Around the time of his graduation from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota with a bachelor's degree in Communication studies in 2003, David Christof began thinking seriously about his life. He came up with this mission: to make a positive difference in someone else's life. After obtaining a master's in college counseling and student development, David became a first-year adviser at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He fulfills his mission every day by giving sincere compliments, making others smile and offering a helping hand to his student-residents, as well as to the larger community, especially as a Big Brother and mentor to 14-year-old Karsten.

David was born in Prague, Czech Republic, and moved to the United States when he was 18 years old. He has lived in Michigan, Minnesota, and, since July 2005, Ohio. He was a mountain biker when he lived in the Czech Republic. His running career began in high school when he came to the United States and joined the cross-country team. Soon David's passion was marathons.

David heard about the Blue Planet Run from a running-club email. When he went to the Run's Web site, he was instantly hooked. He cites "a higher cause," running and traveling the world as the three main things about the Blue Planet Run that personally touched him. He was also motivated by his belief that it is his responsibility as a human being to help others. David is inspired by anyone who has overcome any type of adversity, whether he or she is a moral leader, an athlete or an everyday person. He believes that we all have courage and strength in us and that it is truly inspiring to see people use these qualities to overcome misfortune.

For David, preparing for the monumental Blue Planet Run is less about physical training than it is about mental toughness, flexibility and a positive attitude. Most marathons are about speed, but the Blue Planet Run involves endurance, persistence and drastic terrain and culture change. David is consciously thinking about what lies ahead of him and has deep faith in his abilities.

If David could have any superpower, it would be the ability to spread goodwill: "I honestly believe that with goodwill, monumental achievements are possible. Just look at us: We're going to motivate the world to care more about the very basic — access to good drinking water. If I was not making a positive difference in others' lives, I would not be living my own life well."

Besides being a humanitarian and an amazing athlete who enjoys yoga, biking and swimming, in addition to running, David also listens to the Oldies, drinks pomegranate juice and calls Ishmael by Daniel Quinn his favorite book.

Update after the Run:
Upon completing the 2007 Blue Planet Run, David returned to his job as a First Year Adviser at Miami University in Ohio (USA). As he works with students in the residence halls, most of them now jovially tease him: "We know David, water is life." He is actively engaged in promoting safe drinking water by talking to individuals and presenting to student organizations, classes, and running clubs. After he took some time to recover from the Run, he started training for his first ultra, as well as the BPR 24 trail series. He misses all his friends from the Run and keeps looking for other adventures to fill his yearning soul.

Contact David to have him come speak to your group:
dchristof@blueplanetrun.org
513-255-5880

Regions to present: Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana (by car) Anywhere in the US (if host willing to cover flight expenses)