Russell Secker

BoomWriter

2012-01-06T14:12:00.003-06:00

BoomWriter is a very cool concept and site. "Celebrity authors" (like me!) write the first chapter of a book, and then students write subsequent chapters to complete the story. Each student writes each chapter, and the class votes online and anonymously for the best submission.

Big thanks to Chris Twyman and Ian Garland for including me in the program. The video "tease" of my chapter - not surprisingly entitled "The Runner" - is extremely well put together. I'm really excited to see how my initial chapter evolves into a collaborative work of fiction.

Next race - April 2012

2011-11-27T12:22:00.004-06:00

I've been feeling a bit lost since the Ireland race; a little ungrounded, unfocused, and unmotivated. Not meaning to sound like a whiner, but recently it's been the first time in a long while that I hadn't had a race or adventure in the concept/planning stage. I needed something to get me going again.

In 2008, my Finnish friend Janne Kankaansyrjä completed a solo run along the Camino Frances de Santiago de Compostella and blogged about it. Straight away, running this ancient pilgrim route was added to my personal "bucket list". And then earlier this year, my friends Christian and Ursula had reinforced the idea by buying me a wonderful coffeetable book of the route, which they themselves have walked during several trips from their home in Switzerland.

The third piece of serendipity is the organization of the third edition of a race along a French part of the route (the Via Podiensis) from Le Puy en Velay to the Pyrenees. An old friend from the now legendary Transe Gaule 2005, Patrick Bonnot, is the race organizer. The April dates of the race fit reasonably well with family plans (just after the birth of grandbaby #3 in March, for example). And so I am delighted to be preparing for another (almost) cross-country adventure. 730km (450 miles) in 12 days - my tenth country - following routes along which pilgrims have been passing for more than a thousand years. Very cool.

Wichita Mountains, Oklahoma

2011-11-12T16:43:00.008-06:00

A spectacular place we visited this week near Ft Sill. We climbed Mt Scott - here's the view of Medicine Park from the top...

...we cycled past buffalo roaming the prairie grass...

...and we ate a light lunch at the famous Meers Restaurant...

Not running tonight

2011-11-05T19:53:00.001-05:00

Location:Cain's Ballroom, Tulsa

Racing Miles

2011-11-05T16:22:00.001-05:00

This morning my friend Matt was talking about Randy Ellis, a local runner who surpassed a very creditable 5,000 race miles during our Midnight Madness 50-miler in Tulsa this summer. He asked me how many miles I've run in races, which got me wondering...I don't keep great reliable records of such stuff, but I can account for at least 6,148 miles of racing:
* 4,819 miles of stage races;
* 319 miles of other ultras;
* 27 marathons and over 300 miles of miscellaneous shorter distance races, courtesy of athlinks.com (my new favorite running site).

Training miles? Absolutely no idea...but if I conservatively estimate 15 miles per week for the 30 years I've been running, I'd end with another 23,400 miles.

So I'm nearly at 30,000 miles. More than once around the planet. Whew!

Ireland - looking back

2011-09-26T07:25:00.001-05:00

Claire and I shared a wonderful experience, running across Ireland with 12 other hardy and eclectic souls we'd never met before. We celebrated 25 years of marriage in some style, and no cross words were ever exchanged. Despite the threat of a hurricane at the outset, we managed to avoid bad weather for the most part. One day of headwinds and a few hours of rain were all we had to contend with. The last three days were beautiful, with some sunshine and great running temperatures.

Big thanks and gratitude are due to the crew for getting us through 11 stages - Rory, Jen, Ann, Paul and Jim. These races are profoundly affected by the quality of support received. We experienced nothing but positive affirmation from the race support team, and that counts for everything. As the race progressed, we became better at map reading, and the course became better and better marked. Having our son Rob join us for the last three days was icing on the cake; a great mental boost for us.

Ireland - as any country - has a great deal of variety, and we saw most aspects of it. The towns we passed through were generally uninspiring; some nice old landmarks, but generally a little down-at-heel and seedy. The countryside is easy on the eye, but has been spoilt by a recent rash of McMansion developments which look out of place amid farms, cows, sheep and peaceful lanes. The "Celtic Tiger" phase of economic prosperity has been replaced with a vague general feeling of economic distress and uncertainty.

Our bodies and specifically our legs and feet held together well. We had prepared well for the rigors of a 350-mile journey, and so felt strong almost every day. Because of experience from previous stage races, we were able to deal with Claire's toe and heel issues well. I seldom had doubts that we would both make it.

The only thing we'd change was the tour bus format. The bus had a great "cool factor", and it was nice not to have to pack & unpack every day. But it became cramped and smelly by the end, and we had several squalid days without toilets and showers. Although she pulled off some minor miracles preparing endless meals & snacks, our cook's catering area was too small for preparing high quality meals. Very close quarters with very fatigued ultra runners could quickly degenerate into a whiney, squabbly, acrimonious mess. We didn't quite get to that point, but there were times when it could've easily unraveled. Personal space is important for exhausted, stressed runners, and frankly there was very little.

Going into the race, my goals were listed as (a) to run across another country, (b) to have fun and (c) to make new friends. Given those goals, the race was a huge success for both of us, as we achieved all three. Would we do the race again? Probably not, as life and money is too short. Would we recommend it to someone else? A qualified yes, to the right person with the right attitude. It's an amazing experience and privilege to have run across this ancient country.

Location:UK

Beautiful Mizen Head weather

2011-09-24T13:33:00.001-05:00

One happy camper

2011-09-24T12:30:00.001-05:00

Location:Mizen Head, Eire

Ireland - final stage

2011-09-24T09:31:00.001-05:00

Done! Country #9 for me, #1 for Claire. And on the very best weather day ever in Southern Ireland.

Ahhh...rest!

Location:Mizen Head

Ireland - Stage 10

2011-09-24T09:29:00.001-05:00

Our last "long" run today was a very, very hilly and headwindy 35-miler. The landscape was beautiful, as was the sight of the sea as we reached Bantry Bay. Some of the climbs were astonishingly steep. It threatened to rain all day, but never did.

Claire's Achilles survived, and she made it to the finish line smiling. Having Rob's company during some of the stage really lifted her spirits.

I enjoyed another day of Chris' company. It made the time pass much quicker.

Tomorrow's finale is a brief 20-miler to the most southerly point in Ireland, Mizen Head. We're trying to coordinate the finish so that we all finish at 11 a.m. - and then it's off to Cork Airport and back to real life.

Location:Durrus

Ireland - Stage 9

2011-09-22T13:12:00.001-05:00

35 more miles completed; only 55 to go. Today's weather was sublime as was the scenery. Breathtaking. Undoubtedly the best day, ending in the very historic town of Macroom, where we were welcomed by our son Rob. We've already shared a pint of Murphy's.

Chris and I ran together the whole stage, and it really helped especially during the long, long climbs. After 9 days it is amazing that only 9 minutes separate us. I don't feel the need to push it to the finish; I'm happy just to be on the podium (assuming of course no last minute disasters).

Claire's still wrestling with her sore Achilles, but she's nearly there too. She was tearfully happy to give Rob a hug at the finish.

So tomorrow's our last major effort before Saturday's "finale". Life on the big purple bus is good.

Location:Macroom

Ireland - Stage 8

2011-09-21T11:48:00.001-05:00

Today's stage was really hard, even compared to 7 already hard stages. A fierce headwind all day, with some cold driving rain and busy traffic thrown in, made it very little fun. Everyone was glad to be done.

I averaged 10 minutes/mile, after reaching the marathon distance in 4hr20mins. A pleasing time given the conditions, but I don't think I did enough to preserve my second place overall ranking, as Chris finished a quarter of an hour before me, but I know I needed to save something for the next two long, mountainous stages.

Claire struggled emotionally today, but finished strong and enjoyed some good food and a hot shower at the finish. Bliss. Her Achilles tendons are now both sore, but I'm confident she'll make it to Saturday's finish.

Today was a sad running day for me. I learned last night of the untimely death of a fine former co-worker, Kathleen Kelly. Life is not at all fair. Kathleen will be greatly missed.

Location:Dromina

Irish whiskey

2011-09-20T13:32:00.001-05:00

According to the barkeep at our new 'local', Tullamore Dew is not popular "around these parts", but exports well. I trust his opinion, as he pours a first-rate pint of Guiness, and it does indeed hit the spot in Oklahoma...

By the way, we spent last night at Borrisokane (at a depressingly deserted gas station with no toilets or showers, in fact). Sounds like an Irish-Soviet double agent? Ah, if only it had been that exciting.

Ireland - Stage 7

2011-09-20T10:29:00.001-05:00

The most beautiful stage so far, with mountains and no rain. 29 miles disposed of, and now resting and eating after a warm water sponge bath (another night without showers...grrrr!) The 9 runners left in the race are doing well, despite a few blisters and other random long-distance ailments. The next 3 stages are 35-milers, so that will sort things out.

It has been a 220-mile week - a PR for Claire and most of the others. Her sore Achilles has slowed her down, but she's moving along sensibly and enjoying the journey. I'm still feeling unusually good, with none of my usual stage race issues. Starting slowly has really helped.

Tomorrow's another day. Only 4 to go. It'll be great meeting up with our son Rob in 48 hours.

Location:Morroe

Ireland - Stage 6

2011-09-19T10:11:00.001-05:00

Several abandons today, almost all due to very sore, inflamed shins. It's sad to see these nice people leave the roadtrip. Today's 30 miles were along some very straight roads. I smiled as I saw several signs for Tullamore - home of my brother-in-law's and my favorite whiskey, Tullamore Dew.

So now only 9 remain in the race. Jed is the star, and has killed every stage by a country mile. Only major injury can stop him now. Well deserved - he's a great lad.

Chris, Rick and I are his bridesmaids, but none of us have his pace. I ran my fastest pace thus far again today - exactly 10 min/mile. (Patience, Russ, there's still a long road ahead.)

Michelle and Claire are leading the female contingent. Claire's toes were better today, but her Achilles was unfortunately worse. She's very upbeat and strong, though, and it will take a lot to stop her.

But now we're past the halfway point of the race with only 5 days to go. Mountains ahead, I hear. A rest will be nice!

Location:Borrisokane

Ireland - Stage 5

2011-09-18T10:51:00.001-05:00

Today's stage was blissfully short - a 'mere' 28 miles. Temperatures were pleasantly cool, it poured heavily only once, and the wind was usually at our backs. And Jen and Rory had pulled out all the stops on signage, so no-one got too horribly lost.

My bi-daily ministrations to Claire's feet seem to be working. She's running well with less pain now, but they're not a pretty sight:

Tonight our tour bus is stationed at a football club in Ballynahown. A wonderful place to be, as they have not only warm showers but also a washer & dryer. It's amazing how much you sometimes appreciate the normal creature comforts. Now our running clothes no longer smell of dead animals.

By this time tomorrow, we'll be past half-way. That's a good feeling. Today was my fastest average pace - a shade over 10 minutes per mile. If I can stay uninjured and healthy, this will definitely be my best stage race finish. Ahhh, but that's a big if. Jed and Chris are ahead of me in the rankings, but there's still some way to go. I have to say that I'm enjoying the journey with Claire as much as the race itself.

Ireland - Stage 4

2011-09-17T15:18:00.001-05:00

A pleasant enough day, with only a few heavy downpours. 32 miles ended up being 34+ miles for some of us, as the final turning was missed again. Aggravating, but just how it goes sometimes.

Claire and I performed sufficient shoe and blister surgery to get her through the day unscathed. I start an hour later than her each day and it's nice when I catch up with her around 20 miles or so. She always smiley and running strongly.

I'm (so far) feeling better on this stage race than on any previous one. Legs are tired, but nothing really hurts, and so far no blisters. 140 miles in 4 days - more than a third done!

Location:Near Longford

Happy anniversary!

2011-09-16T13:42:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Rory, Jen, Ann and Paul for taking such great care of us...

Ireland - Stage 3

2011-09-16T10:27:00.001-05:00

Much more typical Irish weather to help us celebrate our wedding anniversary today - heavy rains for at least half of our 31 miles, interspersed with grey skies and about 90 seconds of sunshine. It's not green here for nothing.

Claire is starting to have blister/toenail issues, so started off today taped and with the toeboxes of her sneakers (and now crocs!) removed. She's sore and tender, but is a trooper and will fight on. She completed in 7 hours, and remains as second placed woman in the race.

I ran the first 10 miles with race leader Jed, who's celebrating his 30th birthday today. Then he took off just before Enniskillen, and I kept going on my own and later on with Canadian Rick. Unfortunately we had our first abandon today - our youngest competitor Jimmy who's not been feeling good. But he'll be back when he's healthy.

Another thirtysomething tomorrow, but spirits are generally high tonight. It's amazing how restorative a warm shower can be.

Location:Corlough GAA club, Eire

Ireland - Stage 2

2011-09-15T11:28:00.001-05:00

A better day for me today, as I didn't get lost. But an extra 4 miles for poor Claire who's struggling with the very tricky mapreading skills required for this race.

The first few miles to Strabane were along a wretchedly busy highway with no shoulder and plenty of trucks and busses. But then things became quieter and more rural...and also super-hilly.

The stage was nearly 34 miles, and we were all quite happy to be finished. The weather cooperated for a second day. It drizzled briefly a couple of times, but no raingear was required, and the scenery was splendidly Irish-farmy.

Lying down on my bunk feels good now, but we are in very tight quarters and have no shower or toilet facilities beyond buckets and fields. The race support team is excellent, but it's turning out we prefer the school gym format for stage races - more space, showers and toilets, despite having to unpack and repack each stage.

Location:A farm somewhere in Ireland

Ireland - Stage 1

2011-09-14T13:20:00.001-05:00

Everything started well and on time today. The hurricane gods rested, and we had an atypically dry, sunny, Irish day. My run had me close to the lead for quite a few surprising miles, but failing to make a final turn near the finish cost me a depressing extra 4 miles and a decent place/time. 41 miles is MUCH further than 37. Oh well.
Claire finished second lady, and right now looks in much better shape than me. Awesome.
And along the way, we both chuckled sophomorically about this sign:

Ireland - Day 0

2011-09-13T14:39:00.001-05:00

Blowing a gale, rainy, grey and menacing...ah, Ireland! All 14 competitors present and accounted for on the big, purple bus. Fun starts at 9 a.m. tomorrow. Our first Guinnesses have been satisfactorily dispatched.

What's with these Ultra hurricanes?

2011-09-10T07:36:00.001-05:00

Just as our TransAmerican friends ran into Hurricane Irene on the August day their race finished in New York City, we now appear to be running into her younger sister Katia as we get ready to head to Ireland. Hopefully travel logistics won't get too messed up. But with 20 people taking different routes and trying to get to Malin Head by Wednesday, things could get a little tricky. Life's never simple.

One week to go

2011-09-06T09:00:00.001-05:00

Starting to get impatient...this is the time I like least, marking time, everything in suspended animation. Now that our few "long" weeks of training are over, I keep imagining injuries, aches and pains, and illnesses starting to take hold. But nothing serious so far. I just want to get going.

Today's windy, hilly, rainy 10 miles felt really good - no pain, no stress, very smooth and comfortable. Six more days of the same, and then we're off!

Keepin' on keepin' on

2011-08-27T13:22:00.001-05:00

Two twenty-milers in the last three days have gone pretty well. We've managed to incorporate some modest hills at the beginning and end of these jaunts, and this is good for the head as much as the legs.

Two doggie incidents today. First we spotted a very sad looking beagle looking for his owner. As we'd seen an owner calling for a dog shortly before, I ran back a half-mile to find him and advised him of the whereabouts of missing pooch. "Oh, he knows where to find me," he said and walked off. Grrrrr.

Then later, we encountered two guys walking a Jack Russell off leash. It took an immediate shine to Claire's bright red Zensa compression socks, and started barking aggressively. You can never quite trust protestations that "she's friendly". Fortunately no stitches required this time.

Location:Hertfordshire

3 weeks until Ireland

2011-08-24T15:11:00.001-05:00

Suddenly the ground is starting to rush up towards us. Training - or lack thereof - is almost at an end. We've run between 10 and 15 miles most days here in England over the last week or so, which is good. We have only been training by running along the very flat River Lee, which is not good. Our training pace has been pretty reasonable (good) - only my varicose right leg hurts, which is partly good (or partly bad, depending on one's viewpoint). But it is - as they say these days - what is is. Of course it is.

Now of course I'm very keen to get underway. I have never been to Northern Ireland before, so a new experience for me there soon. And for Claire also, whose ancestors probably originated in Donegal or West Tyrone, given her maiden name McMenamin.

OK, time to get serious!

2011-08-17T09:13:00.002-05:00

...and get the ol' blog back into action ready for the M2M Ultra. Today I leave Tulsa for 3 weeks before the race starts in England, taking care of family stuff and hopefully getting in some final training miles in cooler weather. In case you missed the news, Tulsa has languished under record heat this summer. Not just anecdotal - July 2011 was actually the hottest average temperature month ever recorded in the US since records started to be kept in 1895. We had days and days of hot (100F+) and humid temperatures.

I've run a decent number of miles and a few races, and done a lot of stationary biking at the gym (in part to escape the heat outdoors), but as usual I'm not as prepared as I would've liked. Brief health check (and early excuses!): Everything from the knees up is working OK. That's good. Feet are painful, especially the left one, and I've developed a very sore varicose vein above my right ankle. Not so good. But not too serious, I hope.

So on September 14th, the M2M Ultra starts - just over a dozen of us covering the length of Ireland from north to south (344.5 miles) divided into eleven daily stages averaging 32 miles each. We start at Malin Head in the North, and finish at Mizen head in the Republic. We will fly to Belfast on the day before the race starts, meet race organizers Rory & Jen for the first time, and be whisked to the start on a sleeper bus with our own personal chef. Sounds groovy. Rumor has it that it was once Status Quo's (the legendary hard rock band) tour bus. In a beautiful piece of life's symmetry, this was the first band I ever saw perform live, as a spotty 14-year old at the Wake Arms pub in Epping, England. Like me, they must be getting on a bit by now.

Chris Brown Duathlon

2011-07-24T13:47:00.001-05:00

Two better than estimated runs, exactly as estimated (i.e., slooow) bike ride. A shockingly hot morning - my car thermometer said 86F at 6 a.m. on the way to the start. A very well organized, low key, enjoyable event put on by Fleet Feet Tulsa. Third place in the old man's age group to show for it:

Location:Tulsa, OK

Duathlon tomorrow...

2011-07-23T17:04:00.001-05:00

Time to demonstrate to the world once more the infinite crappiness of my cycling...

...not to mention the lack of any 5K speed. I'm ready to blame my pathetic splits on anticipated silly saunaesque temperatures, as Tulsa swelters.

Trans America - ah, the glamor

2011-07-22T16:46:00.001-05:00

The finish line of today's stage - Tour de France it ain't! Finish banner in front of Ponca Auto World, flashing 108F. Everyone survived.

Great video of Rainer, Peter and the rest of the Trans America team...

2011-07-21T17:28:00.002-05:00

Click here to see video...

More from Trans America...

2011-07-19T09:37:00.003-05:00

My German friend Peter Bartel, who as he did for Trans Europe and Baltic Run is kickbiking across the United States. Peter was extremely pleased to see two friendly faces in the middle of nowhere, just east of the New Mexico state line. He is tired, and finding the weather and conditions very difficult - but he is nearly halfway across this huge country. Viel Glück, Peter!

Rainer Koch

2011-07-18T19:38:00.005-05:00

Finally I can keep up with Rainer for 10K! This was taken by his Korean crew person June, somewhere in western Oklahoma, towards the New Mexico stateline. Rainer is German - a former winner of Trans Gaule and Trans Europe, an awesome athlete and a fine young man. He is leading LA-NY 2011 comfortably, and in his usual unassuming, understated, modest style. Go, Rainer!

James is tough

2011-07-16T20:31:00.001-05:00

James finishes 55-mile stage 28 in Guymon after over 13 hours in temperatures which rose by mid-afternoon well above 100F. We really enjoyed keeping him company for some of those miles. His girlfriend Gemma arrived today - it was great to have her join the party!

Cheers, James!

Boise City to Guymon

2011-07-16T14:48:00.001-05:00

A 55-mile stage for our friends today - flat, straight, hot and plenty of truck traffic, but at least there was a decent shoulder most of the way. Here's Claire keeping James company:

We crewed for most of the day, and then brought Jenni home the last few miles as the heat was really beginning to affect her, and we didn't want to have to make this particular detour:

It's REALLY hot out there...

2011-07-15T16:55:00.001-05:00

100 degrees...

Jenni toughing it out...

...and James...

Don't be fooled by those fluffy clouds - they provide zero shade.

Location:Boise City, OK

Trans America (LA-NY) 2011

2011-07-15T14:42:00.001-05:00

Rainer Koch from Germany, winner of Trans Europe 2009, is coasting along comfortably in first place after 26 brutally hot days. It was great running with him for a few miles, and seeing his Korean crew person June again.

Seven other runners (two Japanese, two Italian, two French and one Brit) are still in the race and battling along well. Today we helped our Dutch friends Jenni and Anneke to survive 100F temps, and met fellow countryman James for the first time. Our other German friend Peter Bartel is doing very well on his scooter. All are doing very well despite horrendous daily mileages and weather to match.

Now we're back at our finish line motel in Boise City. The Four Seasons it ain't. And not much like a stage finish at the Tour de France. But the air conditioning works, and here that's what matters most. Our friends have several more hours on the road today, which I don't envy them, but at least they will all have a cool place to rest up before another 55 miles of "fun in the sun" tomorrow.

Location:Boise City, OK

End the Madness!

2011-07-02T14:18:00.001-05:00

A brilliantly organized event - 5 loops of 10.3 miles along the Arkansas River starting at midnight. Heat took its toll on me especially after the sun rose, but I was pleased to beat my 10 hour goal by 25 minutes. Claire had to settle for 3 loops, as her Achilles started to bother her, and we can't risk a tear less than 3 months before Ireland.

Location:Tulsa

Nearly midnight

2011-07-01T22:54:00.001-05:00

Headed to the start of "Midnight Madness". It's hot out there - 88F. Mercy!

Location:Tulsa

Little Feat

2011-06-20T19:33:00.001-05:00

No running today...time for some rock'n'roll! One of my all-time favorite bands (regrettably sans Lowell George) in a classic location.

Salomon South Down Trail Marathon - June 11, 2011

2011-06-17T16:09:00.002-05:00

A beautiful day, beautiful weather, and a beautiful trail course event across the spectacular but very hilly, chalky and flinty South Downs in England. Claire placed second in her age group and beat her expectations by a huge margin, running 4hr 50mins. I ran a comfortable 4hr 16mins - way off the age group podium but - as ever these days for me - kein Stress.

Next up in Tulsa two weeks from now: a 50-miler starting at midnight aptly titled Midnight Madness. It's hot here now - 103F (40C) today. Ireland in September should be a pleasant change, as long as it doesn't rain continually!

Oklahoma City Half Marathon

2011-05-05T16:01:00.001-05:00

We successfully completed our "bonsai" marathon last weekend. (This expression comes courtesy of our wonderful Swiss friends and recent houseguests, Christian & Ursula

Marti.). The weather was astonishingly cold & wet, but on balance the event was well managed and enjoyable. I managed to place in my division, and qualify for NYC Marathon; Claire ran well after her collarbone injury, and came close to beating 2 hours. Good times!

Next few races...

2011-04-22T13:32:00.001-05:00

Four races upcoming to prepare for Ireland:
May 1 - Oklahoma City Half Marathon;
May 21 - Aquarium Run Half Marathon in Tulsa;
June 11 - South Downs Trail Marathon in England;
July 1 - Midnight Madness 50-miler in Tulsa.

That should shake out the cobwebs! Running is slow but unusually and mercifully pain-free these days.

- Posted from my new iPhone using my fat fingers

Next up - 11 days across Ireland

2011-02-11T11:17:00.004-06:00

In September, Claire and I will be running the M2M Ultra - the length of Ireland (344.5 miles) divided into eleven daily stages averaging 32 miles each. The race starts at Malin Head in the North, and finishes at Mizen head in the Republic. Up to 16 of us will be living on a "luxury rock-and-roll sleeper bus with our own personal chef". As ultrarunning and luxury have been rarely known to appear in the same sentence, it should be interesting!

Runners from the Isle of Man, England, South Africa, Northern Ireland, Canada - and now us - are entered. Kudos to race organizers Rory and Jen for taking on what sounds like a great adventure.

RUSS done

2010-07-29T14:48:00.002-05:00

We made it to Karlshagen today with plenty of time to spare. We're now officially at the Baltic coast! 325km (200 odd miles) in 5 days - Claire's longest ever running week. And her longest single run - 45 miles. It was great supporting her through the final four days. Party tonight, then bus back to Berlin early tomorrow morning. The race organization was impeccable, as was Leah's tireless crewing by bike. We seriously would not have made it without them all.

LEAH - After Stage 4

2010-07-28T10:48:00.002-05:00

What a difference a good night's sleep makes. I'd had a bit of a down day yesterday due to what seemed like endless bike issues. But today was better even though I started out changing a flat and adjusting the gear shifting. The route was fantastic and I was so happy to meet Claire and Russ at the aid stations, though they needed very little from me. If you didn't know they were on the fourth ultra in so many days you'd have though they were taking an easy spin around Ladybird Lake. One of the highlights for me was going through the marshes and seeing the cormorants...a magical moment. Oh, and seeing the whole gaggle of German schoolkids, all out for a ride on the radweg. It was fantastic day, sure to be topped by tomorrow's finish. I'll be celebrating for not just Claire and Russ but all these folks I feel I've come to know along the way. Good times!

CLAIRE - After Stage 4

2010-07-28T10:30:00.002-05:00

Four days done. Slightly shorter distance and not quite so hot today. Still having daily stomach problems at about 20 miles, but somehow seem to recover. The physio Annett has done a great job with my aches and pains, especially my sore Achilles tendon. Ran with Russ again - couldn't have done it without him. Today's highlight: I was interviewed by a local newspaper reporter - should be in Friday's edition.

RUSS - After Stage 4

2010-07-28T10:25:00.002-05:00

I understand that there are some problems with the blog - not sure how to fix them remotely, but we'll keep going and fix them in Austin. We have better (i.e., some!) cell reception tonight in Usedom. Today was my third day of keeping Claire company. We finished a long 62km (39 miles) in just over 8.5 hours - not bad on tired legs. The weather was superb, the route was essentially flat, and with only one day left life is good! Leah provided us cold beer at the finish and had provided wonderful sherpa/roadie support. We have really enjoyed having her with us on this adventure.

RUSS - After Stage 3

2010-07-28T09:27:00.002-05:00

A loooong 72km (45 miles) today. It was very hot (in the '80s), and Claire didn't thrive in the heat...but she persevered, and we made it to the finish line together for a second straight day. She's tough!

CLAIRE - After Stage 2

2010-07-26T15:43:00.002-05:00

Today was very hot (almost Texas), very hilly and long (67km or 41 miles). I got my nutrition and sodium intake sorted out today, so my legs cramped less and I had less potty breaks. The best part of today was Russ keeping me company the whole way. I was worried about missing the cut-off (10 hours), but he managed to keep us on track for a 9 hr 8 min finish. Having Leah giving us mental and physical (in the form of copious quantities of Vaseline) support has been wonderful. Tomorrow is the longest mileage day. If I can make it through that, the rest should be smooth sailing.

RUSS - After Stage 2

2010-07-26T13:16:00.002-05:00

Claire just picked up her first award of the race - third placed first-time woman - woohoo! Because of language dfficulties, she had no idea what it was for at first, but now she's suitably proud of her new certificate. I really enjoyed keeping her company through a tough day on the road today. Despite hot, hilly conditions and fatigue, we didn't argue once! I'm looking forward to repeating the experience tomorrow, even though it's 5k further.

LEAH - After Stage 2

2010-07-26T11:50:00.002-05:00

Today was an absolute blast! Because the course was rolling and Sheba (that's my bike) is heavy and really gets moving on a downhill, it was hard for me to stay with the runners. So I zipped ahead. Some highlights: gorgeous field of sunflowers, cyclists of every shape and size, piney woods and sandy trails, blue skies, seeing Claire and Russ finish, hand in hand and looking like they had more miles in their legs.

CLAIRE - After Stage 1

2010-07-25T14:37:00.002-05:00

Had a great first day - beautiful course and weather. Old adductor / quad issue started to act up towards the end, but fortunately our friend Hans Drexler's girlfriend Annett is a physio, and was able to help me out. Great dinner in this wonderful hotel. We're spoilt, and not relishing going back to a gym tomorrow night!

LEAH - After Stage 1

2010-07-25T14:02:00.002-05:00

Wow, what a day! We had everything from city scapes to pastures with windmills and ancient fortress walls. I was able to cycle with Claire through the first aid station, then catch up with Russ for the third and fourth, the halfway point, where I waited for Claire. We hung together until just before the 6th. She looked very strong and was closing the gap so I cycled up in time to see both Seckers finish. It was a lovely day. I'm having some gear shifting issues and hope to find a bike shop tomorrow. Everyone says the route is even nicer than today's. Go Claire and Russ!

RUSS - After Stage 1

2010-07-25T11:56:00.002-05:00

Today's course started right in the center of Berlin. After 10km of downtown running, we found ourselves on the Berlin-Usedom bikepath. It's truly gorgeous. Tonight we're saying in "grande luxe" in a wonderful, modern hotel (tomorrow, it's back to gym life!). My legs hurt for much of the 65km, but I was able to keep up a reasonable pace by suffering in silence. After relaxing at the finish with Leah for a while, I was very happy to see Claire arrive with our Swiss friend Ursula. Tomorrow will be another day - hopefully OK after initial inevitable soreness.

RUSS - At Frohnau

2010-07-24T14:11:00.002-05:00

Our first race briefing and dinner is over. The race gets underway from the Lustgarten (in the center of Berlin) at 8am tomorrow. There are 67 competitors champing at the bit. Race organisers Jörg, Silke and Lutz seem very nice indeed. One of the German female competitors asked me at dinnertime tonight if Leah was my daughter. Much hilarity ensued, as we debated whether Leah looks super-young or I look super-old.

LEAH - At Frohnau

2010-07-24T11:19:00.002-05:00

We're lying here in the gym in Frohnau waiting for dinner and the first race talk. The afternoon passed quickly with details: finding our spaces to sleep, putting together my bike. Thank goodness that is done - I was worried. Now to be excited for the racers! Russ is quite the social butterfly. Claire is puttering around. Tomorrow will be an adventure!

CLAIRE At Frohnau

2010-07-24T10:26:00.003-05:00

Russ, Leah and I have arrived at the race start gym. We managed to get a nice corner spot to set up our sleeping bags. we've met lots of great people and very experienced runners. One of the first women I met has the 1000 mile award from having done 10 Western States 100-milers! Then I met a man that has run 1700 marathons! And of course Russ is no slouch. I am beginning to think I am in over my head. Dinner and race briefing at 7pm. Leah's bike has been assembled, but Russ's back will never be the same again.

Leaving Austin for Berlin

2010-07-21T09:08:00.003-05:00

...in just a few hours. The race starts on Sunday - we have a Thursday night layover in London along the way, in case of flight problems which seem to always happen these days.

The latest weather forecast is excellent after the recent German heatwave:
> Sunday Scattered Clouds. High: 69°F.
> Monday Scattered Clouds. High: 71°F.
> Tuesday Scattered Clouds. High: 75°F.
Sounds hopeful...but in my experience things often have a habit of deteriorating quickly. Raingear, gloves, hats and sunscreen are all packed.

Claire, Leah and I are all planning to post on this blog once we get underway. Here's the Baltic Run race website. Click the Ergebnisliste link for results once we get underway.

Baltic-Run 2010 - Two weeks 'til Berlin

2010-07-08T21:39:00.004-05:00

Claire and I have another few days of humid, sweaty training in Austin before we begin a loosely defined "taper". On July 21, we fly to London for 24 hours, before flying on to Berlin. Hopefully hurricanes, British Airways strikes and volcanic ash will not conspire to mess up our plans too badly.

We will be running an average of 40 miles a day for 5 days in Germany, along with 64 other runners and 7 stage racers. The Baltic-Run race starts in the center of Berlin, and passes due north to the Baltic Sea, mainly along the course of the Berlin-Usedom Radweg (bike path). I know at least 10 of the other runners; I'm really looking forward to meeting up with them all again. We're very happy too that we will be accompanied by our good Texas friend Leah, who will be cycling much of the route and providing us with support along the way.

My right knee has been troubling me a lot during training recently. At times, it REALLY hurts, and it affects my hamstrings, sciatic nerve, glutes, SI joint and back. My informed self-diagnosis is osteoarthritis, as this is the surgically repaired knee I injured white water rafting 15 years ago. The Baltic-Run will be a test to see whether I will be able to continue running long distances, or instead have to hang it up in favor of something less load bearing like cycling. We'll see.

10 hour race in Kentucky

2010-06-13T09:09:00.003-05:00

A miserably hot, humid night. I started strong, but had an awful patch at about 4 hours - aches & pains, stomach issues, and shoe problems - so that finishing seemed in major doubt. But then I somehow rallied, and finished strong. Ended up with 47.5 miles - good for 4th place - missed "the podium" by a frustrating half-mile. Click here for a flip video of the finish...

Claire started very well. At one point (around 25 miles) she was threatening to move into third woman place, and to kick my then sorry butt in the process. But an old adductor injury made her limp to a halt. She did the smart thing and baled, so that she wouldn't damage it irreparably before Germany.

Very tired and sore now. It'll be a loooong drive home.

10 hour race in Kentucky

2010-06-12T19:33:00.001-05:00

800 miles of driving, through Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois and now Kentucky. Now just one hour until race time start of 8 p.m. It's 93 degrees (100 degrees with heat index). Come on, sundown! The horsetrack is being wetted down right now. It's going to be a very long - but hopefully fun - night, and an interesting challenge.

Next up - 10 hours in Kentucky, June 12-13

2010-05-04T09:44:00.005-05:00

I've run through the night a couple of times before and really enjoyed it. It's an odd feeling - your sensory perceptions and circadian rhythms get all oddly messed up. This run caught my eye, as a way to keep me focused for Germany. It's flat, soft and traffic free, so I'm headed to Paducah, Kentucky on June 12th to spend 10 hours from 8pm to 6am running in circles around a horse track. Later in June, Claire's headed to the mountains in Leadville, Colorado to train with her trail friends. Wonder which one of us will injure ourselves least.

Three months til Germany!

2010-04-25T16:32:00.001-05:00

July 25th is the first day of our 5-day Baltic Run in Germany. To commemorate this pre-anniversary, we just marked up Claire's three pairs of Brooks Launch "racing sneakers". Yesterday morning was a trouble-free 26.2 mile training run, capping off a 70-mile week for her. I'm lagging a bit in mileage, but hopefully she'll take pity on me when we get underway.

Baltic Run 2010

2010-04-18T17:00:00.001-05:00

Running mojo is returning, just in time to prepare for the Baltic Run, 5 days and 200 miles north from Berlin to the Baltic Sea in July. Aches and pains have receded, and I'm finally enjoying running again. This week Claire and I ran nearly 50 troublefree miles, and we're now ready to start increasing weekly mileages over the next 3 months. She has it all planned on a spreadsheet; I just tag along.

It has been a blissfully cool Texas Spring in which to train. During today's run, Claire told me she's "really, really looking forward to Germany." I am too now. My fingers are crossed for us both - hopefully no volcanic ash to mess up our plans by then.

KOOP 91.7FM radio interview

2010-02-24T15:02:00.002-06:00

Check out my recent Inner Views radio interview with Abigail Mahnke.

Texas guinea pig

2010-02-16T17:13:00.003-06:00

Some fine folks at the University of Texas tested me this week as part of a research study into arterial stiffness. My body composition measurement showed 7.9% fat - as my weight is now 15lbs higher than post-Trans Europe, I've obviously managed to lard myself up successfully over the last eight months. My VO2max test score of 60 (OK, I'm rounding up from 59.7 - sounds better!) was pleasingly high given my advancing years and lack of serious training at this point. Blood work results tomorrow should be interesting, to see whether my cholesterol has kept in check.

Tulsa time?

2010-02-05T08:38:00.003-06:00

Claire and I are getting ready to run together for two days at the end of February in Tulsa, OK. February 27 is the inaugural Tulsa Running Club Post Oak Lodge Marathon, and February 28 is the 50K, both on trails. Tulsa seems like a great running community, and this race is being wonderfully planned and organized. Claire's running long and strong every week now; I'll be trying to keep up with her with my gimpy right leg, while saving some energy for speaking at the pasta dinners.

Trans Europe Footrace 2012

2009-12-16T15:44:00.002-06:00

My friend J-B Jaouen is of course totally correct - I did "solemnly promise that I will never do anything this crazy ever again" on this very blog on June 21, the last day of Trans Europe 2009.

But that was before I knew that the 2012 course would be shorter (only 4,000km) and would run through my "home country" of England. And so therefore...my bib number for 2012 is #19. How tough could it possibly be?!

Baltic Run 2010

2009-10-24T14:07:00.004-05:00

Next stage race will be in July - the Baltic Run, north from Berlin to the Baltic Sea. Two hundred miles over five days. Claire and I are both signed up - if all goes according to plan, this will be our first stage race together.

After her strong showing at this year's Tahoe Triple, it'll be interesting to see how Claire holds up over more and longer stages. She's certainly in much better shape than me right now. My weight has ballooned to 180 lbs (up 21 lbs since Trans Europe), and my legs are very sore each time I attempt to run a few miles as we did together this morning. But at least the Texas weather is now cooler, and so the time running together passes quickly.

Post-Lake Tahoe Triple

2009-09-28T13:11:00.001-05:00

Woohoo! $2 payout. Carolyn's a smart girl - she quit while she was ahead. Beers are on you, Ed.

Post-Lake Tahoe Triple

2009-09-28T13:08:00.000-05:00

Here's Carolyn gambling Ed Burgess' $1 bill (he's a high roller, eh?)...

Lake Tahoe Triple

2009-09-27T18:18:00.000-05:00

The broiling sufferfest is over! All the musketeers finished stongly today - three new "rock star" Triplers and one new "Double Tripler" - Carolyn - have been minted. I'm a proud sherpa. Traditional pizza dinner tonight at the Blue Dog.

Despite an embarrasingly slow time (due to absence of oxygen, no training, old age, and several other good excuses), I managed to eke out a top ten finish in the 10K, and placed first in the geriatric division.

Lake Tahoe Triple

2009-09-26T19:17:00.000-05:00

All three gutsy Austin musketeers (plus Hans "D'Artagnan" Drexler from Germany) made it to the finish line of Day 2 successfully. Some minor issues for everyone...but I'm forecasting a 100% completion rate tomorrow. Very impressive.

Me? I've decided to be sensible for once and run the 10K tomorrow. I vaguely remember that marathons are no fun if you haven't trained for them! It will be nice to be finished 3 hours earlier than if I was running 26.2.

Lake Tahoe Ultra

2009-09-26T10:51:00.000-05:00

It's a beautiful place! The musketeers are all underway this morning in good spirits. My spirits are good too because the Ultra tonight is cancelled due to road permit issues, so I get to sleep tonight! Maybe I'll run the marathon tomorrow? 26.2 should be easier with no training than 72! Expecting record high temperatures again today and tomorrow - 87 degrees. Cold start, hot finish.

Lake Tahoe Ultra

2009-09-25T17:37:00.000-05:00

This'll be interesting. I couldn't resist the temptation of running through the night around the lake and under the stars again this year. 72 miles without any training - tomorrow night starting at 10pm. We'll see.

Lake Tahoe

2009-09-25T17:32:00.000-05:00

All three musketeers and my friend Hans from Germany got through Day 1 in one piece. Temperatures were high and sun very strong especially over the last six very hilly miles. A few minutes soaking in Lake Tahoe afterwards helped aching muscles. I've been nagging everyone to eat lots all day - with mixed success. One third done!

Lake Tahoe

2009-09-25T11:57:00.000-05:00

Fourteen miles in to the first day of the Triple, the three Rogue musketeers are all running comfortably together. It's warm!!

Lake Tahoe

2009-09-24T16:16:00.000-05:00

My friend Hans Drexler arrived very late last night from Germany, and still came and ran with us around Spooner Lake this morning. He's run 320 ultras and marathons since 2001 - quite amazing! - and he's also a great photographer. The Triple should be a breeze for him. It's good to have him here as part of this year's "Tahoe Team Austin".

Lake Tahoe

2009-09-23T21:59:00.001-05:00

Our new annual tradition - Murphy's Irish Pub in South Lake Tahoe on the Wednesday night before the Tahoe Triple begins. Claire and Carolyn are tripling, along with our friends Clint and Hans. I'm sherpa'ing for them on the first two days. Then when they run their third marathon on Sunday, I'll run a race of undetermined distance too - just haven't decided yet between the 72-mile Ultra and the 10K. Sublime or ridiculous, eh?

Speaking to runners at Rogue Running in Austin, TX

2009-09-11T18:03:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Ruth England for flipcamming me!

Visit roguerunningequipment.com for more Videos

Running Across Countries is now ready for online purchase...

2009-09-10T14:21:00.003-05:00

...from https://www.createspace.com/3394407

Running Across Countries

2009-08-08T16:19:00.003-05:00

Since I've been home, I've been feverishly working on a book about my running adventures. Writing is sometimes harder than running, I swear! Hopefully it'll be available through Amazon sometime in the next month. Email me at russellsecker@gmail.com if you're interested in getting a copy, so I can keep you posted.

Party time!

2009-06-29T07:59:00.000-05:00

Claire threw me a great party yesterday. BBQ, Mexican, margaritas, the works. Thanks to her for arranging, and to many friends for stopping by. Lots of folks said they enjoyed getting their daily dose of this blog - it provided me with an invaluable way to reflect and connect to home. I'm just so relieved the story had a happy ending (beautifully recounted in today's Austin American Statesman by Pam LeBlanc - thanks, Pam!).

Now, about that next race...

Cankles are back...

2009-06-23T01:53:00.000-05:00

Halfway back to the UK yesterday, I noticed that my ankles were starting to do an impersonation of water balloons, and my calves and ankles had once again merged to form "cankles" (see France 2005). By the time I landed in Heathrow, my socks had become as tight as sausage skins, and the pressure got more and more painful. It was a little tricky driving my stick shift rental car and trying to take off my socks simultaneously. I'm glad I don't have to run on them today.

By the way, one thing that many stage runners do is to cut down the front of every pair of socks, to relieve pressure on the front of the ankle. Part of my small but moving final ceremony before leaving Norway was to throw out all my many pairs of used, "restyled" shoes and socks. In the end, I opted to place them all discretely in a garbage can rather than cause a littering spectacle at the North Cape.

The journey home...

2009-06-22T10:22:00.000-05:00

I set off for Alta airport by bus at 3am this morning, and we covered two stages of the race (in the opposite direction, of course) in under two hours. We crossed the bleak Sennalandet again in wind and pouring rain, and of course saw reindeer by the thousand.

Since I woke at 2:30am, I just can't stop eating or thinking about food. My brain and body have gone into ravenous overdrive. As I'm spending all day on planes or hanging about in Norwegian airports (Alta, Tromsö and now Oslo), my credit card has been hit with the equivalent of the GDP of a third world country. Happy now, Mastercard?

Mmmm, just spotted a Pizza Hut....lucky I've nearley finished this shrimp baguette.

Final results

2009-06-21T10:44:00.000-05:00

Rainer Koch of Germany dominated, and was overall winner, leading Takasumi Senoo (Japan) and René Strosny (Germany) who amazingly finished less than 6 minutes apart.

After Hiroko Okiyama's unfortunate abandon, the women's race was won by another Japanese, Takako Funyama (20th overall). Second place Elke Streicher of Germany was nearly 7 hours behind.

I spent 602 hours crossing Europe, and finished 30th (out of 68 starters), which pleases me given my advanced years and the quality of many of the other runners. Cautious pacing helped me avoid injury.

One competition that I DID win was body fat loss as measured by the MRI docs. I am now officially devoid of all body fat. I solemnly promise that I will never do anything this crazy ever again.

Stage 64 - Nordkapp

2009-06-21T07:21:00.000-05:00

Here's me wearing 2 Goretex jackets, a sweatshirt, and 2 other shirts (plus natty homemade legwarmers), and I swear I never broke a sweat. Unbelievably, ski chairlift cold - one guy got frostbite on his nose! I have never experienced such bitter gales.

But the journey is blissfully ended, at the northernmost point in Europe. I feel a little "dazed and confused", but elated at the prospect of not having to tenderize my long-suffering feet again tomorrow.

Celebrations tonight, then a 3:30am departure for the airport. I will be first on that bus.

Finally, a shout-out to two folks who helped me most - my long-suffering wife, who helped me hang in there with daily calls and emails, and Mike, who met me in Sweden with a care package and great messages from Austin.

Oh, and did I mention...I just ran across Europe - WOOHOO!

Before Stage 64...

2009-06-20T21:26:00.000-05:00

...just wanted to say...

This has been an amazing 9-week journey which I've been privileged to take. The very best part - the one thing that has kept me going through some very painful and bleak miles - has been the connection to everyone who's been reading this blog.

Every morning, when the 4am alarm goes off, I first turn on my phone and read comments & emails, and on many occasions I swear it has enabled me to face "just one more day" on the road. I didn't want to let you guys down!

So THANK YOU for all the kind words and thoughts, and don't underestimate the power they had over this weary soul.

Gratefully yours, as I head to one last starting line,

Russ

Stage 63 - Honningsväg

2009-06-20T12:52:00.000-05:00

I can't tell you how good it feels to write 63! Especially after the atrocious day we've just suffered through. Gale force headwinds and rain for most of the day, and even colder temperatures than yesterday. Despite wearing tons of layers, the cold just bit through everything, and then found no body fat resistance. Some aid stations kindly let us inside their vehicles for the first time, but that almost made it harder to return to the Arctic.

Most of the day was spent moving from fjord to fjord. They're beautiful but desolate, and absent sunshine take on a depressing air. We also had to navigate 3 tunnels today, the longest of which was 5 miles long. Very spooky - but at least a break from the wind and rain.

So tomorrow is the final 28 miles. The forecast is for more of the same, but we'll all be relieved to be done by lunchtime. Hallelujah.

Couldn't resist this one...

2009-06-19T13:54:00.000-05:00

But seriously - note the orange arrow on the pole - those are what have guided our way across nearly 3,000 miles of Europe.

View of the Sennalandet

2009-06-19T13:51:00.000-05:00

Early this morning, before the sun disappeared and the wind began to howl.

Stage 62 - Olderfjord

2009-06-19T13:47:00.000-05:00

Our very own fjord tonight! But getting here was a brutal journey. It was 2 marathons plus 5 miles long, on weary legs. The narrow road had plenty of traffic, and rose and fell between sea level and 1000'. And lastly, it was bitterly cold - below freezing with windchill - and the headwind was horrendous. Thirteen hours I'm going to put in the "not fun" column, despite scenery that would've been superb on a sunny day.

But we're here. A salmon dinner was on hand as we finished, and with 2 stages of 50 and 28 miles left, optimism is high. I will be one happy camper on Sunday night.

Stage 61 - Rafsbotn (near Alta)

2009-06-18T12:52:00.000-05:00

Despite the length of the stage (over 53 miles), and some nasty truck and trailer traffic from time to time, this was absolutely the best day of the whole journey - I'll try to explain why.

It started with sunshine, nice running temps, and gentle breezes. Unlike other previous more changeable days, that lasted all day. The run started out along a beautiful, wide river with barren, stony, snow-covered hills beyond. We encountered several herd of reindeer, one of which decided to run alongside us for a while. Then the river (and our road) headed down a steep gorge for many spectacular kilometers, and we got to watch the white water do its thing.

But as we approached Alta after about 30 miles, things started to change. Pine trees reappeared, farms sprung up, and the microclimate suddenly became alpine (from the Gulf Stream effect, I'm guessing). Flowers and the smell of mown grass. Running comfortably in shorts and T-shirt. And beyond the fairly sizeable town, in the distance, the Norwegian Sea, with fabulous, massive, ice-covered fjords beyond. Even the Norwegians in the group were blown away - it was spectacular.

Our accommodations tonight are good - hot showers and very good food. Two long, hard days still loom ahead, but we're hoping that the good weather holds, because that makes it all much more endurable.

P.S. Marit - thanks for the invite in Alta - no time unfortunately this time, but maybe I'll come back? J-B - seriously, only 5 other ultras!

Norway - birch trees & rivers...

2009-06-17T11:54:00.000-05:00

A nice start to the day...

2009-06-17T09:17:00.000-05:00

The sky isn't blue much...but the road does go on forever.

Stage 60 - Máze

2009-06-17T09:13:00.000-05:00

Just four days left. Today was my 100th Ultra - small potatoes for some of the hardcore folks here, but still a decent count. Or crazy, depending on your point of view.

The day started sunny and pleasant for a change, and stayed that way for a couple of very good hours. Then, despite clouds and cold, we didn't get rained on, and the scenery became quite impressive (I'll post a separate photo). In all, a good day with a finish time for me just after 2pm.

Bridget Jones bit: wildlife - absolutely zero; herring - pickled in mustard sauce; drugs - ran out of calcium, two NSAIDs (sorry kidneys & liver).

The next three days are all over 50 miles - a very long slog, but we've come this far. No whining ... but can't wait to be done.

Lapp dancing...

2009-06-16T13:38:00.000-05:00

...in the gym tonight? (Couldn't resist that one.) Not quite - right now, these two delightful young ladies are "yoikking", which is pretty cool traditional Norwegian singing / drumming / chanting.

Stage 59 - Kautokeino

2009-06-16T11:37:00.000-05:00

Finland's done, and now we're in Norway, our last country. Today was 51 miles of fierce, very cold northerly headwinds accompanied from time to time by heavy rain. Lucky for us it's summertime, eh? It was one of those "I just want to be done" days.

One thing I noticed when we got to Norway - no more pine trees, just sparse woods of silver birch. The landscape is becoming more mountainous and rugged as we move towards fjord country. Rivers are slowly taking the place of lakes in the scenery. I feel there are some hills ahead.

My "Bridget Jones Diary" moment for today: Wildlife - no reindeer, but one husky who ran 5 miles with me; Cigarettes - none; Alcohol - one alcohol-free beer to wash down my jar of pickled herring at the finish (protein, you know).

A slightly shorter 39-mile day tomorrow, followed by something of a gruesome "grand finale" of three days over 50 miles, before the 29-mile jog to the North Cape on Sunday. Feet don't fail me now!

Stage 58 - Enontekiö

2009-06-15T10:21:00.000-05:00

Ah, Finland! Home of Nokia and, well, Finns. Mike from Austin is right - they manage to string together more letters than any other nation on earth here. Spelling tests in school must consume reams of paper...but anyhow, I digress.

The day started inauspicious with heavy rain as we were eating breakfast. We started the race on
the Swedish side of a river, and crossed directly into Finland. The rain poured, the wind howled, thunder and lightning boomed. Everyone was cold and drenched - sheer bloody misery for the first two hours.

Gradually it eased up, and as we left the main highway to cross a mountain range via a smaller road, the skies turned blue and the sun put in a welcome appearance. My running felt good today, helped in part by the knowledge that we only had 40 miles to cover, but also thanks to less painful feet.

Today's bombshell is that women's race leader Hiroko from Japan abandonned. (She also had to abandon after 44 days in the last 2003 edition of this race.) She has had bad leg problems for days, and finally was forced to quit. Again, this is so late in the game to have to drop out - very unfortunate. She's being a trooper, but is clearly very upset, especially because she was holding a huge lead over second place on time.

So, just 6 days to go for the rest of us, but 4 of them very long. Norway tomorrow, hopefully with kinder weather? But I'm less than hopeful - it's just started to rain again outside.