Drinking and Joggling

Do drinking and joggling mix? During the Royal Victoria Marathon, I discovered that yes, they do. The Hash House Harriers set up a beer check along the course, and since I wasn't going for a world record, I decided to stop for a couple of cups. I juggled a bit as I drank. The beer helped me stay nice and relaxed and unfocused for the rest of the race.

Dick Beardsley Rules

At the Royal Victoria Marathon, I met my running hero, Dick Beardsley. He's an incredible speaker and just a great guy to talk to. He's been through more in his life than just about anyone I've ever met, and he's all the stronger for it. The same tenacity that Beardsley used to fight his way through the Duel in Sun at the 1982 Boston Marathon carried him through the battle with near-deadly injuries and prescription narcotics addiction. He has so many good stories to tell about running and life. Cheers to Beards! If you're ever looking to book a motivational speaker, click on the above link -- you won't be sorry.

A Royal Joggle

My trip to Victoria, B.C. was a grand success. The Royal Victoria Marathon is a first-class event, with a gorgeous, scenic route. I joggled a relaxed 3:12. doing tricks almost the whole way. I wasted a lot of energy laughing. After stopping at the Hash House Harriers tent for some beer, my drop rate increased dramatically. The day before the race, the Victoria Times-Colonist ran a story on my joggling, and the next day I became known as "that guy on A3." Here is a photo on flickr (thanks Perry) I don't look very happy here, but I think the sun was in my eyes. Here's a good roundup of the race, but it says my joggling record is 2:15 -- now that would be an impressive record.

Canadian Running Magazine's expo booth was hopping. At times, we could barely keep up with the demand for new subscribers. It's great to see Canadians supporting a Canadian running magazine.

Up next, I have a tough assignment joggling the Cayman Islands Marathon on Dec. 7.