Friday and Sunday.

On Friday as I tied up my running shoes to go out for a run I was still a little sick from some flu bug and it was raining and cold, but the desire to run was there and as it happened the run would mark 20 months without missing a day.
On Sunday when I went out for my run my legs felt a bit like the 3rd day of a 6 day race, but I managed my usual run. I noticed that there was a guy with some tables and and paper cups at the bridge near where I finish my run. Remembering that  the Sarajevo Half Marathon was happening I realized that this was an aid station.and decided to return there later to watch part of the race.The running conditions where good, about 11 C and sunny and I quickly found out that the aid station was at the turnaround. I got to see the leaders and check out what there times were at the halfway point. The race is fairly new, just a few years old and there were just over 300 runners. My friend Amur came from Banja Luka, but I somehow missed him when he ran by. There were a few Americans, who I assume live and work in Bosnia and others from Serbia and Slovenia, but the race was won by a Bosnain in a time of 1:06. Maybe I will run next year.

600 Days

With this mornings run I have now completed 600 days without missing one.There have been a few when it was a struggle to get in the minimum 1 mile requirement I set myself, but the desire to go out and run has always been there. It had just stopped raining when I went out this morning, so it was like a blessing to mark the occasion. I usually don't count days in my streaks after the first 50 or so, but do to a project involving the first 80 I have kept tabs on the days. I am also approaching 20 months, which as I have stated before is my second longest streak. I hope this inspires others to be a bit more consistent in their running. It really helps.

World Harmony Run

From August 10 to 16 I was part of the World Harmony Run in Bosnia and Hercegovina and also Croatia.It is always interesting to be part of the run and since the Olympics had just finished people are reminded of it when they see us running with a torch.. As part of the team you go out and run your shift. sometimes in the countryside sometimes in Cities.The average distance per runner per day is around 10 km, but some like to add to their daily stint but joining others on their shift.The official meetings we have are sometimes quite simple and other times involve traditional dance and local or national TV. If you ever get a chance to participate take the chance.

Bastille Day

Yes today is Bastille Day and when I ran this morning it completed 18 months of my running streak which actually equals my second longest of all time.The longest of course is the four and a half years I did from March 1997 to September 2001. As I have said before I never force myself to go out and run, but when I am in one of these streaks it becomes the natural thing for me to do everyday., the consistency of running everyday  becomes the thing to do and makes the day complete.

Fragrance

most mornings in Sarajevo I run from the apartment where I am staying to the river and run on the sidewalk, it is lined with Linden trees, which at this time of the year are full of flowers.The flowers are very fragrant and on occasion I am reminded of a few tree lined streets in Queens, New York where I would run and I would have the same experience.

Update

This past weekend I was on the Dalmatian coast, mostly in a place called Biograd. I got to swim a lot, which in the mornings was preceded by a nice run by the sea. On Sunday I ran a 2 mile race, which it turns out was a little short since my time was 14:03, which would have been my fastest for about 2 years. Since I moved to Sarajevo I have lost a little weight, I think from the good food here and my reduction in junk food.
A few weeks ago my friend Nataliya from the Ukraine won the Edinboro' marathon in 2:39:46, which was 26 seconds slower than when she finished 2nd in Utrecht 6 weeks earlier.
Finally it is nice to be able to go out and run in just T shirt and shorts now that the weather has warmed up ;)

500 Days

This morning in Sarajevo was a little cool, but dry. On my current running streak I have now completed 500 days. When I was here in October/ November there was  smoke in the air from fires to keep houses and such warm, so I did notice some slight breathing problems, but now in the Spring everything is much better, I have to look at the chance to run a race somewhere I am kind of still settling in as far as that is concerned.