Saturday morning came and I was starting to get excited about running with the American Flag on Saturday evening. I was scheduled to run with the American flag for about half a mile on Rio Grande and Mountain at about 6:30pm. I had already made up my mind to run from 4th and Montano to Civic Plaza with the other runners along the way. I had my two boys that day and was explaining to them as best I could about the Americans United Flag Run.

I told them that I would take them to Grandma and Grandpa's and they could watch the runners come by with the American Flag. That's another story in itself. The route was going down Griegos road to Rio Grande and my parents live on Griegos. I was really excited about this Americans United Flag Run. Imagine my feelings when I am looking at the route for Americans United Flag Run to see where I would join the run and It's going right in front of my parents' house. What a rush.

Well there were several runners waiting at the Walgreen's on 4th and Montano. We were all kinda excited and nervous, but it was a good feeling. The runners and the flag were supposed to be at Walgreen's on 4th at about 5:15pm. It was getting close to the drop off time and then 5:15 came and went. Now we were starting to panic, because we heard they turned south on 2nd street instead of going to 4th street. One of the husbands who had a wife running on the route came by and said they were already getting ready to leave on their way to Griegos. We all scrambled and jumped into some vehicles and drove over to 2nd street. When our car got there, they were starting to run. We caught up to the runners and we were on our way.

We had a fire truck, and a police escort and vans for the Americans United Flag Run in front of us and behind us. People with flags and signs were in different spots along the way cheering us on. Traffic was slowing down and stopping to honk and cheer us on. What an awesome feeling. I thought it was the most inspiring feeling that I could ever have.

I was wrong. When I was carrying the American Flag in front of my Parents house with my boys, Marcus and Nicholas, my Mom and Dad and my brothers and nieces and friends all there cheering. Now that was like running on a cloud , a Red White and Blue cloud. It made me proud to be an American and be able to be a part of this "Journey Through the Spirit of America."

The rest of the run to Civic Plaza seemed to take only minutes. There was only about five or six of us running down Griegos and Rio Grande. We had a close group of runners and we talked and we helped each other out carry the American and the New Mexico Flag. Once we got to Old Town a large group of Firefighters and kids joined us. They each took turns running with the flag on the way to Civic Plaza. I could only explain how inspiring it was to be there, but you had to be there to experience the feeling.

God Bless America
Freddy Mora

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