Jared Plasberg admits he was just “going with the flow” when it came to practicing his faith.
But a dramatic change was about to occur when he signed up to attend the diocesan Quo Vadis vocations camp in Emmittsburg, Md., in 2019. “There weren’t any thunderstruck moments,” said the 23-year-old who graduated from Christendom College in Front Royal last year. “But I started reading books after the camp about the priesthood and different aspects about the faith, the Mass and the Eucharist. It was a series of small ways that God has been working in my life the past few years.”
The last six years have been anything but small for the 6-foot-5-inch Plasberg. He spent a month with the Carthusians of Grande Chartreuse, France, last summer and was invited to return in August for a follow-up visit to discern a vocation as a cloistered monk. “It’s just been many quiet moments of God revealing himself to me,” he said.
No one close to him was surprised to learn that the soft-spoken young man departs Feb. 19 to run 3,000 miles across the country — from San Diego to Kill Devil Hills, N.C. — to support the Front Royal Pregnancy Center. “When he puts his mind to something, there’s no stopping him,” said his mother, Pam Plasberg. “His phrase is, ‘I’ll figure it out, don’t worry.’ ”
Plasberg is taking a monk-like approach to the run. Many ultra-marathon runners crossing the continent have multiple sponsors and are accompanied by a team of medical experts, coaches and massage therapists. Plasberg has a friend who’s pledged to help, but he’s doing it mostly alone, pushing a baby stroller filled with extra food, drink and equipment.
“In my training, I’ve been doing my best to get used to the loneliness and the boredom — not listening to music while I run and just being alone with God,” said Plasberg. “The physical pain and injuries are going to be difficult, but you must accept that most days you’re probably not going to feel like getting up and running.”
His only ultra-marathon experience was running non-stop 100 times around the Christendom campus, totaling 100 miles. Plasberg expects to average 30 miles per day over 115 days. He will attend Mass whenever possible. “That’s been another part of the planning,” he said. “I have a spreadsheet of all the churches and Mass times in each town along the route.”
He credits the spiritual disciplines of praying the Liturgy of the Hours and the rosary, and attending daily Mass and adoration, for helping him train while working full-time as a FedEx delivery driver. “Doing those things impacts you in a deep way,” explained Plasberg. “It manifests in the way you interact with people. So, instead of thinking, ‘I can’t wait for this terrible day to be over,’ I can go through the day with Jesus and be present with him instead of trying to white-knuckle my way through.”
He will pray for the mothers and unborn children who visit the pregnancy center, and for anyone else requesting prayer as he grinds out the miles. “The spiritual aspect of praying for people is an important part of this journey,” said Plasberg. “This is not just a physical feat of endurance. It is an opportunity to pray for others.”
Father Bjorn C. Lundberg watched him grow up as an altar server at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Winchester. “There’s something special about him and it wasn’t shocking when I heard he wanted to do this,” said Father Lundberg, pastor. “In this day and age, when there’s so many things to discourage people, it’s impressive to see someone with such dedication and hard work, using his talent to do something to make a difference for women who are in crisis. We’re proud of him and we’re praying for him.”
Understanding and feeling deeply how God values every life has been one of the greatest revelations for Plasberg since his life changed in 2019. “I heard stories about the impact that the pregnancy center was having on real people,” he said. “This is not about politics. I want this run to be about the dignity of treasuring every human life.”
