January 1, 2006 - What a difference a year makes!

Last year on New Year's Eve I was filled with apprehension and anxiety. I had this big hairy goal in front of me without any guarantee I could pull it off. The pressure was on because so many people had expressed confidence in me through their generous donations, but to be honest, I was a little scared. Even though I fly regularly, I was sure one of these suckers was going down. I hated the thought of being away from Linda for so many long periods of time. And I was a nervous wreck because I was sure I was going to blow out a knee skiing last Christmas.

But the year turned out to be extraordinary - exceeding all of my expectations. I met fascinating people. I saw breathtakingly beautiful natural sights. I ate food that was exotic and wonderful. And I ran some damn good marathons. And now I begin the new year with a sense of accomplishment accompanied by a void - what's next (This is what Linda swears she is going to put on my tombstone - Joe "What's Next??" Hale. I need something to look forward to. Of course, the fact that I'm going to be a grandfather in March is incredible considering I don't FEEL like a grandfather. I still walk down the street and see my reflection in a window and wonder who the old guy is....

So I've signed up for the Easter Island marathon in early June and have convinced Linda to join me, and soon she'll discover I've also scheduled a side trip to hike Machu Picchu and a cruise to the Galapagos as part of the adventure. And I'm looking at the Angkor Wat marathon in Cambodia in the fall because we'd then be able to also visit Vietnam and Thailand. There are just so many intriguing races out there and so little time! This life of mine seems to be accelerating, and one birthday arrives while I'm still finishing the cake from the last one. Does everyone experience this?

I've decided to keep writing - there have been as many people who've used this blog as a travelogue site as those who have followed the marathons. Anything to help out...... I will continue to run fun and unusual marathons in exotic locations and report back.