Running Rugger Spreads

Running is not at the top of the list of favorite things for Ram Eddings.

In fact, these days the 44-yearold Denver resident does whatever he can to avoid lacing up his running shoes and going out for a jog. Which seems odd for a guy who spent nearly 100 days last summer jogging his way across the United States.

“Put it this way, don’t sit down in a Jacuzzi and drink scotch,” Eddings said. “Some wild ideas come to your head.”

Eddings climbed out of the Jacuzzi and told his wife the idea.

“She said it sounded good to her,” Eddings said. “I was hoping she’d talk me out of it.”

So, he decided to start running. “When I say I’m going to do something, it’s important to me that I follow through,” Eddings said.

But there was still the question of why he wanted to do this. Let’s just say the sport of rugby made him do it.

Eddings, who is with the Denverbased Grey Wolves Rugby Club, said he felt he needed to do his part in selling the sport he loves to the United States.

He began his trek July 17 from Los Angeles with a backpack full of necessities and his buddy, Xentho Hatton, alongside.

“The original plan was for (the run) to be a relay with ruggers all the way across the country participating,” said Eddings, who is an 18-year veteran of the sport. “That didn’t exactly work out.”

Hatton dropped out in Las Vegas and Eddings kept on going. At times, he was joined by friends and fellow rugby players, but much of the time he either ran or walked alone. There was very little media coverage, so Eddings spread his cause pretty much by word of mouth.

“I went through a lot of emotions,” admitted Eddings, who financed the trip himself.

“But every time I got really down a kid would come along and lift my spirits. I remember I was in a small town in Utah and I felt like I’d had it. I thought, ‘When I get to the next town, I’m going home.’ Then this kid of about 17 comes by to see me. He was calling me ‘The Walking Man’ and telling me to keep going. In fact, he bought me dinner that night. I couldn’t stop after that.”

Eddings, who slept in motels nearly every night and rested nearly two weeks in Denver, didn’t stop for good until he was standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

“The end was sort of anticlimactic,” Eddings said. “It wasn’t like it was a big hurrah. It just kind of ended. But the important thing was we publicized rugby.”

His traveling days didn’t start and certainly haven’t ended with his long-distance run. In 1991, Eddings, an African American, helped form the Grey Wolves, a national club comprised of minority players. Each of the players have their home club, but they get together a few times a year to play and promote minority participation in the sport.

A big part of the game weekends is the time club members spend meeting with local kids.

“They deal a lot with at-risk kids,” said Mike Tracy of the Belmont Shore Rugby Club. “The great thing is the kids will listen. Most of these guys have been where the kids are now.” The club has traveled to various spots the past few years, including a visit to a Lawton, Okla., Indian reservation last spring.

“We talk to the kids about everything,” said Eddings, who is a youth counselor at a YMCA in Denver. “We talk about education, talk about diversity, talk about violence, generally talk about life. We try to show them that they can participate in a sport like rugby. Too many times these kids think that their only (sports) outlets are basketball, baseball and football.”

One day in Southern California, several members of the Grey Wolves spent the day talking to students at two high schools. One night, the club held a banquet attended by several students from local schools.

“The banquet is something we do wherever we go,” Eddings said. “We ask the schools to recommend kids to invite and we honor them with plaques.”

The Grey Wolves also invite the kids to come and watch them play. But Eddings, who spends his time mainly coaching these days, probably will be content to stay on the sidelines.

“My biggest fear is our fly-half (Eddings’ position) won’t show up,” joked Eddings. “Then I’d have to play. That would be too much running for me.” the word on his sport