Roughly translated from Italian it means, "to the top" or "to the heights." This phrase comes Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, though, not in any grand speech or profound letter. It was written in his own hand on an old photograph of him climbing the side of a mountain. An avid lover of the outdoors, Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati would often use camping, skiing, climbing and the like as ways to build community and, in doing so, drawing his friends closer to God.

Growing up in Fascist Italy, that was no small task.

I've come to adopt this phrase as a motto of my own. In so many ways, Bl. Frassati sought "the heights" in all he did. He demanded the very best of his efforts but also knew that fruit of such efforts was upwards in focus as well. As a Jesuit educator, I see a parallel to St. Ignatius' call for the "magis" or what is "more," "deeper," "greater" and to direct our effort to the "greater glory of God." So what does "Verso L'alto" mean to me?

It means to strive for what is excellent in all of my endeavors. It means never settling for mediocrity, even when things go wrong or the task seems impossible. In my running, it has helped me on more than one occasion to put on that second pair of gloves and face the cold. And it's kept me grounded. It's a reminder that my efforts are not my own. I often fall short, but the hope is that, just as Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati used his love of the outdoors to draw others closer to God, this quest for a excellent marathon may do the same.