Marathon League

A meeting held by the BMA Marathon League at the Beirut Marathon Association offices in Hazmieh, on February 4, 2009 to present the “Marathon Garden,” a new project done in the LHEE work shop that was under the theme of planning and executing projects.

A visit to the Minitry of Education

A meeting with Minister of Education, Mrs. Bahia El Hariri and the president of Beirut Marathon Association Mrs. May Khalil, in the presence of Beirut Marathon Association Members took place on January 27th 2009, at the Ministry’s office.
Mrs. El Khalil affirmed to the Minister Mrs. Hariri that the success of the BLOM Beirut Marathon 2008 was the fruit of everybody’s effort, and the schools participation had a remarkable presence in the event; this goes to the support of the Minister of Education.
From her part, her excellence Mrs. Hariri expressed her deep appreciation of the strenuous and persistent effort done by the Beirut Marathon Association towards the new generation and the nation; she expressed her will to help in any way she can to spread the running culture and motivate the students to participate in HSBC VIVICITTA Earth Run on April 26th.

HSBC VIVICITTA 2009

How can we despise an environment we created ourselves? Instead of blaming let's see how we could be active in changing the facts.
Who can drive positive change but us?

The Beirut Marathon Association is kicking off its first race for 2009, HSBC VIVICITTA
“Run for the Environment “April 26th.

Get Ready to Join us

Awesome Marathon

The BLOM Beirut Marathon 08 was an amazing event... marathoners were fired up to enjoy the best marathon ever in Lebanon... so many athletes were able to achieve their personal best and the course record was broken, becoming 2:12:47.

A world record was acheived by the double amputee Richard Whitehead in 3:14... that was something unbelievable - just watching him cross the finish line was so rewarding...

So it is time to get ready for the next race... we wish you a great holiday season, and please keep the comments and suggestions coming in...

cheers

Race Day Newspapers

BLOM Beirut Marathon 2008, anti-doping test

The Beirut Marathon Association shall strongly support the anti-doping campaign of WADA in this year’s BLOM Beirut Marathon 08 to ensure that the sport of running is kept free from doping. This year’s marathon runners will all be obliged to sign an anti-doping declaration according to the IAAF laws, which will be signed at the time of bib-pick up.
There will be random dope tests at the finish line on race day under the supervision of WADA representative Jihad Haddad, and the LAF, acting in accordance with these international standards.
We hope to see new records on race day for the men and women’s 42k marathon where all winners will be tested. Random testing of other athletes will be carried out throughout the day.
Supporting anti-doping is a very important part of the structure of races and ensures fairness. Prize money will be paid out after the return of the results from the Olympic standard testing laboratory.

Anti - doping test - Blom Beirut Marathon 2008

BMA declares anit-doping campaign for Marathon

The Beirut Marathon Association shall strongly support the anti-doping campaign of WADA in this year’s BLOM Beirut Marathon 08 to ensure that the sport of running is kept free from doping. This year’s marathon runners will all be obliged to sign an anti-doping declaration according to the IAAF laws, which will be signed at the time of bib-pick up.

There will be random dope tests at the finish line on race day under the supervision of WADA representative Jihad Haddad, and the LAF, acting in accordance with these international standards.

We hope to see new records on race day for the men and women’s 42k marathon where all winners will be tested. Random testing of other athletes will be carried out throughout the day.

Supporting anti-doping is a very important part of the structure of races and ensures fairness. Prize money will be paid out after the return of the results from the Olympic standard testing laboratory.

WAMS 2008 When Awareness Meets Sports Program

WAMS 2008
“When Awareness Meets Sports”
November 26th and 27th, 2008
Le Meridien Commodore- Hamra

Wednesday, November 26th:

· 12:30 – 1:30 “Cancer in Children”
Dr. Roula Farah, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology/
Oncology, St. George’s Hospital, Balamand University
President, Chance Association (CHildren AgaiNst CancEr)

1:30 – 3:30 Session 1: “Introduction to Non-Profits”
Session 2: “The Nature of Non-Profits”
Amin A. Nehme, Marketing Consultant/ NGO Program Developer

4:00 – 5:00 “The Lived Experience of Lebanese Oncology Patients Receiving Palliative Care”
Dr. Myrna A .A. Doumit, PhD, RN/ Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, AUB

5:00 – 6:00 Patients Survivor Stories

6:00 – 7:00 “So You Want to Smoke?”
Dr. Jamil Halabi, General Secretary, Lebanese Cancer Society
Lecturer at Faculty of Medicine at Balamand University
Lecturer at Nursing Faculty at USJ
Lecturer at Faculty of Public Health at Lebanese University

8:00 – 9:00 Live Performance by Joseph Attieh

Thursday, November 27th:

12:30 – 1:30 “Cancer in Children”
Dr. Roula Farah, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology/
Oncology, St. George`s Hospital, Balamand University
President, Chance Association (CHildren AgaiNst CancEr)

1:30 – 3:00 “Introduction to Fundraising”
Amin A. Nehme, Marketing Consultant/ NGO Program Developer

3:00 – 4:00 “The Lived Experience of Lebanese Family Caregivers of Cancer Patients”
Dr. Myrna A. A. Doumit, PhD, RN/ Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, AUB

4:00 – 5:00 Patients Survivor Stories

5:00 – 5:45 “Cancer: From Small Organism to Deadly Tumor”
Dr. Najib Geahchan, Professor of Surgical Oncology
Vice Dean of Faculty of Medicine at USJ
Active Member of Lebanese Cancer Society

6:00 – 7:00 “ Awareness and Progress to Fight Cancer”
Dr. Nagi El Saghir, MD, FACP/ Clinical Professor, Hematology-Oncology
American University of Beirut Medical Center

7:30 – 8:30 Live Performance by Carole Sakr

RUN With the BLOM Beirut Marathon 2008 Athletes

The Beirut Marathon Association cordially
Invites you to join
The “Run With Athletes”

Date: Friday November 28, 2008
Venue: Corniche Ain El Mreiseh
Time: 6:00 pm

There you will meet and run

with the BLOM Beirut Marathon 2008 Athletes

“Meet the Athletes”

The Beirut Marathon Association cordially invites you
To attend “Meet the Athletes” Press Conference
Saturday November 29th
At le Meridien Commodore – Hamra, 11:00 am.


Program:

* Welcome by Mr. Hassan Muhieddine, BMA Media Director.
* Mrs. May El Khalil, BMA president.
* Guest of Honor HRH Princess Ghida Talal.
* HE Frances Guy, British Ambassador
* Mr. Mark Dickinson, BMA Managing Director.
* Mr. Antonio Nanoni, Elite Athletes Manager.
* Q & A

Coktail

42.195 Km MAP

BLOM Beirut Marathon 08 National Elite field

Men National Elite field:

HUSSEIN AWADA
PERSONAL BEST TIME 2h20,36
2nd place Beirut marathon 2006 in Lebanese category
Winner of Blom Beirut marathon 2007 in Lebanese category
Berlin marathon 2008 2h20,36 new national record
He finalized the training for Blom Beirut marathon 2008 in High altitude camp in Ethiopia.

OMAR ISSA
PERSONAL BEST TIME 2h24,36
2nd place Beirut marathon 2007 in Lebanese category
Berlin marathon 2008 2h24,36 beating the old national record
He finalized the training for Blom Beirut marathon 2008 in High altitude camp in Ethiopia.

OMAR ABDEL LATIF
PERSONAL BEST TIME 2h27,54
Winner of Beirut marathon 2005 in Lebanese category
Winner of Blom Beirut marathon 2006 in Lebanese category
Berlin Marathon 2007 2h27,54

DAOUD MOSTAFA
PERSONAL BEST TIME 2h28,29
2nd place Beirut marathon 2005 in Lebanese category
3rd place Blom Beirut marathon 2006 in Lebanese category
London Marathon 2007 2h28,29
He finalized the training for Blom Beirut marathon 2008 in High altitude camp in Ethiopia.

Women National Elite field:

MARIA PIA NEHME
PERSONAL BEST TIME 3h11,00
Winner of Beirut marathon 2005 in Lebanese category
Winner of Blom Beirut marathon 2007 in Lebanese category
Paris marathon 2007 3h11,16
Berlin marathon 2007 3h11,00 national record holder

MARIA AL AAM
PERSONAL BEST TIME 3h17,31
Winner of Beirut marathon 2003, 2004, 2006 in Lebanese category
Berlin marathon 2004 3h17,31

MUNA TAMIM
PERSONAL BEST TIME 3h28,15
2nd place Blom Beirut marathon 2006 in Lebanese category

MAY ZEIDAN
PERSONAL BEST TIME 3h33,47
3nd place Beirut marathon 2004 in Lebanese category
2nd place Blom Beirut marathon 2007 in Lebanese category
Berlin marathon 2007 2h33,47

ELGA TRAD
3nd place Beirut marathon 2007 in Lebanese category

NOHA BAYDOUN
4th place Beirut marathon 2007 in Lebanese category

Independence Day Race 1st edition

The 1st edition of the Independence Day Race, organised by the Veterans Club in partnership with the Minister for Youth & Sports, is on Saturday, 22 November 2008. It is a 17K race for Veterans, although all ages are welcome.

The race starts at 8:00 AM in Aley (at the Souk) and ends at Khaldeh (at the Minister’s palace), where breakfast will be provided.
The race briefing is at 7:45 AM. The course is closed to traffic, and there is a time limit of 2 hours.
There are 2 water stations, but no distance markers.

There are medals for all finishers and trophies for the 1st three in each age category over 35 years.

Buses leave from Ain El Mreisseh (Hard Rock Cafe) at 6:30 AM to Aley and will meet runners at Khaldeh and return to Ain El Mreisseh (Hard Rock Cafe).

To register please call Dr. Ahmad Khalife on 01-370682 between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM, or by email: agha@inco.com.lb, giving your name, gender, and date of birth. The deadline for registration is Thursday, 20 November.

There is no charge for registration or bus.

Masai Warriors in BLOM Beirut Marathon 2008

BLOM Beirut Marathon 2008 sees an incredible scene where four Masai Warriors from Tanzania in East Africa will come to compete against the mighty runners in the marathon… these four athletes have never left their village before. They have taken their first plane trip to be here in Beirut, and it is PepsiCo International that has brought them here. They are going to impress everyone with their incredible running skills, surely finishing before many of the other elite athletes… what a wonderful experience… join them as they run 42.195km on 30th November.

BLOM Beirut Marathon 08 COURSE

The course this year starts at the Chatilla roundabout and heads towards Tayouneh; turns left to Barbir and turns left on the old airport road, all the way to Ghobeiry Municipality building, and turns left to Musharafieh. At the MSC logo it turns left uphill back to Chatilla and follows the flow towards Tayouneh roundabout. At Tayouneh it heads towards Barbir and all the way up Bichara Khoury avenue to the statue (which is the highest point in the race at 73m) before turning right to Sodeco Square. From Sodeco Square it turns right and goes to the Museum (Mathaf) where it returns to Barbir bridge, turning sharp left beside the French Ambassador’s residence (from there it is all downhill). It stays on the left until Tayouneh, where it goes straight to Mar Mikhael intersection. Turn left and go to Galerie Semaan. At Galerie Semaan left to Galaxy and on to the Mount Lebanon Hospital where it turns right all the way to the freeway access road. Left at the freeway and down under the bridge. Left at the intersection to Chevrolet and Center Abraj (from here onwards the course is flat for 25k). At the intersection it crosses under the freeway and passes beside the Sagesse University and along the service road to the Sunday Market. From there it continues past Fiat and turns right in Corniche Nahr to the old Bridge of Borj Hammoud. Over the bridge and sharp right to the first major intersection and then left towards the Armenian School, where it turns left again and goes to the Borj Hammoud Square. At the square turn right and go to the first intersection and turn left, to the next major intersection and left again and head back to Borj Hammoud Square. Pass the Square and turn right just before the bridge. Under the Autostrade and take the seaside road past Galerie Vanlian and run all the way to Dbayeh. Keep on the left all the way through Dbayeh, past the Marina and turn left towards the North. Continue along the seaside until the Police checkpoint and turn right (East), there is a small forest on the right hand side. Upon reaching the main road turn right and go all the way to Emile Lahoud Convention Center and turn right to the end. Sharp right and then follow the curve of the road until the Naccache autostrade and take the oncoming carriageway for 50 meters before taking the first left. Follow the road to the second left hand intersection and return to the seaside road. From there return all the way back to Beirut along the sea road. At Galerie Vanlian turn left to the Autostrade and then turn right towards Beirut. Run over the bridge (a small incline of 25m) and over the Charles Helou Bus station to the waiting crowds at the finish line in Martyrs Square.

Men and Female International Elite Field BBM 08

Men International Elite Field:

ALEMAYEHU SHUMYE (Ethiopia). Age 20
PERSONAL BEST TIME of 2h11,50 recently done in Warsaw Marathon this year. He is a very talented runner and he is a rising star in the long distance professional athletics, being only 20 years old. He was always winner in all the races were he competed so far. He competed only in two marathons where he was the winner and he set the new course records!
Vercelli marathon 2008: Winner, course record 2h14,33
Vivicitta’ Beirut half marathon 2008: Winner
Miziara International cross country 2008: Winner
Flora Warsaw marathon 2008: Winner, course record 2h11,50

BALCHA DIDA (Ethiopia). Age 24
PERSONAL BEST TIME of 2h13,05
Addis Ababa Moha marathon 2007 2nd place
Mauritius marathon 2008 2nd place
Addis Ababa Moha marathon 2006 2nd place
Addis Ababa Abebe Bikila marathon 2006 5th place

MOSES KEMBOI (Kenya). Age 31
PERSONAL BEST TIME of 2h13,10
Winner of Blom Beirut marathon 06

DAVID KIPLAGAT (Kenya). Age 39
PERSONAL BEST TIME of 2h14,05
Bonn marathon 2007 Winner
2nd place Beirut marathon 2005 & 2007
Lahore marathon 207 2nd place

To complete the men Elite Field, we have a group of young and new runners from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Jordan and Morocco.


Female International Elite Field :

TADELECH BIRRA (Ethiopia). Age 33
PERSONAL BEST TIME of 2h31,44
This athlete has a big international experience and she is the candidate number one for the final victory.
Kosice Marathon, Slovenia 2003 Winner
Hannover Marathon 2003 Winner
Honk Kong marathon 2006 5th place
Zurich marathon 2008 2h32,08 Winner
Warsaw marathon 2008 2h35,20 2nd place

ALEMTSEHAY HAILU (Ethiopia). Age 23
PERSONAL BEST TIME of 2h39,05
Blom Beirut marathon 2006 2nd place
Abebe Bikila Marathon 2008 2nd place
Maratona d’Italia 2008 2h39,05 4th place

TIGIST TITO (Ethiopia). Age 23
PERSONAL BEST TIME of 2h39,51
Lahore marathon 2007 2nd place 2h39,51
Abebe Bikila Marathon 2008 10nd place

WUDNESH NEGA (Ethiopia). Age 24
PERSONAL BEST TIME of 2h39,23
Thassaloniki marathon 2006 3rd place
Eurasia Istanbul marathon 2007 11th place 2h39,23
Abebe Bikila Marathon 2008 6th place

Joseph Atiyeh with a Song for the Blom Beirut Marathon 2008

Joseph Atiyeh in a video clip for his new song “yalla Nerkod Sawa” a special song dedicated for the Blom Beirut Marathon 2008, where he is going to sing it live on Race day.

Distance Markers, Drinking Stations, and Toilets

Distance Markers
Each kilometer will be clearly indicated on a 2-meter high post to the inside of the road. Refreshment and aid stations will also be clearly marked by signposts 100 meters in advance.

When you reach the Finish Line, a clock is installed on top of the gantry to give you your time from the Start Gun.

Drinking Stations
Replacing lost fluid regularly is a must for all runners in any distance. You can all lose four or five liters of fluid during a Marathon if conditions are hot and humid. Therefore, please make use of our water and energy stations situated along the course.

· WATER (courtesy of Sohat) is offered at every 2.5km mark in 330ml soft-plastic bottles at kilometers: 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, 27.5, 30, 32.5, 35, 37.5, and 40.
· Gatorade Sports drink is available at 7 km intervals at kilometers: 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 on the Marathon route and Finish line. Gatorade will be offered in cups containing approximately 150ml each.
· Fruit (bananas and oranges) will be available at 10 km intervals at kilometers: 10, 20, 30 and 35km on the Marathon and Finish line. The fruits will be cut into slices.
· Sponge will be available at 7.5 km intervals at kilometers: 7.5, 15, 22.5, 30 and 35km on Marathon course.
· Fuchsia line will print along the course that it is purely an indication of the direction of the route.
· Red Cross is available at 1.5 km intervals at kilometers: 1.5, 3, 4.5, 6, 7.5, 9, 10.5, 12, 13.5, 15, 16.5, 18, 19.5, 21, 22.5, 24, 25.5, 27, 28.5, 30, 31.5, 33, 34.5, 36, 37.5, 39, 40.5 and finish line.
· Cheering Stations is available along the course of marathon and 10k.
· Please discard your empty bottles and cups carefully to the side of the road and not where they will cause a problem to those runners behind you. Also please pay special attention to throwing away the banana and orange peels as they may result in a hazard to runners behind you.


Toilet Cabins

There will be 3 toilet cabins for men and 2 for women at the Warm up Zone as well as the Cool Down zone. There will be 2 regular toilet cabins and 1 disabled toilet cabin for wheelchair at elite and wheelchair area in Horsh Beirut.
There will be 3 toilet cabins for men and 2 for women at the finish line area and 1 disabled cabin at the Red Cross area.

Blom Beirut Marathon 2008 Start and Finish Line Locations

Start 42.195km / Beside Horsh Beirut / Jamal Abd El Nassar St.
Start 10km & 5km / Before Porsche Company in Down Town / Wafic Sinno St.
Finish line 42 Km, 10Km &5Km / Martyr Square in Down Town / Weygand St.

Blom Beirut Marathon 2008 Race Times

6:55 am Marathon Wheelchair Start
7:00 am Marathon Start
8:15 am 5k Mini Marathon Start
8:35 am 5k Mini Marathon Mental Handicap
9:20 am 10K Relay Race
9:45 am 10 Km Wheelchair
10:00 am 10K Fun Run

Blom Beirut Marathon 2008 Media Center facilities

The Media Center

Before Race Day
The Blom Beirut Marathon 2008 Press Center will be based at Le Meridien Commodore Hotel – Hamra from Wednesday November 26th until Saturday November 29th from 10:00 am till 4:00 pm this is where you can collect your accreditation passes and pick up race info.

On Race Day
On Sunday November 30th, reporters and journalists can use the facilities available at the Media Center finish line area which includes local phone lines, fax as well as internet facilities and TV screen that shows the event life coverage.
Award Ceremony will take place at 11:00 am at the Finish Line.

After Race Day
All media related issues can be addressed at Beirut Marathon Association head offices as of Monday December 1st onwards for any enquiries related to media and results. 4th floor, Makateb Building, mar Takla, hazmieh. Beirut. Tel: +961 5 959262 Fax: +961 5 959263 email: lamia@beirutmarathon.org. The essential post race results information will be posted on our website which you can access by logging to http://www.beirutmarathon.org/.

Blom Beirut Marathon 2008 WEEK

The BLOM Beirut Marathon 2008 WEEK is full of exciting programs:

November 26 opening of the BIB Pickup till November 29 at BIEL from 12:00 to 21:00
November 26 opening of the Media center till November 29 at Le Merididen Commodore – Hamra - Beirut from 10:00 to 16:00
November 26 /27 WAMS (When Awareness Meets Sports) Medical Expo at Le Meridien Commodore Hamra – Beirut from 12:00 to 21:00
November 28 Run With Athletes at Corniche Ain El Mreiseh 18:00
November 29 Athletes Press Conference at le Meridein Commodore – Hamra – Beirut 11:00

Join Us we are waiting for you

NIKE FUN RUN November 9th

North to South / Day 10/ October 19th

North to South / Day 9 / October 18th

North to South / Day 8/ October 17th

North to South / Day 7/ October 16

North to South / Day 6

North To South – 15h October 2008 – Beirut - Rest day
Today we took time off from the road to recover our senses and rest our weary legs. The whole team was exhausted from the relentless routine of the previous days.
Thanks to the good work of the British Ambassador Guy and the Beirut Marathon Association, we received an invitation from the Minister Arslan, the Minister for Youth and Sports to visit him at his home. He was extremely warm and friendly and more importantly he expressed his support for all the efforts in combating cancer, supporting healthy activities and for the great work of the Beirut Marathon Association.
The afternoon was spent at the Children’s Cancer Center in Beirut. The team as a whole were taken on a whirlwind of emotions. We met Kristy, a lively 14 year old sat on her laptop just as any other teenager would be. She smiled and spoke of her chemotherapy, of the difficulties she has to confront at such a young age. Her mother looked on proudly. Then we met Valentina, slight in size, but with endearing eyes and a broad smile. Like Kristy she was undergoing chemotherapy. We met the doctors, nurses, volunteers and the young out-patients (ranging from 6 months to 12 years old). I could not help thinking about how childhood innocence and families are placed under immense pressure by cancer. I know of so many similar such stories from family and friends, but today was both humbling and awe-inspiring. Today I knew that I had made a valuable decision to come to Lebanon.

North to South Day 4

North To South – 13th October 2008 –Batroun to Byblos - –16 kms
Admittedly, my legs were extremely tired this morning. Nevertheless, I was confident that I would be able to easily complete the distance. This morning Ali and I had the company of Marlene, on her bicycle, and two of her close friends, Tony and George. The run started on the outskirts of town at around 8.30 am. The sun had been up since 7am, and the temperatures were soaring to around 30 degrees centigrade.
Ali and I are falling into a pattern whereby we begin with a relatively slow pace to try to shake off the lactic acid in out legs from the previous days, and to warm the muscles up without causing ourselves injury. Back to back running invariably places the body under quite a bit of strain. This morning I was acutely aware that whilst today was 16kms, tomorrow would require us to cover some 40kms.
Marlene, Tony and George thankfully were very understanding of the spirit of the run – this was/ is not a race to the finish, it is about using the run to share experiences, learn from each other, and most of all to promote cancer awareness.
After about 8kms when everyone had settled into their stride, Marlene pulled her bike up beside me. I told Marlene that I had heard that she was a cancer survivor. I said that I found this hard to believe. Marlene is exactly six days older than me, yet has the looks and energy of a twenty-one year old. Moments before I had watched Marlene free-wheel down a steep hill, arms outstretched at her side, wind in her hair, whooping and hollering with joy at the world around her. Four years prior to this, Marlene was diagnosed with cancer. Marlene had previously lost her mother to cancer, and subsequently her father to a ‘broken heart’ having missed her mother so much.
I forgot about the pain of running completely as I listened to Marlene describe in great detail the hardship of the illness she had confronted as a vivacious young woman. Foremost, Marlene had to raise 500,000 USD in order to pay for the treatment, which would be required to combat her illness. As chance would have it, a benefactor, Pierre, stepped forward to assist Marlene in covering a portion of the costs to pay for the treatment in the United States (St Judes Hospital).

Marlene’s initial hope was dashed when Pierre became ill and fell into a coma just as he was about to sign over the required funds. When Pierre recovered sufficiently, Marlene was able to at last begin her chemotherapy.
So began over two years of chemotherapy. Marlene described losing her hair, suffering heart and liver failure, the paralysis on one side of her body which lasted for over a week, the weight loss, and the overall feeling of decaying illness.
As part of her treatment, Marlene received a bone marrow transplant from her brother Mario. Following surgery, Marlene lived at the risk of infection for several months. On the day that Marlene went in for her first major surgery, it transpired that Pierre, her benefactor, passed away on that same day (although Marlene was shielded from the news for some time until she was sufficiently strong).
We continued together in peace for a few hundred metres before Marlene described the process of managing her body and mind back to health. She said that she gained strength through other cancer patients (some who lived and some who died), and from the power gained through her faith, and prayer. Week after week Marlene worked on a treadmill, first one minute per week, then two minutes and so on.
Marlene is now 35 years young, extremely fit and she has a full head of beautiful hair. Most likely Marlene could easily out cycle Ali or myself. Marlene carries a special air about her. She attracts friends with ease and she will always make a room glow when she enters it. Marlene lives each and every moment of her life to the fullest.
I know that these short paragraphs do little justice to the story I was told.
As it was, the run passed by with relative ease. Marlene’s story was and is representative of why Ali and I are running, why the Beirut Marathon Association is backing the North to South Run, and most of all, why people should always have hope.
Today was one of my best and most memorable runs ever. Cancer survivor and elite cyclist once wrote; “its not about the bike”. Today I realized that “its not about the run”. Thank you Marlene.

Post script: Other highlights from the later part of the day were a visit to Pepe’s Fishing Club in Byblos, and a wondrous visit to a local sculptor studio and garden.

North to South Day 3