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: 2011-04-28 2011-04-30 Chile West

2011-04-29:

23
Distance today: 45.0 km (Accumulated: 25010.0 km)
Elapsed time: 04:08:25
Country: Chile West

Start 10:17am., 11c, clear & l.wind at blue roadsign "Plaza de Peaje Troncal Norte" on hwy.5. Finish 15:48pm., 24c and same at blue km-marker "km 453" on hwy.5.

Chocolate pelican ?

Finally a day where I am back to more decent distances. And hugely enjoying it :-))

I got news that my main sponsor Ecco is trying to get a second shipment of runningshoes through to me as its 7 weeks since I missed my packet in Argentina; and running through the contries and continents w.o. proper shoes is a bit like trying to row across the Atlantic with a tea-spoon ;-)

Running today, thinking about the prospect of new shoes and smiling; enjoying the sharp autumn sun, the views over the rolling foothills of the Andes and the Pacific Ocean with its white breaking waves crushing on the shores deep below me.

The wind that yesterday tried to blow our tents far out over the plains had died down to a gentle cooling breeze, pushing me slightly forward for each running-step :-) The terrain at the moment often changes caracter several times a day: dry arid semi-desert w. only the tall cacti & small thorny shrubberies giving the impression of beeing at the backdrop of a 'Mexican western', but is suddenly exchanged for thin river-valleys with a seemingly fragile band of green growth, grass, wild horses, purple & blue flowers and pleanty of birds. And then its dry again, brown-black-grey ranges of hillsides dottet w. dusty-green bushes as long as the eye can see. If not as today at the end of the run - that the landscape opens up and reveals one of the big cities which is 100-200km apart in these remote areas. A shock to see for example the almost 300 000 citizens large 'grown together' of Coquimbo and La Serena, where my superb supportdriver Alex (usa) and I have our base for the next two days.

But also thourghts of fellow runners and races: the annual Sri Chinmoy 6 & 10day race in New York finished yesterday. And even when running in remote parts of the world I enjoy following these races :-) Personally it may be past the times where I fealt a draw towards running in circles', but I hugely respect the efforts and have loads of fond memories from "the track days" :-)) Reading the reports and appreciating the intensity of the multiday racing, and the friendship and actually "family" which form between runners sharing the same 1 or 2kms of tarmac circuit day & night. And the pleasure of knowing and seeing the distances one can achieve in those races: up to 100 - 200km per day :-) Wether I myself can again get up there; I doubt. So many kms out on the open roads of the world has gone by, but other new runners emerge as for example Lars Christoffersen; the next generation of danish multiday runners, who far surpass us old ones :-) And as the day goes by and the little amount of my own kms pile up to a small heap, I cherish the memories of runners I had the joy & honour of 'battling' with on the racing circuits..

But goals also change; I took notice of one of the participants who stated that the main goal was "to smile more than last year" - What a great way to surpass the limits of mere kms & hours which we usually measure our performances by !!

And a Much easier goal for me: I just need a lot of chocolate then Ill be smiling all the way ;-)) Perhaps like the pelicans resting on the waters of La Serena bay here at todays pictures; surely with their bags' full of fish - as I have mine full of Chocolate after one of the rare chances to stock up' at a proper supermarket... :-))

Btw. La Serena is Chile's second oldest city ! And with a quite dramatic history considering its present day 'spirit of seaside calmness':
Founded in 1544 by spanish conquistadores, immideately destroyed in an indegionous people uprising. Re-founded in 1549 whereupon it was burned down by the british pirate Sharpe little more than 100y. later. But fairly peacefull since then - though the green signs at the long long beachfront pointing out the Emergency Route in case of Tsunamies does remind that the days of perils aint yet over !

ps: As I now have internet connection Ill soon upload the reports from the last three days along w. the pictures. The gps-data should be online already. Sorry for the delay w. the reports - have to be economic w. phonebattery for upload while in remote areas.