Marathons originated as a Greek rite of passage that depicted messengers who delivered news back to their communities during time of war. During modern day competitions, the lore of those messengers has turned into a global event that measures 106 laps or 26.2 miles.

On May 8, Skunkworks Impact Team elevated the traditional sport by making the journey a team-shared, therapeutic event that improved self through group interactions within a healing circle that was designed to have each member participate in a cumulative 26.2 commitment — running one group lap at the beginning and the end of the healing journey, after each participant carries their own baton for a lap after sharing some of their most intimate secrets.

“I never realized the strength in community healing,” said resident Cassandra Evans who participated in the marathon called “The Distance We Carry.” “And running, with support, after pouring out my soul was not like running away, instead I was running toward healing.”

Evans portrayed the spirit of the event that was marketed by Skunkworks as a part symbolic journey, part public storytelling, and part ceremony of witness, which took the shape of a 26.2 mile relay. Throughout the relay, Skunkworks hoped participant discovered they were not just carrying a relay baton, but the story of their life.

The compassion of the event was seen in the story of resident Tony Haro, who shared his traumas that, he believed shaped his criminal life that led to his 59-year sentence.

“I was never supposed to be born,” said Haro. “The coyote who brought my mom across the border raped her. That’s how I came into this world.”

Haro spoke about his transformation that has happened to him while he’s been a participant of Skunkworks. “God, growth [and] the slow realization that I could be more than my past,” said Haro. “Programs like Skunkworks weren’t just about time — they were about transformation.”

Haro also revealed the beatings and showed the scars he received from his stepfather before he wound up in foster care. The violence and abandonment he faced early in his life led his to choose gang life for the nurturing validation he sought. He acquired the nickname Joker and his chosen lifestyle led him into a bloody street war in West L.A., giving him his 59-year sentence. Haro said what broke him during the event was when the circle’s volunteer, a young woman, can to hug him after his share. Haro had to stop her, saying, “No, I’m sorry — we’re not allowed to hug…It’ll always be the hug I never got.”

As Skunkworks prepares to expand the event to other prisons throughout the state, their mission statement for The Distance We Carry insists the event is not a performance, but a rite of passage that helps their team grow as leaders — from the inside out.

Program leaders hope their marathon becomes a healing circle system-wide that re-builds character that is stripped during the incarcerated resident’s journey through the penal system; they strive to restore every resident’s dignity, purpose and trust in people by visibly showing the incarcerated can indeed change.

Skunkworks also instills a belief that leadership can, “come from those society threw away.”

Through the physicality of the event, Skunkworks creates a traditional rite of passage that centers on truth, public witnessing, and the embodiment of transformation. In sharing individual stories at a deeper level the program hopes the participants also grow in courage, connection, movement, witness, and integration.

Each participant shared aspects of their lives and the difficult choices they had to make before collectively honoring the entire circle through the emotional, rhythmic voice, empathetic witnessing and movement into strength and forgiveness.

Near the end of the emotional transforming day 27 resident men, one resident woman and four outside volunteers circled the track as the first participants of The Distance We Carry.

As they circled the track together they forever added a peaceful rendition to marathons that were created during times of war.

With the peaceful marathon and healing circle, Skunkworks healed many by taking them through 106 laps of transformation.