I ran about four really routine days where I have not much to report and wondered how I could make then interesting reading in the blog!

TELL ME SOMETHING INTERESTING BUDDY!

Running out of Dabeiba last Sunday morning I was stopped by a lady who was probably in her eighties. She was outside her house sweeping the road. I greeted her with. ” It’s so kind of you to sweep the road for me ”

THANKS FOR CLEANING THE ROAD FOR ME!

We had a laugh and then the usual where are you going questions. She called out her husband to talk also.

They were a simple family and very typical of many of the Colombians I have met, very house proud and generally very tidy and clean. They are such decent people.

So far from what I have observed Colombia’s  roads are as clean as any I have run over in Canada or the USA and indeed with much of Europe. Since southern Mexico I have not seen any evidence of bleach or even disinfectant been used, except in a couple of places where gringos live. I wonder do hotels and restaurants consider this to be a waste of money.

On the bad potholed roads enterprising children still make a living filling in holes and then waiting for ‘ payment ‘ I often wonder if I were to run by here in a few years would they be still standing over the same holes, like some of the construction workers I know back in Dublin!

I think Colombia, though not as dangerous as it once was, still has a bad image abroad. After  all the negative press of the kidnappings and the drug cartels perhaps this bad publicity remains in peoples minds even during calmer times. Perhaps once an image is stained it may take many years for people to realize this. Much like Belfast in Northern Ireland. I get people, even now asking about ‘ the troubles ‘ and why we are killing ourselves almost two decades after the IRA declared a ceasefire.

That day I ran 26km and the next day 30 finishing just before a heavy rain downpour at a 24 hour restaurant, Rancho del Occident. I made a note of this place while travelling to my start location in South America as the bus stopped here for a meal break. I figured it would make a good place to stay the night as it has wi-fi. The very friendly staff let me sleep around the back on some cardboard under a sheltered area.

I saw this man climb this hill, a hidden trail that was barely visable. he climbed it at an incredible speed carrying a large drum of weed killer on his back.

Highlight of this day was stopping for some fruit at a fruit stall. I placed my two water bottles which I always carry in my hands on a wall. Next thing I know two snoozing terriers I awoke jumped off the wall and frightened the life out of me! As usual the owners just looked on saying… ” Ellos no van a tocar!”  or. They wont touch you!

It’s unreal the amount of dog encounters I have. Just about every journey runner or walker I know of have said to me that they never EVER have had a problem, and they usually say that’s because they don’t show fear!

But this is the bit I don’t get…. Sometimes dogs are the furthest thing from my mind and I am not afraid of them, I am running along having a lovely daydream and they come charging out, so it’s nothing about displaying fear!

I mentioned that my dog zapper, Dazer 2 got burnt out from all the use in the Central American rains, well Dazer are mailing me a new one.

For the moment I am using my ‘ Dirty Harry ‘ technique!

” Don’t even think about it PUNK! ” I shout!

Or. I sometimes shout….

” Hey this is the most powerful water bottle in town, a  Mangan 750 ml bottle,

” So what’s it gonna be punk, Do you feel lucky, come make my day, punk! ”

DO YOU FEEL LUCKY PUNK! I GOT THE MOST POWERFUL WATER BOTTLE IN TOWN, A MANGAN 750ML!

If they get a bit too close I squirt my water on them, which usually gives them  a surprise, followed by another…

” Don’t even think about it PUNK! ” I run on followed by a ” Wuf Wuf ”

And then the neighbouring dog comes out, and a chain reaction down the road.

CHAIN REACTION

 Dogs are the Latin American alarm system.

The next day was a lovely day, dull and overcast! I was comfortable all the way running the 35km all the way to a small village before Catvino. Some lovely mountain running with stunning vistas.

Just before I finished. I stopped for a snack at a shop and sat outside on the deck. The owner came out had a look around and I just knew by his actions he was looking for this mysterious bicycle everyone keeps asking me am I riding thru on.

Just as he was saying… ” ¿dónde está tu bicicleta? ”

I said. “ No tengo bicicleta! Estoy corriendo! ” I have no bicycle, I am running.

As I have mentioned before, people just can’t comphrend me running through. Even when I hand them the printed (in Spanish) cards I hand out, and even having talking to them for a few minutes about the run it always comes back to….

” Pero Tony…  ¿Dónde está tu bicicleta? ”

I guess half of it is my fault as I dress like a cyclist and not a runner as I find my own modified cycle top to be the most practical running attire.

COW DAY AFTERNOON

Then I had a decent day running 45km with the first 21km all uphill, I stopped in Santa Fe for lunch, well soda and a big bag of crisps!

In some rural areas a series of hoses are connected together with outlets to the various houses.

I even saw one home set up with a constant supply from a small waterfall. Simple, just a bucket collecting the water.

There have been a lot of mudslides in this area. Also parts of the roads are just closed off due to structural damage.

People are often surprised when they see me sprinkling salt into my water bottles. I tell them it’s a cheap electrolyte.

All the way thru Central America salt was for some strange reason rarely on the table. I always had to ask for it, sometimes they would come out with a spoonful, other times with a small amount on a piece of cardboard.

Here thankfully it’s always on the table.

I have never taken sugar in my tea or coffee before but now I do just to get the extra calories, I reckon I am not getting as many as I could so it’s an easy way to get more. Mind you most of the time one doesn’t have a choice as coffee often comes pre-sweetened.

I made it as far as San Jerinimo and got a nice discount on a nice hotel which Liam Mycroft kindly sponsored along with a nice meal.

Thank you very much Liam.  Anyone that wants to sponsor same via my Paypal, or bank account details on homepage will be mentioned in this blog!

Routine days, but happy days.

Oh! I almost forgot that I saw my very first snake movement (other than the coiled up rattler in Arizona)

It was just before San Jerinimo. I stopped for a pee near a roadside drain. In about a second flat the black  meter long and about one cm wide reptile slithered about 10 meters down a hill! I was amazed by it’s speed.

A PEE BREAK WITH A DIFFERENCE!

 I am sure this happens a lot, I am just unaware of it as I run down the road. They say, thankfully! snakes are fearful of humans.

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 29th, 2012 at 5:13 am and is filed under jogging. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.