Dokkodo: Lonesome Road of Running

November 23 is designated as a national holiday called Labor Thanksgiving Day. I had a talk event in Temma Mantendo, Osaka for the first time since I came back in Japan. As I have another event held in Okayama on December 4, I created a slideshow with some photos I had taken in Europe. Some of my friends came and see me and they blessed our marriage. Mr&Mrs Yano gave us  a bouquet of flowers. We're all connected to each other in this world...on the same planet and under the same sky. The next one is planned on December 4 in Okayama.

We, Piapi and I met on Facebook on July 9, 2011 while I was running across USA. Met each other in Osaka for the first time on February 7, 2012. And we got engaged on June 9, 2013 before I started to run across Australia. But it was not an official marriage but we lived together in Osaka. We promised to become husband and wife legally after I came back from PEACE RUN 2016 Running Around Europe. And that’s what we did today. Nothing has changed but Piapi changing her surname. In Japan, November 22 is designated as A Good Couple Day for married couples. Yes, today must have been the day when we decided to be a good couple for ever and ever.

Ran 10K at Yatomi Charity Marathon held in Aichi Prefecture. This running event is hosted by Yatomi Lions Club as a charity marathon to help childhood cancer patients. I was invited as a guest runner for a consecutive 2 years. It was kind of a small local running event but about 750 runners   participated in 4 events including 10K, 5K, TRY-2.5K and Family-TRY 2.5K. Under the sunny blue sky, it was a bit too warm but I had a really good time running with lots of runners sharing peaceful moment with them. There were many costume players running here and there. Couples, friends and families enjoyed running together. I'm sure they all had an excellent time. Hope I can run with them next year too! * See More Photos

Leaving Paris about noon on 15th, I returned home in Osaka, Japan in the afternoon on 16th. Everything went OK. Spent some hours in Shanghai, China but enjoyed 15 hour-flight in total. Back home again after 4 months!! This is my home country! Arriving at KIX(Kansai International Airport), Osaka with Piapi, Goro and Kentaro.

Woke up a bit earlier in the rainy morning. Checking out, we left a hotel for the airport by taxi. Finally the time has come when I have to leave Paris, France, and Europe. Going back home for the first time in about 4 months. Many things must have changed in Japan. Many things may have changed within me myself. Anyway, isn’t it nice for a traveler to come back home? There are lots of people I want to see again. Security check is what I have to be serious. After all we got on board after following some procedures. I watched some movies, ate in-flight meals 4 times and the time went by in the air.

Final day in Paris. Another cloudy day. First I went for a 70 postage stamps at La Poste(post office). I got to send postcards to those who had supported me through crowdfunding. They say Montmartre has a friendship-town relationship with Kobe Kitano. Both are similar and famous for lots of hills. Place du Tertre is the mecca of modern art where there are lots of painters. I met a 63-year-old Japanese painter who had lived in Paris more than 40 years. He told me about his life in Paris and Paris today. He said he had his own vision. His purpose of painting is to make people smile and to make them feel happy. He insisted we have to help each other to make ourselves happy. I was walking around in Japanese Kimono and One-Tooth Geta. Everyone looks at me and asked me if they could take photos. I can make friends just walking around in One-Tooth Geta. But it was a bit hard to walk on stone pavement so rough and uneven. There were two black men singi...

Walking around Paris with Piapi. Chilly, cloudy and drizzle. Visited a shopping mall called Le Forum des Halles. Christmas holidays are drawing near. It’s Sunday. Some stores were closed but some weren’t. I saw people’s smiles and heard people’s laughter here and there. There were families, friends and lovers. We’re connected to each other, that’s why we can share a peaceful moment. Walking with my wife, I really appreciate the very moment on which we enjoy life in peace. It’s been a year today when there was a terrorist’s attack in Paris. Now there are lots of soldiers with automatic rifles walking around with serious faces. There was also a memorial event held in town. At a department store, a young man from Edinburgh talked me while I was walking in Japanese Kimono and One-Tooth Geta(wooden sandal). Joe was his name. He was his girl friend. He said he was so curious about my geta. And I let him wear mine, which made him smile a big smile. I ...

At a glance we’re in peaceful Paris but the fact is… On a street corner we often see a group of young soldiers with rifles in their arms walking around. Their mission is to kill terrorists. They don’t have to arrest terrorists but just terminate them. They wear camouflage uniforms and look so cool. They are always ready to shoot guns. Their fingers are always put on a triggers. I’m too scared to see the scenery because I cannot help imagining a bloody one. In Japan we have never seen such a horrible sight before but we cannot tell what will happen in the future. Hope we human beings live in peace wherever we are. * See More Photos

2 days after the final run. It’s All Saints Day, National holiday. Walked around Le Malais with Piapi. Visited Picasso Museum. When we came back, Piapi’s suitcase, which had once got lost baggage, was back. It’s been a long time since I saw sunny blue sky last. When wind stopped, it was so warm. I walked around Paris in One-Tooth Geta. People in Paris were so curious that they paid much attention to me. * See More Photos

Woke up to find myself not alone. My wife is next to me. In my dream I was still running. 2 years ago today I left Japan for Auckland to run across New Zealand. 3 years ago yesterday I finished running across the Nullarbor Plain, South Australia. As I often say, every goal is just a passing point. I want to keep chasing what’s beyond the goal. But I’m happy spending a relaxing time in a hotel room looking back to these 110 days. Every day I feel happiest to live for the moment surrounded by good companies. I always appreciate someone and something with no reason. Walk around the hotel with Piapi and we found marche held near the hotel . Every shops, stores and buildings looked good to us. We felt as if we had been in an imaginary world. My lonely days were finally gone, with no one to talk to… * See More Photos 

Leaving a hotel about 12 noon, we moved to another hotel in Le Malais. Getting ready for the final run, we started after 1pm. Piapi, Goro and Kentaro were running together with me. It was raining on and off and wind blew a bit too hard. Les Champs-Elysees was so beautiful and exciting. I was surprised to see Arc de Triomphe getting closer. Suddenly rain stopped as soon as I reached it. It was in the middle of round about. Pedestrian couldn’t enter. So we went downstairs through tunnel, then moved under Arc de Triomphe. After running 3360km in 110 days, visiting 7 countries, I finished PEACE RUN 2016 Running Around Europe Part1. So happy to run with my pals and two friends came and see me. We took photos shared the happiest moment in my life. See the movie which Goro and Mina took. *Today’s Distance: 6.3 km *Total Distance in Europe: 3358.8 km * See More Photos

Chilly morning. Felt like staying in the fridge. Soon Piapi, my wife and her pals will arrive in Paris. Starting at 8:30 am in the rain, just 2.2 km to San Sebastian Airport. Too early to check in, so I waited for a while until my wet buggy got dry then packed it up. A guy, who looked like Billy Joel and an office clerk of Iberia Airline, asked me if I was going to Madrid. I said yes. And then he issued airline ticket for me 2 hours earlier than check in time. Piapi and her pals arrived at the Charles de Gaulle Airport but what happened to them was lost-baggage. What!? They have no suitcase with them. Hope they will be found as soon as possible. Spent about 2 hours for the transition in Madrid, just 2.5-hour flight to Paris. Met my wife for the first time in 3.5 months. As I haven’t seen any Japanese person and haven’t spoken any Japanese for a long time, meeting them made me feel kind of strange. We took a shuttle bus to the hotel. Enjoyed buffet at t...

A scene from a hotel room...Irun, Spain A friend of my told me IRUN(where I am now) is an appropriate name to me because it reads “I RUN.” It made me nod. Chilly rain is pouring all day. 4 degrees in the morning made me feel it’s perfectly winter. Shopped at the supermarket in town. First time I touched a part of Spanish culture. I wish I could stay a little bit longer here in Spain. All I did was spending just a few days only doing shopping at the supermarket. Looking forward to coming back the next time. Tomorrow I’ll run to San Sebastian Airport just 2 km away from here. Then I head to Paris via Madrid. The final run is due on 9th from Charles de Gaulle Airport to Arc de Triomphe. Then I have a week to enjoy sightseeing in Paris with my wife Piapi and our her pals. It’s about a week from today when I come back in Osaka for the first time in 3.5 months. General map of the route I have followed...It's about 3,400km and the distance is as ...

Mites woke me up during the night, so itchy! Weather forecast said 100 percent chance of rain. And storm and flood warning was out in the south western part of France. Temperature 6-10 degrees, I got to keep myself warm. Started at 9 am when the rain slacked up. But it was raining on and off all through the day. Both of my shoes and socks were wet. It’s okay as long as I kept running but once I stopped I felt so chilly. When I arrived at Saint Jean de Luiz, which was a 15 km point, the rain stopped a little while and the blue sky showed up but soon dark clouds covered the sky… Last 10 km was a hill climb. These mountains might be a part of Pyrénées Mountains. Suddenly something hard hit my rain jacket.　It was not rain but hail!! About 2:30 pm I cross the river and the border of Spain. Checked in at a hotel in Irun at 3 pm. The owner didn’t speak English but he was a nice guy. He helped me carry my baggage into the room. This is the end of PEACE RUN 2016 Ru...

Pouring rain outside. No run today but tomorrow I have to run in the chilly rain. It will be 6-10 degrees. When the wind brows, I feel much colder. Just 30 km to Irun, Spain. It’s going to be my goal this time. I’ll be leaving Spain at San Sebastian Airport for Paris the day after tomorrow. I have been enjoying my daily life here in non-English speaking countries in Europe since I arrived in Hamburg, Germany on the 4th of September. I have never felt home sick because of internet, food is so good and everyone is so nice and kind. It may be hard to say goodbye to Europe. My run in Europe this time ends in Irun, Spain tomorrow just after crossing the border of Spain. Final run is due on 9th from Charles de Gaulle Airport to Arc de Triomphe. About 20km. About 100-day travel made me learn so many things filled with lots of encounter, discovery and notice. There have been so many experiences and so many encounters while traveling. They are treasures I have got during...

Another day-off in Biarritz. I’ll leave Sunday morning. I was bitten by mites during the night. Mites kept me awake. I used to stay at an old small apartment in my university days, where I was often attacked by mites. It’s too small to see but on a white sheet it’s visible in my eyes. Little did I expect to have been bitten by mites here in France! Went out for a shopping in a drizzle. Even though I don’t run, I eat a lot. I don’t eat that much at one time but I have a dairy product such as cheese and yogurt, and　a food made from flour or meal, such as bread and cakes. I guess may have become fat looking at me in the mirror. When I come back in Japan, I’ll try fasting again and take much soya beans or food processed from soya beans like TOFU. We are what we eat, that’s true. When something wrong with us, food habit will change. *Today’s Distance: 0 km *Total Distance in Europe: 3318.1 km *No More Photos Sorry!

It will be wet weekend. The last blue sky is seen on Friday. Saying goodbye to Catherine I left Saint Geours de Maremne at 8:30. Soon I followed a local trail but at one point there was a rope which meant not to enter but I had no choice. At the other end, there was a fence with a barbed wire. Folded my buggy and lifted it up with my baggage. And I jumped up over the fence like a ninja! Dead end and detour are almost daily event this time. It means there are lots of private property in Europe. Bayonne was a quite big town. That’s why road was busy. Today I saw big super markets many times. I checked it at a hotel in Biarritz. The border of Spain is just 30 km away from here. I’m going to stay here until Sunday 6th. Then I run to Irun, Spain where I am supposed to stay until Tuesday 8th. Hope everything will be OK until the final run. *Today’s Distance: 43.1 km *Total Distance in Europe: 3318.1 km * See More Photos

Attended trail walk as I did last Wednesday. We enjoyed about 1.5 hour-walk along a quiet trail near Lake Soustons chatting, picking up mushrooms, taking photos and so on. We human beings stay young as long as we keep walking or running. We grow old because we stop walking or running. We met cyclists group, and most of them were between 60s and 70s. I know they are cycling freaks judging from their style, but I have never seen hybrid mountain bikes in Japan! Isn’t it nice to enjoy outdoor actives without minding they ages? I have seen lots of senior people who enjoy outdoor activities such as cycling, running, surfing since I came in Europe. In Japan there are many senior people who stay indoors never going out for outdoor activities. The older we grow, the more active we should be. Tomorrow is the day I leave Saint Geours de Maremne for Birlitz. *Today’s Distance: 0 km *Total Distance in Europe: 3275.0 km * See More Photos

I woke up to find myself under the sunny blue sky! It’s been a while since I saw such a beautiful sky last. November started just today. In 2011 I was still along the way running across the US heading to NYC. About this time I had a hard time running in the chilly rain, when the Halloween cold front hit the east coast. I’ll be in Paris a week from now (8th of November), when Piapi my wife and her pals will join me. And the day after(9th of November) I’ll run from the airport to the Arch of Triumph. As so many things have happened in October, my schedule was changed so often and I have spent so many days without running. But now I can imagine myself running through the arch with a big smile where there friends of mine come and see me. As I always say, “Every goal is a passing point.” It’s just a step which lead us to the next starting point. I haven’t finished yet but I got to look upon the future beyond the goal. My next trek “PEACE RUN 2017 Running Around...