PRESS CONFERENCE WITH HENRY THE USHUAIA TO ALASKA RUNNER
Bienvenido a mis amigos mexicanos querido! Gracias por cuidar de mí tan grande aquí en México.
Mi sitio web tiene una traducción al español la posibilidad!
Por favor, sólo tiene que desplazarse hacia abajo y seleccione el idioma español en la herramienta de TRANSLATE en el lado derecho de mi página de blog. Espero verte en el camino! Tony
I was blogging till 1am last night and looking forward to a nice lie in this morning for my rest day in Hotel Perla. Tomorrow I will run towards Cabo the tip of the Baja peninsula is only 3 days away.
Radio Na Gaeltachta from Ireland rang the hotel and I gave a half hour radio interview from my bed.
Downstairs Marcella the Pearl Hotel’s sales manager treated me to breakfast. I had good old pancakes Americanos! Marcella was just getting into an interesting local legend of a black pearl diver DETAILS when Jose chief officer of the Angeles Verdes showed up at the table telling me I had to hurry up and change into my running gear as they had arranged a press conference in the Tourism Secretary’s office.
After a mad dash across town we arrived at building where much activity was happening. Tourism is booming in Baja Sur as more and more people are discovering it’s such a wonderful place to take a vacation.
At last I met Pablo Armenta the man behind many of my arrangements, he and Jose have been unbelievable!
Pablo told me he speaks his fluent English because he lived in Nogales, the border town with Arizona.
He told me though he lived in Mexico he went to school in the USA.
” But is that possible?” I asked.
” My father was architect and could afford to send me to a private school.
” It is possible if you want to pay for a private education, but not for a public education.
” I had a special permit which allowed me to cross over every day. ”
WITH PABLO ON THE LEFT AND JOSE ON RIGHT
Pablo’s right hand man Luis was there.
” Tony it’s absolutely amazing you are here at the same time as Henry! ” Says Luis.
” Henry? Who is Henry? ” I asked.
” Henry Sanchez…. He is from Colombia. He has just run through South America, all the way from Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego
” And is heading for Alaska! ”
WITH HENRY SANCHEZ
So far Henry has run about 15,000km through South America, (south to north, another runner, Serge Girard has run west to east)
I first heard about Henry last April when I was in Brush, Colorado, so it was wonderful to have met up with him!
I was expecting about 3 or 4 journalists but there were about 25, including 5 tv cameras, with about 20 recording devices on the table.
Henry and I conducted a joint press conference. He outlined that he is an ultra runner from Colombia but preferred running marathons.
He is not interested in setting records as his main passion is promoting the environment but he is still serious about his run having run every kilometer on his route. He only runs 3 days a week, a marathon each of those days divided up into two halves. No he does not run slow.. Listen to this, he runs at an incredible pace of 14km per hour and he runs barefooted! He is 36 and still got good speed. The distance he runs is more or less what most marathoners run in training, about 500km per month. I guess he is a tough marathon runner is his prime runnning through the Americas on normal marathon training, just goes to show almost anything is possible if you got the time.
Why does he run in two half’s? He took out a huge folder in which he has carefully collected newspaper cuttings from just about every town in South and Central America detailing his great work for the envoironment and authenticating his run. In between stages he collects trash from the highway and plants trees. He reckons between what he has planted himself and others, with that compounding factor with others he has influenced must be around 6,000,000 trees planted.
How does he run 14km per hour and never have to carry his small backpack as he doesn’t push a stroller?
The other 4 days he is not running he is having press conferences like this where he makes contact with groups like La Paz group CONCIENCIA.
Conciencia (conscience with science) which began projects to promote environmental education and clean up campaigns at beaches in 2002.
Henry is so passionate in what he is doing saying to me later.. ” Everyone talks about the environment so that’s why I set out from Tierra del Fuego in June 2008. He expects to reach Alaska in two years time.
He added. ” My run is actually getting things done and helping with awareness for the environment. ”
So having made these contacts he is never short of offers to have his backpack sent on ahead to his destination! Also being a former firefighter helps as he approaches the fire services in many areas he runs through. Sweet!
I take my hat off to you Henry!
Henry Sanchez, It was wonderful meeting you, I take my hat off to you. A man that travels light, doesn’t bother with a laptop or even a website, but leaves a tree and environmental trail the length of South America.
I guess there are different ways and reasons to run around the world. I told the assembled journalists that mine was more of a selfish nature, one of passion or an insatiable ambition to see the world close up by running around it.
July 26th, 2011 at 11:11 am
What a great blog, really enjoyed reading it. Great to think that both you and Henry Sanchez were in the same place at the one time. That will be a great achievement to be the first runner to have run the length of North America. Must be your irish stamina. Fair play to you Tony. Take care Ann
July 27th, 2011 at 1:51 pm
Suerte Chico, really enjoying the blog.
Keep on Keeping on.
July 28th, 2011 at 4:28 pm
Wow Tony! You’re really doing yourself and your country proud! That was some tribute to you! FIVE TV crews! Your a Mexican superstar! Keep up the good work! I always love checking in on your blog. It’s always so interesting and your never short of a story or two! Also love the photographs! Keep on running
Serena x
July 29th, 2011 at 12:14 am
hey you! what you doing in cabo? lot of water between you and the rest of mexico and southerly running…
good to see you are still at it…
July 29th, 2011 at 12:36 am
Hi Nancy. Thanks for this comment. I intended addressing this question in a day or two. I mentioned it at the start of my Mexican run. After extensive research for over six months I picked the safest route through northern Mexico which is Baja.Having run to the southernmost point, I have now finished running the Baja peninsula. On Sunday I return to get the ferry from La Paz to the mainland, Mazatalan. As you can see had I gone from La Paz to the mainland instead running to Cabo San Lucas at the tip of this peninsula, I would have been advancing by mechanical means ie: a ferry. Sometimes this is unadvoiable but not this time) My intent not to cut corners of countries or contintents (only legitimate shortcuts on the road are allowed by me) My honesty and desire to run this world run properly has just put me 1 week behind where I could have been! Also Mazatalan is about 2 days north and extra that I have to run but that is what I will do. I doubt if many people would have noticed this shortcut but I would have known it was unfair and thats all that matters.
Because I am so transparent in these issues and go to this trouble it is my belief this world run is self-authenticating as logic says Tony has gone to so much extra trouble it is inconcievable that I would take a ride of a few kilometers anywhere on my route. However, I will still continue to document and collect all necessary proof.
And by the way at the beginning of the run I added about 2 months and 2,000km because I didn’t believe it was proper to shortcut Atlantic Canada by say flying from Ireland to New York.
July 29th, 2011 at 4:31 am
Hi Fear! Haven’t heard from you in a long time! Nice to know you are still with me. As you know very well from your trip if people don’t make comments you never know who is still following! Hope you got another cycle trip planned