Across the Atlantic

The adventures have begun! On Friday, the 18^th of August, Nick, Steve and I parted ways with Caro and Bella and flew from Detroit to London to begin the sequence of travels that will ultimately lead us to Beijing. It was very hard to leave Caro and Bella, as they flew home to New Zealand. I had grown so accustomed to having them around for the last seven months, so it was very hard to say goodbye to them. I am already looking forward to Nick and my next trip to New Zealand when we’ll get to see them again.

After we flew to London, we stayed one night in a hotel before I departed at five A.M. the next morning to catch my flight to Italy. One flight, four buses, and one train later, I found myself in the tiny mountain town of Urbania, Italy. My sister and her husband have been staying there while she has been studying with the Italian Opera School based there. I had a great time staying with them and experiencing rural, small town life in Italy. The pace of life seemed much slower than anywhere I had ever been. People seemed quite content to just sit and talk with each other in the town square for hours on end—no obligations, no worries, and nowhere to rush off to. They would stay out until all hours of the night with each other. What was most surprising to me was that the people who seemed to be the most social, who stayed out the latest, were all over the age of sixty.

Hardly anyone spoke English in Urbania. But, despite the tough language barrier, and despite the fact that I knew absolutely no Italian before arriving, I left Urbania feeling quite proficient in ordering Gelato for myself.

While I was in Italy, Nick and Steve stayed in London at Saint Mary’s College, where the facilities for Nick’s training were very close and convenient—a track, cafeteria, and running trails all within a few steps of their rooms. They kept busy preparing Nick for his next two races—the Viva London Grand Prix and the Herculis Grand Prix in Monaco. They also kept busy making friends at the local church in town, and by the time I returned from Italy, they had already been to church once and been invited over twice to the homes of church members for meals. Once I arrived, I was able to go to church with them, where Nick spoke briefly about his faith and preparation for Beijing. Everyone there has been very encouraging and welcoming to us. What a great support to have Christians on the other side of the world willing open up their homes and their hearts to us as we find ourselves so far from home! It reminds us that wherever we are, the Church stretches far beyond just one individual building.

A few days after I returned from Italy, Nick raced an 800m at the London Grand Prix. It did not go as well as we had all hoped. The after effects of one of Nick’s recent workouts took quite a toll on Nick’s body, leaving his muscles quite sore for days afterwards. Going into the race, he still did not feel fully recovered from the workout. He gave it his best, but couldn’t quite seem to overcome the lingering repercussions of his training.

Three days later, he raced in Monaco at the Herculis Grand Prix. We were much happier with this race. He finished third in the race, running a time of 3.33.5. This performance reassured us that despite his disappointing race a few days earlier, his fitness is right where it needs to be and we can be confident that he is on the up-swing going into Beijing, and in prime standing to run some incredible races.

We were joined in Monaco by Nick’s sister, Mieke, and husband, James. Having them with us in such a beautiful place made it so much more enjoyable. Steve and I were able to spend some time with them before Nick’s race swimming and relaxing on the beach. After Nick’s race, Nick joined the group and we spent the morning snorkeling around the beach surrounded by huge schools of fish. Well, maybe I ought to rephrase that by saying that I mostly just watched the others swimming with the fish since I wasn’t quite tough enough to overcome my irrational fear of big fish. The ocean in itself is quite scary to me having been raised in Michigan, accustomed to fresh, shark-free water.

Currently, we are back in London staying at St. Mary’s College again, enjoying the small sense of familiarity we experience with this campus and town. Amidst our whirlwind of travels, it is nice to return to a place we know to rest for a few days before heading off to our next destination.

Before I Begin

I’m not a runner.

I never have been.

I didn’t even run cross country in high school. As a result, I’m no pro when it comes to track. I get a little lost when people around me are speaking track lingo, rattling off times, races and great runners’ names. Before meeting Nick, the most exposure I had to track was watching Chariots of Fire at the age of eight.

I say this because I want to be honest about what this blog is meant to be. If you are looking for a complex tactical review of every one of Nick’s races and workouts, a running log consisting of mostly numbers and stats, you’ve come to the wrong place. That is not my intention for this blog.

I may not be a running expert, but I do know that running is about far more than just numbers. For Nick, every single part of his life has an impact on his running.

My hope for this blog is that you might see things a bit differently than the typical running article—that I might be able to paint for you a portrait of a man who is an athlete,
but also a husband, a friend, and a man of faith.

Nine months ago, Nick and I were married. Naturally, from the perspective of a wife, I believe that the man that I married is not just merely a runner. And while undoubtedly, my husband is a world class athlete, as a wife, I can no more separate the athlete from the man, than I can the man from the athlete. When I look at Nick, I see a man who is so much more than simply an athlete.

I may not be a runner. I may not know how many world records Hicham El Guerrouj has, and I may not be able to tell you what a “waterfall” start is. But I know my husband; I know what drives him; and I know why he works hard. That is the person I want you to know as well.