Wednesday, June 21, 2006

The burnt out dumpster

I could not bear it anymore, I have been down in Gaza on assignment for 9 days and have tried to avoid even thinking about running , as I have said previously for this reason and that reason I have not run. I even did not bring running clothes or trainers down here. However there was an opportunity to get some clothes down from Jerusalem (60 miles away) during a staffing crossover and I put the word out bring my kit down.
So I figured if I got up at 5am and was out the door by 5:30 there would be no one on the main road out the front of the hotel and if I avoided the fish market I should really not have any problems, figuring bad boys do not get up at 5:30.
You should of seen the look on poor guy on reception when I came down and went out the door.
Out from the hotel , past the Hamas Militia on the street corner up to the burnt out dumpster , turn before the Fish market, back past the Hamas boys and on past my hotel to the rotting dumpster, man this really smelt bad, and onto the roundabout where there had been a really good shoot out a fortnight ago and back to the hotel as my circuit , I actually measured it out in my armored car later in the day and it was exactly a mile.
I did four circuits - 4 miles - 34:42 minutes best split an 8:09 , 8:30 , 8:30 and a 8:39. so i was happy with my times given the location.
Somedays you just feel the need , today was one. I like to run it makes me feel good in a place that at times has no reason to be positive.

Checkout my daily thoughts on working down here in my other blog www.unholylandnews.blogspot.com

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