November 4 2007: Exactly 2 months ago, we finished our run around the world for safe drinking water

I have been avoiding writing this for weeks. I think subconsciously I didn’t want to write the last blog entry, because it would mean that it was over. It would mean that the biggest adventure of my life, the most extraordinary thing I’ve ever done, the intense commitment to something higher than me, was over. Now, two months after our finish in New York City on September 4th, sitting in a coffee shop in Ohio watching the beautiful fall leafs play their colorful theater, it’s time to start living in the presence.

It’s really difficult to wrap up my mind around the fact that we indeed did run around the world. I am sitting in a coffee shop where I used to sit before the Run, watching people do ordinary things they used to do before I left, most of my friends are living same lives they lived before I left. After all, I am living a similar life to what I l lived before I left. Did we really do it? Did we spend 95 days on the road, one of us always running, total of 15,200 miles? Looking back, it really seems surreal. Glimpses of camping in the Gobi desert, walking up the Great Wall of China, vicious mosquitoes in Russia, biking to Auschwitz in Poland, running/biking with my dad through downtown Prague at 3am…. It all plays out in my mind as a historic black and white movie, colored with a deep sense of nostalgia.
I miss my teammates. I miss coming to an exchange point at 2:30am and seeing the other team tired of running since 9pm. I miss the long rides in the van. I miss the excitement of seeing an open gas station in the middle of the night. I miss saying the message every day. I miss having my name pronounced five different ways by various team members and staff. I miss having my life being all about water. I even miss Betty (as we affectionately referred to our GPS navigation device).
I do hold on to my nostalgia extra carefully. I am in no rush to “get on with my life.” I have the whole life to look back on the 95 days in summer of 2007, so I don’t mind to wallow in the valley of nostalgia for some time. Yet, I am slowly moving into the here and now.
After I got home, I went through all my pictures (about 1,500), organized them by country, selected the best ones, and then printed 400 of them and put them into albums. That in itself took some time. I sent one album to my dad for his birthday. Then I put the best pictures into a presentation to share with others. I presented about water and the Run to my colleagues ones, and twice to students from various residence halls. Everyone was so positive about the Run. Many people were so appreciative that, as I they put it, I volunteered 3 months of my life for a great cause. As much as I appreciate their words, I am also a little puzzled by them. I didn’t volunteer my time. I honestly could not imagine anything I would rather do for those 3 months. Learning about the world by traveling it, doing it by something meaningful and mostly enjoyable (for me that being running), and all that to help fellow human beings. I would expect anyone else to do the same, provided they had the security to do that. And the being up all night, fighting mosquitoes, countless hours in the van, desert heat and 12,000 feet elevation? Well, that just added more fun to the whole adventure.
The question that inevitably needs to be answered is: where do we go from here? The Run is over, yet the water crisis still goes on. 1.1 billion people still don’t have access to safe drinking water. Thus, the Run was just a beginning. A grandiose one, an amazing one, yet still just a beginning. It is what I do with my life now that truly matters. It is what I do now, after the interviews end, after I no longer get to visit exciting cities, after the glory of the Run fades into the background, that really matters. I have several plans in mind. First, I want to contact volunteer organizations, schools and colleges, running clubs, churches, and anyone who wants to hear about the Run and the water crisis. I will share the stories, the pictures, the videos (if you would like me to come present, just contact me at christd@muohio.edu). I am also flirting with the idea of running across the US on my own, stopping in every town I pass through and talk about water. That is an ambitious project, which will depend on whether I find another crazy person to do it with me. I also want to stay in touch with the Foundation and see where we all go together.
I would like to thank those who have been most instrumental in me being able to take part in the Run. Thank you to my mom, dad and sister, for their constant encouragement and their ever-present sense of adventure and exploration, which makes it easy for me to want explore new horizons. I also want to thank Victoria, Patty, and Jerry from Miami University for their understanding of the importance of the Run and thus working with me on making it possible to miss the busiest 6 weeks in our profession. Lastly, thank you to all my friends for their excitement and support.
And now are minds are one. Water is life, and life is good at home.

A Video I took on the Great Wall of China

WE DID IT!!!

We did it. We ran around the world for safe drinking water!!! I made it safely home back to Ohio. At this point, I am still trying to figure out what it all means to me. I will write more soon... For now, here are two videos from the end.
Me during my last run:


Team Yellow running together in our last team shift:

Utah and running up to the Independence Pass (12,095 feet)

It’s now 4:31am, and team Yellow is driving to a hotel, somewhere in New York state after our 9pm-3am shift. It’s been a while since I wrote a blog. It’s getting long out here, but soon we will be there. Soon we will have run around the world.
Last 4 weeks of running across America went by pretty fast. Much has happened, but in comparison to the whole run around the world, not that much has happened. The two highlights for me has been running in Utah, and running across Colorado.
I have to say that from the whole world, Utah was the most beautiful place. It was simply breathtaking. Siberia was vast, the Gobi desert in Mongolia was magnificent, Japan was delicate, but Utah was simply from another world. I have been to Arizona and Utah before, but seeing the beauty up close from backroads and from running perspective, I was overwhelmed by nature’s way of showing its best.
The second highlight of the run across the US was running over the Rockies. I was lucky to get the leg into the Continental Divide in the Independence Pass. What a thrill!!! Running 10 miles, all uphill, climbing to the elevation of 12,095 feet. Wow, that was definitely one of the best runs of the whole trip. Originally I was supposed to run only 5 miles to below the summit, but when it was Emmanuel’s time to do the last 5 (we both would then run another 5 on the downhill), we discovered that we had guest runners joining us, and since I knew they would not be able to match Emmanuel’s speed (not many people in the world can), and thus him slowing down for their pace, I decided to continue running with them up to the pass. It was 5am as we were climbing the final miles… surprisingly, the elevation didn’t affect me much at all. It was probably my excitement of covering the highest point on our world journey that kept me going. After all, the highest point in the Czech Republic is 1,609 meters (Mountain Snezka), and I just RAN to about 4,000 meters. That certainly was something to write home about (well, I actually called home instead). It was great running it together with Emmanuel, the future winner of the New York City marathon. Once we got about half a mile from the peak, the rest of team Silver (Shiri and Mary) joined us and we all ran together to the top. The sun was just arising when we arrived. I was standing on the top of the world, beyond myself, in disbelief that I just ran, with no sleep, 10 miles uphill, into 12,095 elevation, and that this feat could actually help someone get access to safe drinking water. Water is life, and life was good in Colorado.
I would like to dedicate this blog to all my colleagues at Miami University in Ohio. Because of their spirit of teamwork I was able to go on this 3-month long journey, and keep the peace of mind of knowing that I can come back to my work and home in Ohio.

Coming to America

We’ve made it. We’re back in the US of A. It’s kind of surreal. We’ve run the whole Euroasia, from Ireland to Japan… and now we’re back in the States, where we’ve started. Did it really happen? Did we really run through 14 countries? Did we really run through 8 time zones? Are we really now in the country where it all started? Just like in running, often you arrive at the same place where you began, yet you’re not the same. It is the journey that matters. It is the journey that changes you.
The flight from Tokyo was pleasant. I sat by a college student who just spent 4 months studying abroad in Tokyo and was coming home. He had actually heard about the Blue Planet Run and was very interested in talking to me about it. I enjoyed his energy. I also enjoyed talking to him about Japan. Although I spent only 4 days in Japan, it totally captured my spirit. Japan was amazing. It seemed to me as a place where East meets West. The services and infrastructure were impeccable, yet the country was radiating respect, culture, and history. That is what I miss sometime when living in the States. As a European living in the US, I miss the cultural heritage and history I am accustomed to from growing up in the Czech Republic (just as an example, the Charles University in Prague was founded in the 14th century). As a partially-American visiting Czech Republic, I sometimes lack the customer service and infrastructure I am so accustomed to from living in the States. Japan had it all. One of my personal goals for the Run was to develop a list of possible futures for me. I added living in Japan (for a year or two) to my list.
Last two days we’ve been running in the Bay are of San Francisco. Today we had a big exchange point at Jack London Square in Oakland. Shiri was running in, and I was running out. Before she came, Emmanuel and I got on the stage for about half an hour and entertained the crowd. It was good times. We talked about the water crisis, about our experiences from running in Asia, and tried to get the audience involved.
I would like to dedicate today’s blog to my best friend Bill. Running and driving around Oakland reminded me of our times here last year. He interned at a school for autistic children near Oakland, and I came out and visited him. He has been a great friend for the last 10 years, and especially supportive in the stresses of applying for the Run, as well as in the preparations for it. Thank you! It is great people like him that make me humble and appreciative of all the good in humanity. Water is life, and life is good in Oakland.

P.S. I found these videos on youtube last night, and wanted to share them with you. They very nicely capture the reason why we run.

Leaving Japan tomorrow

July 31, 11:20am-sitting in a van, one hour before my last 10miler in Asia)
Tomorrow afternoon we’re leaving for the States, and the international part of our Run ends. I have not blogged in the last 10 days, since we left Russia. It’s time again to start. I’ll provide a quick summary, of the last few days, and hopefully soon I can provide more details.
We left Russia with a car accident (all okay… the front axle in our van broke), enjoyed Ulan Bataar (capital of Mongolia), had another car accident on our way out of Ulan Bataar (again, miracously all okay… this time hit by a drunk driver though), spent two days in the Gobi desert with amazing desert running and camping one night and staying in local gers the second night. China was very interesting, with many cars and Beijing being extremely crowded. After flying to Japan, I found myself, at last, in peace. I love Japan. It’s beautiful, respectful, and artistic.
I want to mention that I appreciate all your kind comments to my blog. The last two weeks in Russia were tough… it was getting to me, and my spirits were down at times. Your comments really helped. The good news—my mobile phone will once again be working in the US. Feel free to give me a call (513-255-5880). I am anticipating that I’ll run out of minutes soon, so preferably call between 9pm and 7am when it’s free. Any time in there is fine, since I might be on night shifts again… and I’ll just turn the phone off when I go to bed. If you don’t know me and still want to communicate, feel free to send a text message.
We’re about the start the last third of our Run around the world. I would like to dedicate this entry to Asia. Seeing Mongolia, China, and Japan has opened my eyes to new horizons. New spark has been ignited in me. Water is life, and life is good in Japan.

Bajkal

Thursday 7/19, 5:04pm – in the van on the way to Ulan Ude
Greetings from the deepest lake in the world, a reservoir containing one fifth of the world’s fresh water – Ozoro Bajkal (Lake Bajkal). When entering Russia, I really wanted to see two things: Moscow, and Bajkal. Yesterday I swam in Bajkal, today I ran by Bajkal. Both were majestic experiences. At one point, Bajkal is one mile deep. It is a true wonder. Surrounded by mountains, it is truly breathtaking and humbling to see this jewel. Running through Russia has been long, exhausting, challenging, at times boring… but seeing Bajkal was a great reward. As a ten year old boy back in Czechoslovakia, I saw a documentary about this lake. It was fascinating. To this day I remember the narrator’s deep voice saying: “Nejhlubsi jezero sveta, jezero Bajkal” (“The deepest lake in the world, lake Bajkal). Tomorrow we are crossing to Mongolia. Unbelievable. Mongolia! This is the country I was most excited about before the trip. The Gobi desert! Almost four weeks in Russia are over. I believe we have endured the hardest part of the trip. In the next 12 days, we’ll run through Mongolia, China, and Japan. And on August 1st we’ll arrive to San Francisco and start the month-long trek across the U.S. On August 1st I’ll be able to call many friends and family, have familiar foods, maybe see a movie, I’ll be able to read the alphabet, use a regular toilet… Ah, the wonders of life. We’re doing it, we’re running around the world, because water is life, and life is good at Bajkal.

The last week in Russia

Since last week, we have not had access to the internet. I had 2 cold showers, and one day a swim in a lake instead of a cold shower. Diarrhea, once considered an enemy, has now become more like the disliked relative—unwanted, but ever-present and accepted—as most of the runners have experienced it at one point or another. It affected me for 2 days. Once shy about using the woods, the long call (as my Kenyan friend calls it) in the bushes is no longer a problem for me. Neither is stopping mid-run, telling the police escort “5 minute toilet pausa” and running off to the woods. After running through half of Russia, priorities shift a little. Access to the internet is no longer expected, and hot showers are a nice luxury. Toilet paper is a number one priority, and a toilet seat is a pleasant surprise. Yeah, good times running around the world.
Tuesday was a special day for our guide Arina– we were in her home town: Irkutsk. We got to drive by her university, and go bowling. Wednesday was her birthday, and we bought her a cake and had it at one of the exchange points on the side of the road. Our guide Arina and driver Alexej have been great. Without there help, running through Russia would be extremely difficult. They both are very good people, and I am glad had the opportunity to share the last four weeks with them. After running in the flats for last week or so, the countryside now has more variety, which makes the running more interesting. Water is life, and life is good in Irkutsk.

This blog entry is dedicated to my sister Tereza, who has been my guardian and mentor for the last 28 years. It was her who helped me with homework, gave me advice on girls, and even researched for me for which countries on this trip I need visas. Thank you!

Tento blog je venovan me sestre Tereze, ktera byla muj ochrance radce poslednich 28 let. Byla to ona kdo mi pomahal s ukoly, radila o holkach, a dokonce mi nasla pro ktere zeme na teto ceste potrebuji viza. Diky!

Questions anyone?

Greetings BPR supporters :-)
This morning I had yet another beautiful run, at 3am floating through Siberia. And, as it always happens on great runs, I had a great idea. I realized that I have not been communicating with you much one on one, and that you probably have questions about the Run. So, please ask away. Post questions/comments after my blog entries. Feel free to ask anything. I know you are out there (I see the number on my page counter growing), so don't be shy. Any comments/questions always lift up my spirits. It gets lonely and longsome over here, and knowing that people are reading from far helps me remember that water is life, and life is good in Asia.

A European, in Asia, missing America...

Friday, July 13th – 2:48am
I’m sitting in a van, somewhere past Novosibirsk in Russia. It is pitch dark outside right now. About 20 minutes ago, Shiri left for her 10miler. She was the first one from out team. We’ll be out here until just before 9am. I have the last leg of our team. We are waiting at approximately 8km (5mile) mark of Shiri’s course…
…… 20 minutes later. An interesting idea just crossed my mind. I am a European, right now in Asia, and I miss America. Isn’t that strange? Our Russian van driver just put in his portable DVD a US movie, and we watched some. It brought back memories of America. It was odd hearing words like Cincinnati and Kentucky, hearing the southern accent, seeing an old diner. Over the last 10 years, the U.S. has become my second home. I owe many things to the U.S. It is disappointing being abroad and hearing bad comments about the States. Being European, the people often are much more open with me when talking about the U.S. I wish they could meet the people I know in the States. I wish they could meet the people that care about humanity deeply...the Schichtels, the Steeds, the Aunt Sally’s, the Mrs. Quinns… Unfortunately, they can’t. All they can often know about the States is its foreign policy, and some of the culture that has been exported through the media, often filtered and distorted. It is my sincere hope that the heartfelt, sincere, caring people that we meet along the way on the Run could meet and talk with the caring, sincere, and heartfelt people that I know back in the States. Those that have helped me along my last 10 years.
It is 4:24am now. Shiri has finished her run, and Dot is out there right now. It’s still somewhat dark, but an amazing sunrise is on the horizon. Siberia is looking very beautiful at this moment.
I’ve decided to start dedicating by blog entries. Appreciation is an important value to me. Vast majority of what I am and what I have done is because of those before me.
Today, I want to dedicate this entry to my parents, Dasa and Milan. Without their positive outlook on life and adventurous spirit, I would most certainly not be running around the world. I know it’s been hard on them last several years with me living in America. Thank you for all your support. Without you, I could not say that water is life, and life is good in Russia.

Dnes bych rad venoval tento blog mym rodicum Dase a Milanovi. Bez jejich pozitivniho nahledu na zivot a dobrodruzneho ducha bych urcite ted nebezel kolem sveta. Vim ze to pro ne bylo tezke tech poslednich par let co jsem v Americe. Diky za podporu. Bez vas bych nemohl rici ze voda je zivot, a zivot je dobry v Rusku.

BPR Video from Prague!!!!

Hello all! I just found myself a birthday gift. About 5 minutes ago I discovered that the BPR videos were put on YouTube, thus I can share them with you all right here in my blog. Here is the one from Prague (the first minute or so, then it goes to Austria and Poland). For more vidoes from the run, go to youtube.com and search for BluePlanetRun user.

July 9th: Looking Back

On June 1st we left New York City… 39 days later, on July 9th, we are approaching Novosibirsk in Russia. Tomorrow I’ll be 28. So far we’ve traveled through US, Ireland, UK, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Belarus, and the European part of Russia… Since NYC, I’ve run just over 300 miles (close to 500km). On a given day, I’ve run my approximate 10mile (16km) segment anywhere from 1:11 to 1:25. I have run in every hour of a day, watched both sunrises and sunsets on a run, ran in the rain and 90F (30C) heat, ran alone, with a bicyclist, with a police car behind me… I have run in America, Europe, and Asia. I’ve run in short sleeve, long sleeve, shorts, tights, with no shirt and no hair. My most memorable runs include running through downtown Prague at 3:30am (including through the neighborhood where I lived till I was 16), out of the heart of London to Greenwich Village, over the Volga river in Russia. So far I’ve had only one bad run (stomach issues), and countless of great ones. I had the opportunity to talk about water to a local, regional, and national newspapers, online magazine, prerecorded radio program, life radio broadcast, and Czech television. I got to sightsee a little bit in Dublin, Brussels, Amsterdam, Prague, Auschwitz, and Moscow. Although the Run went through a plethora of other places, because of the logistics I did not get to see at all Paris, Antwerps, Vienna, Krakow, Warsaw, Minks… But that’s fine, because I know that one day I will have the opportunity to see these places. I do not know, however, if I’ll ever have the chance to be a part of something that big and that good as the Blue Planet Run. It’s becoming hard out here…., but in a way, it’s better. The more the mosquitoes bite, the more I am tired of sleeping in a different hotel every night and constantly packing and repacking, the more I am sleep deprived from either running or being in a van all night, the more I am tired of unfamiliar foods and fuming trucks on my back, the more I miss home… , the more I can emphasize with those for whom we are doing all this. The more I am in discomfort, the more I am humble about the experiences of those around the world without safe drinking water. And that, indeed, is the point. Water is life, and life is good in Novosibirsk.

July 7, 2007: It’s all about perspective… Two haircuts in one day

On this special day, 7/7/07, we were spending most of the morning and afternoon in Ishim. To commemorate this astronomically interesting day, I decided to get a haircut. The heat and bugs have been extreme last few days, so a haircut was in order. I decided, however, to go extreme – everything off. Conveniently, I found out that there was a haircut place right in our hotel. I showed the hairstylist with my fingers that I wanted only about quarter-inch of hair left and thought that I was good to go. Hmm, some 10 minutes later she seemed to be only trimming my hair… I thought about what could have been unclear about my communication… Didn’t I show her exactly how much I wanted to have left? Then it came to me. It’s all about perspective. I was showing how much I want to have left, and she thought I was showing how much I want to have cut off. Who was wrong? Odd question, yet we ask it all the time. The answer, of course, is a simple one: neither of us. I was right according to my perspective, and she was right according to hers. Just like if you ask which way is Moskva—right now for me it’s west, yet for my parents in Prague it’s east.
I was enjoying my metaphysical contemplation, when quite a realistic thought came to me: I can just ask her to cut it shorter. I didn’t follow this thought. It seemed too simple, and too selfish. It would mean that I value my perspective higher then hers. I didn’t want to do that. I can always get another haircut, no big deal. As a matter of fact, the idea of a second haircut in one day was starting to feel exciting. Thus, I paid the 200 rubbles (130 for the haircut, plus 70 rubbles tip), said my “spasiba,” and left.
Now was time to get my second haircut. My teammates told me that there was a barber shop about four blocks away, so I left the hotel. Halfway there, a downpour caught up with me. I was pretty wet when I got there. With my limited Russian comprised of what I learned in 5th grade (after the fall of communism, Czech Republic switched from learning Russian to English or German) and some Czech words (Czech language is actually somewhat similar to Russian), I explained that I wanted it all off. The stylist smiled, and started the buzzer. Soon I was bold 
7/7/2007 will now stand in my memory as getting two haircuts in one day, and pondering about perspectives in Russia. Water is life, and life is good in Ishim.

July 4th Crossing into Asia

Today was the third day on the 3-9pm shift and the most important event of the day was crossing into Asia. Shiri ran the first leg, and on the 8th mile ran across the continental divide. To ensure quality pictures in case the picture of Shiri didn’t turn out, Chris, our photographer, took me to the monument and we did some staged shooting. It was pretty fun. I posed running across the line, jumping over the line, and sitting on the line.
Last three days running in Russia has been very interesting. After our break day, I felt so good that I took it really hard the first day. Unfortunately, it was over 30C (close to 100F) as I took off at 3pm. The run was great… I felt tough, raced the accompanying biker on the uphills, and took it hard. I felt good (relatively, of course—considering I was running hard for 10miles in the mid-day heat), and finished strong. About an hour after the run, however, my body started telling me that I had pushed myself just a little too much. I got a big headache, was dizzy, and felt nauseous. I was just laying on the seat in our van, suffering. Yep, I definitely had a heat exhaustion, or something of that sort. Fortunately it didn’t get worse, and by the time we got to the hotel around midnight I felt better. It definitely scared me though. I have to be careful in the heat. We still have about 2 months left, and a lot of miles to cover. Water is life, and life is good in Russia.

Running up and close in Russia

Whoa, that was one amazing run. This morning I woke up at a hotel in Moscow around 5:15, met my team in the lobby at 6, and then we took off driving for about 2 hours east of Moscow. After a short warm-up, I started my 10mile run a little before 9am. Very soon, I fell in love with this run. The conditions were challenging, but since I was feeling good, I challenged them back. It was on. I was running on a busy highway, two lanes of traffic both directions. Running facing the traffic, sometimes there was a shoulder, sometimes there was not. I would run on the very edge, often on the dirt, or occasionally on a path that would appear by the road. It finally felt like I was in Russia. It was great. At least half of the vehicles were big heavy trucks, most of them with the name “Kamaz.” I made it a game to spot as many Kazens as I could. The noise they made was the one I always imagined it would be like at a busy highway in Russia. At one point, I ran by a house in front of which was a loose dog. It made an effort to bark at me and to kind of run towards me, but it was too lazy to do anything else. In a weird way, I was a little disappointed. I was ready for the challenge. I was ready to either sprint away, yell at it, or in the worst case to use the baton to defend myself. It would be kind of ironic… I can see the headlines: “Baton meant to spread water-crisis message used as a weapon for self-defense.” Fortunately, none of these techniques was needed, since the dog just casually barked and then just kind of stared at me with a look that was saying something like this: “Ah, this crazy runner, why is he bothering me in my home? Running around the world, huh? Doesn’t he have a bone to play with?”

After the dog encounter, it started to rain. I was about half an hour into the run, and I actually welcomed the rain. I was getting my runner’s high, and the rain enhanced it even more. You know, the tougher the conditions you’re fighting are, the tougher you feel and more chemicals get released into your brain, making you feel even better. So here I am, 6miles into my run, fighting the heavy traffic with its noise and fumes, negotiating the muddy side of the road, rain dripping down my face and making my clothes heavy and stick to my body, and having a great time. Then I pass through this small town, watching people sell blueberries on the side of the road, women walk to the grocery stores, locals waiting at the bus stop… What a sight. I felt like we’re finally doing it. We’re running around the world. Yes, Western and Central Europe were great, but it was not all that much different from the U.S. Today’s run was a nice awakening. I could not have this run anywhere in the States. A little over an hour into it, my runner’s high started to wear off, and my tiredness, sleep deprivation, and slight dehydration started to settle in. The last 2 miles were a little tough, but hey, this is not a supposed to be a rose-garden walk. We’re not running to sightsee, but to help address the water crisis, because water is life, and life is good in Russia.

Quick "HI" from Moscow

Greetings everyone!
We've made it to Moscow!!! Sorry for the lack of news, but this is the first time I got to the internet in about a week. We've successfully crossed Poland, Belarus, and entered Russia. I visited Auschwitz in Poland, had some interesting night runs in Belarus, and today took some professional BPR pictures at the Red Square in Moscow (check the www.blueplanetrun.org website in a few days for those). It's getting a little harder, but you know me... nothing I can't handle. Today I ran my 10miles on a busy highway some 30miles away from Moscow. Police car was right behind me, shielding me from the trafic (normally we don't have police escorts, but in Belarus and so far in Russia the local authorities insist on it). I am not sure what the internet connections will be like from now till Japan, but I'll try my best to check-in every few days if possible. Okay, I need to go to bed now so that I can get up at 5am (in 4 hours) for our 9am-3pm shift. I think I am running first on our team Silver, thus I should be hitting the pavement for my 10miler at 9am. Water is life, and life is good in Russia.

Amazing run through Prague, and the media frenzy (Monday 6/18)

What a day! Monday (6/18) was so far one of the craziest days for me. After spending the day with my family on Sunday and going to an exchange point in the afternoon to meet a mayor of one of the Czech towns north of Prague, I got in only about half an hour of sleep before I took the tram from our apartment in Prague to the hotel where I met up with the crew of the communication vehicle at 1am. We took off driving for the 3am exchange point, from where I was to run through the whole downtown Praha. We got to the exchange point at around 2:15am, “nowhere even a foot” as we say in Czech, meaning that no one was around. Soon the Czech PR representative came, then an online journalist, and finally the Czech Television (Ceska Televize). My parents also arrived, so the crowd was already growing. The online journalist made a quick interview with me, then I changed and ran off into the woods to get rid of access fluids. Soon Richard ran into the exchange point, and we did the water ceremony while cameras flashing and the TV shooting. It was great having water in so much spotlight. We did the message first in English, and then Richard did it in English again, and I repeated in Czech. Then I took of running, with the TV shooting from a van, my dad biking nearby, the pilot vehicle right behind me, and Kelly on the support bike. Quite an entourage. It was a cool summer morning in Prague, a little after 3am. Soon I was running by the Prague Castle (Prazsky Hrad) and got on the Charles Bridge (Karluv Most). That’s where things got interesting. The Bridge was totally empty, which surprised me. Yes, it was about 3:30am, but I still thought some tourists would be there. It was just me, and the 14th century bridge. I ran by the Czech Tv cameras, and then all of a sudden heard a lot of huffing and puffing. I looked back, and the TV cameraman, the online journalist, and our own video and photographer were trying to keep up with me. It was kind of comical. I saw their heartfelt struggle, so I slowed down. They were totally out of it, so I stopped, ran back to the beginning of the bridge, and ran by them again. They must have been amazed by the beauty of Prague (who wouldn’t be, right?) because they tried to run with me even after the bridge, into the small and windy streets leading into the Old Town Square (Staromestske Namesti). It was in these streets that I witnessed the great fall of our court photographer Chris. I look on my left side, Chris running in his flip flops and trying to take a picture of me, when all of a sudden he starts flying in the air. In an attempt to protect his camera, his flips in the air, and lands on his back. He was okay, but I am sure his back is hurting now. Once I got to the Old Town Square, the TV cameraman was there again. I stopped, posed some, and then got going to the Wenceslas Square. Soon after I ran by the apartment where I grew up, and then away from the downtown. I finished my leg with a hill, where I ran away from Kelly who was accompanying me on a bike, and I handed off the baton to Mellisa. It was just after 4:30am, and my day was just getting started.
After I stretched, we went back to the Charles Bridge where we took some pictures of me running back and forth across the bridge. Then I went home, took a shower and had a breakfast, and at 7:30am had to be at the office of our Czech PR agency, where my media marathon continued. First I had a live phone-in radio interview, after which we went to a nearby coffee shop where I was interviewed by Prague’s daily newspaper. Then we took a taxi to another radio station for a live studio interview. I liked this one the most. If felt just like talking to somebody about the Run. Well, that’s what I pretty much did. My last interview was with Czech Television again, which was at Jin’s (the BPR Foundation founder) hotel. At around 2pm we left Prague for Austria. It was an exhausting day, but a great one. I got to share the message of water with many people. Through my interviews, a lot of Czechs got to hear that water is life, and life is good in Prague.

Team Silver at our apartment in Prague

After a few days of running in Germany, it was time to drive home, the Czech Republic. At last! I was very excited as you can imagine. We left Leipzig on Saturday morning, and in early afternoon were already making our way though the streets of Prague (Praha for us Czechs). Since we were driving close to our apartment (the one where I grew up and where my family still lives) on the way to the hotel, I had the team quickly stop there. My sister wasn’t expecting me that early and was just in the shower when I rang the bell. She was very surprised to see me. I loved it. It was first time in the last 10 years that I didn’t come home by plane. I just showed up home; pretty cool. I ran up, talked to her and her boyfriend, dropped off my laundry, and went back to my team Silver downstairs.
We drove to our hotel, settled in, got massages, and then the whole team (Shiri, Mary, Emanuel, Francesco, and I) took the tram back to our apartment where my sister made us a great dinner. It was excellent. My dad and our dog Laska (“Love” in Czech) were there too, so it was pretty much a big party. The only person missing was my mom, who wouldn’t come back till Sunday morning from her trip in Croatia.

After the great food which I actually didn’t have much time to enjoy between translating constantly, we went for a walk through the city. From our apartment we walked to Wenceslas Square (Vaclavske Namesti), Old Town Square (Staromestske Namesti), the Charles Bridge (Karluv Most), and the Prague Castle (Prazsky Hrad). We pretty much saw the best of Prague in this evening, and the whole team was in awe of the beauty of Prague--and righty so. It indeed is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. After the 3 hour walk we all were quite tired, but still remembered that water is life, and life is good in the Czech Republic.

Goofing off at a late night shift in Czech

Don't worry, Shiri did make it out okay... we're nice to people in Czech

Velmi hezky clanek v Cestine a fotky z Prahy (very nice article in Czech - click just to see some pictures)

http://www.zena-in.cz/rubrika.asp?id=5&idc=31380

About David in Prague

Written by Danielle, PR person for the Blue Planet Run:

Prague is known as the City of 100 Towers, and also as the home town of Blue Planet runner David Christof. The City of Prague welcomed the Blue Planet Run, and its hometown hero, with open arms. Media anticipation for David was so great that fellow runner Mary Chervenak joked that she expected to see billboards of him as she
entered the city!

For David, the Run, and the media interviews, started early. Czech Television arrived in downtown Prague at 3:00 a.m. to capture Prague's most famous runner accept the baton and run through his hometown streets. A flurry of media interviews followed - from a reporter rendezvous in a café to a television interview with Blue Planet Run Founder Jin Zidell in a hotel lobby.

With David's help, we were able to saturate the press with the Blue Planet Run message. We hope that Czech citizens are more aware of clean water issues - and will want to be a part of the solution!

The Run is now making its way through twisty, hilly roads towards Vienna. Everyone is exhausted, but also elated. One of the goals of the Run is to raise awareness of this important issue, and today feels like a home run.

Team SILVER drying clothes in Germany - quite funny

Emmanuel talking in Kiswahili in UK

THE MESSAGE

We run like water. We run FOR water.

We run to bring news to every person in every town we pass through—urgent news of a crisis that affects one in five of all of us on this earth.

We run to remember the sons and daughters, the mothers and fathers, the 6,000 human beings who die every day because they lack safe drinking water.

We run because time - and water, essential to our existence - is running out for all of us.

We run to tell a story that begins with suffering but ends with hope.

We run to include you in the story. You are the solution. Commitment is our only obstacle.

We run to tell a story that ends like this: twenty years from now we will have joined together to bring water – to bring life – to 200 million people around the world.

We run because, in the words of the Iroquois thanksgiving prayer printed on the baton we carry with us: "Water is life."

"We give thanks to all the Waters of the world for quenching our thirst and providing us with strength. Water is life. We know its power in many forms - waterfalls and rain, mists and streams, rivers and oceans. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the spirit of water.

Now our minds are one."


---------------------------------

At every exchange point, every 10 miles (16km), we recite this message as we pass on the baton. This message was read at the United Nations on June 1st and will arrive there on September 4th. Day and night, rain or shine, the message goes on, bringing hope to those who thirst. Come to any of the over 1400 exchange points to hear the message for yourself. Water is life, and life is good in Hamburg.

Splendid picture from London

This picture is from the event in London where I was the outgoing runner. I am talking to the crowds...
Also, thank you for all your comments on the blog; I really appreciate them all. Sorry I've not been responding recently. I'll try to respond in next 2 days; just check by your comment for my replies.

The Fabulous Five - Team Silver

Greetings from Germany!
Sorry that I've not checked in for a few days... it's been busy...you know, running around, driving for hours, sleeping at crazy times, the usual :-) The internet connections have not been the best. Anyway, life's still good, and we're progressing through Europe. So far I've run in every country we've been through - Ireland, UK, France, Belgium, and Holland. As we left the land of Rudy (teammate from Holland), and entered the land of Heiko, I am increasingly excited about the fact that in 5 days we'll enter the land of David (yes me!!!).
I would now like to write a few words about some special people that deserve my appreciation and recognition - Team Silver. We've been together for the past 13 days, almost 22 hours a day, running, spending countless hours in the van, eating, thinking, living... And let me tell you, these people - Mary, Shiri, Emmanuel, and our driver Francesco, are amazing. Despite the physical tiredness and mental exhaustion, they've been respectful, pleasant, and overall a very enjoyable company.

I appreciate them specifically for this:
Mary, for always being the calm presence and voice of wisdom. I also admire her toughness and courage with which she tackles every challenge.
Shiri, for always having high spirits and cheerfulness, plethora of energy, and enthusiasm for life. Her drive and passion for life is admirable.
Emmanuel, a Kenyan hero who can run a marathon 1 hour faster than me, for always remembering why we're in this epic run, and busting out extremely funny comments.
I also can't forget our driver, Francesco, the Italian splendor. I appreciate his positive yet realistic outlook on life, and his love for humanity. He puts up with all of us with grace and often brings pieces of wisdom only someone who traveled the entire Silk Road (from Islamabad to Italy) can.

These 4 profound individuals always help me remember that water is life, and life is good in Germany.

LIVE video from a run in UK!

Running out of London!

On Thursday morning, I was given the running leg that started at Trafalgar Square right in downtown London. That was very exciting news not only because I would get to run trough the whole downtown, but also because we had a big event planned to promote BPR, and many people would get to watch me.

Ah, what an experience. We had a podium set up right on the square, BPR banners, big screen TV imaging the water crisis, and several of my colleague runners promoting the Run. They introduced me on the stage, and then we did a countdown to Paul’s arrival. Paul was the runner running the last 10mile leg to London, and he met up with his daughter a few miles up the rode and then they ran to the square together. It was pretty cool to see the crowd watch them run around the square and then run up the stage. We greeted, and then together read the message we bring along around the world, reciting every 10miles on exchange points: “We run like water. We run for water. We run to remember…” (the whole message elsewhere in my blog). I greeted the crowds, and exactly at 9am off I was.

Whoaa, what a run. I ran pretty much by all the sightseeing attractions of London: from Trafalgar Square I ran to the Big Ben, then along the Thames River by the London Eye, all the way to the Tower of London. Then I cross the Thames via the Tower Bridge, and continued toward Greenwich Village. As I passed the museums in Greenwich, I thought about-- time. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is often referred to as zero, and all other time zones count from that. And there I was, running. There was a sense of serenity in this. What is time? We all use it, misuse it, waste it, enjoy it, take it for granted… But really, time is not. It is a construct that we humans invented to keep track of ourselves. It has no substance, no meaning, no inherent value. It is us humans that give it its significance. Without us, time could not be used, wasted, or enjoyed..

Time is running out for humanity. Water is life, and life is good in London.

Video just before 3am run in Ireland

New pictures

After my 3-4:30am run in Ireland

Sleep deprivation... the real challenge

Wow, sleep deprivation seems to be the real enemy. After two nights of running and one 5hour time change, sleep is becoming a problem. Today at dinner our Team (consisting of Mary, Shiri, Emmanuel, and myself) were pretty much out of it; we were totally silly, and one might even say delirious. The last 2 day combination was a killer. on Sunday after being up from midnight and running 3am-9am, we drove back to the hotel, showered, packed, and drove to Boston where we had our first big Blue Planet Run event. That was at noon, then the entire team met at one of the hotels in Boston and we all then drove to the airport for our flight to Ireland, which was at 7:15pm. The five hour flight wasn't actually too bad, but then we arrived in Shannon a little after 6am local time. I can't sleep much on transportation, so of course I didn't. After having a breakfast at a hotel where most of the teams are sleeping tonight, out team Silver got into the van again and drove about 2 hours to a different hotel, since that's closer to where we'll be starting at 3am. I was navigating so of course no sleep again. Anyway, I just got back from dinner and am pretty exhausted. It's 6:20pm, so I'll probably get to sleep from 7 to midnight. Whoa, 5 hours sounds pretty good. Only 2 more nights of this night running craziness. It is, though, a lot of fun. For example, hanging at 4:30am in Providence in Rhode Island while waiting for Emmanuel to finish his 10miler and see him hand it over to Shiri, but you know, it's tough.

However, I do have to mention my excellent run on Sunday 7:30-9am (before picture below). As described, I was pretty tired by then, so I drank a can of Red Bull, put on a new jersey and shorts, toasted with Mary with water (and shared "the message"-more about this in later blog entry), and off I went. And it was amazing!!! Running though these picturesque New England towns, road winding up and down, the lead vehicle leap frogging by me... It was great. Plus, on the end of my run, I was greeted by a crowd of about 30 -my team, the new team that was taking over, about 10 locals, and some people from our PR agency and the foundation... they all were cheering me on as I finished. Quite exhilarating.
On Wednesday morning I'll have the 4:30-6am run and I'm planning to bring my digital camera along to shoot some life videos and pictures during this sunrise run. I'm looking forward to it. It's amazing what I get to do... Water is life, and life is good in Ireland.

Running through New England

This picture was taken just before I ran my 7:30-9am shift on Sunday morning.

Video po mem prvnim behu (video after my first run- in Czech)

Video just before my first BPR run

I ran my first 10 mile leg!

I can now officially say that I am a Blue Planet Runner!!! This morning from 6am to 7:20am I ran my first 10mile leg :-) !!! It was mostly through the streets of Manchester in Connecticut,and the nearby hills. Good times. I made a short video in English just before my run, and short video in Czech just after the run. I'll try to post them tonight if all goes well (if not tonight then soon). In the meantime, enjoy this BPR commercial. I love it.
We're running the same shift tomorrow (Sunday) morning, from 3am to 9am, and then in the evening are flying over to Ireland. I am pumped, let's do it!!! Water is life, and life is good in Massachusetts.

The BPR is on!!! My first run at 6am on Saturday!

It happened!!! It finally happened!! This morning at 10:30, Mary started the Run of hope. She ran from the United Nations in New York City, and started a 15.200 mile long journey of hope, one that will bring safe drinking water to millions of people.
Her start was preceded by speeches by Hillary Swank (the super nice actress, whom we got to meet in person the night before), the CEO of Dow (our gracious sponsor), and Jin Zidell, the amazing visionary who started it all. Many photographers and cameras were present at this special moment. I have to admit that my eyes got watery. As you can imagine, it was a big deal. I don't think it all sunk in yet, the fact that we just kicked of the first ever around the world relay, and hopefully one that will help everyone on this planet look at water in a new way.
After Mary took off, the rest of the runners got into their respective vans and drove up the route. My team Silver (officially it's team grey, but we like Silver better) drove up to Connecticut, about 110miles up the route. We just got into our hotel a few hours ago. It is now just before 6pm, and I need to get to bed soon because we're getting up at 1am so that we are at our first exchange point well before 3am, when we take over. From then, we'll cover running the next 6 hours of the relay, each of us running 10miles (approximately 90 minutes of running). Shiri goes first, then Mary, myself, and lastly Emmanuel. Yes, I will start running at 6am, after being up since about 1am. Whoaa. Good times. I bought some Red Bull, so hopefully I won't fall asleep running. We have the same routine on Sunday morning, and after that we fly over to Ireland. I can't wait to get started running; it's been a lot of preparations, and now it's time to go, because water is life, and life is good in Connecticut.

What would be the human thing to do?

Good evening fellow humans!
It's late Wednesday evening in New York City, and on Friday morning we're leaving for the Blue Planet Run. I would like to take a moment to reflect on the mission, the higher purpose of what we're doing. I am talking about the big picture. Actually the biggest picture... the cause is higher than running, higher than traveling through 16 countries, and even higher than water. It is about humanity, about the very basic of what is good in us, about connecting to the very threads of humanity that runs though all of us, every single person of the human race. It is the thread of reaching out and offering one's self to another. We all have it in us. The last time you saw a little child fall down, what was your immediate reaction? Most people would go and see if the child needs any help, if everything is okay. We all have the same tendency when we see others suffer. It is at the very core of being human. Virtues such as compassion, respect, and empathy are innate. They are in all of us. Yes, some of us progressively lose them. In our society so focused on individualism and self-promotion, we are conditioned to replace these innate qualities with competitiveness and apathy. Yet in doing so, we go against the very nature of being human.

I myself have been going against the very nature of being human - I've been privileged, and I've been ignorant.

I've been privileged by growing up in the Czech Republic, and then living in the United States. I always had safe water to drink, nourishing food to eat, honorable people to love, and noble dreams to dream. And, what have I done with all of this? I tried to get more water, more food, more love, and more dreams...FOR ME. I've been ignorant.

I've been ignorant because I denied my very nature; I neglected the virtues that have been passed on to me from our previous generations. What would be the human thing to do? I'm sure you know the answer. Often people state that they got where they are through hard work, and therefore they don't owe anyone anything. I would be the first one to admit that I used to engage in similar kind of thinking. Yet, when you really think about it, it really doesn't make any sense. The humankind has done so much work before I came along which pretty much makes any action of mine impossible without depending on the actions of my predecessors. We are all connected. We are all connected through our humanity. What difference does it make where one was born? Nairobi, Prague, Bombay, Chicago, Rio... Just because I was born in Prague or Chicago, does it mean that my work should be rewarded ten times as much? Those working so hard in Nairobi, Bombay, or Rio--shouldn't they be rewarded equally? I would hope so. The reality of our world is not in line with these ethics. Yet. For now, however, maybe I can do whatever I can to be more human. I can be more compassionate, respectful, and empathic.

From now on I pledge that I will be more human. I will look at humanity as a collective in which I am contributing to the well being of others. I am one with others. If you want to join my pledge, please write a comment under this posting. Water is life, and life is good in New York City.

Quick check-in from Lake Placid

Hello everyone!
Yes, I've made it safely to the Blue Planet Run training camp in Lake Placid, NY, and we all have been very busy since our Saturday arrival. We're preparing for the run of a life time, and there is a lot to do. I have only a few minutes in our packed schedule, so I'll just tell you a quick list of what we've been doing: emergency procedures plans, logistics of the run (including a 4 hour night test run of the Run itself, including exchange points, GPS navigation, night running, radio communication, etc.), uniform testing and then re-packing, medical information/procedures, delivering the message, still photo shots as well as video interviews for the website, technology training, ... yeah, there is a lot to do.
It's been great to see all the wonderful runners again; we truly are an amazing group of people. I've also been enjoying meeting all the people from the Blue Planet Run Foundation, Ignition (the firm that actually puts on the event), Kaplow (the PR firm). They are all very amazing individuals, and it's just breathtaking to see us all committed to the same cause. As most of you know, not many things get me off balance or can catch me off guard, but honestly, the dedication and commitment that all these people have (both the runners and the staff) just humbles me. I just keep thinking, how in the world did I get on this? The more I think about it, the more clear the answer becomes. Someone or something, being it a coincidence or fate, has put me here. It is now my purpose to do everything in my powers to fulfill this mission. I'm little tired from all the training and preparing, but it's all good because I remember that water is life, and life is good in Lake Placid.

It's finally here!!! -leaving for BPR in the morning!

Can you believe it? The time has finally come... in the morning (Saturday), I am flying to Albany, NY and then after a two-hour car ride will arrive at Lake Placid Olympic Training Center to join my teammates - the other 19 Blue Planet Runners! Wow. It seemed that it would never come... especially the last few days. It was so hectic. Right now I am sitting in a new apartment, full of boxes. It looks like a warehouse here. I spent the last two days moving all my belongings across campus. Since I'll be working in a new building in the fall, I had to move before the trip. With all the preparations for the Run, as well as working on prepping materials for the person who will cover the building in my absence, I got quite exhausted. Running around the world now seems the easiest. Hmmm, we'll see about that.

Looking back at the last few months... it was quite an adventure just to get where I am... the eve before the start. Here is a quick list:

October: found out about Blue Planet Run
November: applied for BPR
December: Had first phone interview
January: found out I made it to the second round
February: Had second interview (over skype)
February: submitted a resume, letter of recommendation, and sample blog entry
March: Found out I was one of the runners
March: Filled out extensive personal questionnaire
April: Found out I could stay in the same job, although missing about 1.5months of work (thank you so much for working with me!)
April: got 4 shots
April: Went to London for the official BPR route and team announcement, and met all the other amazing team members
April: started my first ever blog
May:
-applied for visa from Belarus, Russia, Mongolia, China, and Canada
-got another shot
-went to the dentist
-bought 3 pairs of running shoes
-moved to a new apartment
-Got a "world runner" haircut

In 12 hours, I'll be waiting on the Cincinnati airport for my flight... While at Lake Placid, we'll have training on media relations, emergency procedures, and the logistics of the Run. I'm sure there will be other items on the agenda I'm not aware of yet. And then, on Friday June 1st, the Blue Planet Run begins!!! We'll begin changing the world. We'll begin an odyssey of hope. We'll begin a movement that will help everyone realize that life without water is not. Water is life, and life is good in Oxford.

Blue Planet Run route visually - courtesy of my creativity

New Shoes Are In - all 3 pairs!

The shoes arrived today!! All 3 pairs. I ordered them last week on the Internet, and they are here. They look good, they smell good, and they better be ready for the world. Including the ones I am using right now, I have 4 pairs of running shoes. Whoa-a little extreme. Actually, if I count my trail running shoes, I have 5 pairs!! Yep, we might be overdoing it a little, but isn't it what life is all about? Let's live outloud, let's live the dream, let's stop complaining and start a revolution. Let's run around the Blue Planet so that people can have safe drinking water. You can see I am getting little carried away :-)
Today was my last day of official shopping. I got 11 pairs of running socks, sun glasses, and running tights. All I have left to buy is 2 AA batteries, ice pack, and gloves (realizing after talking to my sister Tereza yesterday that it might get a little cold running at 2am in the Gobi desert in Mongolia). And you know what I am doing after I finish this entry? That's right, I am packing! Good times--I don't think I've ever packed 5 days before departure day. I've to devote the next 2 days to work, preparing for when I get back in September, and Thursday and Friday will be moving time. I'll be working in a different residence hall in the fall, so I need to move to the apartment in that building. I'm excited. Every end means that there is a new beginning.
I really appreciate the responses I've been getting from people about my blog. It's very encouraging to see how much people care. Life is good in Oxford... and water is life.

Spider Man OUT; Water IN!

Hello my friends!
In one week, I will be at Lake Placid Olympic Training Center... the last stage of preparation for the Blue Planet Run. Wow, it's almost here. Just thinking about it makes my eyes teary. Tonight I went to watch Spider Man 3 with two of my friends (I'm not really into spider man, but went to spend time with friends before I leave). However, I couldn't just sit there. Half way through the movie I just walked out. I had too much to think about and the content of the movie was too, well, simplistic and unsubstantial. I'm not judging it; there is a time and place for everything; tonight I had bigger things to ponder over. I am about to embark on the biggest adventure of my life, one that will certainly change my life and lives of many others... So I drove to a nearby coffee shop and just thought about the upcoming days. Don't worry, I came back and picked up my friends (sorry Christina and Carrie).

Over the last several weeks I've been sending news about the Run to all the listserves possible. The last group of people took me the longest to e-mail--my friends. You know how it is sometimes--the most important thing sometimes takes the longest to do. With this last mailing, I'm done with mass e-mailing. Also, today I had an interview with Oxford Press. It should be in the Friday's (5/25) issue.

To those of you who are reading my blog for the first time--WELCOME! I hope you come back often. We are about to embark on an adventure of a lifetime. Please come along. Water is life, and we're running for hope!

"If we can't win this one, I don't know what we can win" -Jin Zidell (BPR founder) on the global water crisis

Below is a nice article from chron.com that succinctly explains how it all got started. Hats off to Jin (on right in picture with me) for his vision, and his tenacity to make his vision reality...
The original version is on: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/outdoors/4811410.html
---

On course toward clean water
Worldwide event slakes man's thirst to lend others hand
By ROBERTA MACINNIS
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

A big 6 a.m. thunderstorm the last Saturday in March washed out a lot of people's regular long runs. It was still raining steadily later that morning when a lone runner passed in front of RMS Auto Care on Westheimer at Woodway as he made his way east along the sidewalk toward downtown.

You wouldn't have given the guy a second glance unless you were looking for him. But he was on a mission. As one runner in a 36-hour, 240-mile relay around the Houston area, he was participating in a dress rehearsal of sorts for the 2007 Blue Planet Run, a round-the-world relay to raise awareness about the global need for safe drinking water.

The event, set for June 1-Sept. 4, was created by Jin Zidell, a California industrialist and philanthropist. In 2002, he established the Blue Planet Run Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted not only to raising awareness about the problem but also funding clean-water projects in developing countries.
About 1.1 billion people — one-sixth of the world's population — don't have daily access to clean water, and more than 2 million people, mostly children, die annually from water-borne diseases, according to the foundation's Web site.

"How are you going to reach literally tens of millions of people at one time? A run provides a platform to raise awareness," Zidell said.

Zidell, 69, remembers the moment inspiration hit him: 11 a.m. Dec. 17, 2001. He was walking around a lake when he saw a woman running.

"She had the power of a panther and the grace of a gazelle, and she wasn't sitting around thinking of something to do. Just then, I saw the world run," he said.

"Running is the first way we communicated across distances. It's a basic mode of human locomotion. A relay is the reaching out, the passing off, the lifting up, the reaching down."

Zidell got to work enlisting support. Dow Chemical Co. signed on as the primary sponsor. Zidell hired the Atlanta-based firm that stages the Olympic torch relays to handle logistics, which have taken years to organize.

The Houston relay was one of two test runs to make sure the plans would work.

Sixteen Dow employees started at the company's Freeport facility and ran around the clock and the city before ending at a Dow plant in Clear Lake.

"Living here in the United States, I take it for granted that I have access to safe, clean drinking water. I didn't realize how extensive the problem was," said Tom Young, a Dow Chemical employee who lives in Lake Jackson and participated in the Houston relay. Young said he briefly considered applying for the global run, but with two small children, he decided against it.

The 20-person Blue Planet Run team includes 12 men and eight women, ages 23 to 60, representing 13 countries. They were selected from hundreds of applications. The criteria were the ability to run a steady nine-minutes-per-mile pace and to spend more than three months away from home. A commitment to the cause and effective communication skills also were considered.

"They're really messengers. We wanted them to represent 'us,' the global 'we,' " Zidell said.

The runners will be divided into five teams, with each runner averaging 10 miles a day. They will blog about their experiences on the run's Web site — www.blueplanetrun.org — and will be accompanied by a photographer and video crew.
Aside from three days in July, Zidell will travel the entire way with the group, which will pass through such major cities as Boston, London, Moscow, Beijing and Tokyo.

"Running is just one part," Zidell said. "You meet 49 people (the size of the team and crew). You live with them 100 days, in a different bed every night, with every meal in different place. It's a real reality show," Zidell said.

Zidell envisions the Blue Planet Run as a biennial relay, the "third global athletic event" alongside the Olympics and the World Cup.

It's part of his plan to provide safe drinking water to 200 million people for the rest of their lives by 2027; the foundation has bankrolled 130 projects so far.

The problem is big, he pointed out, but one that can be solved cheaply with simple technologies such as rainwater harvesting. A $30 donation, for example, will pay for drinking water for one person for life.

"If we can't win this one, I don't know what we can win," Zidell said.

Taking care of business

Good evening, people of good will!
About half an hour ago I got back from my midnight run. I ran about 7 miles, and it was quite serene. For the first time in a few weeks I ran in a long sleeve shirt, as it was a little chilly. I just ran here on campus where it was well lid; I kept thinking about our Run. Today I found out that the route in Prague will go about 300 feet away from our apartment, the one I grew up in. It will also go right through the historical heart of Prague. Amazing. I kept imagining how it's going to be when I run there. The place I grew up in. The place that shaped who I am. The place whose beauty can be matched only by few others. The painting in this post is the one my parents gave my for my Master's graduation (indeed, it is Praha).

Today was a preparation day. I spend a few hours at Target, getting some essentials for the Run. To name just a few, I got sunscreen, chapstick with sunscreen in it, cold medicine, pepto bismol, bug repellent, hand sanitizer, shower gel, baby powder, lotion, power bars, extra battery and memory for my digital camera, power adapter, first aid kit... I also got my last shot today, which would make it number 5. My left and right arms are now familiar with Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis A and B. I also went to the dentist yesterday, and got my car registration renewed. I also tried to pay my car insurance, but they didn't have the bill ready yet. I do have to admit, trying to pay over a month early is not exactly my style :-). When I told them that I will be running around the world the next 3 months and need to take care of everything before I leave, they understood. Well, I am not sure if they believed me, but hey--water is life, and life is good.

A little about the logistics

Perhaps one of the most frequent questions I get is: "So how is it going to work? How much are you going to be running? And are you running across the oceans too?"
First, no, we will not be running across the oceans :-). I am sure it would be fun, but we'll stick to the land for now. Everything else, however, is all running. The 20 runners will be divided into 5 teams, each having 4 people. Every day will be divided into four 6hour segments (9am-3pm; 3pm-9pm; 9pm-3am; 3am-9am), and each team will be covering one segment. This way, each team will get every 5th day off. Thus, I will run 10 miles for 4 days, and have a day off.
Within the six hour segment, I will run for an hour an a half (10miles/16km), and then the team car will drive for ten miles at a time and stop at every exchange point for the baton exchange. While waiting for the teammates to finish their running leg, the remaining three runners will be actively engaging any visitors to the exchange points, talking about water, life, and anything the visitors want to know. Just imagine this: after running for 90 minutes in the early morning in Poland, I'll get to hang out with the locals until my colleague finishes her/his leg. And all that could be at 4am. Whoa. Can't wait.
After my team is done with our 6hour shift, we will drive to the hotel down the route. At no point will the whole village (20 runners, plus up to 30 support staff)travel more that 160miles per day (the running pace). Water is life, and life is good.

Charter bus story - enjoy :-)

Vitam vsechny Ceske pratele!

Ahoj ahoj!
Vitam vas do meho blogu o nasem behu kolem sveta, nebo oficialne Behu Modre Planety (Blue Planet Run). Bohuzel toho tady zatim moc v cestine neni, a ani tento prispevek neni s hacky a carkami. Pokusim se to v budoucnu napravit.
1. cervna 20 bezcu vyrazi z New York City a 96 dni pobezi porad na vychod. A proc se vydavame na takovouto podivnou vystrednost? Odpoved je snadna: VODA. 1.1 miliarda lidi na nasem svete nema pristup k ciste pitne vode, coz znamena ze kazdy den priblizne 6000 (ano, 6 tisic!) deti umira. Bezime abychom zvysili osvetu o tomto ohromnem problemu, a take abychom ziskali financni prostredky na zlepseni teto situace.
Bezime ve stafetovem stylu, jeden bezec pobezi 16km (cca hodinu a pul) a pak preda kolik bezci dalsimu, ve dne v noci. Od budovy OSN v New Yorku bezime do Bostonu, pak preletime do Dublinu v Irsku, a pak porad na vychod... Anglie, Francie, Belgie, Holandsko, Nemecko, pak k nam domu, Rakousko, zpet do CR, Polsko, Belorusko, Rusko, Mongolsko, Cina, a Japonsko. Po preletu do San Franciska prebehneme cele USA a zpet do New Yorku.
Teste se na bajecna dobroduzstvi!
-David

P.S. Vice informaci o behu, nadaci, a nedostatku pitne vody najdete na www.blueplanetrun.org

Excited to be on Western!

Ahoj to Western Campus!
I am really excited to be working on Western in the fall. I am looking forward to living and working in Peabody--such a beautiful building, in a beautiful environment. More importantly, however, I hope that we all can engage one another in responding to the safe drinking water crisis. Western is exactly the place where the leadership and passion for fellow humanity resides. I know we will do amazing things in the fall. You know, a journey of 15,200 miles begins with a single step, and ends in Peabody Hall :-)
Please check-in here often; I will be updating daily whenever possible. I am hoping not only to have text, but audio and video as well. Also, I welcome any comments (posts) on the blog, as well as e-mails. I'll try to respond often.
Well, Western campus, let's bring this adventure on. Over billion of people thirst for safe drinking water, and it is up to us to answer their plea.
Water is life, and life is hope.

"We are looking for David Christof, because we want to fulfil his dream that he has not even dared to dream."

When I talk about the run, one of the questions that always sooner or later comes up, is: "How did you find out about it?"
It all started with an e-mail back in late October. Since I get a lot of junk e-mails, I ALMOST DELETED IT!!! Talk about a fatal error. I am so thankful that I indeed did not deleted it. It was sitting in my in-box for a few days, before I actually read it. After I read it, I was interested, but still was somewhat suspicious. Then I clicked on the BluePlanetRun.org website, looked at it for about 5 minutes, and was hypnotized. I couldn't believe it. I was starring at the screen, unable to believe what I was reading. It was basically saying: "We are looking for David Christof, because we want to fulfil his dream that he has not even dared to dream." Well, they used different words :-) , but that was pretty much it. Wow, running around the world and saving lives at the same time!
I could not sleep that night. I knew I had to apply. I owed it to myself. I owed it to humanity. Once again, my life was about to take a quantum leap.

Now, over 6 months later, I am about 3 weeks away from starting this journey, this mission, this purpose. I found the pivotal e-mail and here it is in its entirety. This e-mail started it all.


From: "RRCA National Office"
Reply-To: office@rrca.org
To: "Oxford ADT Running Club"
Subject: Blue Planet Run Recruits Relay Team
Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2006 13:16:49 -0400

Blue Planet Run Recruits Relay Team

Atlanta,GA - October 19, 2006 ? The Blue Planet Run Foundation is searching for 20 international runners who want to become ambassadors for a global cause - the lack of safe drinking water that affects more than a billion people worldwide.

Apply to join the inaugural Blue Planet Run® - a relay event that will travel more than 12,000 miles - and help raise awareness of the affordable and achievable solutions that exist TODAY to solve this challenge.

For the 2007 Run, 20 runners will run in a relay format around the world, traveling more than 12,000 miles in less than 100 days. Produced by Atlanta-based ignition, Inc., a worldwide expert in global marketing event management, the 2007 Run will visit 16 countries, including Ireland, Great Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria,Poland, Belarus, Russia, Mongolia, China, Japan, Canada and the United States.

“The lack of access to safe drinking water is a harsh reality that faces nearly 20 percent of the world’s population,” said Jin Zidell, founder of the Blue Planet Run Foundation. “However, solutions exist that are affordable, achievable and sustainable. The 2007 Run will be a clarion call to the world to respond to this challenge, and the relay team a catalyst through which our message will be broadcast.”

This past weekend, October 13 - 15, the Blue Planet Run took thousands of steps towards success as ignition produced a 48-hour test event in South Georgia. “The test event was well planned,” said Tina Klien, a test event participant and Director of Community Outreach for the Atlanta Track Club. “I truly saw team work not only with the running teams but also with the entire crew. Everyone from support to logistics to runners rallied around this great cause.”

“It’s exciting to watch as a simple run is capturing the imagination and attention of so many people, and then focusing that attention on one of the Earth’s largest health and sustainability issues: the lack of safe drinking water, predominantly within developing countries,” explained Mark “Dill” Driscoll, chairman of ignition. “The test event brought the Run to life last weekend as 18 runners took turns pounding the pavement for 48 hours straight, providing a real-time test for the
operations and logistics planning.”

The Blue Planet Run Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising global awareness of the devastating effect that lack of access to safe drinking water has on the health and communities of one-fifth of the global population and of the existence of solutions to the crisis that are achievable, affordable and sustainable. Working as a catalyst and a bridge, the Foundation encourages responsibility toward the environment, and connects effective non-governmental organizations with funding. The Foundation’s signature event for its awareness and fundraising campaign is the Blue Planet Run, an around-the-world relay event. More information about the Foundation and the 2007 Run is available at http://www.blueplanetrun.org.


ignition is an experiential marketing and media resource built on a passion for bringing brands to life around the world. The agency works with its corporate partners to create strategically-focused and relevant brand messages that are delivered in a multi-sensory context to engage, educate and entertain the consumer. After more than a decade of producing some of the most memorable mobile marketing tours, ignition recently was honored to organize and manage two simultaneous tours: the 2006 Olympic Torch Relay and the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour. For more information, please visit: http://www.ignition-inc.com.

###

The Road Runners Club of America is a non-profit organization of over 700 running clubs and 175,000 members across the United States. The RRCA chapters organize races, have training runs, provide safety guidelines, promote children's and masters fitness running programs, and have social programs. http://www.RRCA.org

Welcome clip

Greetings, Wellsians!

Hello Wellsians!
Good to see that you take leadership of your own life. Following my e-mail, you decided to see my blog. I appreciate it. Don't worry; you don't have to donate anything. Sometime education is the biggest force one can acquire. I hope that by following my blog you will learn something about how precious water is. To tell you the truth, before I applied for this journey, I also didn't know how serious the issue was. Yet, it's never too late to start. It's never too late to decide to do something. What else is there to be done? Educate yourself more. Find out more about the water crisis. Water is the fundamental ingredient of life. Have you ever thought how long you can go without water, how very basic it is? This summer I will spend every day (with every 5th day off) running 10 miles, day after day, until we circle the globe. I will talk to thousands of people along the way, talking about water, life in general, and just connecting as human beings. I invite you to come along. It's going to be a ride of a lifetime, and you can be part of it. Feel free to e-mail me along the way, or leave replies on this blog. I'll try to reply. When I get back on September 4th, we can talk more in person about all the adventures. And maybe we can organize something on campus to educate others about water. I am looking forward to sharing the adventures with you. Water is life.
-David

(P.S. This post was to the residents of Wells Hall at Miami University, where I was a hall director this 2006-07 school year; but of course, is open to any viewer of my blog)

Thank you for all your support

Dear colleagues,
I would like to thank you for all the support you've been giving me about my run around the world (16 countries, 15,200 miles, millions of lives saved). I appreciate all the encouragement you've provided in my application process, as well as the enthusiasm after I found out that I was selected. I am glad I can represent Miami University, the Czech Republic, and the U.S. on this epic journey. Even more, I am truly honored that I can make a difference in this alarming crisis; the main goal of the Blue Planet Run is to raise awareness and funding for the lack of access to drinking water. It is really a crisis of colossal proportions. Just consider the facts above.
If you want to find out more about the run and the cause, please visit the official website at www.blueplanetrun.org . I will also be updating this blog almost daily (eventually it will be hosted on the main BPR website). I just started, so not that much is here, but soon the adventures will unfold.
Once again, I sincerely appreciate all your support. I am not leaving for the world until around May 25th, so feel free to talk to me about water till then.
-David

P.S. I thought you would appreciate this picture of me when I was about 7. It is with "Kocka," my good old friend.