Friday, June 17, 2005

The midnight sun

Greetings from Anchorage, Alaska.

I'm up here with Team in Training for the Mayor's Midnight Sun marathon. For those of you who have never been to Alaska, you owe it to yourself to experience the beauty of this place.

This is my 6th trip to Anchorage and I've spent time "down" in Southeast Alaska [Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka] and I can tell you that it is everything you think it is, and more. It's raw, it's majestic, it's - well - it's the last frontier.

Life doesn't change very quickly up here. I wrote an unpublished "Penguin Chronicle" called "Absence of Momentum" about life in Seward, Alaska. It's a city in a time warp, it seemed to me. It was like having been transported back to 1972. Pleasant, but frozen in time.

Waddle on, friends.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

John, it was so good to meet you in Anchorage!

I'm the heavy runner who was walking the event with no training (I sure wouldn't recommend it to anyone). I'm happy to say we made it just fine and even incorporated a run/walk for the last 6-7 miles.

Oh, and I have to thank you. You took one of our teammates at the end and got her warmed up in your car after she finished. You have been the topic of much conversation within our team.

I've written you before and really want to say again that you really are a hero of mine. You give me great hope as a heavy runner (waddler).

I'm back in training and may see you either in Rochester or at Marine Corps.

GO TEAM!

Anonymous said...

Hi John,
I, too, was in Anchorage with TNT, my 6th trip there, four times as a participant, once as a coach. You may remember (of course you do!) talking with my sister and me at the TNT tent after the race. Her name is Susie, from CA. We love your inspiration and always look forward to seeing you at every event. Thanks for all you do for TNT! We love you and your dedication. Go TEAM!
Sincerely,
Linda Arant
Westfield, IN