- Ben Lyne of Eagle Mountain aims to set a record for a mile-long chain of inspiring message of hope.
- The event, part of Pony Express Days, is on June 6 at 1 p.m.
- Last year, 1,000 participants fell short at 0.82 miles, inspiring another attempt.
EAGLE MOUNTAIN — One man in northwest Utah County is preparing for a big rematch, but this event has nothing to do with sports.
Ben Lyne, of Eagle Mountain, who has become known for running throughout the community over the past several years, holding a sign that reads "I believe in you," is once again calling for others to join in the attempt to set a world record.
On an overcast Thursday afternoon last May, more than 1,000 people lined a stretch of Pony Express Parkway between two schools to form a mile-long chain of people holding uplifting messages.
Despite last year's large turnout, the effort fell just a tad short of the intended distance.
"We were like 0.82 of a mile," Lyne said.
So he's trying again for the second annual "motivational mile" of belief.
As part of this year's Pony Express Days, Eagle Mountain's annual city celebration, participants will come together to attempt the world record of creating the longest line of people holding signs of belief and hope on Saturday, June 6.
"This year, we're putting it at a time when people can actually make it, so we should have a better turnout this time," Lyne said.
Show me a sign
Lyne, who had been an avid runner for years, wanted to find a way to uplift people and thought: What better way to do it than while he's out tending to his own health ambitions?
He started running with his "I Believe in You" sign following the COVID-19 pandemic. While Lyne has been seen running throughout Eagle Mountain and other nearby areas by thousands of passersby over the years, he wanted to include others in the effort to spread hope.
"I kind of was going to gear it towards runners, running with signs, and then I realized, wait a second, most people don't run consistently, No. 1. And No. 2, out of those people that run consistently, there's probably about 1% that would actually do that," he said.
After taking some time to retool the idea, he eventually decided to lead the effort to have people create a mile-long chain of positivity.
Recently, Lyne started the nonprofit Show Me a Sign, a platform that encourages people to perform positive actions and log them to see their impact.
"You choose different actions to do — whether it's running with a sign, whether it's going on a walk with a sign, or even, you know, sending notes and messages to people, things like that," he explained.
Passion for positivity
For Lyne, the public's response during last year's motivational mile made for a memorable experience.
While they didn't reach the full mile, he feels the effort was nothing short of remarkable, from the people holding signs to the many who passed by, waving and honking. It was a testament to what can happen when communities band together, he said.
Lyne said he's inspired to continue the event in hopes of fostering hope, belief and support.
"The more I share and the more I do, the better I feel, the more resilient I am, and I can't help but just to want everybody else to feel that," he told KSL. "So that's what really drives me, is we need hope and belief and supporting each other, now more than ever."
The event kicks off at Cory Wride Park in Eagle Mountain at 1 p.m., with a bevy of activities, including a presentation honoring children battling cancer, before lining up to attempt the mile-long chain of encouragement at 3 p.m.
Lyne invites others from all communities who want to help people believe in themselves to visit showmeasign.org.
