Living Vicariously

Well, my running may be going downhill faster than the Peloton on the roads of the Tourmalet, but somehow I can still get excited about the sport that often brings nothing but bloody frustration to my life. At least temporarily, I have managed to transfer my enthusiasm for what was going to be the start of my own tough training segment into getting excited about seeing the culmination of my friends' efforts. Things are starting to come together with the planning of the next leg of my adventure through life: Berlin. My biggest fear about this little shindig so far has been accomodation, because when you combine any major event like the World Championships of anything with the word "city," things always get expensive. However, I finally knuckled down and booked what is to be the proverbial roof-over-my-head for the first two nights sandwiching the day of the Womens Marathon. I really need little more than said roof, but I managed to find what looks to be a great hostel right in downtown Berlin. It looks like it's only about 5k from the airport, and maybe double that to the stadium. I had a rough time searching to find the Marathon course route; however, I think I'm safe after giving up that game because I know that it runs through the streets downtown criterium-style. I can't possibly imagine I'll be too far from the action. I'll be sharing a room with no more than 4 other travellers in a modern building with a rooftop pool, internet, and a bunch of other stuff and it only costs 24euros/night. Even with the dollar being worth less than shit to pigs, I'd consider that a darn good find. The fact that accomodation seems far from sold-out makes me feel good about the fact that after Sunday night, I have absolutely no plans because I haven't the slightest idea where I'll be anyway. Hopefully I'll get the chance to hang out with Tera for a day or two, but Berlin looks like such a great city that I really won't be too bent out of shape if she's busy with the family and I end up exploring on my own. Flight to Geneva: Check. Return Flight from Geneva to Berlin: Check. Partial accomodation: Check. Now I just need to make sure that I don't need any Visa's, and I'll be set. Adventure on!

Surely I will have sorted this garbage of an overworked-right-calf-muscle-caused-by-a-short-right-leg out by then and can do some solid training over there too. Next on the Jason-Adventure update agenda: The Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc 166km Endurance Run, which is of course the reason I get to go to Europe in the first place.