Circumnavigation of the world
Thursday, February 7th, 2013It has come to my attention that what appears to be a poorly researched runner will be making a bid to run around the world without due regard or respect to others that have run before him. In a clever newspaper interview, backed up by selected and strictly moderated comments to this piece.
It appears as though he is trying to give the impression of mentioning others that have run around the world while at the same time misleading a confused/mostly uninformed media thereby giving the impression that his run will be a ” true and genuine first world run.”
You see what will happen is a that a time pressurised/poorly researched media will just assume that when he talks about ‘ a world first circumnavigation of the world on foot ‘ they will just pick up on him as the first world runner! Clever!
In doing this he has mentioned my great friend Jesper Olsen who has TWICE (successfully, with full supporting documentation) run around the world also Rosie Swale-Pope, whose amazing journey around the world as he correctly put it falls down on two criteria.
1…. It was entirely in the northern hemisphere and only consisted of three continents instead of the four minimum required,
Rosie’s overall distance is also questionable on Googlemaps, but that’s another story.
2…. Because of the above she did not have the two all important ‘ antipodes. ‘
Rosie, a tough woman who wrote an incredible book which I have dog-eared. On countless occasions I have shook my head in total disbelief at her courage and bravery. I hope I do as well as her when I run through my Chinese winter!
The aforementioned piece penned along with the selected comments as though giving credit to these people, while at the same time making it look like they have failed and how his run will be a world first because it will be a ‘ circumnavigation.’ This man will soon realise that the world running club is small and will receive more help and encouragement from those he chooses to ignore or even cleverly belittle.
Despite this I offer him my help, encouragement and the benefit of my thorough research stretching back over 24 years. The irony of all this is that whereas I have a solid plan to run across a cold winter in China next winter, that this world runner has decided to fly over it the following winter for the warmer climates of India!
The sport of ultra running is more important than the individual, indeed his run will be more important than the record as he may be shocked to learn.
Speaking of irony. In the final week or two on my way back to Dublin I will probably be running through his English hometown on my circa 50,000km , 5 continent, antipodal complete world run, having run over the equator into the southern hemisphere in Ecuador and return to the northern hemisphere in Indonesia. I will have run and not flown over the equator. My world run will be a circumnavigation of the world, but I am sure you will all agree the term world run is less confusing.
I see he will be a full year from his projected finish at this time, however should he still be there, and postponements do happens, as I am well aware! I may even stop to invite him to a nice restaurant to offer him my services as a co-ordinator for his expedition, thereby giving him the benefit of my ” unimaginable experiences “
He has absolutely no idea of what lies ahead and would be better advised to embrace those that have run before him rather than ignore them.
For the record the very First FOOT circumnavigation of the world may indeed be Jean Beliveau from Quebec, Canada, a walker who walked around the world www.wwwalk.org 77,000km in 11 years.
And for those that may be unaware of what a true circumnavigation of the world may be, briefly:
1… Circa 26,000km minimum distance covered.
2…. 4 continents run.
3…. Over the Equator and return back over the equator.
4… Two antipodes run through. Antipodes are two locations directly opposite each other on a globe. As though you went right through the centre of the earth and came out the other side. It is very difficult to find convenient antipodal, just check it on a world globe, as only about seven % of our planet is made up of land, other locations may have an inaccessible match up, northern Siberia where there are no roads, etc, etc.. Readers to my blog are well aware that the blog is written without an ego almost as a learning feet on manual of how to run around the world. I have always given fellow world runner friends – as I prefer to call them and not arch rivals, the credit they deserve and even list their websites in this blog from time to time. I am delighted to say this respect is mutual. In competition it is the same we often give our opponents stuff like Vaseline or socks if they are having a problem in a race. many times our support crews will help opponents that have no support, even giving them a wake up call when they take a nap, can’t imagine a football player being an ultra runner!!
Please also check the websites of my fellow world runner friends Jesper Olsen and Tom Dennis.
I will take the 8.30am ferry.
