November 2

Some weeks ago, I decided to change my approach to this project. Hear me out. After running myself into the ground, literally, I figured it was time to reconsider my ambitious goal -- running an ultra-Balkan marathon. So I did, and concluded that I better take it one step at a time. This generally seems to be my issue, I often see the big picture but can underestimate the prep time that is needed to get there. So in a way, moving from ultra-marathon to marathon has been a major learning curve for me. And in the end, if this is all that comes out of my running experience, I'm glad I tried being a marathoner.

What next? Well, as you can see I'm not a man of small ambition. I decided to find a way to get into the New York marathon. I didn't have to look far. It was actually my wife that deserves all the credit for this. She got me a running chip -- for anyone familiar with the New York marathon getting in as a first time runner is nearly impossible.

The race is on November 4. All of you that are in the area, or want to travel up to New York to cheer me on or celebrate, reserve this date. Pao and I will throw a roof-deck marathon BBQ & Beer party right after. I not only feel excited by it, but frankly a bit frightened, too. If there is one marathon to run in this world, this is the one. Top class athletes and marathon stars will be there at the starting line, and me. I hope I can get to meet the new Olympic champion, Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru. What a star runner he is.

As I pulled back from ultra training to just training, I also dropped the daily mileage. I find it more bearable this way, and I'm back to enjoying my running. Except for when I get lost, as I did last Sunday in Brussels, in the Terkamerenbos Forest. The thing is massive. Google it. Once I finally found civilization I was 20KM away from Brussels, in the Flemish part of Belgium. Lucky for me, there was a train stop right there and the local line connecting to Etterbeek, so it was only a 10min run home. I managed to convince the train conductor to let me stay on as I had no money to buy the ticket. Such is life of a marathoner; you're either running away from something or to something, but either way, you're running. Not very profound, I know, but it's true.

I'm in Baku today. There is no marathon here. I wonder whether I could set one up. I should talk to the Minister of Culture and Sport about it. I'll do it once I run New York.