Day 28 - Ninzy Novogorod, Russia

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June 28       Photos by Chris Emerick

Viki, Shiri and David hanging out on one of the long drives through Russia

Shiri practicing roadside yoga after run outside Ninzy Novogorod, Russia

Team Silver entered their second day of the day shift, which involved running 40 miles straight on a busy, busy highway. With the police escort nowhere in sight, Team Silver’s runners were on their own to navigate the speeding trucks, blown-out tires, broken glass and discarded alcohol bottles. Chaos ensued pretty early into the first leg, which happened to be Emmanuel Kibet’s. The Daybook, which lists step-by-step descriptions of the route, and the GPS, which maps out the course, were incompatible. Unfortunately, Team Silver followed the Daybook and went the wrong way, so they had to go back, turn around and have Emmanuel rerun the lost portion — costing them about 45 minutes. Team Silver tried to make up the time, but heavy traffic made some portions dangerously impassible. One portion of the third leg (Mary’s) was so bad that Phil (acting Day Pilot) spontaneously jumped in to run the treacherous two-mile span — khaki shorts, belt, keys, sunglasses and all. It was a true “take one for the team” moment. Thanks, Phil!

Shiri Leventhal ran the last leg, ending the shift at 1:30 p.m. and having one of her best runs thus far! Shiri handed off the baton to Team Yellow on the side of the highway at an exchange point labeled, ominously, “Bus Stop on Right—Watch for Broken Glass.”

Team Silver’s good day ended even better with an Internet party at the hotel and the knowledge that they didn’t have to leave the next day until 8 a.m. On the Blue Planet Run, sleep is like solid gold — sometimes hard to find but always extremely valuable.

Silver Team congradulates David upon finishing his leg

Shiri cooling down after a hot and dusty run outside of Ninzy Novogorod, Russia

Photo by Chris Emerick