Stairs in Syria

Greetings! The First Few Hours post reminded me when I visited Damascus, Syria. This marked my first trip out of the U.S. I had mentally prepared to experience a world much different from Atlanta, GA. What I didn’t plan for was running. Of course, I planned to run while in Syria. I intended to go out to run very early in the morning. The one exception would be the day we arrived. To preserve The Streak, I had to exercise as soon as we arrived. Our group reached the hotel at 11:00 pm local time. I had no clue how crowded the streets would be at that time of night, with pedestrians and a sea of cars, mostly taxis.

Formal and informal driving in the city was unbelievably aggressive. Drivers constantly changed lanes with no signal other than a quick toot of the horn. Add in the dark of night, street signs I could not read and I quickly determined I needed and alternate exercise plan. This was a time before fitness centers appeared as a mainstream amenity in hotels. I found the stair well. It was a big hotel. I ran the stairs up and down with an occasional loop on the roof top for half an hour. It was mind numbing and fairly challenging on my legs.

The next day before dawn I braved the traffic, not much had changed in the few hours since we arrived. It made for a horrifying yet memorable experience. I now have a bevy of cardio and resistance exercise that can be completed in even very small hotel rooms.

Find a way. Run.

Tom

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Thanks for your support!! ~ Tom

Galapagos Costars

Greetings! Like most passengers on our Galapagos Island cruise we expected to muse about the Beagle expedition that brought Charles Darwin to the area in 1835, and to be amazed by the magnificent plant, animal and marine life of this unique place. On all fronts the trip did not disappoint. However, an unexpected costar, or several thousand of them, stole the spot light after sundown.

The Galapagos Islands have very little light pollution, which makes the night sky a glorious sight to behold. Our position at the equator gave a stunning view of the stars as they wrapped around the horizon. I felt like I was in my own personal planetarium. The Milky Way was distinct and the bright lights of the sky seemed close enough to reach up and pluck them. Stars majestically twinkled and Shannan saw two meteoroids entering the atmosphere, and thus becoming a meteors, or as most folks say, “she saw two shooting stars.”

Seeing the starry nights ranked high amid my favorite parts of the trip. Make no mistake, the Galapagos Islands are among the great wonders of the world.

Shine like the stars. Run.

Tom

First Few Hours

International travel always brings numerous and wonderful opportunities. Sometimes our travel schedule creates situations such that I have to run between connecting flights, or as soon as arrive at our destination in order to preserve The Streak of daily exercise. It’s no hassle for me as I love running in the first few hours in a new place. The new environment generally gives off many signals we have arrived somewhere different than our own, the types of vehicles on the road, the smells in the air, the landscape and the climate.

My first run in Quito, Ecuador, only a few hours after we landed, fit the bill. Our guide told me about a park close to our hotel. In the few minutes before I reached the park, I had taken note of crowded public transportation and the mass of people out preparing for the run-off Presidential election to take place later in the day. Police and election personnel blocked streets near voting stations. Meanwhile vendors set up shop anticipating a good day of business with long lines. Voting is mandatory in Ecuador.

The park itself proved a new experience. At 6:00am 20 or more adult men were playing pick-up games of basketball. Carolina Park has something for most, fields for a wide variety of sports, open green space, art, refreshment stands, walking paths, playscapes, water features, and a big blue running track.  Yes, blue.  Inside the blue track were the typical track and field accoutrements along with oversize tires for cross-fit style workouts. I’ve never visited a park like this one anywhere. It’s a great asset to the area.

The run prepared me for the many other distinctly Ecuadorian encounters we had on our city tour and visit to the Middle of the World Museum.

Don’t Wait. Run

Tom