A running trip around the world

Some of us run enough to have run around the world, some dream of literally doing so – this week’s blog is about a Canadian runner who is currently lacing up her shoes around the world; with family in tow.

Rose Meeder

Rose is 43 years old, married and is a mom to four kids  between the ages of five and 10. She`s a doctor, married to a doctor, and the family lives in in Orillia, Ont.

Rose started running to lose weight after the birth of her last child and, like many, found it a great mental and social outlet. She was hooked. Rose carves out one hour to run each day between life, kids, house and work demands. Since first lacing up, Rose has now run five marathons with a 3:57 personal best in Chicago.

Running around world

About a year ago Rose and her husband decided to take their kids and go on a trip around the world. Their goal was to spend some quality family time together and experience the adventure of other cultures. Before her kids arrived, both her and her husband had volunteered as doctors in Kenya and Bangladesh. Rose wanted to share this kind of experience together with her entire family this time. She also wanted to bring along her running shoes.

In September 2014 ,their itinerary was set. Guatemala, Maui, Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia, Bali, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Uganda and then Holland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Slovakia and Czech Republic.

The trip began in January and Rose had a plan to run the Rotterdam Marathon in April. Before Rotterdam was the heat of Maui and Tahiti, the sheep and scenery of New Zealand, beaches of Australia and the running in Uganda.

“I had a six-kilometre loop around this deep crater lake Kyaninga near our lodge. Gorgeous and mesmerizing and also at about 7000 feet! Altitude training!”

I managed to get hold of Rose and her country-hopping family for a few questions.

Are you managing to get some running in every day or at least a few times in every place you are?

A couple countries were complete write-offs for me. I didn’t run at all Guatemala, twice in Vietnam, and only once in Bali. It is tricky to run in busy cities where streets were unfamiliar, narrow and congested.

In some countries I would get an hour run in almost every day (Maui, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, Ethiopia) and in other countries, because of busy roads, no trails, our travel itinerary (early flights, overnight trains), juggling kids and family stuff, there were long, seven-to-10-day stretches of no running at all. Ethiopia was probably my best training as I was running about 45-50 kilometres per week at altitude, so travel running can be challenging!”

What is the most amazing run you have done so far?

I’d have to say the run I did around Lake Kyaninga in Uganda. I was hanging around the lobby of our lodge and happened to notice a young woman lacing up her running shoes. Since I was completely unfamiliar with the trails I asked if I could join her and presto: great, amazingly-scenic, Nike-poster run six kilometres around Lake Kyanginga.

What have you learned about yourself or about running so far on your trip?

Tenacity and adaptability can get you far in life! Being tenacious when circumstances around you bring frustration but you choose to press on  – whiny kids, crap weather, loss of comforts – breaking through the wall, knowing you did your best, either with your parenting or on the race course. Both are equally rewarding and give you strength for the next challenge ahead.

You can follow Rose’s adventure on Tumblr.