From Krakow, Poland. It is amazing that no matter what we are doing one of our team mates is always running. We truly are running around the world! We are about to complete what I deem the first third of the odyssey, Europe, and enter phase two which will be a totally different animal. We will lose our wonderful Italian crew, our teams will be reconfigured, and the experience in Russia will involve security, fewer creature comforts, and a long straight month-long road to Asia. The final third will be an amazing ignition all across the States and into Canada before making our way to the New York finish line.

Today we left our quirky hotel in Frydek-Mistek and crossed the border into Poland. The eastern Czech countryside was much prettier than what we encountered leaving Prague. In the east there are peaceful villages and beautiful agricultural areas with mountains in the distance. The mountains are not very high but there is a definite range called the Beskydy-Valassko which brings lovely breezes to the area. Laura and I had a fun dinner in the hotel restaurant last night with runners and staff before closing out our day off with a deep fulfilling sleep. Every one on this trip yearns for those REM sleeps that come few and far between.

I ran the second leg today from 4:30 to 6pm and ran across the Czech Republic/Poland border. I was held back at the border along with the photographers and one of the pilot vehicles for almost 15 minutes. It was very hot and Poland is quite hilly. In fact, my first mile was up the side of a mountain past rose gardens to a lovely village, then out into the Polish countryside. The country is neat and clean. Two sections of roadway were a bit terrorizing for me today, the first because of semis and exhaust, the second because of traffic, no shoulders, and all the highway memorials along the sides. The remainder of my run was fabulous, even though I was slow. There is something about a day off that makes me sluggish.

Poland is truly a beautiful country. I dedicated this run to my ex-mother-in-law who always spoke lovingly and longingly of her homeland.

The Green Team is on the move again. It’s hard on days like these to learn about the areas we pass through. We won’t have much time to explore Krakow. It is another historic and beautiful city. As we drove in tonight, a lighted castle overlooked the city from a nearby hilltop. We passed other castles in the center and drove through an area that reminded us of Cambridge, only the buildings are bigger. The thought of how these buildings were constructed so long ago without the equipment we have now boggles my mind. How long did it take? How did they do it all? And what propelled all of these cultures to build such immense, grandiose structures?

Contacts with the Poles so far have been very cordial and helpful. One thing Poland does not have are good roads. The country roads are rippled and roller coaster-like for a wild ride. We’re off to Warsaw tomorrow where I hope to dine on a good plate of pierogis.