Aussie aims to run 52 marathons in 1 year

By DIAA HADID
Associated Press Writer

TIBERIAS, Israel(AP) — Pledging to “run like crazy,” an
Australian distance runner has set out to complete 52 marathons
in 52 weeks.

If 33-year-old Tristan Miller succeeds, the Melbourne native
will have overcome the pain of getting divorced and losing his
job by running about 1,360 miles while flying all over the
world, coping with jet lag, unfamiliar food, little training
time and wildly different climates.

“This isn’t the smartest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s
definitely the best thing I’ve ever done,” Miller said after
completing his second marathon of the year in Tiberias, a town
in northern Israel located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

Miller finished the race in 3 hours, 52 minutes, 36 seconds,
nearly 30 minutes off his personal best of 3:23 and 10 minutes
slower than the marathon he ran last week. He attributed the
slow pace to his body being weakened by a lingering cold he
caught in snowy Berlin and the heat of an unusually warm Israeli
winter day.

“I’ve probably got one three-hour marathon in me, but probably
only just one,” Miller said.

The Australian finished in the middle of the pack at Tiberias,
where spectators lined the streets, clowns entertained the crowd
and one onlooker brought along his pet alligator.

Miller ran the first 26.2-mile marathon in his quest last week
in Switzerland. Next week, he plans to run in Mumbai, India,
before heading to the Canary Islands on Jan. 24. In all, he
plans to compete in 42 countries.

The Australian’s life took a turn for the worse in 2003. His
marriage fell apart – the divorce was amicable, he says – and he
began drinking for solace.

A friend then invited him running, and Miller found meaning in
long runs.

“I think my life was in a bit of a cloud by the time I got
divorced,” Miller said. “(But) I found my way out of my cloud. I
found it, because you start running and the cloud lifts and life
is clear again.”

Miller was already a distance runner when he lost a high-tech
job in Melbourne last April. Instead of looking for a new job,
he sold his apartment and decided to use the money to run
marathons all over the world.

Miller convinced his best friend – New Zealand native Darren
Foss – to keep him company on the odyssey.

“You want to be with someone when you see some of the most
amazing places in the world,” Miller said. “And he can carry the
other camera.”

When he decided to take up running for the year, Miller had
completed five marathons and one ultramarathon – a 56-mile run
in South Africa in May. He says his health is good, and as long
as he recovers properly between marathons, he believes can do a
race a week. He says he has found other runners who have done
similarly intense schedules, but not on a global scale.

Training will be a challenge. Last week, Miller got stranded in
snowed-in Berlin for several days after the bad weather canceled
his flight and he couldn’t run because of a cold.

Food is another problem: Miller prefers to eat brown rice,
vegetables and “a bit of meat” – but he stays frequently in
hotels without a place to prepare food and has to rely on eating
out.

Miller thinks the year of marathoning will cost about $150,000
for himself and Foss. The Australian is looking for sponsors,
and is promising to give half to UNICEF.

In the meantime, he’s preparing for the next marathon.

“I’ve got 50 to go,” Miller said. “It doesn’t seem so far.”

On the Net: www.runlikecrazy.com