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: 2011-07-18 2011-07-20 Peru

2011-07-19:

24
Distance today: 30.0 km (Accumulated: 26875.0 km)
Elapsed time: 03:06:28
Country: Peru

Start 10:15am., 24c, clear and l.wind, at bl.&white km-stone "1186" on hwy.5. Finish 14:28pm., 34c and same at bl.&white km-stone "1156" on hwy.5.

Different contries - different shades of Green !

As you probably noticed during the last two months when I ran through the Atacama Desert in Northern Chile, the terrain was extremely barren: no trees or bushes, no green fields or agriculture, even when there was small fertile valleys. Here in Southern Peru the nature is in principle the same; the costal desert of Peru has grown together with the Atacama Desert during the last 10-15years (or so the books tell me..). But, as I hope todays pictures give an impression of - Peru is a much more "green" contry.

The similar types of terrain seems to be visible more developed here in Peru compared with Chile and its easy to see that a huge effort is put into the process of bring water to the dry fields and semi-desert from deep wells and through long series of channel-systems and aqaeducts. The puzzeling fact, though, is that Chile is by far the most economically rich contry of the two, despite making signifikantly less of the land in traditional terms.

- Its very much a case of "the old world" and "the new": In Chile industry and service business have a big place in the economy, as well as the mining industry (however harmfull for the nature !!). Peru on the other hand is much more dependent on agriculture which shows on nearly each stage even here in the quite harsh desert areas. The impression of Peru as an "old world" contry is further emphasised by the typical view like today - harvesting by manpower, with tractors and other maschinery beeing a rare exception. Also in other ways Chile (and Argentina) feels a lot like beeing in Europe, while Peru is the first contry on my route running through South America which feels clearly different; not as the weeks and months running through Africa a year ago, since there is considerably more infrastructure here, water and electricity works, and there seems to be an incentive to develop the contry by the population which was sadly abcent in large parts of East Africa as I experiensed it.

Still, economy is far from everything, and when it comes to mentality - I have to say that Peru is a far more pleasant experiense when compared w. Chile and Argentina. Here in Peru you are sure to get an encouraging word as you run by', as well as if looking for something or not completely understanding the spanish after the stages people are quick with a broad smile and a helping effort to try to find a solution for us. In short a Joy to run in this contry despite that it economically is a bit 'stuck' perhaps, in the era and business-structure of the 1950-1960'ties if compared to other areas of the world.

Yet; even culture and nature is not the only other factors. I am in South America and there is one thing which is more important than economy and culture, and those who have travelled through these contries during certain periods of the year will know what I'm hinting at: FOOTBALL (or soccer as its also know as in the usa) !!

Peru is right now playing in the "Copa de Sud America", South American Football Cup and... have qualified for the semi-finals. If I comprehend the exited locals correct then its the first time Peru has come this far in the turnament (where by the way Brazil and Argentina has been knocked out ! Major surprise !)-

Tonight they are playing Uruguay and since the match is about to start in 2hours the 'noice' in the small city of Moquena where I am staying tonight is rising to a level where I better stop writing the report and start watching the match instead :-) Its played in Brazil - but the locals appear to be trying to shout all the way across the Andes Mountains to the footballfield !

PS: The next couple of days the daily distance probably will stay at 30km per day. Not impressive by a long shot, but I need to be carefull when picking up run after the 2weeks travelling to the funeral in Denmark. During those 2 weeks I trained less than in any 2 week period the last 20years, I think (I did a marathon, a 30km and a short session on a tread mill - but that was about all; cant remember that I've trained this little since the 1980'ties, but there was other things on my mind, mainly my fathers death). So, at the moment even with 30km per day the legs are taking a bit of a beating. Hopefully I'll be back to better distances within short, and will try to give you some local impressions while the "short running days" last.