Running Motivation

    With new years less than a month in the past, I wanted to offer up a little motivation to all the beginning runners who started running as a new year's resolution. While living and running in Morocco, I end up seeing all kinds of people out running and doing all kinds of exercises. What is great about this is that they are out there doing something. Many of these people are people you would expect to see on a couch watching lots of television, but they are out in the streets running and trying to change and that is a good thing.

    I saw this quote on twitter by professional long distance runner Kara Goucher, "Don't try to rush progress. Remember- a step forward, no matter how small, is a step in the right direction. Keep believing."

    If you are struggling with a new year's resolution or any kind of training / exercise program, remember that the hardest part is getting your shoes on and getting out the door.

Getting Spooked on a Run in the Woods

    I mentioned in an earlier post that my time running in Morocco and in general has given me many opportunities to meet people I would not have otherwise. Sometimes those meetings are others that are running, sometimes they are people in a convenience store, and other times they are people I do not even speak to but will never forget. 

    I was running about six months ago in a forest between Rabat and Temara, Morocco. I was on some of the smaller trails that crisscross that forest (mule trails) and I had not seen anyone the whole time I was out there. As I came around a bent in the trails there was a guy walking by himself so I stepped off the trail as I passed him. 

    This is where this guy, who would have normally faded away from my memory without a second thought became someone I will never forget. As I passed him this quiet man who did not even acknowledge my "passing on your right" (in Arabic) suddenly came alive. He turned toward me, threw his arms up in the air like a mother bear defending her cubs, contorted his face into quite an interesting expression, and screamed a blood curtailing screech at the top of his lungs. 

    I was in total shock, in fact I was likely screaming myself (in a manly way). I jumped and then took off not knowing what this man was doing. After about ten meters I looked behind me to see if he was gaining on me only to see him walking with his hand back in his pockets, head down, smiling.

    Do you have any similar experiences with people who you met on a run that you will never forget? You can leave your story below in the comments. Then get out for a run.

Marathon Training with a European

    Yesterday I was out for my last long run before race day. The Marrakech marathon is this coming weekend. It was a simple, nice and slow 14 mile run and as I set out I had no real route in mind. I normally like to map out my route and know where I am going to run so this is unlike me. As it turned out, this lack of planning turned out to be a good thing. 

    About three or four miles into my run I caught up to a a guy who is from Europe and we ended up running for about six miles together. While running, I found out that this new European friend of mine 

was on vacation in Marrakech for a week. He said that he came to Morocco for a short vacation and to be able to do a weeks worth of longer runs in a warmer climate as he trains for a 100 kilometer ultra marathon in Europe. Being an ultra marathoner myself made our conversation even more fun.

Check out my awesome photo skills

    Since I have started running I have learned that it is very easy to make friends while out on a run, whether that be a long training run or a race. Some of my favorite runs of all times are the ones where I started off by myself and ended up running for a long time with someone I met on the run. In a half marathon I ran this past December I ran for the last 6 miles with a guy from California who flew across the USA only to run that race. Over a year ago in my first ultra marathon, a 50k, I ended up running for about 4 hours with a husband and wife couple from Alabama. My point is this, i

f you are new to running, one of the things you will learn quickly is that it is easy to become friends with someone out on a run. And, if you are in Morocco who knows where some of those people will be from.

    Running by myself is fun, but running with someone even if you have just met the person can often make a run very enjoyable. Morocco has given me the opportunity to meet many people while running and something I have discovered is that for the most part the people that share this hobby/addiction/healthy lifestyle are some of the nicest people out there. 

    If you are living in a colder climate like the friend I met yesterday, I do recommend a getaway to Marrakech! Not only will you enjoy the warmer weather to run in, you can explore the exotic culture of Marrakech!

Marrakech Marathon Race Poster

    I was out driving around Marrakech this morning, running some errands, when I began to see posters for the Marrakech Marathon posted on some light poles along one of the main roads which is part of the full marathon route. 

Here is the poster

    Upon inspection, I do not see anything important that I left out of my last post. The race is on January 27, 2013, with the full marathon starting at 8am and the half marathon starting at 9am. I did learn that this is the twenty fourth (24th) annual running of the race. Also, after using my amazing French translation skills, (Google translate) I discovered that the phrase under the runners reads, "A sport, a hobby, a challenge, Come and experience all the emotion, A great international competition."

    Well, I guess that as the city begins to gear up for the race, all of us runners will begin our tappers, after this weekend, preparing for a wonderful race next weekend.

The Dust Storm that Ruined My Run

    These are sad times. I was all ready to go on my last, if not short by comparison, long run (14 miles) before next weekends race. However, when we woke up this morning we found a storm on its way into town. Normally this would not be a problem, I would grab my rain jacket as a precaution and hit the road. But since it has not rained in almost two months here the wind that came in before the storm kicked up a lot of dust, dirt, and trash.

On a normal day you can see a mountain line from here.

    I do not mind running in the rain. I do not mind running in the cold. I do not mind running in the snow, and I do not mind running in the heat. What I do not like to run/cycle/hike/walk in is a dust storm. Now that would be different if I were to ever get the chance to participate in the Marathon Des Sables, a race in the Sahara of Morocco then I would be more than happy to train and race/run in a dust storm. 

    That's life, I am just happy that most of the year there is great weather for running here. As it stands now, my run is postponed until tomorrow and after that begins my one week taper before the Marrakech marathon.