Tag: Michael Modzelewski
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Carlsbad (CA) Marathon
Along the spectacular coast of northern San Diego. Running Highway-1 hills above the slamming ocean, thought how easy it is to take “the path of least resistance” in life, and how hard to go upstream. It’s the difference between the carp and the salmon. The carp, content to stay in still waters, grows fat…
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A1A (FL) Marathon
Coast-to-Coast-to Coast — last three marathons: Atlantic Ocean to Pacific to Atlantic again. Ran another road on the continent’s edge — Highway A1A along Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Tincture blue water, platinum sand, sunrise a pink blush. I love having a body! So animal, returning to the limbic brain and just moving, romping with all…
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Phoenix, Arizona Marathon
Next marathon, to warm up, I’m doing Anchorage, Alaska! South Carolina 26 degrees; now 30 in Phoenix. Stripped down, singlet-clad runners shivering at the starting line in “The Valley of The Sun.” And the temperature didn’t budge. Mile 9, a bank digital screen read 30 degrees and a chill wind blew right through us. Finished…
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Marine Corp Marathon
[slideshow_deploy id=’482′] Cool, crisp autumn Sunday in Washington, D.C. Called “The Marathon of The Monuments” and that it was, as route took us all around Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln monuments, Arlington Cemetery, past Watergate Apartments, through quaint Georgetown, with red and gold leaves raining down. Put on by the Marines, with military precision. 32nd year.…
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Jamica Reggae
[slideshow_deploy id=’477′] Most laid-back and enjoyable of the marathons so far. 200 runners gathered early in the pre-dawn darkness in Negril, the remote and nature-dominated west side of the island. Natives raised flaming bamboo torches and Rastafarian drummers called down the spirits of fair competition and mutual respect. A horn sounded and off we…
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Sedona, Arizona Marathon
[slideshow_deploy id=’472′] Brutal, but beautiful. Brutal — in that the 26.2 miles were all hills at 4,500 foot altitude. Beautiful — running amidst the red rock buttes and towering spires that make Sedona one of the most stunning places in the world. “Home Cookin’ ” for this one, as my Dad and Step-mom live…
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Guayaquil, Ecuador Marathon
Ecuador comes from “Equator” — the Earth’s middle meridian line that passes through this diverse South American country. The ocean is warm along the coast, the low lands are tropical rainforest on both sides of the Andes Mountains, with Amazon jungle on the expansive east side. Ran 26.2 in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city along…
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Florence, Italy Marathon
[slideshow_deploy id=’462′] My favorite film director, Federico Fellini said that all you need to make a movie is snow and a train. Had both, riding the rails in late November from Milano south to Firenze. Being half-Italian (on my mother’s side), I felt totally at home with 9,000 runners from 60 countries as we…
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Barcelona Marathon
[slideshow_deploy id=’453′] The catalyst for visiting the Catalonian city of Barcelona was to see Antoni Gaudi’s architecture. Gaudi and Barcelona surpassed expectations. Barcelona, in the northeast corner of Spain, is the largest city on the Mediterranean Sea. Called “The Spanish Paris,” “The Capital of the Future,” and “The Territory of Illusions” it takes ancient…
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Boise, Idaho Marathon
[slideshow_deploy id=’447′] Combo of a marathon in the capital city of Idaho and a pilgrimage to pay homage to the author who inspired me to be a writer. Boise is a tree-filled valley in the high desert of western Idaho, with an untamed river running through town, feeding the trees and invigorating the populace.…