Monday, September 29, 2008

What Marathon?


Sometimes I am amazed at the connection you can find. This is picture bizarrely contains a number of family relationship.

Running is a way I mark out my territory. If I cover a route enough times I get to know the landscape and feel an association. This is a photo from a familiar run it is therefore part of my territory. So that is me

The totem pole was carved in British Colombia and shipped out to a timber merchant who used to operate from this site in Berkhamsted. My sister now lives in British Colombia. So that is my sister.

In the background is a pub called the Crystal Palace, an area of London I know well, not only because my elder daughter currently lives there but because my mother's family come from nearby in Croydon. My mother was a girl when the Palace burnt down in 1936 and she once told me of her memories of watching the flames dominating the night sky. She also supported the football team. So that is my mother and my daughter.

What other relationships can I find? Oh yes... the totem pole was actually carved on Vancouver Island and in two weeks time I am going to visit my sister. She and my brother-in-law are going to run the half marathon, my wife is going to run the 8k and I am going to run the marathon in Victoria, Vancouver Island.

So that is it. There is no way I am in good enough shape for a marathon but I have to try. I have to follow the connections in the photo.

4 comments:

WildWill said...

The orange advert says "we are all the people .. " maybe we are also "all the places ..."

Highway Kind said...

Yes.

It's odd the links you can find sometimes

Anonymous said...

Wow, that sounds like quite some trip, what a fit bunch you are! Best of luck with the marathon, maybe break it up by taking lots of photos for us to enjoy on your return?

Highway Kind said...

We are yet to see how fit we really are