World Run II / Reports

The map shows the position of which the pictures for the day are taken (if any). The start and finish markers are placed at the first and last valid registered position. This is not nessesary the actual start and finish position, if GSM or GPS signals was not available.

Goto: 2010-12-31 2011-01-02 Chile East

2011-01-01:

55
Distance today: 43.0 km (Accumulated: 21537.0 km)
Elapsed time: 04:03:48
Country: Chile East

First stage on South - North Run done :-)

Start 10:07am., 14c, l. wind, half overcast. At waterfront, Fort Bulnes, Patagonia, Chile; Southern tip of the South American continent. Finish 15:02pm., 16c, med. wind and same. At green km-marker "KM 15" on the hwy. N9 to Punta Arenas, 15km South of P. Arenas.

.. A very nice day for a run with almost perfect conditions at a part of the world, which is elseway know for its strong windforce and rough weather conditions.

Its now the 3. time I start out on a run of this type with a few continents ahead and beyond 20 000km to cover by running. So what is new ?

- The exitement somehow actually was a fair bit higher before and at the first steps than at both the start from Greenwich in 2004 (world run I, 26 232km) or the start from Nordkapp in Norway in 2008 (world run II part one, 21 449km). And likewise with the nerves during the planning phase and at the beginning:

Ofcourse the years of doing the world runs gives experience and hopefully some know-how when it comes to both how to deal with the balance of running massive distances and yet remain un-injured throughout, as well as the expedition/survival/logistics area.

However a few things was different this time and they more than made up for the benefit of experience as far as I felt it - Firstly it has been a cold winter with lots of deep snow at the trainging trails up in Scandinavia this year so my physical preparation is only about 50percent of what it would usually be (longest runs during last 4 weeks only at 3 - 3,5hours and total amount per week around 100k; where normal preparation would mean long runs of 60-80km's during the weeks and a total amount of 200-350km per week) - Secondly the total km's on the body is beginning to accumulate a bit; by now around 47 000km from the previous running across continents and approximately 55 - 60 000km of training and elite-competetions on longdistance & ultra' since I started running in 1983. So... a total on 'the other side' of 100 000km. Not totally fresh does the legs feel anymore ! Though running is still perhaps as enjoyable as the first steps on a day like today :-)

Finally the impact on the body, and mind, of struggling the last 7000km through Africa and East Africa about a year ago during the first half of world run II, with malaria, dysenteria, infections, two operations of the right arm etc., which has taught me that although having run across challenges like Siberia, as part of world run I in 2004, the Australian Nullabor desert, later on during world run I in 2005, or across the Canadian Rocky Mountains, the Sahara Desert etc. etc. - Then that doesn't mean that "anything is possible" !! (Atleast not without some serious stubbonness ;-)

... So, I was a bit concearned today. Were the legs up for long distances at all with the diminished training amounts ? Would the body have the proper deep boost-of-energy in it to embark on yet another long run ? And not least would the mind be able to cope with new challenges after having been nearly been dis-assembled by the long struggle through East-Africa in 2009-2010 ?

At least as far as this first stage, the answer was more positive than I had expected: I have planned to begin this last half of world run II very carefull and allow the body to ease into it as gently as possible to make up for the different situation this time - and this means that atleast the first 3-5 weeks will be with an average of around 30km per day instead of the usual 50km average in the first half of the world runs.

Today therefore was to be 30km or thereabouts. But with the good help from my supportdriver and cameraman Jamie Fullbrook, the gentle weather, the joy of beeing on the expedition-road & running again and also the fascinating scenery - where I for example had 'company' by three dolphins around the 20km-mark who for about half a km were swimming and playing/jumping in the water alongside me just 10meters out from the sandy beachline next to the road
- Then the idea of 30km began to feel a bit on the short side. So why not settle for the classical marathon as an opening instead :-)

The next few days will show if I overdid it today, although the legs felt fine and easy also at the finish, and I ceartainly will do my best to stick to the plan of taking it very easy the first month or so; I do know that respecting the body is one of the important keys to these runs.

NB: The pictures from todays run will follow in a few hours when I am sufficiently rested and have had a bit of food and chocolate ! There should be some amazing scenery amongst them, I think, and I'll try to see if I can upload a small video-clip of the dolphins.

Technical information:

The exact route can be seen each step of the way via the gps-documentation system which transmits live as I run. In case of lack of transmission signal it will be uploaded automaticly when I reach carrier signal again.

When you click at the "live coverage" you need to further click on "jesper kenn olsen" in order to see the stages which has been completed if I am finished with the days running, since I am thus not transmitting live before the next day. The time you see at the live-coverage is the total time spend on that particular stage from the run starts to the finsh point (including time spend on reststops for food, water, navigation, local authorities, road safety etc.) where as the time at the top of this report is the "stopwatch time" which is excl. all stops.

The pictures from the stages will usually be uploaded in the evening but can be delayed depending on wether I have data-signal to transmit them. They will be displayed under each daily report when you click on "Reports" in the main meny and select the contry or continent I am currently running on. They are coded with the gps-location at which they are taken and their position will be displayed on the little map next to the report.

If you have suggestions please don't hesitate to write - jesper@worldrun.org

- If anyone wants to join the run, for a few km, a stage, a month, a contry or a continent you are always welcome :-) You can eighter show up at the route or send an email to organize the details.