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: 2012-03-11 2012-03-13 Usa

2012-03-12:

1
Distance today: 0.0 km (Accumulated: 33723.0 km)
Elapsed time: 00:00:00
Country: Usa

[Pickup of the new support-car from Toyota].

A Thank You to the sponsors :-)

The day was spend picking up the next support-car from Toyota & LeasePlan. As its been the case here in Usa all the way from Florida and onwards up North through East USA they have provided the new Toyota Prius for my support-driver to use during the wr2.

As those who has followed the trail of world run 2 all the way since the start in 2008 up above the Polar Circle in Arctic Europe there has been quite a few support-cars 'in action' by now. All helping to carry equiptment and supplies for the daily running; in deserts, across mountains, through jungles..

But with a huge margin I have not enjoyed as "problem-free" a veichle as the Toyota. Especially in Africa where the Mitsubishi Pajero broke down a couple of critical' places in East Africa - it was an old model from the 80'ties, paid for via the main financial sponsor of world run 2, Ecco. It had an exiting history, from beeing a field-ambulance in remote rural Kenya to serving as a safari-veichle for up 10persons, finally retiring to a tranquile ownership of an old english lady settled in Nairobi; untill I purchased this extended model to give it a final test' as world run support-car from Ethiopia via Kenya to Tanzania... Also the Ford Explorer from Chile was a bit troublesome. I purchased it for the sponsor-funds and it was used as support-car from the Southern Tip of South America, across the Andes Mountain at altitudes up to 4km at the "Christo Redendor Pass" and untill it after many (Many !! ;-) mechanical breakdowns at any possible and impossible situations finally stopped functioning in Northern Chile. Then a stint with a newer Pegout Partner; one of the most unlikely cars for a support-car in remote areas, at first glance. Yet I came to appreciate this little 'utility-car' much and even be impressed with how it kept up with me without many mechanical problems while I ran through the Atacama Desert and often took it out on soft desertsand after the stages to find a good spot to pitch the expedition tents with a beautifull view of the desert sunsets..

Still; all of these and many more occational support-cars, doesnt even come close to the smooth experience I am having with the Prius here :-) Most important, though, is that it deals with a thing wich often preys on my mind when running across the different continents of our world and having my support-cars following me... That its in some way is contrary to the very idea of the world run: To experience and celebrate our planet, its nature, its cultures, its challenges to a longdistance runner ! Because - the pollution and over-use of ressources by a conventional car is about as much as one can get towards undermining that very nature wich Inspires me every day of the run; no matter what continent, contry or region of the world I find myself running through !

- So; a BIG Thank You to my sponsors for providing a way to deal w. this dilemma :-) The Prius is a hybrid car that drives on battery/electric power unless its going faster than 45-50miles per hour; and in all honesty there is very little chance that you will see a runner needing a support-car going at that kind of pace ;-))

Further I imagine that its obvious both in world run one (2004-2005, East-West around the world, 26 232km) and the ongoing world run two (2008-2012, North-South, 40 000km) that I do not put elaborate praising of the sponsors in the daily reports from the run. I very much appreciate their support - without them the wr1 and wr2 would not be possible to do - but I also know as a runner myself through 29 years that its easy to spot where there is a lot of "hollow praise" done by athletes wich in reality refers to the money involved and not the quality of the products. I prefer as with any other point in my runs to stay honest, not cut corners and put forward my sincere oppinion about what I see and experience in the world during these challenges :-)

On the other hand, this also means that once there is a report like this, focused on the sponsors - then there really is something outstanding to report. And the experience I have had so far with the Prius is exactly that: Outstanding ! Both from an aspect of comfort but just as much from the aspect of trying to be a responsible inhabitant of our mutual planet ! :-)

NB: The pickup and logistics took most of the day and while I had intended to run during the early evening I had to realise that the traffic on the dark rural road Im on at the moment it simply was too high a risk. In a run like this the most dangerous thing isnt the "wild animals" while running across the savanna of Africa, the tropical diseases thats unavoidable, or areas wich we think has a hostile culture (but in reality often hasnt: Sudan, as example, was one of the most Friendly cultures I have ever encounteret !!); no the most dangerous is the fraction of a second it takes to be hit by a car while running along the highways. I have seen too many long-distance bicyclists killed in this way during my runs to take this lightly. So; I'll have to put in a good 40km tomorow instead. Sometimes you have to let safety come first, even when you are a world runner...