Nick Derheimer Running Richmond to Terre Haute for charity!

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

Hey, let's go to the hotline, really cool story. Nick Derheimer joins us. Nick is running basically from Richmond to Terre Haute. I think it's like around 155 miles or so.

His goal is to do this in 36 hours. It's for an amazing cause. Nick, how are you doing?

Nick Derheimer (0:20)

I am doing well, how are you guys?

SPEAKER_1 (0:23)

We're doing great, so walk me through why you want to run from Richmond to Terre Haute in 36 hours. What's the reason behind this, Nick?

Nick Derheimer (0:34)

Yeah, well, I mean, because two years ago, I didn't think I could do it. I couldn't imagine even running down the road and back. And actually, about two years ago this time, I tried to do that. I ran a mile down the road and I had to have my wife come pick me up because I wasn't going to make it back to the house.

So just living. I lived a life so polar opposite the other direction. We've all probably been there at some point in our life. But after college, I just was living a very unproductive life. And we had our first son. And I knew I needed to step up and be a role model for him. So I decided to be a healthier husband and father. And that turned into this crazy venture.

SPEAKER_1 (1:20)

This is an amazing story. So in addition to the health benefit, there's also a pretty cool charity tie in.

Talk to me about the charity group that you're working for.

Nick Derheimer (1:34)

Yeah. And originally this was, it was just going to be just a project for myself to do internally. And I was going to pick a county road in Northern Indiana. But I decided all this time, it takes a lot of time training for something like this. And I wanted to make that time worthwhile.

So, yeah, I wanted to pick a charity to raise money for. And I'm a deacon at our local church, and we give to a charity called Isaiah 117 House. And basically, they take kids that are about to enter the foster care system. They just got the call from DCS and would normally have to sleep on like a DCS office floor or something overnight if they weren't able to find placement. And Isaiah 117 House has different homes across the state and across the country where DCS can take these kids and they basically just love on them. They pack a bag for them, give them everything they need plus some. You should see, we went and do a house and we got to visit. Just feels like an Airbnb for little kids, Xboxes for the older kids and toys for the younger kids and just everything a child could want to feel loved on their worst day.

Nigel (2:48)

You know, Nick, I know the foster care system needs some serious work in this state. And I know this personally from some other people that are involved with kind of the same thing you are. But I just, you know, I don't know where to start here. I like go back for a second and talk about how out of shape you were.

Maybe a little inspire me a little bit more to, because I've been thinking about taking up something like the venture that you are, not like running from Richmond to Terre Haute, but running and jogging is a big deal. And if you don't do it on a regular basis, it's hard. And now all of a sudden, you're running from Richmond to Terre Haute.

Nick Derheimer (3:34)

Yeah. So when my wife met me, we graduated college in 2019

I went to Indiana State on a football scholarship, and I played offensive line. I got hurt my freshman year, but after college, I didn't lose that offensive line weight and didn't really care to. I was happy being a big guy until I had a boy, and I realized he had someone that I was going to be the direct example for him.

Nigel (4:07)

That'll change you, man. You're going to have to keep up with that kid.

Nick Derheimer (4:11)

Yes, and I couldn't get on the floor to play with him, and I was getting wind of getting back up. Yeah, so that's what starts it, right? And I'd get up, I'd just tell myself, after I tried to be a hero and go run two miles the first run, I just made sure I did small, consistent acts every single day. And I think that's where people go wrong, is they try to do like I did and say, I'm going to go run a couple of miles and then it hurts or it's terrible, and you discourage yourself and you quit. But I told myself every single day, I'd get out the door, and I did that for two straight years. I wouldn't miss, I'd let myself miss a day, but I would never miss more than two days because then it would create a pattern.