Mr. Treadmill running to gain attention … for others

And even if he broke the Guinness Book of World Records mark for miles run on a treadmill earlier today, the airman from Altus still won’t be widely known.

That’s just fine with him.

Brustad made his treadmill attempt at the Downtown Sheraton this week not because he wanted to see his name in the record books. He didn’t do it to grab attention. He didn’t do it to make headlines.

Truth is, he’s probably a little squeamish about all the attention he’s been getting. A column that I wrote earlier this week about Brustad snagged tens of thousands of hits on the internet. Among internet sensations, he’s not that gal from “Britain’s Got Talent” but the crazy guy on a treadmill has definitely created a buzz.

Thing is, Brustad would be doing cartwheels about the attention if that were possible while running on a treadmill. That’s because attention for his efforts is attention for the 168 victims of the Oklahoma City bombing. That’s who he’s been running for, after all.

He’s been running in their memory. He’s been running for the most noble of causes.

He’s been running for all the right reasons.

Brustad, by the way, isn’t a native of Oklahoma. He grew up in New York state and only moved here a few years ago. But the bombing memorial struck a chord with him. The 168 victims motivated him to run 168 miles from Altus to Oklahoma City last year. It also motivated him run for a week — 168 hours.

He calls his efforts the 168-4-168.

And frankly, it would be difficult to do what Brustad did if you only had selfish motives. If you were only moved by personal gain, I don’t think you could run 60-plus miles a day on a treadmill.

Have you ever tried to spend even an hour on a treadmill? It’s boring with a capital B.

But Brustad spent hour after solitary hour on a treadmill. He did it all in the name of those bombing victims. He did it all for the right reasons.

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