Stromovka Sun planned for Saturday

After some very gray days and a few busy ones, I've already made plans for my Saturday run! A beautiful park nearby IBTS called Stromovka is ideal for biking, walking, sausage eating and marathon training.

So with hopes of good weather and a successful completion of the Board of Trustee meetings at IBTS, I can be found bounding through the trails of Stromovka with a smile on my face, sun on my back and sausage on my mind!

Anyone looking to join? Even if just for the sausage bit?

Deceptive Dirty Windows

My regular pattern of running after I leave the office in the evening is unhappily needing to change because of darkness descending earlier and earlier.

Realisation of this came, when my great plan yesterday was to jog the paths of Prague following our Wednesday Seminar (Peter Pavlovic of ECEN on Creation Care). But by 17.30 when the seminar ended, the Czech Republic had decided the sun had done it's duty for the day and it had disappeared.

Whilst eating an entire pizza for dinner, I contemplated a new method for training - wanting to avoid the boredom of the Fitness Centre as long as possible! The only way around it was to run in the mornings before entering the office - not an entirely wonderful idea, but do-able.

Today was the first day to attempt this marvelous method. Waking up early, I saw only a slight gray fog over the valley and decided to persevere and go out for a run.

After going through morning ablutions for running preparation I left my apartment, made my way down the the front door of the building and out - only to find it was truly pouring rain. The fact that I was up and dressed before my brain realised what was happening, I was determined to get out to run.

Two minutes after stepping outside my feet were soaking wet and with futile attempts to avoid puddles and spray from cars, I returned rather quickly dripping and soaked with rain.

So dirty windows (the fog was rain!) and high ideals had me out splashing arond this morning in my persevering try for this half-marathon.

Yes, I really do love this seminary!

Whoah, we're half way there..

... livin' on a prayer! Ah, these infamous lyrics of Bon Jovi danced through my mind yesterday as I completed running 10.54Km - the half-way marker to the full half-marathon. Having only starting running at the end of August, I guess getting this far without collapsing is fairly good progress. Though 21.097 seems a depressingly long long way off.

These days by 17.00 (5pm) Prague 6 is blanketed by a nightly fog thus making running outdoors a challenge and a fearsome adventure. So I've taken to revisiting the small fitness centre up the road. This has a tendency to become the most boring hour or so of my days!

Thankfully, for the first 20 minutes of yesterday's gym-time I was entertained by a 40-something year old Czech fellow and his trainer go through some moves for boxing. The rest of the time I flipped through fashion magazines (ug!) and pretended not to watch a guy on the weight machines (who seems to be there whenever I show up and wears the same clothes - double ug!)

My little smelly gym:

I guess it's time to do some searching for an Ipod or whatever is popular these days for listening to music in the attempt to forget that your muscles are cramping, side hurting and sweat is dripping even from your fingertips - yes, it's possible.

"Excuse me, Beautiful, Could you spare 300 dollars?"

I will never forget when I was approached on the streets of Chicago and asked this question from a yellow toothed homeless man with a twinkle in his eye.

Expecting the usual appeal for a dollar or 'spare change' I was happily surprised by his request and simply because of his creativity and good humour gave him a bit of cash. (Of course, being called "Beautiful" didn't hurt!)

Certainly the 300 USD was needed much more than my measily pocket change, so his jovial request had a sincerity behind it, but every quarter helped him feel like a bit more like a human.

Dare I ask you, dear blog-reader, for 300 dollars and hope for 50 or 10? In no way am I equating the seriousness of this man's desparate situation to my small attempt to find financial support for IBTS, but perhaps this story could remind you that every little bit helps a greater cause!

Shall I address you as "Beautiful" - will that help?

Count Down!

160 Days!!

Have you become a sponsor yet???

The list on the right margin of this Web-log has stopped growing :(

Kiwi at Three

Ugg, sore muscles again. Twas a good run and I still found myself bounding up the 47 steps on campus with surplus energy afterwards. However, at 03.37 in the morning my quadriceps were crying and I was sleepless. Something came to my mind about acid (malic, citric, lactic... who knows!) in the muscles and the lack thereof causing soreness - which could be complete nonsense, but at three in the morning it seemed plausible. Searching the refrigerator supply I ended up theiving from my roommate Gordon and snacked on a kiwi. I did sleep eventually, not quite sure if the kiwi or sheer tiredness had me sawing Zzzz's. (ah, by the way - Gordon is a guinea pig!)

Dupas Make the Difference

Living in a community comprised of people from varying countries and languages, soon the community develops its own culture and along with that its own language. IBTS is not an exception and the term 'dupa' is evidence of this. It is doubtful that in any proper language this word carries meaning, but for some long-termers at IBTS, 'dupa' is a gentle term for one's backside. Whilst running along my normal route a second path merged into mine, which had two men jogging side by side. After the paths met they commenced running a bit in front of me and an odd thing began to happen. The distance between us was lessening and slowly I was next to them and slipped passed them.

No, I do not have aspirations to be the next Marion Jones (please disregard the whole doping business in that comment), but it gave me a bit of push to think that perhaps I'm on the right track and this half-marathon is more do-able than I first thought.

Continuing my little jog I then reflected on the possible reasons I was able to pass these two. (Could they be fellow trainees in the forthcoming half-marathon?) The explanations could be many, but the most likely in this particular instance was simply the element of dupa size. Smaller dupa = swifter feet... for some time at least.

Can I Borrow Your Dog?

Yesterday's run evoked this question as I came across a few runners who had their faithful panting companions by there side. As the length of my runs extend the more I'd appreciate a four-legged furry creature to share the trail with - as well as keep me moving!

For many years, the barking, swishing tails and heavy paws had me frozen in panic or hidden behind the nearest object bigger than I. However, these days I'm searching the internet for a 'Rent-a-Dog' service in Prague - so far nothing.

No Sweat and Smiling?

...definitely the beginning of the run!

'Tis Friday and an excellent October day, what better thing is there to do than to run... hmm.

Weekend Laziness

Respite from computers and office work was found hidden in the Krkonoše mountains this past weekend. Though a gorgeous area, an attempted run was dissuaded by the many 'ups' and few 'downs' of the trails, which is a common feature of mountains around here... and elsewhere I suppose!

A few lengths of swimming in the hotel pool and sweating through intervals in the sauna and some very nice walks kept me from being too lethargic, but when Monday came around my desire to stay home overrode even the summons of the basketball court.

However, energy from a few Ukrainian chocolates and a bit of sun pulled me out from my laziness to run yesterday, for which I am glad of.

And today more sun and evening hopes for a good dinner with friends sends me again through the paths of the Sarka Valley... after a Wednesday Workshop on "Deconstructing a Happy Family" !

Money, money, money

Yep, it's now possible to transfer large sums of money to sponsor this hopeful half-marathon runner (and hopefully soon others!!) for the IBTS Diamond Jubilee!

The IBTS website has a form which you can complete to make a simple painless transaction!

Here's how!
1) Click on the "Online Donation form".
2) Fill in all the blanks.
3) Tick the "Diamond Jubilee" line under Donation Details
4) Under "Additional Information" write something like Jubilee Jog or Half Marathon (or Vanessa's suffering!)
5) Click "Send" and smile widely!
THANKS!!!!

29 Year Old Knees

They have begun to realise that this isn't a short-lived fanciful idea :(

Advice of the Irish

"Don’t forget your stretching exercises" came quite timely as Tuesday morning I awoke not wanting (nor close to able) to move - I suppose the fun of Monday's biking adventure plus the long basketball game caught up with me.

For some, the simple number of stairs on campus makes them feel they are training for this half-marathon along with me and Tuesday my muscles groaned at each step - from home to the office, the office to chapel, chapel to the office, office to lunch, lunch to office.. and so on.

So yes, though spent many hours stretching endlessly for basketball/volleyball games and practices, the importance of it was forgotten over the years.

Thanks to the advice from a Northern Irish friend and complaining calves - this seeming 'time-waster' of stretching will make it's way into my daily regime.