3/30/2011

I got an early start at a travel center who’s Subway doesn’t honor the five dollar footlong special. This special is pretty key to my journey. Today I ran unplugged. No Portugese lessons. No radio or music. It was just me and the oncoming traffic. I was more aware of the motorists than usual. It felt like I was recieving more support than usual as well.I’ve found that I can generally group the truckers into two groups. There are the ones that are super friendly and willing to help out a motorist or someone in need. The second group are the ones that feel they own the road because they have the mean looking Optimus Prime big rigs. These guys are willing to bully the little Prius and even the solo runner...

3/29/2011

Tailwind good! Ample rest good! I was groggy when I got out of bed today. I think perhaps I let myself rest just a little too much and my body got used to it. It didn’t matter though because once I began taking the steps my body just wanted to push further and faster. I finished my day around half past noon. I wanted to make sure I reached the hotel in time to thank everyone in person for making my stay in Albuquerque spectacular.

While I was on the road, again the scenery began to change right before my eyes. I felt like I was in an episode of “Little House on the Prairie”. I half expected to see two little girls rolling down some grassy hills. I thought a bit about yesterday as I took my steps. I thought about the invitations from the kids to return to their school in May...

3/28/2011

The kids are what make this project worth the pain. The faces of tomorrow’s leaders motivate me to keep pushing on. These kids are pure potential. They haven’t yet been jaded or tainted by the pressures of society. Do you remember a time when the possibilities in this world were endless?

Today I had the pleasure of getting to know the bright young students of Algodones Elementary School. They were attentive, inquisitive, and fun. Every time I read my book to kids I get a charge of energy. The school is about twenty-two miles outside of Albuquerque. The backroads to the school are lined with trees and it would have been a fantastic run. Often times I think about how lucky kids are in these scenic little towns. Their principal Laura Greenleaf is a runner...