At 4 a.m., the sun rising on my left and a meteor shower making a brief but spectacular dance to my right, as I was the first male of our runners to cross from the Russian border into Mongolia. If you had seen me, you would have witnessed total elation on my face. Truth be told though. my teammate, Taeko was the first runner to cross. But there is no dissatisfaction in running second, especially to one of Japan's' fastest female marathoners.

It was like I had escaped chaos of sorts after waiting for more than two hours, waiting, waiting for our bus to take us across the Russian border. Probably not the best choice of words, but, that is what comes to mind. The only respite were the Russian children waiting playfully outside their bus asking for our autographs which we gleefully obliged. Oh, notice I said "playfully". We adults sometimes forget how to play, do we not? Perhaps that is why we run.?? hmmm....

The early morning run into this amazingly beautiful land gave rebirth to my notion that there is still a world that has order and sense. Running down the two lane road, only one or two vehicles passing me my entire sixty-eight minute ten mile run, mostly treeless mountains carpeted though with golden and green grasses, filled me with joy and delight and for an instance made time stand still.

Only was I awaken when I spotted my Team Green van, waiting in the distance alongside the support vehicle, waiting to pick me up as one of my teammates eased into this congenial environment for the next ten miles.

I must admit and so have other of the runners, Russia in the rearview mirror is ok! There are special memories as well as some not so great and having arrived in Mongolia has been like a breath of fresh air, literally, without having to suck up truck fumes or city smog from outdated factories. Seeing herdsmen keeping watch over, you name it, horse, cattle, goats and yes, camels is so awesome! It is like "seeing beyond the eye of of the beholder" observing simple beauty in a people that have eliminated all but the necessities of life. Friendly, cordial people are our new van drivers, guides, translators and the few people whom we have met thus far.

Our van living quarters are more cramped now but when something clearly becomes nonessential there is no problemo for me in doing without it. This is only a very small sacrifice for what I believe is going to be, if only for four days crossing Mongolia headed to China, a journey of new discoveries of a new country and yes, continuing new discoveries of myself.

I hope your day is full of, if not adventure, peace and happiness and blessings.

Lansing

oh, I hope you will continue to watch the blueplanetrun.org website, Read our blogs, catch the photos, team updates, how you can help, etc. etc.. let me/others hears from you.

I run to water pouring in wonderment and awe and being myself, I sing!
amen and amen