Marathon at 10,000 feet

But after I had reached a mountain’s foot,
At that point where the valley terminated,
Which had with consternation pierced my heart,

Upward I looked, and I beheld its shoulders,
Vested already with that planet’s rays
Which leadeth others right by every road.

-Dante, Inferno, Canto I

I’ve decided to start off the blog portion of my personal website by writing about what should prove to be a life-changing event: my second marathon (the first will be the Lake Placid Marathon in June).

I’m running what is technically an ultramarathon (the course is 27.5 miles) with fourteen other athletes in the Peruvian Andes, a day or two after we all go whitewater rafting on the Urubamba River. The Inca Trail Marathon, they call it, and it’s all sold out — my agent tells me the Peruvian government has issued all its permits for the dates surrounding the event.

I have the unconfirmed suspicion that I’m one of the unlikeliest participants in this race, but we’ll see in August, after I get a chance to meet and compare stories with the other racers, many of whom, like me, are undoubtedly people with the professed goal of running a marathon on every continent (yes, including Antarctica).

How did I come up with this goal?

It’s my last semester of grad school, and in the down time when I’m not working on my thesis (which is a little more frequent than it should be), I’ve been contemplating what I want to do with myself. Part of this thinking has led to a box of index cards filled with audacious personal goals. One of these goals is to run a marathon on every continent.

I’ll be giving infrequent progress reports (usually on Saturday morning) on this and other forthcoming adventures, so check back if these interest you.

In conclusion, here’s a picture of the finish line. I can’t wait until August.