Running the Italian Countryside

Sibari, Italy---Villas and farms can be seen in the foreground surrounded by a background of mountains. Fields of wild flowers and trees cut back to let Spring takeover with new growth. An asphalt road that is traveled only by people knowing their destination: a gated Marina complex named Laghani Di Sibari. A Welcome sign in four languages, at the beginning of the long the narrow road leading to the guard shack, is one of the first thing you see.

There are so many more details you can notice when you are out for a run, instead of zooming past in a vehicle.

Running is something I have done in my life as long as I can remember. Granted, I am not fast or by any means a “runner” in the elite sense of the word. But from a very young age I discovered running would help the asthma I was born with. In high school it was track that earned me a letter and one high school record. In College and my Florida years I was the 2-3 mile beach jogger. It was not until I trained with Team in Training and the Leukemia Foundation in the name of Adam Smith, my friend who died in 2000, that I trained for a marathon and discovered distance running and how much I loved it. Now, after 4 Marathons and 8 half’s and more 10-15K’s, my body rebelled with a list of injuries and I had been on a rest since October’s Tower of Terror race at Disney in Orlando.

But I brought my gear for my new life and decided to head out on a bright sunny afternoon. For some reason, I felt like I needed to put some space between me and the Marina Complex. So I headed towards the countryside. If felt great to watch the boat yard get smaller in the distance. My first marathon was San Diego where we started down town and ran to the Naval Base. At mile 23 I turned and looked behind me shocked to see downtown San Diego the size of a quarter on the horizon. Now, 8 years later I’m running along a country road in Italy.

A few days later, I tried out running on the beach. The sand is soft and mixed with gravel but the scenery with the gulf and mountains was exhilarating.

I missed CJ, my best running partner and the Galloway running group I had spent 3 seasons with. Any runner knows how it clears your head. I was overwhelmed with the exhilaration of freedom and possibilities.

I hope to run in each country we visit. And just like the idea of finishing 26.2 miles, the idea of this trip originally seemed impossible. But by putting one foot, or running shoe, in front of the other can produce goals or life dreams. If I can do it, trust me; I’m not special, anyone can do it.