RunUrban NYC

07/01
Reykjavik Concert. So Sigur Ros and Bjork were playing a free outdoor party at Laugadalur and in fact when walked to the party by entering the park at Austurbrunn -- where I once used to live. Sigur Ros were playing first, so after a tune we left to get a beer at Hotel Esja. Returning, when they had ended we went to the house where the after party was and the band had food and drinks. I actually quite fancied meeting Bjork.

But I found only Bjork's bathroom. She had left to go and play. And we had just missed Sigur Ros as they had returned, grabbed food, then went out to watch Bjork. So that is what we did.

The night included a another trip back to Esja, then to a bar who used to tbe the oldest bar in Rvk (25yrs this year) but it changed it's name last year, Gauker & S., and then we went to Bar Amsterdam... As for the music, that was a note from Rvk. But, of note, I did bump into my cousin Kristinn who has now become the host of Iceland's 60-minutes equivilant -- most useful as hopefully he can get some PR over there for the Hospital kick off. Funny how things change.

So in the evening with the warm sun, I walked along the 'strip' of the city, Laugavegur -- where a multitude of shops and cafes can be found. It was on here I used to go to FriSport to pick up Nike goods when I was sponsored by Nike, it is also here where you could find all the good Icelandic rock bands in the early days in small bars, and listen or the price of a beer (although the price of alcohol here....)

Speaking of which since I'd been drinking all afternoon I was not planning on having a drinking night. I was walking to meet one of my best friends, dear Michelle. I have not seen her in about six or seven years due to the fact of not traveling here, and she was someone I really wanted to meet. We went to school together, we walked the snowy streets together... and have a long friendship of over 18-years. I asked her if she'd changed on the phone, "I've stopped trying to look young!" So I went wandering along the street waiting to bump into her. And bump we did. Her husband Jens, an Icelandic Rock star who plays with the popular Icelandic band Salin Hans Jons who is also a great friend, was playing at Laugavegur 55 at a new restaurant owned by Sigga (who used to live in Sweden for many years). So we walked more till we came there. In fact we could hear the band well before seeing the place, and they sounded great! When we walked in the vocalist, whose name I don't know, called out, "Hey, it is the running man!" Proving alcohol has not deadened his memory!

So anyway, we started drinking again before eating dinner. Sigga wanted us to eat the Dolphin steak, but there was no way I wanted Flipper in my gob, so I went for the Salmon. Although the fish was good, the rest of the plate was rather poor -- lettuce, sweet potatoes whipped so light they were tasteless, a tomato and a sauce that tasted severely packet made. Oh well, the beer was consistent.

The night was getting on, but in Iceland life does not begin till about 12:00 (I kid you not - Jens had a second gig to play that night, and it did not start till 01:00 am!) So after the restaurant we went to their house drank strong coffee (a hallmark of Iceland is really great coffee) and drank some beers. It was still bright, bright daylight, like sitting out at 4pm in NYC! However by now I had a blanket wrapped round me. Michelle drove me home later and we peered at all the Reykjavik gardens and Mt. Esja. I knew I was going to sleep well as I had not slept on Thursday night due to flying from 8pm till 1 AM, then being in Iceland when it is 'now' five hours ahead and ready to go.

The next morning Ivar and I were going to go to a race. Initially to watch and meet some people, then (as I had not ran at all since arriving here) to run a 5km fun run there, and then I was thinking why not run the main event -- a ten miler. This happened from leaving my hotel to meeting the race director on the course.

We were late and had to stop the bus that was driving the runners out to the start (point to point course). The course is a mountainous dirt road, very exposed and out in the sticks about one hour from Reykjavik. It is a ten mile race and I had won this event back in 1991 in what remains the course record, 50-minutes. I must have been flying that day because this is a killah of a course. The first five km is up a hill where when you try to accelerate the foot slips back. In the old days I had a routine; arrive at a race, change shoes, jog a warm up, strides, and race... three minutes before the gun went off I took my clothes off and walked over to the start (this method conserves energy!)

However the worst part of this race was not the undulations it was the wind. Let me tell you the wind in this country is the worst you will ever find. I was running and I could not hear myself think the noise of the gale was so loud. It was 100% like running in a wind tunnel; as much as I tried I could hardly push forward. Then to make matters worse these wild white birds with a horrible squaw kept hovering above my head and dive bombing me as I was obviously too close to their nests. The only good news is 17-years later I won again. Did not stay to see what the prize was as we were having lunch with Jens and Michelle back in the smoke.

Driving into town not much had changed since the last time I was here and each road we drove down brought memories from when I used to run road races here, and race I did. My hotel is in a fab location, and is a great place. I can recommend it very much for any Icelandic visitor (1919 Reykjavik Radisson SAS).

For lunch, as the weather was glorious and with a really warm hot sun (I got burned, a shocker!) we went to the Borg Square, the town center, to an outdoor cafe called Cafe Paris. The food was good, the beers even better, and the people very European (though these two Afro American women kept coming past our table and kicking my foot at least every five minutes -- Ivar reassured me that I would meet them later that night).

It was great to be back and I had not forgotten, but certainly appreciated how clean the air feels when yo breathe in, and how when you come to the hotel you run the tap water for a minute then drink a glass of cold water, and it tastes like the best ever bottled water you could ever buy. I kid you not.

Also huge news -- I now have an Icelandic cellphone. Living in NYC I now have Kenyan and Icelandic cell numbers, the Icelandic one is really easy to remember too, which is a blessing.

Then, with one of Tony's contacts, we went to talk to Zal who is a director of a multi-million hospital launch in Botswana; so Zal was a great bouncing board and gave us many many good ideas and thoughts on what we should be doing.

So after the meeting we are cycling up the West Side and I say to Tony, "It's moments like this when I think it might be useful to take a pen and paper to meetings like that" So we pulled over, on the Pier where we were thrown off of earlier this year, for a beer, then another and discussing the next stage of the plan!

Then after cycling uptown, I cycled downtown to the 6th ST group; Man they are sticklers for time when we do intervals � I told them 50-minutes of alternating 400s & 800s, and I did warn them there was a bonus after the 50-mins was up (but I did not tell them it was a mile repeat) and people were starting to get mighty anxious as the night wore on. The Nike town group came to the track as my runners were already 20-mins into the session, and when the nike group left my runners still had another 15-mins to go! Ben from New Paltz, Kwazi on his way to Nice, France, Pat from SRZ and Katie, Rick had a good session, Anil was a half and half, Bill was doing something solid, Chris told me she placed in CT, and top tenned in the Corp Challenge & I told her she over raced. Erika � eyes on the watch, Lissy ran like a demon, Deidra forgot her shorts, but found some, Nance arrived at the track and had to change into a pair of shorts, and had the best excuse for starting late, "I was afraid my knickers might blow away, they're down there on the track," She was trying to get bonus points for half changing in the cab on the way down. Doz came back, for a while, pulled something, Trackman Dave fired up on a couple of repeats, Don ran solid, Aimee is still having digestive issues, Abs ran well and strong, and Valerie from the UN, poor Valerie.. Austria is having its issues

And myself? Off to Rackajack City today! Iceland here I come!

To fully understand this picture, Robert Cheruiyot giving a pair of shoes to a runner, you have to know the Robert Cheruiyot story � one of the most amazing stories you�ll ever hear. When Robert has told you his story, and the suffering, the hardship and the pure struggle beyond belief, you can understand that this is more than passing of a pair of shoes

How to empower a Kenyan child. You tell him, �If you answer one question correctly you will win a new computer for your school (the school did not have a computer, they only have electric in one room), Martin Lel asked the question, Which athlete, from this district, won the London Marathon last month? If you watch the video (link above three peace races) you can see Martin ask the question! EVERYONE knew, of course!!

More pics from the kids races at Central Park that always blow me away the next generation, and great to see so many positive experiences coming.

Speaking Luke, ESPN fly over to Kenya today to film their documentary � Good luck Justine!!

The race A-team � Trisha, Mrs. Hope & Possibility, the Central Park Jogger, The Fantastic Governor Paterson, Mr. G the weatherman of weathermen, Tony, and moi on site. (Scroll below for the BEST photo of the Governor!!)

Two restaurant reviews: Nina�s on Second Ave, at 92nd is it? Plain food, kind of made me think, �wow. I am paying to boil and heat up some food.� And on that note, the second place was EAT on Madison, a place I like that is owned by Eli Zabar, the bread legend of Manhattan. I ate as much bread as I could, drank a beer called Bass, eat a sour dough sandwich, and had an Avocado & Endive salad, ate the cheesecake and totally recommend the place � UNLIKE the other place you can just taste the good ingredients. The salad was filling for a salad, the cheesecake was light yet dense� my �only� complain maybe should be ignored as I am a pig, is that the portion size could be a smidgeon bigger on the sandwich, felt more like a snack than a lunch which it may well have been

What else? I am looking forward to going to Iceland this week � I can not remember the last time I was there, considering a) I used to live there b) when I left I used to return twice a year� I used to be sponsored when I was an athlete by Icelandair which was a great help! I had some good sponsors.. that is one good thing about running I can say. Travel the world for free!

The Governor of New York breaks the tape! Dr Mark Greene and Mary Empress of the Running World applaud!

A huge thank you � to the people who supported the Achilles 5-miler � be you sponsors, be you volunteers, be you runners, or be you the Governor of New York! It was indeed a fantastic day, for me the best ever Achilles 5-miler� not only in size but in spirit of al the people who came out with huge energies... like our favorite weatherman Mr. G, the staff of Achilles, Mary W. Empress of the Running world & the NYRR team, the Board members of the Achilles, all the runners, volunteers & supporters, so so many people to thank! And of course to my good friend Tony who was one of the first to arrive and last to leave -- who as ‘Goose’ delighted the Iraqi vets, who as Dr. Mark Greene lit up the park, who as the kids starter made every child shine, who as Chairman of Shoe4Africa continues to take us to higher levels on that note thanks to Eileen, Marty TGV, and Anne Rapido. It is past 14-hours after the event and I am still amazed at everyone�s energies. My friend Senor Ramon and the TNT team.. speaking of which I saw the Spanish victory over Italy, and although impartial I have to say that Spain 100% deserved the victory they played fab they meet Russian in the semis and indeed we had the Russian Consul at the race running--thanks Dmitry Z!

Tony was the official starter of the Kids races -- a HUGE HIT! Laura, in blue, sneaks in with the 2-year olds! (Joking she was running with her nephew!)

The restaurant is a pick-up joint in the evening hours. No strange thing but then she found out that the staff were also going to a bar next door and doing shots with the staff there, No wonder the takings are down!

So more on the race, The Russian Consul is coming to run, and maybe we have a united nations challenge in there. Also I am wondering what time the governor can run 5-miles in? D’ya think he can beat 50-minutes? I am guessing by a slither he’ll do 49-minutes.

Martin Lel gives one young school girl a memory.

Inside the classrooms, so little can do so very much!

Eileen gave a good effort. Nance the Grapefruit let the group down again, by not setting an age group record for the track. And Erica suddenly found turbo gears. Suzanne was running �Down by the river which of course I find incredibly funny. AmexChris was being an amex again, and took Lee with him. Deidra was on the ball, and Lissy was firing as the night grew long, as was Trackman Dave who had a cold start. Danielle, what can I say about Danielle? A lot if her name was Claudette, then I�d say I haven�t seen her since January.

Tecla did win herself a major championship Gold, she won the Commonwealth Games a decade later, in 1978. she blazed out a trail of glory� and ran with More fire!

CNN Inside Africa! This weekend watch it, and watch the Shoe4Africa Martin Lel race feature! I mean leading up to the Olympics it is a great little story, especially as it features two of the faves for the marathon. See Martin Lel & Robert Cheruiyot in their natural environment.

One element of our races is we don�t give shoes to just the fastest runners. You can see that we often get the fastest runners though to give the shoes to others. Here Robert Cheruiyot and Martin Lel give shoes to a most surprised Martin Lel Senior!

Riding home on the bike I heard this music behind me at volume 12+.. sounded like a mountain of Vox amps on roids� and the lyrics, OMG, what lyrics! A man shouting rude words behind a thumping beat, so I turn round.. and see a smart car with a skinny white guy with a red face, as the tie he was wearing was probably too tight, and the guy is singing along with the words� yeah, ten minutes later he�ll be behind a desk saying Yes Mrs. Jones� whatever gets you thru the day!

Talking to Rita�s sister today, they are in Nairobi. Talked to Sally, she�s in Ngong and hoping to head to NYC soon for some races. And talking talking� Tony and I went to see R2 at her work place as she is leading up the team to do our Hospital presentation. So anyway after the meeting we had she went to the kitchen and this guy who works in the company was there, �Oh, wow, Was that�� and R2 was nodding her head about to say �Yes, Anthony Edwards, Dr Mark Greene, Goose�� BUT, the guy continues, �Was that the coach from Runner�s World?� Only in a NYC media company.

The fun thing with doing group work outs on the street is the kids; when we were doing Boot Camp these three boys starting joining in, they were not half bad either!

MEAnwhile speaking to John Honerkamp yesterday who ran 28 for his 5-miler in three years, could be the start of a comeback for him...

Amnd over in Kenya I would tell you what the Simba ran for the Coffee Loop, but you probably would not appreciate how fast she is running right now... some say she is training with MORE FIRE...Starbucks & I are tghinking of getting motorcycles, "Bikes4Africa," says the man with a Gold Prado... meanwhile Jamjar is starting her running and waiting for her manager to get to Kenya, "I want to ask him to send me to some good races, like a half marathon..." And who is runnign a half in NYC? We hear the Boston Runner-up (who can't bowl to save her life).. and what has that to do with the price of Soup.

It really is beyond belief that Qatar recruits junior Kenyans as well as Seniors for, can we guess, every single distance runnign medal they have EVER won in the history of the country at Junior & Senior Asian Champs --Asian Junior 1500m champ takes 5000m too --Charles Koech QAT 14:29.55� unbelievable that a country would do this.

The very next six or so hours later we were hoofing round Central Park; it was nigh on deserted! Really nice and peaceful; no big groups had arrived to comandeer the bridle path as they are apt to doing now.

The following day The Russian Rocket had a Euro Trash party when Russia played Greece. The pizza, bought on Broadway but I forgot the name so that narrows it down, was less than good. We went through quite a few brands of beer, and hunting in the fridge I did find some odd flavored H-Daz ice cream � there was about ten pot of ice cream, all empty! Reminded me of the days when I used to do the �what�s in your fridge � hit the archives tab above).

Then, after Russia had beaten Greece the defending champs with the worst Goalkeeper blunder of the year, we bet on the NCAA�s. Neither of us had a clue who is who until I recognized Sally Kipyego running the 1500m no less! She is a 10,0000 runner having ran 31:25 this year � what a legend! Furthermore she comes from Coach Boniface Tiren and the Marakwet Shoe4Africa training camp� A shocker, and she nearly won -- Well in the bets I was killing the Rocket, so after I had won three in a row, he says, �In the next race I am taking LSU� I was like, �fine� no probs� so I took Baylor for the 4 x 4000m � during the second loop, when the Rocket realized that LSU were not even in this race, he went for another team, I'll take the guy in red that had changed to the guy in black for the third loop, then on the third loop, I'll take the guy who is just about to take the lead he still lost.

In the group was a lady from Russia who works at a Cuban restaurant, and brought some Cuban cigars & a few secrets about the place that she works at; she did not believe that the Rocket & I were as lazy as we actually appeared until she found the job list we are actually being quite productive, doing things like getting Consul members to come and run the Achilles 5-miler in Central Park next week along with the NY State Governor!! Can ya beat him on the loop? And as the Rocket posted pictures of himself 50-lbs ago on Russian web sites (Did you know the wife of ___(he who won the Olympic 800 in 2004) is a photographer and she has taken these shots, But they are all of her, the Cuban rolled down, and we heard that in Spain, being productive was a Kenyan runner

Eunice Jepkorir produced the standout performance at the Gran Premio Iberoamericano running a steeple in 9:11.18 for a new Kenyan record!! Wow, super fast!

This was what I wanted; the Kalenjin school girl gave the T shirt to the Kikuyu girl at the refugee camp; they became friends, held hands and ran together. RUN FOR PEACE -- True belief, and it happened.

On Sunday, Sunday in the city, I went out with Marty, my good buddy from San Diego, who was here and is here at the Trump Tower. Now Marty (who was at Torrey Pines watching Tiger yesterday) is an ace friend of mine who I have known nearly as long as I have lived here in the USA, and features a lot in the guise of TGV, anyway.. nattering we went to the famed Carnegie Deli � a famous eatery on 55th ST (I think), and I had the Nova Scotia thingey. They have a very famous dessert, the Seven-layer sludge or something� of course we had to have those! Following which it was Starbucks. And into the late afternoon.

On the dog n bone I talked with Jamjar, then my friend Cynth called, Hey Loads of food, wine and beer � I�m at a party, do you want to come? I could hardly get my belly out of the door of course I did and went West to 76th ST. Now how small a world is this? Arriving at the house I meet a friend on the door step who lives on the second floor (my friends have the first two floors)� It was a most interesting party of mixed people (many in the film biz, a Spanish-USA business settler, a not for profit micro manager, a woman promoting Indian health products, a three legged cat, the list ratles on�) and the house was only a couple of houses down from the building where the film �Green Card� was filmed.. also the house where the last scene from Saturday Night Fever was shot. All in a NYC evening. Now, down to Bizness:

Contact: Toby Tanser, (race director) tobytanser@aol.com

New York, NY ( June 14, 2008 ) The annual Hope & Possibility 5 Mile run will start near Tavern on the Green and the West Drive at 8:30 Sunday morning, June 22nd. This year is special though, not because it has grown substantially in the past six years, yet because it will include New York�s Governor, David Paterson. He is a longtime visually impaired Achilles member. Paterson has previously run the H&P race with Trisha Meili (The Central Park Jogger,) yet this year he is known to us all as the first Achilles member to become Governor! We look forward to having him back with us on the course.

Anthony Edwards, who many know from NBCs show ER, will be on hand, not to administer any emergency medical procedures, yet to show his support to the many challenged athletes who are running, walking or rolling in their wheelchairs alongside the able-bodied runners in the Open Division. There is prize money for the top finishing male and female participants in a variety of categories.

New York's favorite weatherman, Mr. G., will of course we guaranteeing us great weather, maybe that is because he is the event's Official starter!

Other interesting participants include Major General William Terpeluk, the Commanding General of the 77th Regional Readiness who will be running with the 80 some Achilles FREEDOM TEAM of Wounded Veterans. For many it will be their first race. Mr. Met is another participant, though we are not sure he'll make the whole distance... last year he was rolling between the start line and the Tavern on the Green, maybe he wants to hang out at the Stage area to check out the superb Knicks City Kids Dancers who are kindly supporting the event.

The Singing Policeman Daniel Rodriguez will kick off Sunday morning's race with his breathtaking National Anthem, and then he will join the masses at the start line. With the courage and inspiration out on the course, we are happy to know he picked his first race to be the Achilles 5 Mile Hope & Possibility.

Then there are the Achilles Kids. The first one thousand registered children to cross the finish line of the kids races will receive a new pair of running shoes, thanks to the generosity of Steve & Elly Hammerman, and New Balance Shoes. With so much attention on the physical activity and weight issues of our young ones, this is a perfect incentive for them in the fight against kids obesity. Again, the able-bodied children will run alongside the children with disabilities, just as the adults integrate and inspire each other.

Yes we do have fast legs! Hot off finishing third at the Steamboat Peoria, IL, 4-miler this past Saturday, in a quick 20-minutes 35-seconds (the third fastest time of the year for 2008), Silvia Skvortsova of Russia, a former winner of the Rome Marathon says, "I want to come to Central Park and make my mark at the Hope & Possibility. I have heard that this is a very inspirational event, and I want to be there to support the Achilles International organization."

All finisher will receive Mayors Cup Medals, thanks to our partnership with the New York City Sports Commission. Apples from the Council on the Environment of NYC, Everyone is invited to join in; abled & disabled; runners, walkers and those in wheelchairs.

Along with music, food and fun, there will be Disability Awareness activities, so anyone can feel what it is like to be a blind runner. An Award Ceremony will take place around 10:45 am in the service road near the bandshell off 72nd street in Central Park with major raffle prizes include air tickets. Major sponsors include Cushman & Wakefield, Goldman Sachs and AVIS. Proceeds from the event benefit the programs of Achilles International. www.achillestrackclub.org. "Over 150 free events for disabled athletes in NYC alone, and 70-chapters worldwide!"

Like Carlsberg, probably the greatest* road racer is... The Simba. To quote the Simba.... "I run with More fire!!"

*This assumption has been made on world road bests from the 5km to the half marathon, including mid distances along the way, world championship victories coupled with world bests set whilst winning world championships, a head to head better than any other athlete in the world over the popular 10k-distance.. the winner of the richest ever prize in road running.. and whilst doing all this running also running her women's training camp in Kenya to train and help her competition.... The Simba!!

Quote, "The only time I have ever seen Dibaba, Burka, and Melkenesh WALK in a running race was in Mombasa when they tried to race the Simba." Quote; "Defar has just set the world record at the 5000m, Lornah at the half marathon, this should be a great match up inthe 10k..." The Simba beat Defar by a minute in their only match up of the year; funnily enough Defar got the IAAF awards... despite the fact that the Simba actually won one more World champs Gold that year than Defar... so, like a good Carlsberg, we say probably...

Then I went down to mid town to meet Sten & Linn from Sweden! I have not spoken Swedish for donkey�s years, and now all day! Sten is the father of Marielle & Linn is the sister. I used to live with Marielle in Reykjavik, and Stockholm� now she lives in London.. and knows Urbo! Small world.

Anyway, I as trying hard to find a nice New York pizzeria for lunch, and I was unable to find any in the part of town where we were. The last pizza I had was back in Nairobi!

Speaking Kenya� �Today I was filming the Simba for CNN or KLM � Lornah is going to be on the aeroplanes from the Dutch/French airline, so I was doing the filming from a list of requests they had asked for. We got a curveball, the drug tester came. So there was a lot of hanging around waiting for Lornah to produce a sample� sitting in the garden drinking tea, drinking more tea. I tactfully pointed out that this could have been a good time to do the talking part of the filming, but� so we were late. Never worry it gave me a chance to chat with Hilda Airlines.

Once we got filming we really had a good time, going here and there� we wanted to film at a school, and being a Monday, we went to Kamariny.. and no one was there(!) The whole school was empty. It was track day at Tambach, so we decided to drive to Tambach!

Let me tell you track and field is not dead in Kenya, the place was packed, and perched on the rafters it was beautiful to see.

This was my fave pic of the day � Gladys winning the 1500m! The primary boys 1500m was won in 3:53, on a dirt track!!

Check out all the teams who entered, and the Shoe4Africa web site won!!! Awesome!

After breakfast where I drunk a lot of orange juice we go to church. Afterwards I take everyone for soda whilst we wait for a ride back home. I have my little team of Toby�s Angels who help me with the events tee-shirts, they sort out the sizes, count and pin numbers with me � thanks so much Pineapple, Coconut & Passion. We bump into one of Kenya�s best 10,000 runners, by the name of Moses Masai.

Jamjar is supposed to come this afternoon, but she got up late. I go to Sleepy Sylvia�s and watch the Monaco GP with her; I can�t believe she is a fan! On the ride home we get a flat battery. The world champ Luke Kibet is driving past so we flag him down to get a jump start; turns out he is quite the mechanic! This is Kenya!

Aimee � flying along, in her zone. Kwazi � okay, if he stops eating spinach and getting balcoed. Don � was suffering in the heat, and not giving me 100%, but I know he is kicking off his training, so that is okay. David Trackman was trying �well done, Nancy Grapefruit � back on track with her buddy Erica from D.C. � Nance did not do the time I asked her to; more homework!! Heidi looked good, she was a bonus to the night, Ben ran smooth too, Deidre came down and probably though �Who are these people??� Whereas Pat the Piper came along and could have really given us that 30% he was saving for his xmas club!

Hilda Airlines; some one special, someone going places

Imagine the loaded Kenyan Seniors champs � the gun goes off and a junior runs away wit the field, then she runs off with the World Senior Champs-- Since 1995 one of my dearest & closest friends is the legend we know as the Great Sally Barsosio xx � who runs with MORE FIRE!

As with the last few peace races my key ambassadors come from the two tribes that were in the hottest conflict. I have John Ngugi representing the Kikuyus � and let me tell you John is still perhaps the most famous runner in Kenya, outside of Kip Keino (and I could not get Kip as he was on a plane to Mexico) and Ben Jipcho � a man who won Silver behind Kip, also won the 3000m ST & 5000 DOUBLE! (Never to be repeated) at the Commonwealth, and twice got the steeplechase world record. Now, the significance of getting Ben was that he is a Kalenjin legend, and was shot by a group of Kikuyus in the clashes � he will forever walk with a limp because of this! They would be the chief ambassadors of the day.

Out of anything I have ever done in Kenya this morning was to be what I really did not know if I could do. When, back in the clashes, I conceived this, I was really unsure whether I could pull it off. I knew this was the thing of the greatest impact; To fully describe, or understand you really had to be in Kenya during this time. Imagine watching the news and feeling helpless, then thinking of a springboard to peace, then getting it done.

To march from Eldoret town into the gates of the refugee camp would not be possible in most places, imagine the parents, the security, but I had a feeling it was okay, and that through kids the peace message was the strongest.. it was true!

The race was something else, and I could quite happily now stop doing things for Shoe4Africa and work for another charity; this is what I wanted to do, and now it is done.

It goes back to when I was a nipper, and I had a school project to raise money to buy a tractor for Boga-Zaire. It had no impact at the time, as a class project we did it. Years later I can�t forget it.

Ben Jipcho has every reason to be bitter; not so! Here he is talking to a group of Kalenjin kids � coming all the way from Mount Elgon Western Kenya for this event. A hero.

The kids acted with such dignity and respect; wonderful to see!

The next day was a day of good, life, and the reason why I love doing this stuff. I went to the Hill School to talk to the teachers and organize how I was going to come and pluck up the kids for the refugee race. I was with Chris Cheboiboch so we watched the athletics teacher instruct her class as he was picking up tips for his school. Then we went to the camp.

I asked Chris to pick up a bunch of hitchers (people looking for a ride) and there was a group of Kikuyus trying to get to Church so we filled the back of the pick up, half way through the ride I climbed out of the passenger window into the back to talk to them, rally nice people who were SO SO appreciative for being offered a ride.

John Ngugi, Moses Tanui, Jamjar, Moi & Matthew Birir

Jamjar by herself. Two World champ team gold, one Amsterdam Marathon win, and a former near world best 25km.. with More Fire!

Ezekiel is one of the most supportive guys, always there helping and helping in a way that no other Olympic Champion except maybe Matthew Birir helps � really hands on, true gents!

When I got back home I got a phonecall, �Hey come and see me, I have just pulled in to the parking lot.� It was another Olympic Champion legend, the great John Ngugi! This is Kenya!

06/09
Coming tomorrow--my best Kenyan video as yet. A story, with the who is who of Kenyan running in there.

In the evening we had a Shoe4Africa meeting at Girasole, off third Ave at 82nd ST � great little place.

Clips-- �It was the best night for Swedish hockey since the national squad won the gold medal at the 2006 Turin Olympics. Along with Lidstrom's achievement, Henrik Zetterberg, who had a goal and assist in the Cup clincher, earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

06/06
MORE Fire� is coming soon! Can you run, with More Fire! Coming soon.

Nairobi�I hardly slept! The neighbors were horrendously noisy, and then my friend the Mosquito was buzzing around, and as I never use medicines I have to avoid these creatures just incase they are infected with malaria. Upon waking I had a half arrangement to run with Lornah. But she was still sleeping. What to do � I did not want to leave the apartment open, or did I want to take the only key and lock the door after me. So I went thru the balcony, jumped, and fell off the railing down below and landed on my gammy knee. Just my luck! I went running in Kibera where you always see the funkiest things; I was running and suddenly see everyone on the sidewalk running toward me, I am thinking �Wha??� When I see the reason, a taxi bus, after the road was absolute chockerblock gridlock, had mounted the sidewalk and was coming fast! Un-believable!

I get back, climb up and over the balcony, and Lornah is there � she�d gone out for a run, not been able to run, and had left the door open!

We had a leisurely breakfast before going to the Yaya center and Java House. Then we went to see the Minister of Health. We had a short and informative good meeting; he was very positive about the hospital. Then lunch at the Stanley � A few friends came along. I ordered a dessert and it tasted like it was two week sold, as it probably was. Katwa, William Rutto�s and the ODM�s lawyer came to join us, we had a fun dinner. Out in the street our driver had disappeared! It turned out he�d been arrested! Not good as we were now getting late for the airport, and if I missed the plane. Finally he shows up, after paying off the police, and we shoot off. Complete gridlock again, but some nifty driving, ie along the grass verge, got us to the Airport in time. Who did we bump into this time? Pamela Jelimo� and if any athlete has MORE FIRE in her eyes it is Jelimo. Wow, what a presence. This girl is Olympic Gold quality without a doubt. You feel her power! W eflew together to Eldoret. Upon reaching Eldoret who did we meet but Renato Canova, Mafia, Katui, Kenneth, Yobes Ondieki, Mitei who was totally drunk and supposed to fly to Canada (somehow he made it)� so we chatted for an hour before driving back to Iten. We picked up Matthew Birir on the way back to Iten. Matthew, a very nice guy, was the Olympic Steeplechase Champ in 1992 and is a long time SHOE4AFRICA ambassador.

Chatted with Hilda Airlines for a while, More Fire for the Mini!

More of my best friends at the Refugee camp. We took tea together, then played chase round the tents; they could hardly run for laughing. They seemed to think it was hilarious that a white person would run. Probably right.

Now this was my first race since October when I ran only to show a Kenyan friend the ropes of a NYRR race; I am not the most ardent competitor these days, and standing on the start line with the wind blowing in my face, rain pouring down I did recall an �old� story.

In 1990, when I was a runner, I was in Iceland and had a sympathy job that left me free on the weekend to do my new found joy; race! I ordered the dairy products for a large supermarket chain called Hagkaup. I was walking into the store to check on how much Skolamjolk we had (schoolmilk) and a guy came up and took one from the rack just as I was counting. I quipped, �Aren�t you a bit old for school!� And he looked at me and replied, �Aren�t you a bit old for running around in shorts.� Which I thought was a hilarious comeback. Anyway, standing in CP this morning I defo felt a bit too old to be running round the park.

I started and immediately wanted to stop for the bathroom. I ran a bit, and was cursing the fact it was 5-miles not 5k as by mile two I was finished. I don�t really have speed anymore (Blame myself, my last track session was 2002). By mile three I was considering just running off the course and going home as I was now running �away� from home. I did have my door keys in my hand and no baggage at the bag check. I made it to the finish, and it was still dark! Funny to be running home at 6:00Am having completed a race!

When Lornah & Pieter got to the airport they asked where my luggage was, as we were going to Nairobi to meet the minister to ask for permission to build this hospital, when I pointed to a plastic bag with a pair of running shoes (and I was dressed in a T shirt) she frowned!

Amazing who you meet at the airport: Beatrice Chebusit (Afro Champ 5000 CR 2005), Martin Lel, Priscah Jepleling (#2 at the World XC '06, #3 World 5000m '07), and Noah Bor (2:08)

The flight was good, and it was straight to the Italian office to eat in Nairobi.

After lunch we went to the IDP � the Kenyan refugee camp to talk with the chief, Sidney, who was actually away, so we talked to some others. I asked a few questions about the prospect of holding a peace race � I explained that I had done one in Iten, and now wanted to do one here. All were very positive.

After which we drove back to the sleepy town of Iten. I talked to Chris Cheboiboch, and then also to Sleepy Sylvia Kibet; I just know Sleepy is gong to get an Olympic medal this year.. I feel it in my bones. Also chatting with Martin, about the next race.

We heard at the hospital that the Minister of Health could not see us on the proposed Tuesday, as I had requested, as he was going away. So we made plans to go in two days � this would mean flying down to Nairobi in the morning, visiting the minister at Lunch, then flying up to Eldoret for the evening to get the final touches for the Martin Lel event. The week was looking busy! Lornah was going to come as Pieter & Lornah were going to meet a lawyer concerning some land purchase in Malindi they are buying � big lands, like 30-acres!

Funny, in Kenya I am on the cell phone 100-hrs of every day � in NYC I never use one! Too bad too as Tony & I went, after breakfast, to Yura today on Madison to meet a lady who is involved with a hospital in Eldoret � I had no idea what she looked like. Speaking local; I bumped into Grete this morning, which is always a joy � especially having known her since I was 12-yrs old!

My friends at the IDP camp.

Lornah, the Simba, walks ahead, on the same level as the top of the Rift Valley.

Lunch was back at the camp and Pieter came over so we spent the afternoon yapping, about this and everything. Later in the afternoon I went to see Katui, my good friend who lives round the corner, and was Shaheen�s pace maker � he is running in the 5000 in the Olympics and Thomas was over at the house too (he�d just returned from running a 3:35 1500m in Doha). I met Lisa on the way home, and we sat on a wooden bench outside a vegetable shack that made about $4 per day and talked. The amazing thing is we have it all wrong; here people are the happiest and the most positive you can find. Nobody complains (they have many reasons to), nobody feels sorry for their situation.

In the evening I sat with a hundred T shirts and began pinning on race bib numbers � we do this for all Shoe4Africa races as it really cuts down on the confusion at the race site. My team of Passion, Coconut, and Pineapple (my little angels) who I employ, wanted to start also pinning, but I wanted to lead by example (as they had the real mamoth task of a 1,000+ to do) tomorrow.

In the distance world this weekend, there were some amazing results! Non less than 1 Paul Koech KEN 8:01.85 2 Steve Slattery USA 8:28.21 3 Solomon Kandie KEN 8:29.40 in NYC for the steeplechase. Many, many people say that this is Paul�s year, and the record is coming (sic) back from Qatar to Kenya. This was not even a major push for Paul who traveled from Kericho, to Nairobi, to London, to NYC, to run this event in coach class. Watch out, the record is going�

Also over in Kenya an outstanding result, shockingly fast --Bernard Rotich, clocked 27:09.8 for his 10,000m victory which is the fastest time ever on Kenyan soil and the fifth fastest in the world this year.

And �Barely 24 hours after setting one of the best times on Kenyan soil in the 5,000 metres race, four-times Boston Marathon champion, Catherine Ndereba, completed a rare double with victory in the 10,000m race Saturday at the Prisons national championships at the Nyayo National Stadium. 33:10�a great time for Nairobi! Go Catherine!

So this reporter as trying to get into my apartment building with a camera� would not let him� and when there was banging at the door I ignored it. Two hours later I decided to go out.

We met Maureen, but the breakfast place she had suggested was closed, so we hoofed it over to Westgate � a new lux shopping mall in Nairobi. If you climb up to the second floor you�ll find a Dorman�s coffee house, and that�s where we ended. (Highly recommended for good coffee along with the JavaHouse).

Next up we traveled to the Rift Valley -- the roads in kenya have really improved,and in a Toyota Prado it was plain sailing. We stopped off to buy yogurt on the way, drove through the usual Kenyan wildlife 'Look out the window, there's a zebra...' and the journey passed without an incident. Went past the area where the Mungiki wars had been blah blah.. and arrived in Iten for a late lunch. Since I had eaten two muffins, two petit pain au chocolat (and not so petit) in Nairobi I was not so hungry anyway. Lornah's uncle was there, "See, this is where I got my forehead from.'

I forgot my run; earlier that morning I got up and went for a run round Kibera scouting the areas for the run this winter. I nearly died on the pollution fumes from all the taxi buses, fires,and garbage... but nevertheless had a good run. Funny thing; nobody shouts out comments as you run as the kids do up in Iten... there are no 'Mzungu, mzungu' calls.

BUY THE BOOK! (PS: I got an email from Hilda after the race... "More Fire!" -- yeah!

That night we went to the Japanese restaurant that is all the rage in Nairobi, and who was there non other than Raila! The Prime Minister. I nearly did not get there myself as I got semi arrested for not wearing a seatbelt, I was ready for the cells but some swift power-talk from Starbucks had me back in the Prado before I had a chance to say �Diplomatic Immunity!�

Nairobi is a great city in many ways, but the things that let the city down do so badly. Nevertheless, knowing we were leaving the next day, made the trip too short.

Back from Kenya, and what a trip, came via Nairobi with Paul K. Koech, the steeplechase phenom� but what was more funny was I was sitting in the British Airways lounge at 10:00pm � I had just been out for dinner with Starbucks and Simba, and Sally Barsosio at the usual place, and was waiting for my flight.. Hilda was leaving for Amsterdam, Ben Cherono was on the next bench and I was realizing that I had not even had time to say hello to most people as my trip this time was so so short. So I thought, okay let me ring a few people. I scrolled backwards through the phone and thus started with Yego � �Hiya Daniel� you aren�t home? Where are you? You�re in the airport? Me too, where? In British Airways? Really?� I look around and who is walking forward! Daniel is going to San Diego to defend his title at the RnR.

This trip was something else, I�ll start from the beginning tomorrow, but if you scroll down to the last photo I was to post before I left, you�ll see that she has arrived with More Fire! Pamela Jelimo.. and some stories on her too..

But the two races, first below is Martin�s race (will be on CNN Inside Africa this weekend!)

Martin Lel & Robert Cheruiyot handing out the prizes!

And the second race � I had a dream� well, if you have seen the Hotel Rwanda film you know what a refugee camp is like (at the end of the film). My dream was 250 kids from Eldoret marching into the camp in two rows. Inside the camp there would be 250 refugee children, also standing in two lines. The Eldoret children would walk along the lines shaking hands, saying peace until the two lines faced each other, then the Eldoret kids would give the refugee kids an extra yellow T shirt. All would then run a 4km race round the refugee tents where 20,000 people are living and would come out and cheer for the kids� run for peace. I would get a legend from the Kikuyu tribe, someone like John Ngugi, and then a legend from the Eldoret area � perhaps Ben Jipcho, former world record holder, Olympic silver and a man who had won two gold and one silver at the 1974 commonwealth(!) games, and had been shot in the clashes, to stand arm in arm with Ngugi to inspire the kids.

Well, it happened!

An �old� photo of mine, but one of my faves.

Doing work with the Achilles I often remind people we are only one sniff away from being in a wheelchair, think of Christopher Reeve. I also know stories of how people lost everything to end up on the street in the flash of a frying pan. Scary stuff. It saddened me the most to see some young people there, the ones who had not given up, the ones who were living on the street but trying to make life look at them like they did not; saddened me only because I wanted to help, but did not feel in a position to do so, and also I did not want to move into their personal space or moment, and also because I remembered also myself; as a teenager I was once homeless in Europe in a country where I had no family, history, and only the friends of the week.

My eyes gazed across the room adn became locked inthe eyes of a young lady. Typically in those moments you look away pretending that you were not really staring. This time I looked, gridlocked into her eyes, there was somethign there.

After a lunch at a Tandoori Palace on Fulton, discussing apossible project at the place, I was coming back on the 5-train. A young lady and two guys got on with a boombox. They started playing music and doing acrobatics whilst the train was rolling, and I mean really amazing stuff like backflips down the aisles and linking up to roll over in a wheel at tremendous speeds and stuff. So when the acrobatics were done they started collecting money and I pulled out by wallet (actually a bulldog clip with money notes) I was just realizing that I did not have anything smaller than a 20 when I looked up and the young woman was standing eye to eye right in front of me, waiting. She was not smiling, but her eyes were saying �truth,� I then felt glad to give her the money as I realized it was that same woman I had seen that morning at the center, and wanted to help in some way; yet here they were, making it happen. Acknowledge opportunity.

There is another story now I can�t get that young lady�s face out of my mind� Going back to Kenya. The guy who was asking for help, Nelson Otieno. I helped him, then he asked for more. Kind�ve obvious, helplines aren�t plentiful and when you get one�.

Anyway, so I told him to stop asking, stop asking for shoes, for a tracksuit, for this or that. Nelson was trying to be a �Kenyan Runner� except he was not quite good enough � oh for that he was born in the West, he�d have made it. Anyway, training hard, trying to make it. Earning no money, starting living in a ditch, caught a cold, and shivered to death, alone. Asking for help, no one home listening.

The Achilles H&P race, coming to New York next month � please sign up to support the Achilles. Last year Mr Subman lost the race to Mr Met� he was left behind at the start line.. I wonder why!