Lawerence here, founder of LOWLIFE.
Those who have been following LOWLIFE for a while know that we're based in the very sunny—but sometimes too damn humid—state of Hawaiʻi. It's right there in the tagline found on the inside of our shirts: “Born from pain, created in Hawaiʻi.” It's part of the story of the brand.
When I look back on the day I first breathed Hawaiian air and compare that to my life now, I can't help but laugh. Not because it's funny, but because I'm still amazed at how, over time, a place I'd only ever seen in movies gradually became something that feels like home.
Even when I was in Europe this summer, I sometimes found myself longing for the salty smell of the ocean, the piercing heat of the sun on my skin, or the gift from God that is musubi. So cheap, so filling, and so damn delicious.
What some of you may not know is that Honolulu hosts a marathon every December.
I ran it once before.
This year, I'm doing it again.
The difference is the reason I'm running.
Last year, I ran the Honolulu Marathon simply to see if I could do it.
This year, I'm running it to raise money for charity.
This is the official announcement of a collaboration between LOWLIFE and Mission 22.
WHY MISSION 22?
Mission 22 is an organization that provides support to veterans and veteran families. They do this through resources for mental health, physical wellness programs, and initiatives that preserve and honor the stories of veterans who lost their lives both on and off the battlefield.
A large part of their staff is made up of veterans and civilians from military families. Their founder, Magnus Johnson, is a former Green Beret and Bronze Star recipient.
And how could he not be with a name like Magnus?
I initially reached out to Mission 22 because I genuinely admire the work they do. I'm an Army veteran myself, and my dad is a Navy veteran. I've seen firsthand that we're all human. We all need help sometimes.
But how do you get help when you don't know where to look?
What do you do when the help you have simply isn't enough?
What happens when you're trying to keep your head above water while it feels like something is constantly dragging you deeper, and the people who care about you are helpless to do anything but watch?
I've been down that road many times before and I've been fortunate enough to make it through to the other side each time.
I came across Mission 22 almost entirely by chance. I literally discovered them through an Instagram ad.
But then I clicked the ad.
Then I read their mission statement.
Then I spoke with one of their people.
And the more I learned, the more I realized there was something here.
LOWLIFE is about community and self-expression.
Mission 22 is about supporting veteran families and honoring the sacrifices made by veterans.
We're in two very different industries, but we carry values that overlap in some pretty important ways.
That's when I knew I had to see this through.
WHY A MARATHON?
Fun fact: I love running.
This wasn't always the case.
Back in the Army, I was a terrible runner. So terrible that I barely passed our timed two-mile runs and more often than not failed our timed four-mile runs.
Since getting out, I've run two marathons.
I ran the Honolulu Marathon in 2025, followed by the Maui Marathon earlier this year.
This year's Honolulu Marathon will be my third.
And eventually, the goal is to start running ultramarathons.
When I first started talking with my contacts at Mission 22, I pitched a few ideas for what a collaboration could look like. One of them was using one of my races to raise money for their organization.
That ended up being the easiest one to pull off.
More importantly, it gives us a chance to build a foundation for future collaboration projects.
So here we are.
LOWLIFE × MISSION 22.
(If my old team leader ever reads this, he'll chew my ass like an overcooked piece of meat.)
WHAT COMES NEXT
The Honolulu Marathon is December 13, 2026.
Beyond raising money for Mission 22, I have a personal goal for this race too.
I want to beat my previous finish time.
In 2025, I finished the Honolulu Marathon in 5 hours and 39 minutes.
The goal for 2026 is:
5 hours.
That's a long way from the guy who could barely pass a two-mile run in the Army.
And you're going to get to see the entire process.
I'll be documenting my training, failures, successes, setbacks, and lessons learned as I prepare for December. Some of it will live on the LOWLIFE Instagram. Some of it will live here on The LOWDOWN.
You won't just see the finish line.
You'll see the miles that come before it.
If you'd like to support LOWLIFE and Mission 22, I encourage you to use the link below to contribute. Every dollar helps support the work Mission 22 does for veterans and their families.
No easy miles.
Let's see what happens.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE DONATION PAGE
