Jan Muench - Why I run...

"I like running. I have been running every day for more than 20 years and I guess I have circumvented the globe almost twice.

After getting up in the morning I have to run. Every day. Its my meditation. Running balances me and I guess the fact that I like long runs has provided me with helpful insight into my personality (i'm not too worried though since the best thing about any run is still coming home). Admittedly, however, I do like the fact that this balancing act doesnt come at the expense of independence and is free of team spirits and pressures.

But all these philosopical aspects aside running is above all a sport and a great way for me to explore my world, whether i'm running through the countryside of my childhood or the big city. I have come to believe that I have seen more forgotten corners and hidden canals in London than any other person.

This year I have run in more than 5 countries; I ran in a snow storm in the mountains which made me lose my way and wade through waist-deep snow. I ran though tropical heat and sun, heavy rain, poor neighbourhoods and rich ones, I was greeted by friendly people, laughed at and hunted by less happy ones and scared by some dogs. Currently I'm running on the lonely backroads of Ontario's Haliburton Highlands, including endless stretches of Highway 35.

My equipment, other than super soft running shoes and the standard 6 piece track suit, are at least two Gore Tex rain jackets (for summer and winter), a new GPS watch which tells me distance and speed (and can be anlysed on the computer) and a fanny pack with a water bottle sized can of black bear repellent spray, which doesnt help against the only real risk of occasional mosquito attacks. I guess not everything about my running is orthodox including my training plan (I make it up depending on how I feel).

But while running is more than a means to an end I certainly do have objectives. Every run is a small physical achievment which has improved my fitness every year. I also believe the will to endure is a skill worth training. The main objective for this year is the NYC marathon. While most of the time running is an individualistic experience for me I'm excited to take the streets of NYC with thousands of others. I like the city (which I know from hundreds of runs) and I think its culture is a perfect backdrop for this modern pilgrimage. This applies even more so for Camfed and its mission. Education is the road to independence and I'm looking forward to run alongside others to help to open it up."

Jan lives and (mostly) runs in London. Please support his fundraising efforts: GO JAN!