Meet Roman, Team Union Gospel Mission Resident Member

“HIGH KNEES 2-3-4-5-6-7-8” bellows Roman from the middle of a circle of about 30 runners bopping up and down on a basketball court. “TRUNK TWISTS!” This is the scene each Tuesday and Thursday morning outside of Union Gospel Mission in Downtown St. Paul, a shelter and treatment program for adult men. Small groups of guys smoking cigarettes while waiting for the cafeteria to open look on in curiosity. “BUTT KICKS!”

Roman and his co-captain Dillon are in charge of leading the group in warmups. They are the first two Team Captains of the 2025 Mile in My Shoes season at Team UGM, a role that is earned by demonstrating commitment and leadership qualities - and one that came as a surprise to Roman. 

“It was a shock to be honest, being asked to be captain. I’ve never been a captain. But you all saw something in me that maybe I didn’t see. It is an honor, and a role that I’ve enjoyed.

As captain, you need to show up every day to lead. But to be honest, I was already determined to show up every day no matter what. Two years ago, I wouldn’t have thought about running - it would’ve been far from my mind. But I came to the program to change, to work on being a different person. And to do that, you need to do things differently than before. So I’m trying to do things that are different - not just different, but positive.

I have four kids, they are all grown up now. But I was a truck driver, and I had to be away from my kids a lot, which was hard. You lose time; I was a ‘weekend dad’. I got two DWIs when I was driving trucks, and I lost my livelihood. I got depressed, and the drinking got worse, and because I was hurt, I pushed everyone away. I hurt a lot of people and I have to make amends, but first I have to focus on myself. And being a part of MiMS is a part of that. 

When I first heard about the team, I wanted to join because I wanted to try something totally different than what I’d done before. Where I grew up in Milwaukee, no one I knew really ran like that. Hard no! I played basketball when I was younger but I stopped, gained a lot of weight, was not in shape. I’d had moments where I’d tried to get back into fitness, lifting weights, but I didn’t have enough discipline - I didn’t stick with it. 

When I came out for the first run, I admit I thought to myself ‘Why did I sign up for this again?’ It was rough, I was tired, but I was also happy and determined to see it through. There were a lot of smiles, and the hugging - that was different! But I was happy I was doing it.

I’ve never participated in something like this before, and I will admit I can be slow to trust. I did not want to be pitied. As Members, we want to know if a relationship is real. We come from different backgrounds and different walks of life, and trust has to happen on both sides - you have to have an open mind. I’ve never been a part of a group like this before, you know? In the past, I kept my connections to people I had business with, or who lived around me. Now, I’m opening up about my past with you all and I do feel safe to express my feelings and views but that wasn’t automatic.  It had to be earned.

Through MiMS, I am making connections with people who I might have been hesitant to be involved with before - I am stretching my horizons. And it is clear that what you all do comes from the heart - not just to clear your conscience - and that’s what keeps a lot of us running.  I like people who care, and it seems like y’all love one another, and care about us all and that means a lot. 

I’m going home to visit my children on Father’s Day and I am excited to tell them about my running, and about completing the Downtown Run Around 5K - I’m part of an exclusive group now! I haven’t told them about it because I don’t think they’d have believed me, but now I’ll have pictures to show them! My family will be proud and surprised that I have done this. It will show them that I am trying to change my life around. 

Before starting MiMS, I wanted to feel better about myself - now I do. I wanted to DO something different than I’d ever been before - and I have. I wanted to be healthier - and I am. I have a three year old grandson, and I’d love to take him running some day. I plan for this to be something that I stick with long after I leave here.”