Silva Nortica Marathon, June 12, Czech Republic
My next big race and my first cross-country event, The Silva Nortica, starts in Austria and ends in the Czech Republic. The race ranges from road running all the way up to cross-country trails. Included in the race requirements are the need to carry a passport in order to cross the border at the end of the race.
I’m excited about this race for many reasons. The location is exotic, the race is unusual and I get to indulge in my joy of cross-country running. In the nearby woods of Brno, Czech Republic, where I’m currently training, I’ve found the woods to be enchanting. Not as wild as the Canadian forest but certainly as green and tended to with the greatest of love and respect.
Jana has explained to me that in the past communist regime and even before there developed a great passion in the public for hiking and walking. Apparently this is what you do when you feel like a “caged animal“, go for walks and “clean the woods“. The legacy is a fantastic array or trails and a culture that loves to use them. Unfortunately it also means that the people I’ve encountered on the trails typically stare with a disgruntled expression when I attempt to wave or say “hello”. I suspect I might make progress on this front if I make an effort to speak in Czech. I’m going to start with “Dobré ráno” (Good Morning) and “Dobrý den” (Hello).
Long term, my motivation for running in this event is to run in ultra cross country events, Ultramarathons (42km+). I’ve publicly stated that I plan to participate in The Canadian Death Race as a member of a relay team in August 2011 and solo in 2012. This race is a great example of how extreme the ultra events can be:
125 km course begins and ends on a 4200 foot plateau, passes over three mountain summits and includes 17,000 feet of elevation change and a major river crossing at the spectacular Hell’s Gate canyon
Running in the woods, exploring the world, learning new languages… life is good!
