Hello good afternoon welcome to film my run my name is Stephen Cousins. Today we are in Wiltshire. Look at the beautiful hills behind me these are the running grounds of one of Britain's best-loved and most successful currently ultra runners. He holds FKT's all over the country we're gonna meet Damien Hall for a little run around his neck of the woods. So you know Damien, this is Damien. Oh if you're making me shy this is Stephen. Hi. So you might remember a few weeks ago we did this thing with John Kelly where we ran around Bristol for a bit and up some hills and I thought it'd be quite funny to do the same with this chap here. Well whatever John does I like to copy it as soon as possible afterwards. This is what we've come to realize that basically Damien, but John is the American version of Damien and vice versa. And obviously I need to run do the run faster than what you did with John. Well we already are. Okay okay. We already are. I'm already out of breath. So welcome on to our little chat with Damien Hall who if you don't know is probably at the moment Britain's best known and arguably most successful ultra runner. Are you sure? Well I think you've got me mixed up. Who else? Someone else. Let's think about this. Who else have you got? Who? Beth Pascal. Okay right now you've done this before and I've just done it. We've neglected the pretty awesome... I'm afraid this is where it's gonna get a bit singletracky. I feel right. We've neglected the pretty awesome group of female runners that we have in this country. I'll tell you some more. Gail and Reynolds although he's not British. Yeah. Kim Collison. Tom Evans. You're the Tom. Second name I always forget but he did really well in UTMB a few. Tom Owens. Yeah. Oh yeah. He did better than me. Andy Simmons based in France. Donnie Campbell. There you go. There you go. I'm rubbish. Hopeless. Where did Tom Owens finish in UTMB? He was fourth. He was fourth. Yeah. Even better. Even better. So this hill is in the slaughter for nine. We've finished coming up this hill before we do that. This is called... this is nicknamed the Sting. Oh it looks like a Sting as well. Yeah. It's good fun.  You don't want that. No. Finally wild. I'm trying to think of some more. There you go. I'm not even top ten. Paul Tierney. Right. Now Danny's listed all the runners who are better than him. Oh there are many more. Many more. I keep thinking. Look it's fair to say that you are and have become pretty well known for a variety of things but let's just go right back because your story is one that a lot of us thought something midlife crisis guys would love to emulate and not everyone can because you started pretty late didn't you? Yeah. First half marathon was 2011 which I think puts me at 35 at the time. What half marathon was it? The bath half. Just down the road. I was living in bath at the time. Do you know what my first half marathon was? No. It was in 2011 and it was the Bristol half. I'm going to head of that one but then it does open up a bit. Oh gosh. So that's later in the year isn't it? It's September. Yeah. I think I did my first half marathon. What was it? Was it a life changing moment for you? That's an interesting question. Was it a big moment for you? Yeah it was. I'll tell you the funny thing. So given what you and I have done in the past few years I walked into the hotel after we finished and I got a round of applause from people in the hotel. Looking back now it's only 13 miles. How did you feel after your first half? Oh amazing. Welcome to Wiltshire Cotswold mode. Yeah why did you feel amazing? What happened? I loved a few things. I mean the camaraderie was nice bath does have a really good atmosphere. I guess just that sense of pushing yourself. I'd never run that far before. That was very satisfying to kind of think oh this is a bit uncomfortable but I can keep going. And I guess that sense of achievement at the end. What made you do it? Why did you start? I was just feeling a bit unfit really. It wasn't that profound. Like I did play football. I was quite active. I did a lot of.  Yeah. I used to enjoy trekking and hill walking at weekends. So it's not one of those stories where it's sort of a couch potato to becoming a runner. You weren't quite as bad a speedway then. Oh I love this story though. I do love it. Yeah I remember reading about him in the Guardian a few years ago. And being really inspired actually. Especially with the age thing. Thank you Steve. There you go Steve wait. You have inspired one of our best UTMB finishers ever. Yeah I just remember feeling straight away like I want to do more of this. This is satisfying and it just felt good I suppose. Just pushing yourself a bit further and it turning out okay. So my wife told me not to talk about myself. So I'm trying to avoid that. Well I'm bored of talking about me so I'm happy to talk about you. Well the thing is if we compare again yours and my kind of trajectory. You decided quite early on to go for the big long stuff. And I mean not many people, I don't know, people who followed Damien's path. You completed the spine and finished fourth years ago. Yeah 2014. Yeah I got a bit carried away a bit soon. So I guess the next year I did my first marathon and my first ultra. And especially with the ultra I just thought this is for me. I just loved everything about it. And obviously most people watching this would probably agree. You know running on trails, camaraderie, much better aid stations. I'll get this gate. When entering the spine, how did you realise that you were actually quite good at this sort of stuff? I guess I'd had one clue with my first hundred mile which was my third ultra marathon. It was on the console away, console by century. It was the first year of the race and it's not a particularly competitive race. But I did finish third. But yeah I knew it wasn't UTMB. But something about it, I don't know it seemed to suit me. The spine was you know it's not just another level, it's several levels really. But I was very surprised what happened there. But I realised that it was... Were you genuinely surprised? Yeah going into the race I was thinking I just want to complete it. But maybe I could sneak into the top ten. You know maybe, but top twenty just finishing would be great. But you see for most mid-age blokes like us, finishing at all would have been the goal, the achievement. Well so I guess you're saying how was I able to... Yeah how were you able to say to yourself I can do top twenty here? Yeah I don't know. I mean I realised that my hiking background I think was more useful there than my running background. And that was because you're out in the weather, it's looking after yourself a bit of navigation. Those things that I didn't really even think were skills turned out to be really really useful. And people were just like racing too hard I suppose around me which was quite eye-opening actually. All these more experienced runners were just crashing and burning because they were overdoing it so early. Which came back to benefit you a couple of years ago didn't it? Well yeah I'm not sure what you're referring to that. Oh yes! I mean that was a hilarious race really. I enjoyed it. So 2011 how long did it take you to become aware of UTMB? Oh good question. I guess I've probably heard of it the same way most people do which is UTMB points. You know you hear someone say that or it's attached to a race. Yeah you get points for that one.  Yeah. But also there was a magazine a new magazine called Outdoor Fitness which is sadly no longer with us. But I'd started writing for them. Journalism was my main sort of job then. And I definitely would have heard of it mentioned in there I think. I'm pretty certain. You know I remember reading about Jez Bragg and his win. Yes. And that was pretty inspiring. And immediately you said that's for me? I think so. What happened was as soon as I did the spine the first time all I could think of was about just doing it again. And you find quite a lot of people have that same feeling. So in 2015 I did it again. And you've got one place higher. Yes one place higher. And was that a good result for you? Were you pleased with that? I suppose yeah I was. I mean I was only there. I changed my mentality from you know complete to compete. It seemed like a lot of extra hurt I suppose. Just a one more place. And there was no kind of trophy or anything. But still it was another... Was Owen in that race? Hello flippin' heck. Hello. These guys. This is Sheila who's very much part of the story actually because it was her husband Alan especially who always talking to me about UTMB and what a great race it was.  Do you remember that UTMB? You're blessed. And now you're an elite culture runner. That's my claim to fame. It is mostly down to you. Almost all. Clearly. But I can remember it. That was almost like it was planted wasn't it? Yeah. Thanks for waiting there for three hours Sheila. Nice one. Probably that tenner later. Well say hello to Alan and see you soon. Cheers Sheila. Is this your regular run route? Fairly regularly yes. There's probably two really regular bits. But yeah if I can I get down into this valley called the Bybrook Valley. I suppose if I'm doing just about six miles I'm a little bit closer to home further down the valley. But if I'm doing anything more I usually come down here. Yeah. A few weeks ago I saw you posted a photo of some massive dung heap. Oh we've just gone past that. It's not always glamorous. Yes. Do you know what? I thought I wouldn't get any comments or likes. So I might need to put more pictures of horse dung. It strikes me you're quite good at Instagramming stuff. I've no real idea. I don't know. You now are obviously a sponsored athlete. Do you feel any pressure to live up to that sponsorship? Yeah that's a great question. Yeah I suppose yes and no is the honest answer. We're going to swing left. I suppose I mean I enjoyed... I mean I enjoyed social media anyway. I mean you know it's got its bad sides and its good sides. I quite enjoyed it anyway. I mean my main sponsors there's very little pressure from them to do anything. They're really good. Yeah. But sometimes you hear about other companies who are just similarly entertaining expectations of what they think their athletes might do. Yeah. I must admit once I did do a... I sort of promoted a competition for one brand that was supporting me. And I think it was clear it wasn't an authentic post. And I remember getting a few comments back and I remember thinking those people are right. I didn't really understand that competition. I didn't kind of believe in it. I'm probably not going to do that again. So we all kind of live and learn I suppose. But mostly social media is fairly enjoyable as long as we're sort of careful with it I think or at least for me. But I still waste a lot of time on it. Like I don't have a television but I do waste time on social media which is a bit of a... But the net has its benefits doesn't it? I don't know. You have stuck your neck out quite a long way with the environmental issues and politics to an extent. Yeah. Yeah that's been fun really. I suppose I was a bit naive when I first started posting about our climate and ecological emergency. I guess I just thought everyone who follows me is a trail runner. They'll all agree. Yeah they'll all want you know. And I was like oh I've oversimplified you know I suppose my followers or... Yeah and that's alright. But also I mean some of the feedback was valid and it's made me look at my lifestyle a bit as well and think could I do better in some areas. So I don't think anything on it's ever really upset me too badly. But also I suppose I feel like I don't know this climate stuff is just too urgent not to not to use you know the very little platform I have got. It's almost too urgent not to use that to further that cause really. And I think what I'm originally I was too I guess too frightened to be called a hypocrite or too worried about not being perfect but we just can't live like that you know all our clothes they were greenhouse gas emissions in creating them all our food no one or almost no one can sort of escape that system.   Yeah.  Yeah. You can only do what you can do. I think so. I think so. Yeah. But then yeah no I enjoy that side of it. Social media is mostly mostly good fun. I mean I think it has I think I know the answer but has this curtailed some of your running ambitions at all would you say? No. No I would say almost the opposite. During the pen I'm way run that I did in the summer I tried as hard as possible to get in those values that sense of purpose of I'm not for a minute saying I'm the Bob Geldolf of climate change or you know I know I didn't really do anything that changed the world at all but to feel I was doing it for a purpose other than just because I wanted to or just to set a record. Yeah. I tried to make it a sort of sustainable you know to have a sustainable message all right you could criticize it because there are more car journeys generated by it you know we could go on forever. Can I just find something? Yeah yeah but giving it more meaning I think contributed to how it turned out for me because it meant it mattered more you know so I think it had genuinely helped me actually and genuinely contributed to a good outcome I think. Awesome. So the first time I became aware of you was one of your first FKTs and that was when you did one of my loves the south-west coast path and you smashed it. Well it didn't. Tell me a little bit about that quickly. I mean it didn't feel that way because I was so tired most of the time. So that was 2016 wasn't it? Yeah I mean it was a fantastic adventure but I started off with my friend Mark Townsend and it was more kind of his trip than mine. Okay. He'd invited me along but he did develop a knee problem and there were a couple of days in the middle where well you know we were just slowing down and really he kind of had to stop but obviously he didn't want to stop. There is a video on YouTube if you want to have a look at Mark and Damien's south-west coast path FKT attempt. It's called Sultan Dirt and yeah and then he sort of yeah he stopped running and I carried on but to sort of we're behind the previous record by then and to make to get enough miles in yeah there was only time for basically three hours and sleep a night and just two on the last two nights so you end up pretty tired but it was you know incredible scenery and just a great adventure really. So I remember you saying that the south-west coast path with you at one time was your obsession and then it kind of graduated to the UTMB being your obsession and you've now done that three four times. Yeah so and each time you have improved your placing tell me a little bit about your UTMB life. I guess I'd also say probably the spine race early on was my kind of first obsession and then yeah I moved on to UTMB and I guess the first year I did it was just kind of mind-blowing like I think when people go out there see how much bigger the sport is in Europe you know and the course as well as obviously much bigger mountains than here in these Cotswold mountains and yeah it was just a mind-blowing experience really and I straight away thought right gotta come back and I knew I could train much better because I wasn't really running on that sort of terrain and it seemed obvious to me that my legs just weren't strong enough you know they really hurt. It's an yeah experience a lot of us have I suppose so yeah trained a bit more in the Bracken Beacons and so on and I guess went back improved and that kept happening I suppose I'd have a wonderful experience there. What was it that made you improve was it the experience you know you've done it before you know it's coming or was it training or was it a bit of both? Well the first time was the training because my legs just weren't used to that sort of running those long downhills so it's the training after that I think it was partly a bit of a mindset change of like maybe I could get in the top 10 here and having that bit more ambitious a bit more focused and I suppose another year of good training. Do you think that builds? You're on year.  I think so yeah definitely and I haven't I haven't had many injuries and actually I'm more and more almost touch wood when I can find some I'm almost four years now without an injury so that I think yeah that consistency really adds up to something over time but yeah I also like working on technique I suppose with Shane Benzie I mean my downhilling was really bad but I've really really worked on that so it's possibly my best aspect now. Tell me about downhilling or tell me about technique how much if you can put a percentage on it learning how to run with good form and good technique you know downhills is a classic thing that we saw just back there with your ability to just go down that hill and me still timorous worried about slipping over even though I've got good lugs on my trail shoes This is slightly better actually yeah first of all you need good grip shameless sponsor plug Damian with his mud claws What were you wearing? Yeah the new ones yeah ultimately it's got to be a change in your mind I think but that comes from increased confidence and how do you get that well looking at yeah I changed my technique four downhills but also you know I just got stronger I got more used to it from going to Breckenbeekens technique I was you know I was running with the brakes on you know I was reluctant to go down long hills and that accelerates the muscle damage so you know it's totally counterproductive so I'd really encourage people to sort of try and take the brakes off and just kind of relax yeah relax and sort of let yourself go down the hill and you'll actually find you'll have less muscle damage maybe after the first couple of times in future yes sorry and yeah legs getting stronger and then that gives you confidence and enjoyment and that's probably the big thing like I started looking forward to downhills and thinking oh a downhill yeah what fun and that's a huge difference and then of course that affects your what your body's doing as well if you're looking forward to it you're relaxed and you're happy whereas instead of going like this yeah but I would say that and fearful causes tension and tension causes injury yeah but I would say that took a year if not two years to really kind of transform yeah so that was a big I'd say that was a big one so let's carry on with you Tim Beading and get to you basically have improved year on year your confidence has grown and your strength has grown and you come into UTMB 2018 with an actual I mean a lot of people don't like to say what they want to do what their plan is but yours was quite clear I want to make the top ten of UTMB this year yeah I regret being a sort of public about that if you haven't done it then you might regret it but you can't regret it surely no not really but I think I did start for the first time ever before a race I started to feel you know some pressure but it was all totally because you said I want to get top ten and I'm having a film made about me yes and I mean the film wasn't my idea it was Matt and Ellie but I was you know I was perfectly happy to be filmed like and they're good friends but they saw something oh hello hello don't know if you can see both of you oh bless you hello yeah I mean I had people in Chamonix were saying to me good luck for top ten good luck for top ten and I remember like feeling really grateful of that but at the same time like I you know I did a story for trail running about how I was trying to get the top ten and that got put online and stuff and I remember thinking I kind of wish I hadn't done that actually but I think maybe it helped me maybe it maybe it maybe focused you know when it got difficult so yeah and possibly the difference between those two years was I mean my training was a bit different but one thing was yeah the year before I'd sort of probably just not got enough calories in in the last few hours which is a really easy thing to do isn't it I'll tell you what though that race 2018 you didn't need any calories in the last 20 miles of that race because everyone was dropping your motivation must have been so strong at that point I mean from I think I left Cor Moyer which is nearly halfway I think I was about 12th 14th 12th or 14th so that's a fantastic place to be because the chance of people dropping out ahead of you are fairly high at least two or three in fact the year before when I finished 12th I sort of thought well a few people will still DNF ahead I wasn't too you know lazy about it but no one did that year you were disappointed weren't you that year because you lost your 10th position yes did you feel stronger at the same point in 2018 when you were in a round about the same place and thinking okay this is it yeah I felt I think I felt more fired up more determined more focused I thought I don't you know I don't want to repeat what happened last time where I sort of let it go partly I think you know a calorie deficit or insufficient calories yeah I had extra focus and I was more determined to sort of well to get those calories in yeah but I wanted it more was probably the overarching thing and maybe the pressure actually helped with that I think it did actually yeah I think it does and when I've done things in fact every time Matt and Elliot filmed me which has been quite a few times now it's always gone well for me so you know that is no no largely largely not they do seem to be a little bit a little bit of a lucky omen to me so yeah obviously they add some pressure but I think it helps focus you to an extent I think so yeah last 20 miles of UTMB 2018 you feeling strong you're in what are you in 12th are you a bit higher up by then oh to be honest by then no from halfway I was inside the top 10 so by La Foli I think I was about I think I was 7th and I was told that maybe Tim Tollison ahead of me would drop soon but then he didn't drop for ages which was annoying although I must say he's of all the kind of elite runners he's probably I'm probably his biggest fan or at least he's the one I look up to more than anyone probably well actually Claire Gallagher for more obvious reasons the climate stuff in case that was misunderstood yeah from from kind of La Foli which I suppose is about 60 miles in 65 you know it's about 7th so I thought this you know this is possible and I think it really made me focus actually whereas the previous year I just felt really well I suppose pretty tired and wrecked by then but it was just the mental the mental difference I think was don't let it slip this time just stay stay on it and what point did you hit fifth and thought right I'm not letting this go now let me think maybe it was a champagne lac maybe it was there there's still a little way to go yeah oh it's a long way to go yeah and I was touring and throwing with Scott Hawker who's you know he's a great guy I really like him we're touring and throwing a bit and I passed Zach Miller yeah who's just about to DNF I think he reks himself though doesn't he I mean he goes all out and if he blows up I think like Jim Warnesley in the early years just goes out all out and he dies a death he dies a death yeah and I am kind of intrigued by that because that's not how I race that doesn't suit my personality I don't think I don't have that confidence or probably talent and there's part of me thinking I'm being a bit cowardly by racing the way I tend to do it but I don't know it seems to work for me I just don't think I'm as good or as confident as them and I guess sometimes it works for them sometimes not and thankfully that year it didn't so what are you feeling oh running down the hill from Le Fleurge well if I play to go or whatever it is I must admit you get so yeah from Le Fleurge well it really looked possible but I knew there was someone quite close yeah I mean as soon as I started that descent I hit kicked a rock for the first time I went flying cut myself up and I thought you you know you idiot don't throw it away now because I had just relaxed just a little yeah I thought last checkpoint it's done I mean if you don't know if you've not done CCC or UTMB the final hill coming down from the ski lifts at Le Fleurge it goes on a bit it goes on and I mean it is very steep certainly early on it's very steep so there was a sense of well there was a sense of you've done it but then a sense of like no you haven't like don't lose it now but then I must say on the way down there were so many people on the route just wishing me well and stuff it was it was really emotional actually it was wonderful so many people said oh I'm from I'm from Bristol or you know I've come out to see you there was a guy in green running in with you at the end oh I don't know like was it just someone from Innovate maybe or I'm not sure I thought it was somebody you knew quite well because they ran in with you almost the whole way to the finish line you had Nicky Spinks there yes and one or two other guys from Innovate sometimes joined me for a little bit but yeah I was incredible and the crowds were you know just so generous and enthusiastic you know I met people who had said oh he was I drove here especially to see your finish and stuff and I didn't even know me you know it's just and there was some annoying guy that came up with a I don't know if you saw him Steve I didn't see him a lot like this actually right and he ran with me for a bit with the camera I hate those guys he kind of ruined it for me you know yeah I hate those people they just they stick a camera in your face as though they know you and they've got some right to do it what was funny is though I was in a gym before all this lockdown business and it was the first time I've been to this gym and I was just chatting to them at the till and I looked to the um going left this big screen behind them and there was your footage of it and I was like uh without even thinking I said that's me I didn't really mean to go hey look that's me but it was a strange strange moment but yeah you were there sharing it as well and it just felt incredible um yeah probably one of the best moments of my life really well I mean I was going to say you know well I'll ask you is that your greatest running moment thus far I think it feels like the Pennine way was very close and maybe he called it but then that might be how musicians always say their new album is their best um but also if I'm honest the two previous UTMB's my kids were there and I got to run the last hundred meters with them that was such a shame that they couldn't make it over yeah I mean in some ways it did help me keep me more kind of focused on yeah you know just being a runner but it was yeah it was I was going to pop in pop in here unless you prefer the road um alright um but yeah those were very special moments so that bit of tarmac uh I'm sure it'll be the same for a lot of people but that little bit of tarmac in Chamonix so many kind of emotions and memories on that little bit and I guess largely, largely positive ones um whereas for some people maybe not always but and is that it done now no I was going to go back this year um no I must I must if I could just add like I know I only finished fifth I didn't I didn't win it although you know I felt a bit like I was sort of behaving like I won it I guess at the time it was the best British male result for for eight to nine years but is that gutting? is that gutting? a year later Tom no no no no no I was really thrilled for it that was his first hundred as well was it really? oh amazing because his girlfriend Holly Page that was her first um Chamonix experience as well she did CTC and smashed that because she's a short distance runner mainly no I like Tom a lot he's been really generous to me with his sort of time and time and knowledge at times and actually there's a story because before I was when I before I'd done a marathon I was sent by a magazine to cover a sort of elite fell running training camp and Tom was there along with sort of Ricky Lightfoot and people like that and I didn't know any of these guys but I was like oh wow they're they're these kind of they're the best runners best fell runners in Britain and then four years later I was in the same GB team as Tom which is quite you know I depinched myself and he remembered it really sweetly like I don't think any of the others remembered me but he was like yeah I remember when you came along um but yeah Tom's an awesome talent and he can do it you know any distance whereas I can only really do the longer stuff yeah two great Tom's running for the UK at the moment there certainly are so you're all right so you haven't done what you said but you would like to go back there and try again yes I mean my obsession I think my obsession with it is over like I think and also I think I've I've probably had my best race there but it's just really exciting anything you do now is a bonus basically well I feel a lot more relaxed about it you know I don't feel a desperation obviously I want to do my best etc but I think I feel more relaxed um and you know it's just it's still the most exciting race um that I know of on you know on the planet kind of thing so I think I will try and do it next year if it's on how does your political and ethical point of view fit with the monopoly that is UTMB I must admit I fit yes I do feel differently about UTMB now than I than I used to um there have been one or two behind the scenes things there that I probably can't really say publicly regarding kind of filmmakers and some some disagreements there um which I thought was really out of order of them um and yes I don't really love I don't really love what they sort of seem to be trying to do which is kind of monopolise um trail running yeah so I do feel a bit differently about it at the same time I suppose it's hard to it's hard to sort of not be attracted to the just such an exciting race I mean I don't I think I feel the same way really there are things you kind of think that doesn't sit very comfortably with me but then it's just awesome isn't it you have to yeah and it's not like yeah there are people doing worse things in the world certainly it's not like it's a sort of um what's what's the word you know certain countries get yeah yeah and people can spend their money whenever and if people don't spend the money doing these things you know it's down to the consumers with this one really um right stop one second if you are watching this and you're saying God Stephen looks out of breath go back and watch the John Kelly video look how much faster are we running today than we did with John well it's because you mentioned John Kelly so I have to try and do it faster that's that's the thing oh dear I am fit, I'm fitter than I've ever been I am, I was going to do the South Downsway 100 in under 20 hours I promise you and it was cancelled what can I do I think you can claim you did I think in fact you won that one you won it by a lot you won it by a lot Stephen South Downsway oh dear, right I just catch my breath and climb this hill yeah I do feel different about you Tim B yeah but it's like you say it's not like you know it's not like they're doing sort of child labour camps although I have hurt no but yeah but also yeah I feel differently about the big international races now because yeah I used to fly you know 3, 4, 5 times even a year and I'm really embarrassed about that now and I'm not telling anyone else what to do but I can't go on doing that so I think 100 miles is my distance and I want to do the big 100 milers but yeah the big ones in America you can't get into and then some of the others you know Daniel Defoe or Grand Raid Reunion it's just so far away there'll be so much flight, so many emissions I you know there's only one option though you know then what's that? he could walk there I'm semi interested I think I will do that one we haven't got a load of time we're running so quick we're coming to the end of our run almost we haven't even listed the endless FKTs you've done tell me right I mean the rounds you hold the record for the Paddy Buckley winter round and what's the other one is it a summer round? I don't hold that anymore so lockdown has been quite you know I've set 3 FKTs this year but I've lost 2 as well so a guy called Matthew Roberts a local guy in Clamberis he beat my Paddy Buckley time this summer so big credit to him thanks for bringing that up and what else did I lose I lost my south west coast path Christian Morgan was that very recently? yes I did hear about that so I've lost a couple as well so that's alright it keeps you on your toes South Wales traverse? that's still yours right let's just double check all these I think it is actually the second lockdown came in very nicely for that one should keep it in my pocket for a few more weeks but yeah I think I've got I think I've set 7 overall but I only hold 4 but the biggest one that you now hold 4 I think that photo was here wasn't it that's the big pile of cow dung or horse dung the biggest one that you hold is the Pennine Way essentially the spine course so how bad do you feel about a week after John Kelly breaks a 31 year old record is it 31 something like that 30 year old record he beats it and then you kind of come in whilst all over it I do feel bad but we both kind of knew it's not like I snuck up behind and we both knew we were both going for it and we discussed it quite a lot and we shared information you've run together don't you let's do this bit not as often as we'd like because we've both got young families so it's not easy to arrange but in fact in March we had the Americans together and it was actually the same day that the soon to be leaving American President had announced a travel ban from Europe and I think we were starting to think we were starting to realise how severe the coronavirus crisis might be and he was already going to do the Pennine Way he had told me that either that day or before and I've been thinking about it for a few years but always put it off because it was just so intimidating and it was you know when I realised UTMB probably wouldn't be on was when I thought well I'll do the Pennine Way instead but he was very supportive of it he came to the end he was there and it's like Scott Jurek and Carl Meltzer Carl Meltzer on the the Appalachian Way similar kind of thing really and that's what we do in ultra running is we support each other and whilst there is competition there we celebrate other people's achievements and John and you such decent guys there's never going to be any bad feeling about stuff like that is there? I hope not and John's been incredibly supportive and I mean what's amazing is when he's come over here he's really I think understood the community the running community and they've really embraced him quickly as well it's been one giant loving really I think it's been really nice I'll give you a choice here Stephen we can go back up the sting or we can sort of follow this path that's usually this is slightly longer just give it a little bit more time it's a little bit of a light isn't it let's do this let's do this one and you can take it easy on me well I was going to see if you want to try and run up it or not look if there's a segment up here you've got it there's no doubt about that I think my friend Carl always claims he's got it there must be a segment up here if there isn't I'll create one we'll get one I think there is it might happen during the race because well maybe not because everyone's knackered where were we we were talking about your relationship with John Kelly and how he's come over here and really fitted into the running community over here but I think also he's shaken things up a bit or at least for people like me because he thinks so ambitiously and goes hey I'm going to do not one round but all three all together have you been improving your cycling skills can't comment eight days after him that's the thing I love what he did but I'm just not passionate about cycling yeah you know all those cars on the roads yeah I don't really like it I'm just going to go this side because my arm's aching that's alright I'll hike nothing to do about the legs yeah they really this is steep guys and even if I was in a race I'd be walking up this yeah it's not I won't pretend I'm finding this easy but I try and make myself I try to make myself run it well I'm going to walk well if I wasn't being videoed I'd walk too but well look I'm not going to alright I'll walk I'm not going any faster yeah no it's been great having John here and I hope he's I hope he can get together for the future that sounds almost romantic no I don't think so I mean the chances are we'll both be doing similar races yeah because we I guess we're kind of similar athletes and that neither of us is going to do well at I don't know western states for example we both like the longer tougher ones so we'll probably be crossing over again as well and I guess I've heard a little bit about what he might be up to next and there might be more well I'll let Tim tell people what he's up to next oh yeah oh yeah it's a nice view that is a good view isn't it look at that yeah I feel very lucky it's a nice little valley so what's next Damien I mean in terms of your ambitions well I just want to whatever John does you want to just do it a week after him yeah yeah good question I mean I think this year has been probably really what's the word eye-opening probably for a lot of people in lots of ways and even on the very kind of trivial trivial level I think I found that I love the FKT record stuff possibly more than races so I could see myself I do have some ideas for next year and it'll probably be a if the races are on it'll probably be an even balance maybe like two races two FKT attempts so it has changed a bit the way I think about running I would say thought about it because you're in my head you're a very British runner have you thought about going to the States or going doing terroir in New Zealand or or even you know going and doing the Barclay some of those things appeal I must admit I did go over to try and do a Western States qualifier and that didn't go so well for very you know could be various reasons you know the travel over didn't go well and stuff like that but I think with Western States I mean I do like most people I enter every year but even if I got in I don't think it would oh sorry right I don't think it would actually suit me all that well I'm not like Tom Evans I'm not like a genuinely talented athlete I like I like of course that's the big lumps that I can hike up but you do have a 235 marathon PB which is nice to be sniffed at totally different well that's not bad but like people like Tom Evans are down in the 220s so that's quite a significant difference yeah so I don't see myself in that category so I would love to do Western States but I don't think I'd ever do that well there if I'm honest the heat as well I don't you know love so I think for me it is the lumpy so what about the lumpy races one of the three big trails in America any thoughts about doing those? yeah they do appeal did you note that there was a slight pause if you've ever studied psychology I have thought about those and of course they combine nicely with I suppose with my background as a tracker it becomes pretty much almost a hybrid movement you know it's half running half walking really yeah they do interest me but probably not for not for two or three years probably but they do interest me yes how does family life work? well the kids are a bit older now so it's fairly you know they're at school so that's a lot easier than it used to be or you know any new parent knows it's pretty tough to get your running in but I guess I found it enough you will find a way to get it in yeah but it's a lot easier nowadays you know yeah they're at school and they're sleeping through the night so it's it's alright yeah final question proper running underwear or just your normal underpants? no underwear this man is wrong on so many levels and no shorts it was a game changer for me when I found proper running underwear with no seams do they sponsor this show or something? she did give me a free pair of underwear once at the London Marathon Expo she said have a pair of underwear and it's changed your life well I did have a pair of ex-bionic underwear before that and yeah it really did have you thought about starting an underwear channel on YouTube? film my underwear that's an entirely different thing look I don't need to come on that one but I might watch we're done here we're out of here how far have we run? we have run oh god I don't even know I'm not even on the right page of my watch oh no we've done 9.7km he told me this was 10km I've been short changed by 300 metres what can we do? we've come down there well I'm going to run home it's been an absolute pleasure thank you so much once again you've basically just copied John Kelly but did you ask that question to John Kelly? actually no John if you're watching can you comment down below proper running underwear or just your normal pants or commando like Damien here that's it from film my run thank you very much for watching so much thanks to Damien for taking the time out and showing me that round his local running course and the rain has held off so I'm pleased about that any final thoughts? final words? well thank you for having me on I've enjoyed almost all of it till right at the end here I made him feel very uncomfortable it's my job take care see you again for another film my run bye bye you should make that the question at the end of all your that would be quite funny you started something you started Stephen you made me sweat mate I'll wear this jumper because I'm going to be a bit cold because we're not going to be running that fast sorry about that


M tripling. You remember, remember him? Yeah. All right. So maybe I could play it during make that pop up on the podcast. I feel like his music's not at a point where we'll get a strike or anything yet. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, we'll just have, we'll throw it up in post, right? Throw it up to the side, a tweet or something. But basically, this guy M tripling, he performed that role in loud. He, and there were only 13 people and it probably was, you know, a little bit more, a little bit less. But he made, he put out a tweet and said, perform that role in loud for 13 people. Got to start somewhere. Put the prayer hands up. Now, the beauty of this is he tweeted this. He could have just like felt all sad about himself. Dang, do I want to do this in life? All that good stuff. You know, people get down in the dumps. Instead, he tweeted it and he just said he was thankful. You know what I mean? Put prayer hands up, got to start somewhere that humility went viral where most people have been like, dang, that's a L.  Keep going. Keep trying. All that good stuff. I can go through some comments. Well, of course, you know, people start spamming it by now. Let's see. Where is he at? 11,000 retweets, 1,700 plus quote tweets, right? He went viral, flipping a moment that was a L into a positive just by putting it out there, making people aware. And then on TikTok, he basically talked about his viral tweet, right? So he said, right, one, I only performed for 13 people on Twitter, right? And because of that, he put that out there, that went viral. Then he did a TikTok. Yo, that moment became a viral moment. And now people know me. Right? So then he highlighted the fact that he was going viral in a different tweet.  Now, a lot of people know who we are. Now, we're talking about him right now. And it's all because he took an L and flipped it, period. So if you put a billboard out in the city, it's only going to be seen by so many people. But if you take a picture of that billboard, you put it on the internet. Now more people are going to see it, right? Yeah. You know what I mean?  I'm going to be on the corner of Euclid and X Street. I'm going to be handing out CDs, maybe doing a little performance. Who knows how many people come out? Five people come out. But I get that footage and I make it look lit like we had a good time together while we're out there.  Now people are talking about, yo, he did a unique crazy campaign. Who cares about how successful the campaign was itself a lot of times. It's just the story that you did something different. So like, the whole game, especially as an artist, you got to be resourceful and just keep flipping and flipping. That's what the marketing brand and stuff is about. Those stories are like badges where people like now know you, you are stamping their mind. And they say, I remember what he did this and it popped him off. That's that's kind of how you got to look at it. Yeah. Yeah. And two, I think like it's a it's like a marriage of those two worlds, right? Because I always think there's a battle between like digital marketing and then I don't know the word, but we're just gonna call it real world. Physical world is what Mark Zuckerberg. Like he doesn't like real world because of the whole metaverse like, no, that's the real world too. The physical world. So digital marketing versus like physical, physical world marketing. And it's like, I think that there are too many artists who fight for the physical that they're in denial. It's like the internet age, but I always tell the artist brother, yeah, I think about user behavior and what we prefer. And like as people, we prefer the internet. So we're not going back over here just because he was the artist feels like it is what it is, right? And as those who fight for the digital in the argument against digital is that like you can just become seen as like just an internet figure, right? Like people only kind of know you. It's the guy that the TikTok rapper, the YouTube rapper, right? Because they don't see you outside. I feel like the marriage of the best world is marrying both of those two things. Like when you can have a really effective ad funnel and you can go put together a pop up, you know what I'm saying, street performance on the street in your hometown, right?  When it's like, no, really, you just combine in things that people don't see get done in combination a lot.  And then it's like, if you really as an artist feel like that, you're going to be here for a while, or at least what I tell you, I think if you think you're going to be here, if you don't plan on like quitting anytime soon, like quitting anytime, I'll say in the next one or three years of you having the idea, the idea is going to work out because like you said, it becomes a part of the narrative, right? And as the narrative gets strong, as you do things, the narrative gets stronger because there's more time to add in things into the narrative, right?  And that's the narrative you run with in the moment. It's going to be inspirational to somebody. Somebody's going to be like, that's crazy, but you did all this to the five people and blah, blah, right?  Now to now it was like, man, it's crazy. Just last year, all I had was five people here. You know what I'm saying? Now I got 500. Thank you, guys, blah, blah. Now you look different, right?  In your town, none of that was like, man, it's crazy, man. Just three years ago, I performed on the corner for these five people. She even just a year ago, I came out here and there was only 500 people who came to see me. But today I'm looking at 3,000 smiling faces. It's like the narrative is crazy at that point, but it's a narrative you've been building for the last couple of years. You know what I'm saying? I don't think ours, like think about it. We fall in love with the story. That's all it is. Yeah, it's just a story, bro. And it takes a long time to put together a good story. Think about this, bro. Will Russell be doing what he's doing now if he performed those performances in his backyard, right?  We know he got some he got some lyrics, right? So it's just performances him doing his lyrics, right? Then he has some radio performances as well. So he has those backyard performances. He had the radio performances, dope freestyles. But what would happen if you didn't know that that was his backyard? Like how I feel about personally? Or just like what do I think? Would you even know about him or would he be as popping as he is? I don't think the story would be as strong or as strong. Because I think his brand seems to be leaning towards like the humble DIY guy. You know what I'm saying?  He gives off humble to you? Yeah. He don't give off humble to me. He gives off like I'm flexing.  I think now, like maybe in like like us, like, you know what I mean? Yeah. I think like maybe in the last like two, three weeks, but even in that, like it feels, I get why artists of that caliber feel like they have to move that way because it's still not as respected of a thing. You know what? There's that's a different type of humble. So there's two things, right? One, I always feel like the people who put in the work, hey man, you humble just put in the work because the people who don't put in the work are the ones who have had too big to think they don't got to do it, right? Then two, I don't know if it's humble or overcoming or not or being so about it. To me, LaRussell seems about his business that you don't care about all this fake perception and stuff that a lot of artists won't do stuff because they feel like that's my humble thing or I won't be seen as a certain perception. So like the hustlers are humbled because they know they got to do what they got to do to get what they got to get, right? That's why that's one thing why street artists, y'all complain about these street artists and street music, but boy, these street artists, hey, man, they, oh, I got to pay to do something.  Let me figure that out. Like I got to do X, Y, and Z. They hustle, but like back to LaRussell. All right. If you don't know what's his backyard, if you don't know that he's doing this campaign where you can pay whatever you want, all those things, despite what the numbers are doing, like you said, our story, then the fact he's doing them successful, successfully, that becomes even bigger story, right? And you share and you share. I think his project sold like, I don't know, it was like 1200 units or something. I don't know. I just saw the number and pass him, but like the fans don't even know if that's a big or a little number. They have to tell the story like that. Oh, this is amazing number for independent artists. You know what I mean? This is the top number for independent artists because that could sound little when you just think, oh, well, what did Kendrick Lamar sell? Or you don't, you buy it, you don't even know how much he sells. So it's your job to keep telling the story and make them aware of it. The story is, especially for Andy, like it is the superpower. It is the superpower. So, so you want Russell's killing that and this guy shout out to M tripling again for sharing your story and making a moment out of it, taking that L and flipping it, like whatever y'all paid to get on that stage, I'm sure it's worth it now. You know what I'm saying? Hey man, shout out, shout out to y'all. The last thing I'll say too about the N tripling things I meant to say earlier, but what I respected about that is that like, if you've been at any of these festival stages early enough to see the open ads, you know that's how it usually is anyway.  I respect him for doing that because like anybody that's ever been there, they already knew, bro. Hey, because what happens with everybody else?  Yeah, that's the game. That's the game. That's the game. And he flipped it by going against it and said, Hey man, it wasn't nobody here. Me and these 13 people, I was here and I had fun, bro.  That's crazy, man. That's crazy. It's like just not flexing becomes to flex when everybody flexing. Because I think music fans are starting to get trained to be entertained by the more like real side of what it is to be a music artist because there's more indie artists in there are, you know, like majorly popping artists, whatever term we want to call those. So like that's the real story of so many more people, you know, like it's the reality of it.  And then if you are in the game yourself, like you know, you already know, you maybe just won't highlight that moment of yourself, but every artist has has been through that at some point. You know what I'm saying? Like every artist I'm performing in front of 13 people. And I'm like, bro, you're rolling loud just because you're rolling loud, which I think is the biggest learning moment for a lot of artists, especially ones that pay for it. Like you said, like you said, a very important thing at the end.  But there are so many who go here and they're like, oh, it's rolling loud. Like it's gonna be, I don't know how many people go 50,000 people here. Somebody gonna come watch me. It's like, no, bro, that really might not because nobody knows what you are. Think about that. What are you gonna do with this content beyond this moment? Because this moment might not be as lucrative as you think it's gonna be.  So I think that's the most important thing because you're right. But if that hadn't happened, I mean, maybe he would have got the value from just having the experience, right? Yeah. Walking the stage.  Roll out does a good job. They stay so.  But yeah, he got easy. I would guess at least 20x return. Bro, I'd be hurt, man, if I was somebody who performed the same day or last year and I only have five people show up. I'm like, dang, bro, I should have did that. I was up here. So in my feelings, I didn't see the vision, man. I should have flexed about how few people showed up. Now you can't do it because he already did it. Like, oh, no, you just copy. If it was me, bro, I would have went home and made a YouTube video about the whole thing. Like, I paid. Well, I mean, I guess we can't, we shouldn't say that. We don't know. But we know. You know, I feel like we know, but we don't know. Yeah, it was a little bit. You know, but I would have made a video, but I perform for rolling out for the first time here.  Now that that can still happen. You can still do I perform first time, even if you not him. But if he has footage, that'd be dope to if you like, you know, peel back and then show that and kind of keep the thing going. That'd be dope. Yeah, bro. If you see this, like that was on the house. Do that. Do what I do.


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official good afternoon everyone I was advised to keep it brief as we want to miss terrain before the amen over there the preacher preachers over there the bootleg preachers over here and back and back and back there shade tree preacher back there so I'm what a wonderful exercise this has been in and in democracy in telling the story of the African seed and the American son in the way it's edifying and brings people together this has been the work of so many I know mr. Simons is gonna make sure we do all the proper recognitions of the folks who pull this together many of them you see up here behind me today I do want to thank Henry for his leadership and I know the city manager feels the very same way the importance that he's playing I think Henry's had had some connection almost every mirror we've done by the way some personal connection I think it says a lot about him and his family what they mean to to this city I want to give my thanks to the members of city council obviously we're in district ones and mr. Davis gets the first nod council woman divine council and men McDowell and the others who I think are not here but but this is the manifestation of a unanimous action of city council and I think that's so important to know that we have positive tensions we disagree sometimes we always disagree agreeably but on on this on taking the time to recognize the service of men and women who help make the city what it is and indeed push this city to become what it could be was so important my personal feelings about obviously about about Benjamin Mack mother September Clark and it's because it's always great when we when we have chances to see these murals and to think back on history and I love this mural in particular because of the role that Listerville Middleton played and in my development as a young man as a young man trying to understand his his place in space in the world he's a contemporary he was a leader and educator he's a strong man who who made sure that we all understood the internal power that we all had following men like Listerville Middleton A. C. Hilliard and all Shin hosts and others it helped me develop my sense of place and being able to become close to his family and serve as a as a as a brother to his son Bakari and others it's it's just been special and this one is especially special to me and I want to thank everyone for making this happen I'm going to take my seat and come back up when we are going to cut the ribbon I'm going to yield a microphone to my friend the man who's led this this district proudly without regard for form of function boldly aggressively always advocating for district one for the last 20 years my friend Sam Davis this is a special occasion and I had the opportunity to kind of go back and do some reading and to try and get a feel of whether or not my perceptions of the people that we give thanks to and honor were correct and just want you to know that I also have a kinship feeling with Listerville I found out that he spent his summers he grew up in St. Stephens and I spent my summers in St. Stephens and for all of you who do not know where St. Stephen South Carolina is it's way down there near Boogers woods as we call it in Berkeley County but I had some very good experiences there experience in the rural parts of South Carolina and got to pick cotton not I'm sorry pick watermelons and plant sweet potatoes and that sort of thing but the the main thing that caused me to focus on Roosevelt was that Listerville was that he had a saying that you know we should all look out for what's for what information is going into children's minds and heads we have a responsibility to be mindful of that because there's a battle going on for the minds of our young people that was then that argument is today and so that's part of the that's one of the benefits of native neighborhood not neighborhood redevelopment but the kinds of activities and the kinds of things that we support and the you support in these neighborhoods in the city of Columbia and that is taking care of one another making sure that people don't trash our neighborhoods and those kinds of things and so they were ahead of their time I had the opportunity of just passing the grand lady on the College of Charleston campus one day very humble as her biography says but so magnificent in her impact on the lives of so many people not just South Carolina not just Charleston not Georgia but all over this country again dealing with the minds and the education and the direction of people who become leaders in their own right over a period of time and the right Reverend impact around the country but most importantly again in this area in this community the Ridgewood Baptist Church children's programs they care again impacting the minds of young people who become future leaders that I think is the best gift the best outcome of all we've done in this venture and hope that you like I give thanks and appreciation for the people that we're celebrating today they prove their point they paved the way they planted the seeds and it's up to you and you and you to mix that all together into a nice southern brew called commitment friendship dedication and gratitude thank you of course my name is Henry Simons and I'm the assistant city manager for operations for the city of Columbia and as I have done at all three dedications I want to thank our mayor Steve Benjamin for his vision to see this work become a true reality throughout throughout the entire city it's amazing amazing work amazing experience so thank him so much for his continued leadership we are grateful to our entire council for endorsing and supporting this public art initiative many thanks to miss Teresa Wilson who's also here with us today sitting behind me for her leadership her support her guidance on this on this project thank you so much to our city manager today is the fourth and final public art dedication even though the formal dedications in after today these stories will be told to many in the immediate future and for years to come every time one of our citizens decide to spend time here at Hyde Park especially this generation there will be an opportunity to educate there will be an opportunity to honor and to recognize educators and civil rights leaders who are eloquently displayed behind me Benjamin Mack September Clark and Listerville Middleton today we recognize the pursuit of citizenship today we tell their stories today we recognize them as strong African-American leaders that were connected historically to their communities how they influence culture and impact society in such a profound way we celebrate their passion we celebrate their courage their commitment and their resilience during the civil rights movement this process could not be possible without the work and the partnership through the parks and recreation foundation we also partnered with dr. Bobby Donaldson who is the director of the civil center for civil rights history and research for the University of South Carolina and has worked as a professor there for over 20 years he will bring some remarks here in just a moment he is also the lead scholar for Columbia S63 our story matters which is a history initiative that chronicles the struggle for civil rights and social justice here in Columbia we have also partnered with Lou Snellgrove the executive director of one Columbia for arts and culture and Lee is also a member of the parks and rec foundation board in which he is helping us or has helped us with this project in that capacity we are very proud of this work that has been accomplished and more proud of the why and deciding to do this across our city want to acknowledge parks and recreation foundation board chair mr. Fred month who is with us today thank you so much for being here Fred also want to recognize mr. Jerry Selman who is also a parks and rec foundation board member for her presence on today as well I want to acknowledge our parks and recreation leadership team they are gathered throughout this park our high park leadership team all of those who help facilitate this work we're forever grateful for your commitment and dedication I want to say to you if you are connected to the Middleton Clark or Mac family in any way whether you experience going to church with them you are a relative please stand and be acknowledged by the community at this time if you're connected in any way thank you so much we honor you today through your families we appreciate your your presence today we did have an opportunity to meet miss Middleton listen to Middleton's wife on yesterday she cannot be here today but we're grateful for our interaction with her on yesterday she took time to come out here we took some pictures she did an interview for us and she is very thankful for the recognition of her husband so we're grateful for that interaction special thanks to Charmaine Mini Field our featured artists for capturing the very essence of what we asked for thank you so much for for your work on this project again thank you for your presence today now this time the true historian himself will come and bring some remarks please help me welcome Dr. Bobby Donaldson thank you very much Henry good afternoon everyone welcome to the reconstructed Hyatt Park Councilman Davis it is work in progress as we gather here today I want to thank Henry Lee Snow Grove the City Council Mayor Benjamin and the Parks and Recreation Foundation for this extraordinary initiative Columbia SC 63 was established in 2013 at that time we assumed that this project would be one year in the making and we would conclude but today is a reminder of why this work is so incredibly needed I would like to preface my remarks by taking you to a moment in 1937 it was a meeting of the Association for the Study of Negro Life in History established by Dr. Carter G. Woodson the president of that organization was a woman from the small community of Mazeville South Carolina her name was Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Dr. Bethune said the following words during the midst of the Great Depression if our people are to fight their way out of bondage we must arm them with the sword and the shield belief in themselves and their possibilities based upon assured knowledge of the achievements of the past we must tell our story from the cradle to the grave from kindergarten to college we must do so at whatever cost even if it breaks the very back of the kingdom this public art initiative joins in the tradition of Carter G. Woodson and Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune in telling the story to new generations today we gather in this space to tell the story of a woman who was regarded as the mother of a civil rights movement septima poinsett Clark born in Charleston in 1898 between 1929 and 1947 many do not know that Ms. Clark spent those years in Columbia South Carolina where she taught at the fame Booker T. Washington High School the Celia Dow Saxon Elementary School and the old Howard School and there are men and women today in their 80s and 90s who remember her vividly as a teacher. Ms. Clark when she was fired from her job for being a member of the NACP continued to teach. She established a program called the Citizenship Schools through the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. One of her students at the Highlander Folk School in the early 1950s was a woman named Rosa Parks. Ms. Clark was also a very proud graduate of Benedict College and in 1975 she delivers the commencement address at Benedict and the title of her address was quote beyond chaos a new history for a new generation. Among the individuals who came under the influence of Mrs. September Clark was a gentleman who was a strong anchor here in this community. His name was Benjamin J. Mack who also is a graduate of the Booker T. Washington High School. Deacon Mack or Professor Mack was a prominent member of the Ridgwood Church. At one point he lived on Dixie Avenue and another point he lived on Monticello Road and then his final home on Ridgway Street just doors away from its church. Through the work of Ms. Glenys Pearson and the Richland County Conservation Commission a few years ago we were able to install a historical marker at the doorsteps of Deacon Mack's home. Deacon Mack was also very active in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He was very active in voter registration and voter participation and outreach. He helped to organize the 1963 March on Washington. He helped to organize the Poor People's Campaign of 1968 but he was also extremely passionate about the need to teach history. Deacon Mack saw no separation between citizenship and history. These are his words that he wrote in the late 1960s. He said I am disgusted with the history in our public schools. He said we need to do something about it. If we organize good political power we can start dealing with the school boards. We can control our own education. We can learn Negro history in the schools. We can teach the great spirit of the civil rights movement and create a desire to learn more about ourselves and prepare our children for a good life.  But they'll also know the story of another passionate champion of history. Born in Berkeley County, South Carolina in 1952. Most people never imagined that young boy who grew up on the farm would become a phenomenal journalist known around the country. In 1977, Listevelt Middleton began the popular program for the people, which exposed viewers to the history of African American life and culture and the history of Africa itself. He published a number of books, including one famously named Fatback and Caviar. Mr. Middleton's life came to an end far too soon. He died at the age of 45 years old in 1996. But prior to moving to Blythewood, Mr. Middleton lived only a few blocks from where we are today on Lark Avenue near the Hyatt Park Elementary School. And there in that home, which is still standing, he taught regularly African and African American history. As Mr. Simon's mentioned on yesterday, we gathered here with Mrs. Ernestine Middleton to reflect on this mural. And while we were here, some members of the parks and recreation staff, they were watching and looking at the mural. And they kept saying, who is that? Who is that? Could this be so and so?   I thought about a passage from the Book of Revelation. There's a moment there where John the Revelator is sent off to the Isle of Patmos, and he sees visions of people of every tribe, nation, and language. And here comes the rain. And John looks and says, who are these people? Who are these people?  And John said, these are they who've come out of great tribulation. These are they who've been washed in the blood of the Lamb. Today we come to honor and to celebrate those who endured great tribulation and left a lasting imprint in the city of Columbia. Thank you very much. Since we are getting the rain, I'll be very quick, which was my intent anyway, because it's always hard to follow Dr. Donaldson. So before we started this project, I knew very little of the Midjim and Mack or Lesterville, Middleton, and only some about Ms. Septima Clark. But thanks to this project and this mural, I've obviously learned those stories. And that's what public art does, is it allows us to tell the stories we want to tell about ourselves and who we are as Colombians and why what these stories are important. And we focus on these people so it can teach us and it can honor people for doing good work and it can be beautiful and it can enhance the built environment of our city. Public art in our neighborhoods can tell important stories about who we are, what we care about, and what we want others to know about us. And public art displays how people come together. We all came together as a team to accomplish this and create this project. So I want to thank the mayor, council, the city administrator, certainly thanks to Dr. Donaldson and Mr. Simons. Thanks to the Hyatt Park community for their involvement in this and other North Columbia communities that all work together. Thank you to Todd Martin and Ebony Kelly, staff members that really helped me coordinate all these projects together. And certainly thanks to individual park staff members for the resources and time they dedicated to making this installation go smoothly, particularly Mr. Todd Jackson who operated the Lyft for the artists and spent many hours out here with them working. So I'll say special thanks to Charmaine Minnefield, Sienna Minnefield, and Ariel Flowers of the New Freedom Project for their work on this mural and I'll introduce them so they can come up and say a few words before we have to scatter. Okay, I am only going to say how awesome it is to return back to Hyatt Park to do another wall with you all. And this time with my next generation, I only came and put the details on. They had put all of this paint and all of this color on before I came and this was my chance to pass the baton to them in their career just like these educators did for the next generation. This, I want to at least also introduce my organization, The New Freedom Project. The theme of this wall and this project and in terms of a public art initiative for a community is right in keeping with the mission of our organization. The New Freedom Project preserves black narratives in changing communities. So what we do is we, we erect monuments like these or create programming, cultural programming that allows us to celebrate the history of African-American people in this country. So we have walls, a lot of our walls are in Atlanta, but we also have a wall in Brooklyn where we were featured in the census commercial of 2020 and our other wall here in Hyatt Park is next to the community garden as you approach. So that's the New Freedom Project. Also about the design, the the fabric that you're seeing is Ankara African fabric, West African fabric, and that's an ode to African or African origins as in terms of black history, but also it's it's it's inspired by a freedom quilt and I know some of my elders know about freedom quilts. The design itself with the diagonal lines is a gesture of the bowtie design in freedom quilts which was an indication of you should dress nicely or you should you should prepare for the journey in a certain way. And so I feel like in order to reference the the history of education and passing the baton of leadership in terms of civil rights and and civic duty that we want to pass to the young people we we are messaging to them to prepare for the journey. So that's what this is. It's actually is a a painting of a freedom quilt and the portraits were actually done by one of our artists Ashley Dobson who is an an Atlanta artist was a who wasn't able to be with us today and a little bit more about our presence here in Colombia. We've been hosted by the arts community here and in true fashion of how the artists function in community we we work together we worked right on the ground together. Where are we going to stay? We stayed with artists. Where are we going to eat? We ate with artists. We were we were supported by the the the vibrant arts community that is Colombia and that was the same with the Hyatt Park Mirror before. We were part of Indie Grits Festival but this time we were hosted by a Ronnie Nicole Henderson who is an amazing renowned filmmaker. I'm not sure if you know of Ronnie Nicole. She's a Colombia artist and my my project manager for this project is also Ariel Flowers her daughter so raise your hand raise your hand yes yes yes and again my my next generation Sienna really put the paint on this wall this is really their wall so I want you to both to stand up and just if y'all can just give them some love. I have been in Africa for a year I was quarantined I was there visiting and my flight was due back March 16th and my flight was canceled and I was there for a year as a result and when I got off the plane I came straight to Colombia and I painted that wall with my with my baby who I had been missing all that time so this wall means a lot to all of us thank you so much. Thank you thank you so much for your for your remarks we're going to have our mayor come and give us our closing remarks but before he does I do want to acknowledge Mr. Ty Ziegler the neighborhood association president I think he was with us earlier there is Ty thank you so much for you all your presence on today and your support as well. I do apologize for I couldn't control the weather so I'm sorry that some of you all got your hair wet I apologize for that but thankfully we're all set up on the inside so without further ado I'm going to turn it over back over to Mayor Benjamin. My hair is destroyed my one good suit but all worth it just as I know Deacon Mack, mother September Clark and Lissabelle Millerton work to teach young people every single day is that God gives us all very special gifts and science and the arts and religion and leadership whatever it happens to be once we find that gift it's it's it's our duty to use that gift to benefit all of us and I just really want to thank Charmaine and your wonderful team of leaders for sharing your gift with the people of Columbia it will pay dividends for generations yet to come.


The Minnesota Senate has passed a handful of measures aimed at loosening restrictions on childcare providers. The push comes following lawmakers' concerns that certain regulations are leading to a shortage of childcare facilities, especially in rural areas. A handful of measures relaxing restrictions on training and licensing requirements overwhelmingly cleared the Senate today. According to the Department of Human Services, the number of family providers dropped from nearly 11,000 in 2011 to less than 9,000 in 2016. Senator Bill Weber, a Republican from Laverne, says onerous requirements are causing many providers to close. The bill would tweak several licensing requirements for providers, including the ability for regulators to license more childcare workers with outside experience. Similar measures have been introduced in the House. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.