World Adventure

No air traffic controllers on the White Continent.  It’s all visual.  Radar.  Close watch on weather.  Cloud cover, SNOW.  Stories of flying to Antarctica… not landing, diverted 3 hours back to Chile.

1am meeting cancelled.  Weather window closed.  Back to sleep.

6am downstairs.  Luggage tent-tagged, 2 buses awaiting.  Small plane.  FULL flight, every seat.

Airport check-in.  Ticketed.  BIG bag on board.  Sunshiny skies, body tired but this is it – LAST DAY!

In theory, a small fee & I can run the Punta Arenas Marathon, day after Antarctica with Black Ice (group from Atlanta).  Thanks, no thanks.  I’ll cheer y’all on – 8 marathons all I signed for.  LOL>

9am: DELAY.  New departure 10:15am.

HIGH energy at Gate One.  Lotta selfies, lotta groupies.  Whole lotta pics in general.  I remember my excitement last year.  Antarctica, bottom of the World.  AMAZING adventure!

11:30am: Flight CANCELLED.  Mix of rain & snow.  Window closed.

And… that was that.

Quiet grieving amongst the Group.  Hour before hotel transport secured.  Punta Arenas Day.

So… what’s the plan?  Notta lotta communication.  iPhone readied, everyone a meteorologist.

Maybe… move Black Ice’s Punta race to tomorrow – but, if our window opens at noon… folks would be pulled off course, packed up, flown to Antarctica and expected to run again, soon after landing… with no surety they’d get the 2 Continent finishes they registered for.

Me?  Pulpo risotto & back to sleep.  Strangely a-ok.  Let the others explore town & nightlife play.

Marathon tomorrow.  Sis did a penguin SACRIFICE; Antarctica SUCCESS or the ‘middle penguin’ goes next 😬

Triple 8, now 8-8-9.  Eight marathons, eight continents… NINE days.

 

 

Day 8 FAIL

 

Save Jan 🐧❤️

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goodbye New York, hello South America.  Journey to the Bottom of the World.  With only 2 marathons to go, spirits CRAZY HIGH again.  It’s not only possible, it’s gonna happen.

BUSINESS CLASS to Santiago.  Stretched out & logged most my sleep hours.  Customs, bag retrieval – the BIG bag, my new NYC-export full of Antarctica supplies… but first, Chile.

Scored McDonald’s Americana while transferring to the Domestic Terminal – ‘Cuarto de Libra con Queso’.  QUARTER POUNDER!  Calories, calories, calories.  Burning 4000+ a day 🍔

Touchdown: Punta Arenas.  Crowded 4-hour flight to Patagonia, the land of Magellan.

13-mile ride into town.  Hurry, hurry, quick.  Change of clothes – it’s race day in 15 minutes!  Today’s 26.2 would be a 3:30 AFTERNOON START (after spending 16 hours in the air).

Airplane stiff but SUPER EXCITED.  Know what to expect; I’ve been here.  Bike path ‘longside the Ocean.  6 laps.  Sun won’t set ‘til almost MIDNITE.  Bottom of the World.  YES!

Hotel lobby PACKED.  GREAT energy!  Tomorrow’s White Continent runners there to greet us.  THEY have their own Quest – most African Americans to race Antarctica, EVER.  Majority from the Deep South.  My PEOPLE.  20 would join the afternoon marathon.  AWESOME!

Sis yesterday; Southerner run-company Day 7!  God gives us exactly what we need.

High 5’s & shout-outs every lap… whatta SPIRIT BOOST.  Out, back.  Out, back.  HUGE SMILE.  SOAKED in every second.  WIND.  Cloud cover.  Sideways RAIN.  Sunshine.  WIND again.  Patagonia summer 🌞

Two days ago, armor dented/spirit broken/no more.  Today – a 5th place FINISH!

Auckland, Perth, Singapore, Cairo, Amsterdam, New York, Punta Arenas.  Just ONE remaining!

Shower, quick nap.  1 a.m. team meeting.  Antarctica Day! 🐧

 

4th Annual Southern Cross Marathon

Punta Arenas, Chile

January 27, 2020

 

Keenan Haga   Louisville, CO U.S.A.   Marathon   5:49:47

 

 

Southern Cross Marathon

 

 

“I feel that the world needs dynamism.  The outer world needs dynamism and the inner world needs peace.  As seekers, we have to pray and meditate in order to have peace.  To be dynamic we need physical fitness at every moment, and running helps us considerably to keep physically fit.” ~ Sri Chinmoy

 

Cairo – Rome – Amsterdam ✈️

First half of World, economy.  Second half… so much better.  YES!

FIRST CLASS to Amsterdam.  Tight connection in Rome (& extra carry-on), no time to check bags.  And FOOD.  Airline dinner would be my only calories Friday.  Touchdown: Schiphol Airport.  Many thanks to the fine folks of KLM who gave Triple 8 a nice shout-out & photo opportunity 😊

1am check-in.  Nicest of our hotel digs & five hours sleep.  New continent/day, same drill.  Shower, marathon clothes, luggage downstairs in the lobby.  Race Day 5.  Appreciative of the journey but today… everything opposite Cairo.  Low energy, spirit vacant.  First day felt I was just showing up.  Silent.  Breakfast’d separate from the Group.  Hoping the crisp temperature change would help push/inspire.  Legs like lead.  No pain, cement logs.  Big lumbering weights attached my hips.

2 short out-n-backs then 8 laps in Bos Park.  Scenic wetland run ‘round a North Sea canal – speed skating in high Winter, rowing practice this day.  Weekend day.  Expecting a larger runner crowd, though most Half-competing.  2 cups of orange juice, quiet reflection.  Camera done; race time.

Cold, quiet, damp.  Bird calls.  Folks dog-walking.  Happy pup sounds.  Sub-10 out-n-back miles.  Walked/jogged Lap 1 ‘round Bosbaan.  Running low, no energy.  Ear buds in.  Kicked up the tunes.

Lap 3: Push to the Bridge.  Walk.  Run Bosbaan length to the opposite end – & REPEAT.

Halfers joining the journey crowded the trek but BOOSTED spirits.  New energy, runner chat.  Wouldn’t walk again ‘til lap 6.  Forward movement; slow n steady.  Water/juice.  Water/juice.  20th bathroom stop (slight exaggeration).  Peanut butter n banana (sans bread) mi new amigo.

Slogged the long stretches of Canal.  Cool winter weather a HUGE PLUS.  push, push, PUSH.

Strangely emotional.  Dizzy.  Mind cloudy.  Gotta finish.  And SLEEP.  Tomorrow USA – I’ll refuel there.  Food, no food, don’t care anymore.  Shower, airport, SLEEP.  Maybe sleep on the 20-minute van ride to Schiphol.  All consuming thought 💤

Finish Banner.  Medal, done.

Five continents, five days.  Too much.  Spirit BROKEN, openly wept.  Tomorrow USA.  HOME 🇺🇸

 

 

Sri Chinmoy Inspiration Marathon