Where My Feet Have Carried Me
By Russell Lamendola

            When I first read about this opportunity to share what “where my feet have carried me” means to me, many emotions came to mind. My feet have carried me through much. This journey of running has been difficult. Though I have run on and off for many years, the past few years have been a struggle. I started having health issues about ten years ago and these issues took me out of running for a few months at a time. I never stopped running completely. I would run when I felt well enough to do so. These health issues began with Lyme’s disease and a serious hernia. Both at the same time by the way. I also battled pneumonia and a pre – cancerous situation that was fortunately discovered in time. These health issues culminated in a serious gall bladder problem. It took the doctors a long time to figure out what was wrong. I lost over forty pounds in about two months. The surgeon told me that it was a good thing that they took it out when they did as the gall bladder was in such bad shape. I found out later that this could have taken my life. I have battled some side effects from this issue for about five years. I believe that running has something to do with my recovery.

My long runs on weekends are at a local park where I am getting used to seeing the same people each Saturday. I am getting to know them, and their dogs, as many people run and walk with their dogs at this park. I also see many different types of people running and it is always impressive to see people who are twenty years older than me pass me at speed I cannot keep up with. They are my inspiration. My runs during the week are right out of my front door and I do not usually see many people.

    Last year my wife challenged me to run my first half – marathon and I thought she was crazy. It did not make sense to run my first half marathon, or any half-marathon, at fifty-five. However, I signed up and ran it and I also ran my first 5K and 10K. After the half-marathon and 5K my wife introduced me to Moon Joggers and we both signed up. I have enjoyed using these runs to help the charities, for the exercise, and for training for other races. I am currently preparing to sign up for a number of these virtual events and I have signed up for a number of races on the virtual run sister site. I have also signed up for another half – marathon and I may actually run two this year.

I love the community of running. I have met many people, most of who I never got their names, but we are all there for the same reason, to run. At the half – marathon last year I met a couple that were running the 5K part of the day. They were local and they had been training for just a few months. I talked to them for quite some time and it was great to hear how they just wanted to run together as a couple and that they were running to lose weight and get in better shape. There were breast cancer survivors running and others who had health issues that they had overcome. It was surprising to me that there were so many that had overcome health issues. It was humbling to be around so many who refused to let their “situations” stop them from their love of running.

            Biography –

My name is Russell Lamendola, I am fifty-six years old and have been running on and off for many years. I live in New Jersey and, except for a few years in California, have lived here my whole life. I just finished 2 ½ years in Seminary on March 7, 2016 and am currently not working. My wife and I both train together but, because of a knee injury, she walks while I run.

I started running to impress a girl who I worked with at the time. This was back in the early 80’s. It worked for about a year but once I “had the girl” I stopped running. When she broke my heart I started to run again to get over her. This was a vicious cycle! I have not really looked back since. In the early 90’s I moved to the Jersey Shore and that is where I really started to run. The health benefits of running are very appealing to me and I love being outside on a run. Running is also a time of quiet reflection and prayer. There is something about being outside in God’s creation that is very calming to me.

**All walkers and runners are invited to join Moon Joggers! If  you have not signed up for MERCURY RISING  (one of the paid registration options) do so now and you’ll be able to save 25% on our virtual races in 2016! (Use code RUN2MERCURY to save 20% on MERCURY RISING

Where My Feet Have Carried Me
By Jennifer Hart

When I think back over my life, I am not sure when it was that I became a ‘runner’ but I do know it is something that has always been a part of my life. My earliest memories of putting one foot in front of the other are from my childhood, running around our block in Canada as a family. My parents were into running, especially my dad, and by watching them, my brothers and I were introduced to the sport from an early age.

I continued to dabble with running throughout university. I wasn’t very consistent and
my reasons at the time were markedly different than the reasons I continue to run to this day. I used to be the girl with headphones on as loud as possible on the treadmill. Nowadays, my running is about silence and peacefulness in the great outdoors. I guess you could say my running has matured alongside with me.

Therefore, when I first sat down to write this piece, I thought long and hard about the theme “Where My Feet Have Carried Me” before starting to write. There are so many ways in which I could answer this and since I could not settle on one, I decided to write a small journey of my running life.

Where My Feet Have Carried Me: Geographically

My running career started in Canada but has touched down around the globe since. I have run marathons in Ottawa (Canada) and Paris (France). I have run half marathons in London (UK), Amsterdam (NL), Paris (France) and countless other French cities. As for 10K and 5K races, I can add USA, France, UK, Switzerland and Canada to the list. I have trained during travels in the Czech Republic, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Belgium, Norway and Venezuela. I find it thrilling now to venture to a new location where my feet can touch down for the first time. Packing my running shoes is a standard item on my pre-holiday checklist now!

Where My Feet Have Carried Me: Socially

Some of my best friendships have been made while pounding my feet out on the pavement. I worked as a half and full-marathon coach in Paris, France for a while and feel eternally blessed with the people I met during this time. I remain in touch via social media with almost all of the men and women I met over the years and to see their running continue to flourish and accomplishments stack up makes me so proud! They are all part of my running family.

Where My Feet Have Carried Me: Emotionally

I have always struggled with my self-esteem and sense of worth. After the birth of my children, I was completely unsure of who I was. I panicked about how I would do it all: be a good mum, a good wife, have a good career, be a good friend, stay in shape…the list went on and on. Through running, I reached the depths of my soul that needed shaking up. I learned that I really CAN do anything I put my mind to. I could run a marathon on my daughter’s 1^st birthday. I wasn’t going to win it, but I could run it! I learned to push past pain for the greater goal of being proud of myself. I learned my only true competition in life was against the negativity in my mind. My feet have taken me through some dark moments in my life. Like a friend, running has always been there for me. My running has seen tears, laughter, injury and frustrations.

Where My Feet Have Carried Me: The Future

Like my father, I hope to continue to benefit from a long and adventurous life of running. At some point it went from something I do, to someone I am. It’s part of me. I miss it when I take time off. I am grateful for it when I return. I hope I have many more years of my feet carrying me around the world and will do everything I can to make that a reality.

BIO: Born and raised in Thunder Bay, Canada, Jennifer has been running around the globe for most of her life. Having previously lived in the USA and UK, Jennifer settled in Paris, France for 10 years with her British husband, two Paris-born children and their Labrador retriever.  In 2015, with her family, she relocated to Switzerland where she currently trains alongside the pristine Lac Léman (Lake Geneva) and in the alps. Jennifer writes about her life adventures as an expat at Domestic Bliss Abroad.  Outside of writing, Jennifer is an avid runner, skier and professional packer. http://www.domesticblissabroad.com

**All walkers and runners are invited to join Moon Joggers! If  you have not signed up for MERCURY RISING  (one of the paid registration options) do so now and you’ll be able to save 25% on our virtual races in 2016! (Use code RUN2MERCURY to save 20% on MERCURY RISING

WHERE MY FEET HAVE CARRIED ME:  Whine & Wine
By Michael Brandt

 The 29^th Marathon du Medoc, held in Pauillac, France on September 7, 2013, was by far the best marathon I had ever participated in, and it was not your typical race by any means. Pauillac, a town on the banks of the Gironde River, is famous for its legendary wine, elegant stone architecture, and French hospitality. Nowhere in the world will you find a marathon that is as entertaining as the Marathon du Medoc. For many, such as I, it was a destination marathon and a “must-do” for serious junkie marathoners.

Marathon du Medoc advertises itself as the “longest marathon in the world.” When I arrived at the starting line on race day, the sponsors had a Las Vegas style Cirque du Soleil atmosphere with music, several thirty-foot high balloon acts with a performer secured underneath each balloon spinning around inside a medal sphere, as well as many costumed street performers mingling with the runners. I was immediately immersed in the festive ambience with ninety percent of the runners in elaborate costumes making this a marathon for any fun loving runner.

As the 8,500 marathoners gathered over a six block radius behind the starting line banner, many mingled and walked about the crowd viewing the different costumes. This year’s theme was science fiction, and the costumes included Princess Leias (both males and females dressed like her) Darth Vaders, Avatar’s Navis (painted blue bodies were very popular that year), Leelos of the 5th Element, Yodas, and one hairy grunting Chewbacca.  There were also centipedes and portable floats of different designs like a flying saucer.

The entire 26.2 miles (which was actually recorded by a GPS at 26.94 miles) was a wine drinking party or at best described as a – binge with a marathon!  Approximately twenty percent of the participants came from fifty-five countries and six continents. Most of the runners were not interested in time or speed, except for the winner who won his/her weight in wine.  Unlike other typical marathons, very few runners were interested in finishing faster than the six and a half hour allotted time limit (the time limit which was introduced as a way to discourage runners from spending too much time at the wine stops along the course). It was a whine thing by the sponsors.

The course looped around fifty-nine stunningly beautiful chateaux, twenty-two chateaux served wine at their “refreshment stands” with oysters being served at mile 21. Water was scarce, so I had to ask in French, “L’eau,” followed up with, “Water,” then someone would point to a separate table, often located out of the way. Gatorade, an electrolyte replacement for runners, was nowhere to be found.

The course ran through quaint, picturesque French towns and chateaux with massive crowd support. The result was a carnival-like celebration with runners and spectators enjoying the best that the region had to offer.

The Marathon du Medoc course read like a wine list: Chateaux Beychevelle, Gruaud-Larose and Lafite Rothschild. Twenty-five musical groups from string quartets to school bands to bagpipes entertained the runners and the townspeople turned out cheering the runners. Families had picnics along the roadside adding to the spirit of the marathon, and they often invited runners to share their splendid assortment of traditional French foods.

It was evident from the beginning that the course lacked toilet facilities, more commonly called “blue grottos” stateside, and it didn’t really matter as ladybugs, Wonder Women, and scary space creatures ducked between rows of vines to answer the call of nature.

The time limit was 6:30 and I finished in 6:28:55. I stopped at many of the elegant chateaux, joined in the camaraderie, drank some wine, and met new friends.  By the time I stumbled across the finish line, I couldn’t face any more wine or whines. My quads were tight, my liver swollen and twitchy.

At the finish line, the organizers gave everyone a Marathon du Medoc finisher’s medal, a nicely inscribed commemorative backpack, a commemorative bottle of wine in a wooden box embossed with 29^th Marathon du Medoc, and an orange plastic drinking cup with lanyard – for more wine.

The day after the marathon, the sponsors hosted the “Balade,” a 9K recovery walk which turned out to be a 7.8 miles, or 12.5 kilometers. I had registered beforehand since it was limited to 4,000 walkers. When entering the hosting chateaux, they gave everyone a bright lime-green wrist band and a Tastevin vessel which is more commonly known as a Sommelier’s wine tasting cup with a cord for hanging around your neck. Donned in my grape colored Paris Marathon t-shirt, I was prepared for any wine spilling episodes. The Balade course traveled around multiple vineyard back roads serving even more varieties of Bordeaux wines with an elegant lunch inside a circus type tent located at the end of the walk in an open field.  A traditional French lunch was served and each table had multiple bottles of wine.  For refills, the chateaux had a tapped casket with a spigot which you just walked over to and filled your bottle. What a party! Make that a two day BINGE with a marathon thrown in. The 2016 Bingeathon (act of excessive or compulsive consumption of French wines with a running habit) will be held on September 10^th. À votre santé!

Michael Brandt is a veteran marathoner having completing marathons on all Seven Continents, sixteen countries, and twenty states while finishing 108 marathons and 112 half marathons. Michael is a retired law enforcement officer living in Northern California who been running marathons since 1983.