Reginald Draper is taking things one step at a time.

Photos by SONYA N. HEBERT/DMN

Reginald Draper offers a thumbs-up as Run On employee Dave Douglas fits Owens Longmire for running shoes

It's an approach he knows will lead him across the finish line of Saturday's Help the Homeless 5K in downtown Dallas. It's also helping him run away from his dependence on drugs and alcohol and toward the life of independence to which he aspires.

Life began unraveling for Draper, 40, after Sept. 11, 2001, when his limo business slowed. Ultimately, his company went bankrupt, and he turned to drugs and alcohol.

Draper lives at The Bridge, which provides care and housing for hundreds of Dallas' homeless. It's a difficult thing for him to acknowledge. But he and four others were selected for a training class to help them prepare for the 3.1-mile race, which benefits the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance. It's also helping them rebuild their lives.

"It gives them a sense of belonging to a community, a sense of normalcy," says Judy Noble, development director of MDHA. "They're not outcasts. They can participate in a mainstream activity with others. It's definitely developing a sense of pride. What better, healthier way than to belong to a running group?"

SONYA N. HEBERT/DMN

Reginald Draper (left) and Owens Longmire pray with volunteer trainer Jennifer Armstrong of Body Concepts after a workout.

Local run marketing specialist Eric Lindberg of DFWRuns proposed the idea at a MDHA race-planning meeting after reading about a similar program in Philadelphia. Lindberg approached Run On, a specialty running store, which welcomed the runners into their ongoing training classes. The store partnered with New Balance to provide shoes and clothes. DART supplied transportation from downtown to Mockingbird Station, across the street from Run On, where the twice-weekly classes take place.

"We made every effort to welcome them, to make them inconspicuous," says Jennifer Kimble, Run On's training coordinator. "We didn't want them to feel awkward."

The Bridge runners easily integrated into their respective pace groups. Draper and Greg Crawford, 47, have even met classmates at Bachman Lake for weekend runs. Crawford, a drug addict for 17 years, now yearns to shed seconds off his 5K time.

"It gives me a drive to achieve my personal goal, which is to be successful in life," Crawford says. "It makes me competitive. I want to be first [at the race.] I'm starting to put that into my everyday life. I see a big difference. We're all trying to turn our lives around."

The participants have been recognized and encouraged by staff and fellow guests at The Bridge as well.Running has come relatively easily, especially for former athletes such as Draper and Crawford. And as Draper's own story shows, it's a way to start climbing back after a hard fall.

"Running is a challenge, and it's exhilarating," says Draper. "You have a sense of accomplishment."

SONYA N. HEBERT/DMN

Gregory Crawford, a guest at The Bridge, works out to train for a 5K.

Draper played football and ran track at Wilmer-Hutchins High School, where he graduated in 1987. He assisted his mother with her real estate business, and he entered the University of Texas at Arlington to continue his studies. But he quit taking classes as his limo business began to boom. He says he even helped feed the homeless and cut their hair at Potter's House church every other Sunday in the late '90s.

But after 9/11, Draper says, his business slowed. He filed for bankruptcy. He tried to work a few jobs. Mostly, he focused on his life's negatives: He wasn't married, he didn't have kids and the woman he loved had married someone else.

By February, he had reached a low point. He began to sober up and reassess. He decided to try to reinvent himself by studying information technology.

He says he initially started running to get in shape and to stop smoking. He says he smokes three or four cigarettes a day now rather than a pack every two days. He hopes to quit completely by race day.

The running and twice-weekly aerobics classes provide much more than physical well-being.

"It takes confidence and courage to try something new," says Jennifer Armstrong of Body Concepts, who leads the fitness classes. "To me, that applies to anything in life. It's not just about the exercise. It's nice to have a group of people that you depend on, that encourages each other."

Initially, Draper could run only from The Bridge to Commerce Street, less than a mile round-trip. He now can run a nearly five-mile route to Oak Cliff and back. He's seeing the same progress focusing on his studies.

"I know it will happen," he says. "It's all falling in line. I've already seen a breakthrough."

Draper anticipates earning his certification as a Microsoft-certified systems engineer in February.

"I feel I'm getting myself back together," Draper says after an early morning run from The Bridge to the Dallas Museum of Art and back. "I'm stabilizing the situation. There's hope. I know I can put things together. It will take time."

In the meantime, running helps him stay motivated and physically fit. He's also enjoyed encouraging others to run and to work out with Armstrong.

"Working out is a big part of what I do," Draper says. "I think of this race as giving back to charity. This organization is here to help anyone less fortunate. It's a good thing."

Debbie Fetterman is a Plano freelance writer who has covered running since 1996.

fitinthecity@dfwrunning.com

The Help the Homeless Walkathon and 5K will be held Saturday at Dallas City Hall Plaza, Marilla and Ervay streets. The Walkathon begins at 9 a.m., the 5K at 9:30 a.m. Costs are $30 through Friday, $35 race day. Kids 18 and under are $15. A $70 family package includes two adult entries and two kids' entries. Information at 214-520-4885 or www.helpthehomelessdallas.org, or at Run On locations.