The Daily Poem

A SPARK FOR JESPER OLSEN

The world-running runner named Jespa,

Refused every offer to Vespa,

He ran all the way,

No chase car delays--

His road man was Nicola Tesla.

If ever he needed a jumper

He'd just sally up to the bumper

And Nikki the Tes

Would brew up the best

Electrical java de-slumper.

D. Edgar Lamp

The Daily Poem - 419

Limerick Stanza

Santiago, Chile

Lat: -33.43, Long: -70.57

JOURNAL: Bellavista Home Bed & Breakfast

We hung out at the B&B all day. Both of us suffering a bit from intestinal ailments. Nothing major, though. Mimi did her famous travel-agent thing and got all our tickets bought through to Cape Town, South Africa--I directed, advised, and provided the credit card number when ever she needed it read aloud to her. She's an awesome trip planner. I walked out and bought some food to make lunch. Over lunch in the patio, I struck up a conversation with Jesper Olsen, who is doing his World Run II. He's already done the North to South Section from Norway to Cape Town, and is not doing the South to North segment from Punta Arenas to Nova Scotia. He's an amazing individual; very inspiring to me. We swapped e-mails and websites and promised to keep in touch during the year ahead. He intends to complete his South-To-North segment in July 2012. Since we'll be back to the States in February, perhaps we could go out to Nova Scotia and cheer him in across the finish line.

He basically runs a marathon every day; 40 km. He never rides and he never walks. If he gets winded as he did running over the Andes at 4000m, he stops for a few minutes to rest and then begins running again. His run will be the first Round The World run fully documented by GPS. He carries a handheld GPS which tracks his movements continuously. Once, he discovered that it had not recorded for an entires days' run. So, he repeated the run. Getting the run documented on GPS is very important to him. He's nearly 40, but you'd never know it. He's in incredible shape--a lean, mean, globetrotting machine. He said his all time favorite area was the three months he spent running through Eastern Siberia. He suggested that we do our best to get off the train and spend a couple days with the villagers. When he told them that he was a tourist, they asked, "What's a tourist?" He suggested we pick up a Russian newspaper when we get off so when we are just hanging around we can "read" the paper, which sends the message that we are in no hurry. Otherwise, if you act like you're a typical watch-watching American, they will probably put a few roadblocks and delays in your path, just because they can. He told me that Russians and Americans showed the greatest interest in his running challenge, and really wanted to know about and be a part of it, unlke the people in his hometown of Copenhagen. Evidently being a stand-out, or doing something that brings you personal notoriety is not looked upon as a good thing. Being a socialistic country, it's all about the team, not the individual. So, he's a bit of a renegade as a company-sponsored world running celebrity; not your average Danish man in the street. He went back to work when he completed his first run at the end of 2005, but soon received offers to come and speak to athletic groups, clubs, and companies as a motivational-type speaker. Suddenly making more through lecturing than working his job, he just quit his job. How very cool...! And he truly does have an awesome story to tell. His will and determination are incredible. And plus, he's just such a nice, down-to-earth guy. I'm so glad I got met him. I will follow his run with relish. His website is:

www.WorldRun.org

He's hoping to be on his way again by Thursday. The chase car they are using keeps breaking down, overheating, needing jump starts and the like. They've got their eye on a used car for $5000. There's a two-man film crew working with him. They will be making a documentary of his World Run.

~ The Daily Poet