Boston Marathon:

Sign me UP!!!

(Afghanistan Style) 

So two days ago I was sent an email (thank you Joe) which shared the details of a Marathon which is to be held in the very near future on base. Not only is it a marathon but it's tied to the BOSTON MARATHON!!!! Are you kidding me!!!

"...2nd ever Boston Marathon/Afghanistan.The Boston Athletic Association has been generous enough to help us conduct this event free of charge to all participants." 

Reading the email with wide eyes, disbelief and great anticipation, I felt the charge of life ignite my spirit. "YES"!!! As I read my thoughts and concerns  surged ahead of the outlined information. "When is it? Am I off? Will they let me do it? Can I be ready? Who's coming with me?" Frantically reading on I welcomed the literature's appeasing text. 

When is it?::::::::::::::: 14 April 2012

Am I off?::: ::::::::::::::YES

Will they let me do it?::: YES

Can I be Ready?:::::::::Son, I was BORN READY!!! I have 6 days to prepare :-/

Who's coming with me?:READY of NOT here 'I' come. Joseph is IN!!! YES

This is a 'Must Do' and is considered to be nothing less than an absolute Gift from the Universe. 6 days to get spun up for a 26.2 mile run,,, "I'll take two please"!  There's no way around it, I'm 'IN' and this is going to H.U.R.T.!!! The plan, sleep a lot and stretch. This one's all mental. Gonna knock this out "Gorilla Style". 

I'm pretty sure that my finish will not be as elegant as the captured moment shown above. I can pretty much bet that my finish will be the realization of a number quite different than the one shown above also; one that has a friend to the left AND right of it. There may be a '1' in there somewhere,,, "May"!!! Ultimately, I'm excited and grateful for the chance to participate is this event.  What a ride. It's time to LIVE!!!

Follow up to come...

9 April 2012 (2135 Afghanistan time)
Alright its some hours later and I'm resting in bed after running 6.5 miles today. This is the fast track to 26.2. Will don't fail me now!!! I'm all IN!!! I feel good. It's going to be a doosie, that's for sure. I am riding that fine line of work, rest and replenishment. 5 days till "Runners on your mark". Dare to Live!!!!




15 April 2012
Whooo Hooooo!!!!
The Marathon went AMAXING!!! I ended up running with an Awesome guy I met out here. 6 days of preparation and I have to say that I am completely Happy with the results. First Marathon is in the bag. I just noticed that my 





watch clocked 05:02:23 for 23.76 miles. I had a goal of a sub 5 hour mark. I'll have to check to get my official time. All in all it went Great. What a ride. The greatest part was keeping a clear head all the way through. I have to credit that to having such an Awesome wingman (Joseph Kurr). He kept me moving with Chants and silly stunts along the way...Running up to buses on the road and dishing out "High 5's", racing while waving at passing cars and the classic running backwards and clapping his hands with an animated "Let's GO LE-OOO"!!! Can't beat it with a stick I tell ya. So it's all about rest and recovery from here. Thanks to All my Triathlete friends for the advise and encouragement. And Thanks to all my friends and family that gave support. I felt it and Loved it!!! Boston's in the BAG!!!! YES!!!

'ave a Good Morning
(New Faces,,, Let's RUN!!!)

Well what a great day. I had a  very relaxed morning walking the dirt roads and squatting in the common areas of Bagram AB. Upon arriving here I knew new activity patterns and networks would have to be created. The starting with nothing and creating new relationships is such an intriguing practice. So at this point there is definitely some momentum of creation to be noted. It's ironic that I'm a little scared of figuring things out here to fast and becoming bored. I should stop telling myself that nonsense though. This base is pretty large and people are constantly passing through. 

A part of the 'day off' routine has been to go to breakfast and sit and people watch until the population
 feels more like admission into intimate pods of interaction. I like to close the place down and kill some time, you know what I'm saying? 





Who knew how much fun this could be? I know,,, you did right? :) It's totally just like a high school lunchroom.  So yea,,, I totally did that today and in good company. Today was all about fun conversation and meeting new people. 

I left the dining facility (dfac), departing from my good company (Paulus) and headed for more loitering at the local coffee house. I don't drink coffee so this was truly a division 1A level of loitering. I didn't buy JACK! Low and behold an open seat was available. I snatched a motor magazine, allowed myself to be swallowed into the well ridden couch and spun myself up on the full inventory of Ford motor 





vehicles. (boooorrrrrrriiiiiiinnnnngggg)!!! Ok, I'm a Ford hatter,,,, but I love "You",,, I promise. It's cool. Something about the smell of a grounded Columbian 'Crack' bean brew and a community sofa that's had a hard life that just suggest, "Relax,,, there's no time in this dimension. Just slip away and watch the world pass by".  I totally could have passed out in a high traffic area today. I shared a few quick smiles and greeting with the passing "revenue producing" customers and was even awarded a "You have a nice smile" by some attractive peers (women,,, just checking in). 

I left the comfort of the seductive aroma of legal 'Crack' and the pleading, yet unheard, appeal of the 




punished pleather and ran into a desert acquaintance. We shared some laughs, I met her road dog and enjoyed an offered Subway chocolate chip cookie; another legalized 'Crack' item. God bless America. I left the ladies to return back to work and started my short walk back to the fire department.   

 I've been feeling a sense to run around a section of the base and left the fire station with an intent of completion.  What do you know, as I was making my way out of the desert dirt rooted compound and onto the main road I saw a guy all geared up and stretching to begin a run. I through a quick, " Going for a run uh? I'll be right with ya in a second". He asked if I was running and I explained that I was headed just up the road to change and come back to "Get it On". He offered to wait and I was inspired by his will. A running mate sounded like an undeniable gift. I threw some pep in my step and doubled back to the station, changed clothes and headed out the door. I ended up running the majority of the distance back to our point of inception out of courtesy. "Hey, he's still there"! Before I caught his name we were already committed in a brisk walk to loosen up the ol' joints. We ended up getting an Awesome run in. Great Run, Fun Conversation, Expansion of Network. I call that a gift. What a way to start the day.