’t call my dad, hit me. Though these moments are sad I also enjoy them because I love thinking about my dad. I know he would love to receive a call from me with good news. He would be encouraging and loving as he always was. He found the good in everything.

It can be tough for me to sit and write. It has also been tough to keep shooting videos. For four years I have been chronicling my life with my dad and during the end, I just wanted to be with my dad. Time is our most precious resource and I just couldn’t waste a minute more fumbling with a memory card or making sure a battery was charged or setting up a camera when I just wanted all of that time with my dad. I wanted every second together that we had left. It was all worth it. I did shoot some of those final days and I have taken some video since. I plan to keep shooting. There are some developments that I think will work well to help wrap up the story. Maybe they’ll make it into the documentary, maybe they won’t.

Life moves on. In 2014, when I was getting ready to leave for LA my dad encouraged me to go chase my dreams. Even though he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and we weren’t sure what that meant for his future, he wanted me to go and to live. What an adventure LA was! Moving forward I know that my dad is encouraging me now. Though it isn’t easy. I keep moving forward. I want to continue to create. Each new day is full of hope and possibility. I don’t always get everything done that I’d like to but I’m here this morning continuing to move forward. I don’t know what the process looks like for everyone else, I guess it doesn’t really matter. I am not everyone else.

Not at all sure what this all means or if it means anything at all. I wanted to write this morning and this is what poured out. Maybe that’s enough for today. I got up before the sun and shared my thoughts about my dad and my hopes and dreams for the future. Perhaps you’re just beginning your day and you can relate. It’s one day at a time.

NYC Marathon, Detroit Marathon, & Moving Forward

I just ran 10 miles at Belle Isle in Detroit today. It is a short drive from my house and on the way back I know I can always stop at Yellow Light for a soyage w/egg on a biscuit and a donut on the way home (which I definitely did).

I’m currently training for the NYC Marathon taking place on November 3rd… in New York City, of course. I will also be running the Detroit Free Press Marathon this year… in Detroit, of course. However, this time, for the first time in four years, I will not be running the full marathon but instead will be doing the half marathon. I know full well, already, that I will be thinking about my dad the whole time. I am sure I will be crying in the coral as I line up and get ready to cross the starting line. Hell, I’m crying now just thinking of him. I miss him every day. I was running on Saturday and I had this thought flash through my mind that I would call my dad or visit him and just as quickly as the thought came the realization that he isn’t around to call or visit hit me. I kept on running and talked to him in spirit as I ran but I really wished I could Facetime him at the end of the run. I know he would be smiling and I know he would be proud. I know we would laugh together about something.

I’ll be running the Detroit Half in honor of my dad and will be running, once again, for #Team23 of The Kirk Gibson Foundation and will be raising money for the foundation as I run. You can donate HERE

I will be running the NYC Marathon on The Phoenix - Sober Active Community team and will be raising money for The Phoenix as I run. I have volunteered for The Phoenix for over four years now and they are a huge part of my sobriety. My goal is to raise at least $3,500 for The Phoenix. Donate Here! I will be posting more about The Phoenix here and on my social media accounts. The Phoenix is a national non-profit that provides free sober activities ranging from Crossfit, running clubs, yoga, sound healing, kickball, kayaking, climbing, and more as well as social activities. The only requirement to attend any Phoenix event is 48 hours of sobriety.

Our next move with the Run4Ben documentary is to film the narrative interview. This will be an interview with me that takes the audience through all four marathons from inception through my dad's passing.

Needless to say, the past months have been difficult and the documentary was not front of mind. The time with my dad while he was still here was the most important to me. I filmed some but mainly put phones and cameras down and spent time with my dad.

I’ll try to update more here as well as on social media now that I have some more time. My desire is always to keep you all updated. You have been so incredibly supportive through this whole process and I know we are all waiting for this story.

My Dad Has Passed Away - Ben Spitzer's Obituary

Benjamin Wayne Spitzer

September 14, 1958 — July 20, 2024

Holly

Spitzer, Benjamin Wayne - Age 65, of Holly, embarked on his “next great adventure” on July 20, 2024, at 12:45 PM. Surrounded by his wife and sons, he passed away peacefully, holding their hands and listening to his beloved music on a beautiful, sunny day.

Benjamin was born on September 14, 1958, in Riverdale, Maryland, to Paul Wayne Spitzer and Dian Darlene (Davis) Spitzer. A 1976 graduate of Linden High School, Ben was renowned for his kindness, endless optimism, and his remarkable ability to make everyone laugh. His deep spiritual life and faith in God were evident in his actions, spreading love and positivity to everyone he met, whether for a moment or a lifetime.

On September 24, 1977, Ben married the love of his life, Leah Karen Conly, in Fenton. They shared 46 wonderful years together and raised three sons: Paul, Jamen, and Kyle. Being a devoted husband and father brought Ben immense joy. He cherished spending time with his sons, coaching them in Little League and leading his Starlite Video team to undefeated seasons. He founded the Christian Service Brigade at Tyrone Covenant Presbyterian Church, creating memorable experiences for many boys through camping trips, sledding, and endless dodgeball games.

Ben began his career as a cartographer, making maps for AAA, and later transitioned to drafting tools for automobile design before the advent of computers. However, his true calling was entertaining children and making them laugh. Inspired by helping his son Jamen with a 4th-grade talent show, Ben founded Spitzer & Sons Magic & Juggling, his final profession. He performed for thousands at special events, schools, daycare centers, hospitals, libraries, and more, bringing joy and laughter to countless lives. Ben was fortunate to turn his passion into a career, leaving the world a happier place.

A Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 AM on Saturday, August 10, 2024, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 600 N. Adelaide St., Fenton. The Mass will be available via livestream from a link on Mr. Spitzer's page at Sharp Funeral Homes. Visitation will begin at 9:30 AM until the time of the Mass. Interment will take place at New Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Flint, at a later date. Arrangements are being handled by Sharp Funeral Homes, Fenton Chapel, 1000 Silver Lake Road, Fenton.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Benjamin Spitzer Memorial Fund c/o Sharp Funeral Homes. Benjamin is survived by his wife of 46 years, Leah; his three sons, Paul Spitzer of California, Jamen (Britta) Spitzer of Grosse Pointe Park, and Kyle Spitzer of Austin, TX; his siblings, Laurie (Dale) Martin of Davisburg, Steven Spitzer of Novi, Sharon (Lewis) Kebel of Pinellas Park, FL, Carol (Scott) Deslauriers of Capon Bridge, WV, and Joy (Ron) Borders of Pinellas Park, FL; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents. Tributes may be shared at Sharp Funeral Homes.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Benjamin Wayne Spitzer, please visit our flower store.

How You Can Help Beat Parkinson's W/Run4Ben!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again here, 2023 is going to be a big year for Run4Ben!

The 2023 Detroit Free Press Marathon

Sunday, October 15th

Jamen, Ben, and Team23 - The Kirk Gibson Foundation, Drive Toward a Cure, and The Phoenix take on the Free Press Marathon!

Our biggest event will be the Detroit Free Press Marathon on Sunday, October 15th. This will be the fourth year that I’ll be running the Detroit Free Press Marathon and the first time I’ll be running it with my dad. My dad cannot physically run the marathon, Parkinson’s has taken his ability to stand, walk or run. My dad will be in our custom Run4Ben, Hoyt Running Chair and I’ll be pushing it through the streets of Detroit and over the bridge into Canada! We have already been busy training using his current, standard wheelchair. You can follow along as we train at our social media channels.

Our GoFundMe campaign for the Hoyt Running Chair in July of this year raised $6,735 dollars in less than a week! Our goal was $6,000 for the chair and customization. With the additional money I was able to register my dad for the Detroit Marathon and also upgrade my registration from the half marathon to the full marathon (I had registered for the half marathon in January… this year was going to be a light year… that has changed! Haha!)

Team23

Jamen is the team captain for Team23 and has been running to support The Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson’s since his first marathon in 2020.

My charity partner for the 2023 Detroit Free Press Marathon is The Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson’s. I have run for #Team23 since my first marathon in 2020. I am incredibly proud to be able to run and raise money for a cause that is so near to me. I have made so many close relationships through the year with the folks at KGF. They will be heavily featured in the Run4Ben documentary and they have been a huge support to me and my family.

Ben and Jamen on an eight mile training run at Kensington Metropark in Milford, MI.

This year I will also be repping The Phoenix and Drive Toward A Cure as I run. Both of these foundations will be represented on our custom Hoyt chair.

I have been volunteering with The Phoenix for over three years now and they have been a huge part of my sobriety and fitness life. I currently head up the Detroit Sober Run Crew runs for The Phoenix as well as host and help facilitate the National Sober Run Crew Meet-Ups on Zoom. I have attended many classes and have even taught improv with The Phoenix. The only requirement to attend any Phoenix event is 48hrs of sobriety!

The Phoenix’s mission is to build a sober active community that fuels resilience and harnesses the transformational power of connection so that together we rise, recover, and live.

Drive Toward A Cure

Drive Toward a Cure for Parkinson’s Disease

We have a new sponsor, Drive Toward a Cure. Drive Toward a Cure is a non-profit started by our friend, Deb Pollack. We are extremely excited to be partnered with DTAC. We have been friends for a while since being introduced by members of The Kirk Gibson Foundation years ago.

Drive Toward a Cure pursues an alternative to the numerous ‘for profit’ rally driving programs through the creation of events that team cars and camaraderie to raise funds and awareness to support the challenges of Parkinson’s Disease, benefiting research and patient care.

I am currently raising funds for their 75 Days of Summer fundraiser. Please follow the link to donate and join in on the fun. When entered you can win some fantastic prizes!

I am registered for the 2023 Marquette Half Marathon in Marquette, MI. on Sunday, September 2nd. I will be accepting donations for Drive Toward A Cure’s 75 Days of Summer through September 4th. Please consider donating as I run. All funds go to helping those with Parkinson’s.

On September 23rd team Run4Ben will be heading to the Michigan Parkinson Foundation Hero Walk at Jimmy John’s Field in Utica, MI.

Michigan Parkinson Foundation is an incredible help to many people with Parkinson’s and their families. We have a team that will be showing up to show our support as we walk and you can join our team HERE.

We’re hoping that our custom Hoyt Running Chair will be completed and available to use by this date!

The Michigan Parkinson Foundation (MPF) is dedicated to people living with Parkinson's Disease (PD). The Parkinson's Walks are a team/pledge walking event that allows MPF to continue our services and programs free of charge. The walks features a one or three mile walk route, Parkinson exercise demonstrations, and entertainment for the whole family while raising critical funds needed for those affected by Parkinson's here in Michigan.

This year is the fourth marathon

Kapler & Gibby: Managing Parkinson's

On Father’s Day, The Kirk Gibson Foundation uploaded a new video. This video shows Kirk Gibson sitting with San Francisco Giants manager, Gabe Kapler. Gabe’s father had Parkinson’s and Lewy Body Dementia.

I watched this with my dad, mom, and wife on Father’s Day. Gabe talked emotionally about his relationship with his father and what it was like to watch Parkinson’s slowly take him away.

This beautiful and moving video shows the father and son's relationship and how we go through this together. It is not easy. Sharing these stories and relating to one another is so incredibly helpful.

Me and my dad watching the new video from The Kirk Gibson Foundation - “Kapler & Gibby: Managing Parkinson’s”

Not Alone

I open this blog and I see the date of my last post and the picture that accompanies it. It was September and my dad had just gone into Serene Gardens assisted living facility in Grand Blanc. He was to be there for two weeks while my mom was taking a respite after injuring her knee. It would later be discovered that my mom would need a full knee replacement surgery. My dad needs 24/7 care and my mom was not going to be able to provide that and insurance doesn’t cover live-in assistance at my parent’s home. It was going to be longer than two weeks.

As I write today, four months later, my dad is still at Serene Gardens. That’s hard to write. It isn’t a triumphant marathon. It isn’t good news. It isn’t motivating. It’s hard, to be honest about it. I want to do more. What more can I do? I think about it all the time. I visit him. I pick him up and take him home. I take him back to the facility. I pick him up. I push him in his wheelchair. I help him with going to the bathroom. I help him take a shower. I get him dressed. I help him eat. It doesn’t feel like enough because my dad is still not at home. He should be at home. He shouldn’t have Parkinson’s. He’s too young.

The other day when I was driving him back to Serene Gardens he said it seems surreal when he is home because it doesn’t feel like home anymore. He goes to PACE with other people and he looks around and thinks, What am I doing here? He’s 64 years old and he is surrounded by people who are so bad off. Yet, there he is as well. He should be running, working out, and making kids laugh. He should be with his friends and family. He should be healthy. He shouldn’t need to be confined to a bed or a chair. He can hardly talk anymore. It’s hard to understand him.

I want my dad back. I want him to feel okay. I don’t want him to feel alone. I want to quit my job and stay with him. I want him to know how much he is loved, and how much he means to everyone. I don’t think he wants me to stop my life. I don’t know if it would solve anything. I don’t know that I care.

Love is all that matters. It is the greatest thing in this world. It lasts through it all. It doesn’t need a voice. It doesn’t need to walk. It doesn’t reside in a particular place. It is in all of us. I want my dad to know how loved he is. Does he know it?

I was talking with my mom the other day. I said that I have not seen the later stages of Parkinson’s in anyone that has ever had it, I mean the real late stages, the hard late stages. Maybe it is because I wasn’t looking. Maybe none of us are. But maybe it’s because we hide the worst of it. Maybe we hide our loved ones when it gets too bad. Maybe we feel it is going to hurt people to see someone they love in such vulnerability. Maybe it’s because we want them to remember us how we were or we want others to remember our loved ones the way we want them to remember them. Maybe people don’t want to see it. Maybe it is natural and maybe it’s okay. Maybe it’s bullshit. We’re all not meant to stay forever. Maybe it’s okay to know and to see and to celebrate life in all stages. Maybe we can embrace it all, the good, the tough, the bad, the health, the sickness, the strength, and the weakness. Maybe we don’t need to be afraid. Maybe we can look at it and share it and in the sharing, we won’t be so alone and when our time comes we will know that no matter what happens or how bad it may get, that we won’t be left alone. We’ll be surrounded by love even when that love is heavy and costly.

I don’t know what’s right but I hope that in sharing this that you will know you’re not alone whether you’re sick or you’re near the sick or you’re healthy and your loved ones are healthy and none of this has ever crossed your mind or your experience, you’ll not be alone when it does.

Why Your Donation Matters - Donate Today

Click the image of Jamen & Ben to donate today.

It’s early morning on Tuesday, September 27th. The sun is not yet up. I’m having my coffee and water prior to putting on my running gear and heading out the door for another training run. I have been training for my third Detroit Free Press Marathon for over 15 weeks now. I have less than three weeks to go before I run 26.2 miles in honor of my dad, Ben Spitzer who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease over 12 years ago.

I run to raise funds for The Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson’s. Your donation matters, greatly. I want you to know why.

Prior to my dad being diagnosed with Parkinson’s I knew very little about Parkinson’s. I knew that Michael J. Fox was diagnosed and I knew Muhammad Ali had it. I thought it made you shake and that was about it. That was the extent of my knowledge. I sometimes wish that is all I would know about it but that is not the case. I wish I didn’t have to see my dad dealing with all the effects of Parkinson’s and it is far more than shaking. If some shaking was the extent I wouldn’t be running another marathon, I wouldn’t be creating a documentary, I wouldn’t be asking you again to donate to this cause. Unfortunately, Parkinson’s is far more than shaking.

I want you to know how your donation goes to help and why it is so important. The Kirk Gibson Foundation helps to promote collaboration, they are building a community of support for those diagnosed as well as their support network and they are funding research to fight Parkinson’s disease. They are working to working to break the stigma as their website says; “One of the primary goals of the Foundation is to create awareness and understanding about Parkinson’s disease. Unfortunately, too many individuals are in denial about the disease or fear there is a stigma associated with it and delay seeking medical help. Early diagnosis and treatment can provide years that are virtually symptom-free.”

Your donation does help. It is meaningful. You are making a difference in the lives of many with your donation no matter how large or small. I truly love and appreciate everyone who has been supportive throughout the years.

Thank you.

Jamen Spitzer

Check Out Jamen's Interview on the Rise Recover Live Podcast!

Bryce and Liz from the Rise Recover Live Podcast powered by The Phoenix interview Jamen about his sobriety, and how he discovered The Phoenix and eventually got involved in volunteering with them. He also talks about the Run4Ben documentary, his involvement with The Kirk Gibson Foundation, his father, the Detroit Free Press Marathon, and more. The episode is available wherever you listen to your podcasts and available to view on YouTube!

Run4Ben/Walk4Ben 5K In Florida!

Ben and sister, Joy.

Ben’s sister, Joy is hosting a Run/Walk for Ben in her home state of Florida this Saturday at 8:30 AM. She decided to put this together to support her brother and our documentary. This truly means so much to us!

Joy has been interviewed along with Ben’s other sisters for the documentary and has been a constant support to the family. Joy is one of the sweetest, kindest people we know. We are so incredibly thankful for her and her efforts.

Jamen will not be able to go to Florida for the event but he will be joining them virtually from Michigan. Jamen will be running six miles at 8:30 AM and will be posting about the run on social media at Run4Ben on Instagram and Facebook. Tune in on Saturday to follow along!

2022 Detroit Marathon Training Has Begun!

Hi, this is Jamen writing. I wanted to quickly jump on here tonight to announce that my training for the 2022 Detroit Free Press Marathon is in progress. I am now in the second week of an 18-week training program.

I will be posting on my personal Instagram account at jamenspitzer as well as the Run4Ben Instagram page - You can follow along on both!

I have a few goals for this marathon:

1. Run the marathon with a time of 4:23:00 or less (I’ll go into more detail on this in other posts and even have a video as to why I’ve selected this time - It involves a challenge from Kirk Gibson!)

2. Get down to 200 pounds - I’ll also update you on this progress and go into more detail as to why.

3. Raise money for The Kirk Gibson Foundation!

4. Organize some group runs for Team23 - Team 23 are all the runners running for The Kirk Gibson Foundation.

I am an Official Detroit Free Press Marathon Race Ambassador. You can use my code when you register for any of the races that are part of the Detroit Free Press Marathon and receive 10% off your registration at checkout - MY CODE: “Jamenfreep22”

You Came Through Big in April!

As you may know, we launched our Run4Ben crowdfunding campaign back in April. Thanks to the support from our fans we raised over $15,000 to help with the making of the documentary. We are so grateful for all the support and love that has been poured out.

We will be putting the funds to good use moving forward. This is a much-needed boost to get us to the next level.

We will keep you posted moving forward as to what we have planned next. Currently, we are working on some needed interviews, the budget, the overall story for Run4Ben as well as post-production. Jamen will be heading to LA this Summer to meet with Mike and get things finalized.

In other news, Jamen will begin training for his third Detroit Free Press Marathon! He begins 18 weeks of training on June 13th. We’ll be rooting him on and he’ll be posting here as well to let everyone know how that is going. This year Jamen was selected as an Official Detroit Free Press Marathon Ambassador!

Again, thank you all so much for your support!

Note: If you would like to sign up for any of the Detroit Free Press Marathon races (5K, half marathon, relay, or full marathon) you can use Jamen’s Ambassador code at checkout - “Jamenfreep22” - and receive 10% off your total! And make sure you choose The Kirk Gibson Foundation as your charity partner!

Down The Line: Jamen's Message to His Dad

The Kirk Gibson Foundation launched a project in April for Parkinson’s Awareness called “Down The Line” - You can see Kirk’s video launching the project here. The Foundation encouraged people with Parkinson’s or those who know someone with Parkinson’s to call the designated telephone number - (313) 395-8523 - and leave a message for themselves or the person diagnosed with Parkinson’s with what they would have said to themselves if they could go back to when they were first diagnosed.

As stated on the foundation’s page - “Down The Line” was created as a platform for Parkinson’s warriors to share the individual wisdom and knowledge they’ve gained along the path of battling this disease. It’s also a place for the newly diagnosed to find hope and encouragement during the early days of treatment while adjusting to their new path of fighting against Parky.”

Jamen called the number and left a heartwarming message for his dad. Above is that message that Jamen left for his dad. Of course, he left the message while out on a run. He stopped during his run, sat on some church steps, and called in.

If you have Parkinson’s or you know someone with Parkinson’s, we encourage you to call in and leave a message. This is a truly wonderful project and will be a database for people to draw strength and encouragement from both now and into the future.

Run4Ben’s crowdfunding page is now live. We are working to raise money for the documentary that we have been working on for over a year and a half now. Please follow the link here to see the first-look trailer and to donate toward this beautiful film chronicling the relationship between a father diagnosed with Parkinson’s and his son who is running to bring awareness and hope to those who are dealing with Parkinson’s.

"Get Down the Line" - A Powerful New Video from The Kirk Gibson Foundation

April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month and The Kirk Gibson Foundation has released a powerful new video.

We have had the honor and privilege to work with The Kirk Gibson foundation and are proud members of Team 23. We’re working each day to spread the news and to find a cure. April is going to be a big month. We’re proud to be a small part of helping to shed a light on this disease and its effects. We’re working to build connections and to give hope.

Take a moment to follow The Kirk Gibson Foundation and Run4Ben to see how you may be able to get involved. Thank you.

Thoughts Before Going To Bed

I’m sitting in bed tonight getting ready to go to bed and thinking about the run I am going to get in tomorrow morning… or will it be tomorrow evening after work? I should probably have a better plan for running, right?

I have been doing well with eating this week - I’m eating healthier. See, I have run two marathons now and both times I got all the miles in and ran my ass off but I really didn’t eat too healthy. I had a plan to but when it came down to it, I looked at how many miles I was running and how many calories I was burning, and thought, “eh!” I’ll be fine. I didn’t have a plan for eating so I simply ate whatever and “rewarded myself” often with donuts, pizza, ice cream, etc. I didn’t lose weight but I didn’t gain weight either. That was not my plan going into training. The plan was to eat healthily, get down to 195/200 pounds, and feel great… Oh, and hopefully run faster though running faster wasn’t really high on the list.

This year will be my third marathon - I really thought I was going to be done at one marathon… but I guess they say this is what happens - and the goal this year is to get down to 195/200 pounds, eat healthily and run faster.

A few changes will need to be made. Obviously, I’ll have to change my eating habits which takes care of the weight as well. The other part is I have to actually train to get faster. To do this I have considered getting a coach or studying a bunch myself and implementing what I learn from the web, youtube, and books. The coach is probably a better option but self-studying is cheaper. I have not yet fully decided but it’s not like I am gaining any time. So, if I am going to get a coach, I need to do it soon.

…I don’t think I am going to get a coach. Should I get a coach? Maybe someone will read this and convince me. If that happens, maybe.

These are all thoughts I have before heading to bed. I don’t have any perfect plans but I have been consistent. I have been adding in weight training again along with my running. It takes some more time and it takes more dedication but I honestly don’t like just running all the time. I like weight training and I know it does help with speed.

I’m also thinking about the documentary. We’ve been working hard on it and Parkinson’s Awareness Month is April. We have big plans for April.

I often wish I had more time in a day. And, in fact, I know I can organize my day better to optimize my time. Progress… progress over perfection. One step at a time like a run. If I keep putting one foot in front of the other, I’ll get to where I need to go. Keep going and don’t give up.

Time to head to bed.

By: Jamen Spitzer

The Phoenix - Detroit Features Jamen In Their Newsletter & Online

Jamen was recently featured in The Phoenix Detroit newsletter. Jamen has been a volunteer for The Phoenix in LA and in Detroit for over a year now. Currently, Jamen leads a run around Belle Isle in Detroit twice a month and teaches an improv workshop open to anyone through The Phoenix (details HERE!)

Photo taken from The Phoenix - Detroit newsletter. Check out The Phoenix online at www.ThePhoenix.org

The Phoenix is a sober active community that promotes sobriety through community and connection. Here is the way they put it - “The Phoenix’s mission is to build a sober active community that fuels resilience and harnesses the transformational power of connection so that together we rise, recover, and live.”

View fullsize

View fullsize

Jamen was also recently invited on The Phoenix podcast to talk about his experience with The Phoenix, his sobriety, and, of course, Run4Ben! His episode is not yet available but we’ll let you know when it drops and how you can listen. Stay tuned!

If you’re interested in The Phoenix, please check them out online. They have tons of different programs available all across the country - “We are a sober-active community for people in recovery from substance use disorder. All programs are FREE and open to anyone with at least 48 hours of sobriety.”

Here is information on Jamen’s next run at Belle Isle in Detroit

It's Official! 2022 Detroit Free Press Marathon Race Ambassador!

Extremely honored to have been selected out of over 200 applicants to be an official 2022 Detroit Free Press Marathon Race Ambassador - https://www.freepmarathon.com/

If you would like to register for the 2022 Detroit Marathon - Full, half, whatever they offer, you can use my code to SAVE 10% OFF YOUR REGISTRATION - Code: “Jamenfreep22”

See y’all out there!

Moron!

Jamen tries to shoot a touching video about his dad but is interrupted by a live band that is playing across the street. The lead singer is a real yeller!

During the making of this documentary there have been many serious moments that are thrown off by life. At the time they can be frustrating but looking back they are some of the funniest moments a lot of the time.

We shot an interview at Basecamp and High Horse Dinette in Burbank, CA. We were at the outdoor dining area filming and right next to us was a little wooden gate to a patio area. Every time the waitress went through it the hinges squeaked loudly and it seemed every time we started rolling is when the waitress did the most back-and-forth trips. It was super annoying at the time but is now something we remember and laugh at more than anything else. One of us can simply make the squeaking noise and we’ll all start laughing!

My Mind Is Writing Checks That My Body Has to Cash

You’ve probably all heard the saying, “His mouth is writing checks his butt can’t cash.” I was thinking about that phrase this morning while getting my gear on early this morning for my run.

Last night I had sat down in the cozy warmth of my dining room with my robe and slippers on and I wrote out some goals for February and some to-dos for today. I wanted to make sure I was purposeful about starting Monday out on the right foot. I wrote a few things out and one of them was a three mile run in the morning.

It was pretty easy to write that to-do out last night. I was warm and full of motivation for the next day. I thought about how it would be getting up early, having some coffee, doing some reading and then heading out the door for a nice run.

This morning there wasn’t any more thinking about it, there was only doing it. Well, it was friggin’ cold outside and dark. I was inside with nice warm coffee and I thought to myself, my mind and hand wrote out a check that my body is going to have to cash. My mind was pretty keen on the idea but my body wasn’t too hip to it. I imagine it talking to my mind saying, “Real nice! Your ass gets to go for a ride up in that big ol’ cranium up there which is great for you but I actually have to do this work in the freezing friggin’ cold that your dumb ass came up with last night!”

It’s a pretty constant battle for me. My mind thinks of the things I really want to do and I know are good for me in a time of reflection and planning and then my body has to go along for the ride. I feel it’s not always too happy about it. Often my mind isn’t too keen on the great plans it came up with the day before either. That’s just the way it goes.

The good news is, I did get out the door this morning. I did go for a run even though it was dark and cold and icy. I feel better that I got it done. I’m not sure if the mind and body have completely made up yet but they will and life will go on.

Mind is the Master-power that moulds and makes, And Man is Miind, and evermore he takes The tool of Thought, and, shaping what he wills, Brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills: - He thinks in secret, and it comes to pass: Environment is but his looking-glass.

-James Allen - “As a Man Thinketh”