Barefoot Runner Shares UC Experience

Cincinnati Enquirer/Gary Landers

While attending the University of Cincinnati, my husband had the pleasure of running on the same track and field team as Alex Ramsey, one of the most insightful people you will ever meet. While you may not know him, you may remember Alex as the runner who completed the Flying Pig Marathon...barefoot.

I recently had a chance to catch up with Alex and he reflected on his UC experience. Alex, a 2009 graduate of the College of Business, currently lives in Haiku, Hawaii and he's still running barefoot!

What were some of the most memorable experiences you had at UC?
Skating around Clifton, competing against Ohio State, and interacting with different cultures all made my experience at UC memorable. I spent the majority of my collegiate life as an athlete. I was a part of a remarkable family of men and women who called themselves the UC Track & Field team. We traveled the country together, woke up for morning runs at 6:30 a.m., and slept on buses, all the while enjoying each other's quirky company.

How did UC transform your life?
Being around so many tremendous people who had aspirations for greatness really transformed me into a no-limit person. On campus, I could converse with a mechanical engineer, spit story with a graphic designer, or get inspiration from an opera student singing passionately as I walked past CCM. Those interactions were unique. Inside me grew a connection to these various souls. I take them with me wherever I go.

What makes you proud to be a graduate of UC?
My source of pride comes from being a member of a community that prizes education for the foundation of progress. With education we realize we have choices. No longer are we limited by our ego's definition of our worth. UC taught me that I can move freely through my dreams and not question whether or not I am living life right.

What have you been up to since graduation? Where are you living now?
I am on a mission to follow my love for learning. A quest of self-discovery. My passion in life is running, so that is what I have chosen to do. It has taken me all around the nation and currently to a remote island fortress in the southern Pacific. Some call the island Maui but I like to consider it a think tank to realize my wildest dreams. I have experienced success through applying the principles of manifestation. And know that this path, one less traveled, has been paved for me. I am here to surrender to something bigger than myself. Progress.

Anything else you would like to say about UC or experiences since graduation?
Campus is located in a nook of the city. It’s vibrant and full of life. I hope students continue to reinvent themselves. Question everything. And befriend experiences that they would not be exposed to anywhere else. I reflect on all the relationships that were formed during my college days and smile. Out there somewhere are these creative forces wreaking havoc on conventionality. Opening the boxes of innovation and giving their unique contributions. This life is about creation and UC embodies that.