I have taken on a role as entertainer for keeping morale up and to keep our spirits light. This has meant appearing as a giant walking worm, a dancing strobe light man, a pointing highlighter dude, a singing juggling runner etc. Oh how I can't wait for my next inspiration to have more fun.

Although the idea of traveling around the world, getting to run everyday and being a part of such a cause of humanity and need is cool, the truth is it is really incredibly tough for all of us. For instance our days have been rotating from running at every hour of the day while being needed to attend celebrations engaging the public, talking to media and driving constantly from point to point. Our first two weeks had an average of less than 5 hrs sleep per night for the entire BPR team. This on top of running and then getting into a vehicle, and the above daily changes have their implications on recovery. All said... thus the worm, thus the fun and the more detailed silly happenings as they unfold.

Even with everything, I am keeping my mileage up and training is coming along. For now I am mostly focused on tempo efforts at sub maximal lactate threshold pace but I am also incorporating short 200m intervals before switching into a speed phase for all of the 28 days of Russia. My run on June 15th was actually 2 legs of 10 miles and I waved to every car that passed me and also ran on the grass ditch beside the road which at times was from 6" - 2' high. This was done while wearing a Craft touque (with a Canada Flag on it), a long sleeve Craft shirt under my BPR singlet and Craft tights. The temperature was around 24 degrees and although my time was recorded at 1:41:00 the GPS must of been off because that would mean a 5:03 pace for all 20 miles!!! Oh ya... they all waved back.

Poem of the Day

Aloneness somehow a feeling of,
Suffering hollowness paining swallows
Dirt and an anxiety and an appetite
Future shadowed through and through
Across mind landscapes laughing

Waking day beginning again gaining again In the earlier morning advanced times Air of often overwhelming offers others Running such as mind before a momentum is somehow Some seeming uncomfortable in a way to live Clawing currents and torrents rivers of holding

Held your life in each step, a spark of breathing reset And in a respect identifying compassionately more Namaste for the inner light In me can see the inner light in you and task may you fear Me for I own you for the rest of my life and will always Be to help you know that your inner light is what makes me not feel alone, not feel too much suffering, not feel too much pain Washing away the dirt old perspective Setting joy the place of worry fades away