As many of you know, I’m a runner. I particularly love the challenge of a marathon or a half marathon. This summer, I have run 2 marathons, 4 half-marathons, and a handful of smaller races. Many of my friends think I’m crazy, but I got addicted to running in my 30s and have been a runner ever since.
I posted about my experience at the Boston Marathon this year, but I also ran the Big Sur Marathon and it was a moving experience. The Big Sur race was special because the race organizers took the time to recognize the Boston Marathon runners, and of course, all those who were hurt or killed during the tragedy. The Boston organization also made an exception this year and gave medals to the Boston runners in attendance even if they were not able to complete the race. Big Sur also made an exception and gave those who ran both Boston and the Big Sur marathons their traditional medal honoring those who completed both races. It was very touching, and the words of the representative from the Boston Marathon organization reminded me of the spirit of triumph that flourished throughout the country following the events in Boston.
Besides the two marathons, I’ve run in places around the country including Aspen, Santa Barbara, Healdsburg and the San Francisco Bay to Breakers, which is always an unusual and fun experience. My son ran the Woodside Ramble, which is a 32 mile trail run. You might consider me a bit of a slacker as I only ran the five mile Woodside race that morning, and then I went home, showered, had a rest and then came back to finish the last six miles of the Woodside Ramble trail run with him. In my defense, I ran the Healdsburg half marathon the next day, which sounds tough, but it ended at a winery, so there was incentive to run fast and get to the wine and celebrating.
While I still plan to keep running, I’m ready to take on a new challenge. I’m going to take on a different kind of marathon in the coming year. I’ve decided to take part in the Mille Miglia in Italy this coming May. The Mille Miglia Storica is a re-enactment of the original Mille Miglia auto race that took place between 1927 and 1957. Participants must drive an authentic model car like one that was driven in one of the historic races between 1927 and 1957. The race starts off in the evening at Brescia. Drivers arrive in the small Italian village of Ferrara around 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning, rest for a few hours, and then continue on to Rome the next morning. We then leave Rome the following morning, and arrive back in Brescia by nighttime.
This kind of marathon is obviously a driving marathon that takes place through the Italian countryside and is mentally and physically tiring. Therefore, I will be bringing along one of my long-time closest friends to do the drive with me. I will be heading to Italy in September to secure a car for the race, which I believe will be a 1956 Fiat 8V. I look forward to sharing my progress over the coming months as I prepare for this classic racing event.
You can learn more about the race here: http://www.1000miglia.eu/