One more time.

It's November 15, 2007, and I' sitting at O'Hare Airport. November already. I've spent most of 2007 on a continual high.

It started some time early in 2006, when I hatched a scheme to set a world record by running marathons on all seven continents in thirty-five days. The ensuing months brought a lot of planning, searching for marathons, preparing for the trip. I had already signed up for the marathon in Antarctica throudh Marathon Tours. Now the plan is to find other marathons on either side of it to complete the process.

If you followed my progress, you know that I was successful in my quest, except for one thing--Richard Takata beat me to the world record, finishing in 30 days, a few minutes before I finished my fifth of seven in Ushuaia, Argentina. Maybe I shouldn't have publicized so much ahead of time.

There are two marathons held regularly on the Antarctic continent. The second one is being held on December 12th at Patriot Hills. It's organized by one of my bi-polar friends Richard Donovan. (Richard and I have been to BOTH poles together.) After the slight disappointment last winter, my brain wouldn't let it rest--I had to search both sides of the Antarctic Ice Marathon and find out if it was possible to do it in less than 30 days.

It's pretty easy to find marathons in the US, Europe, and Asia. Africa, South America, and Oceania aren't quite as easy. But after a few hours on the Internet, and a few emails back and forth to South Africa and New Zealand, the plan came together. (To see the whole plan, go to www.cooladventures.net/sevencontinents.htm) I called Marathon Tours and had them book the flights.

16 November, early in the morning in Frankfort, Germany.
Carly's class is studying geography this year by doing a "Flat Stanley" project. Seems that Stanley was flattened when something fell on him and it made it quite easy to mail himself to far away places. So while Stanleys are in the mail this week to parts unknown, I have a Stanley with me, ready to travel around the world. First stop--Beirut, Lebanon