Day: July 30, 2006

Drifting with the current …..a happy runner

Mr. Asai and Mr. Koshita accompanied Serge this morning. The scenery was fabulous.  From one valley to the next, water flowed with a charming sound that seemed to relieve all our runner’s pains.  On top of physical hardship, Serge has been rather demoralized by his daily average of kilometers and the time spent on the road.  These last two stages have given him new hope and the reward was there: 73 kilometers in good time.  Like everyone, the morale has its ups and downs.  It’s difficult to be even tempered over a long period of time and we aren’t always in top form either.

Another 730 meter pass.  A shady route during the first part enabled Serge to run in relative coolness.  
In Japan, the route offers two possibilities:  the first is to run along a main road, in the traffic and noise, with traffic lights and cities.  The second alternative is to go into the mountainous countryside, where there is a variety of landscape.  Serge has preferred the second alternative.  There are times when you can’t choose, as will be the case this week when we go through Osaka, Kyoto and Nara.  The roads surely will be busy during the summer period and in the vicinity of these popular tourist sites.

But every day brings it’s pain or it’s pleasure and today Serge is enjoying the stage and drifting with the current.