Limping Marathon Runner

Frenchman Breaks Record By Running To Japan
Taken from ChannelNewsAsia
Posted: 05 September 2006 1722 hrs

TOKYO : Frenchman Serge Girard has completed a 260-day run from Paris to Tokyo, breaking the record for the longest journey without a full day of rest.

The 52-year-old former insurance worker arrived at a hotel in the Japanese capital after running 19,097 kilometers (11,840 miles) since setting off from Paris on December 18.

Looking tanned, fit but also tired, Girard was greeted by a small crowd of around 10 supporters and was embraced by his three children.

"This is a great joy. This incredible feat was accomplished with a team. It wasn't just me," he told reporters.

But he added: "There is a certain feeling of sadness as it's true that this was a fabulous adventure that comes to a close."

On Sunday, Girard beat the world record held by the Australian Gary Parson who ran around his own country for 19,030 kilometers (11,799 miles) for 276 days without resting.

Girard, a former financial adviser for French insurer AGF, ran about 73 kilometers (45 miles) a day guided by satellite through the Global Positioning System. He rested at night.

He ran through 19 countries: France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, China and finally Japan.

He completed his journey with a 20-kilometer (12-mile) run through the Japanese capital that took him past the imperial palace.

Girard says he is also the sole runner to have raced the distance across all continents, having previously run across the United States, Australia, South America and Europe.

- AFP

All the running gods have gone touring.

This day, I redeemed my status back to gold. Yay! My previous record was fail. I can only be a pacer if I drew a number tag. To pace my platoon mates, I can only run at a just pass pace for them to follow. Strange to declare fail on all the other stations, right? So, today, I cleared my killer station, standing broad jump station, and happy to clear the 2.4km to claim some moola. Yay! Maybe can go shoe shopping and be vain. Buy that red Asics Cumulus VIII?

After my test, I went over to SP Tracks and since none of the guys were there, I started right away. I did a couple of 800s and soon saw Tiwazz and Kops21. Once I was done with my run, LimYouLiang came to collect his running set and AlecChua joined us for the dinner. IMD met us at the Commonwealth station, where I gave the guys a Ching Tng treat. Some opt for a second on the house, Dao Suan. Damn... the Dao Suan looks really nice and I did not have my digicam with me. The uncle at dessert store was playing "BeeGees" today. Waa.... Retro-papa... It is Desserts Day, afterall.