From Dead to Red (a.k.a. Dead)

From Dead to Red

Dear Friends and Family,

This weekend 30 CIEE students discovered what it means to work as a team and the pros and cons of running 242 KM. The weekend started Thursday afternoon after my Arabic class ended and I scurried back home to pick up my running shoes which I, of course, left lying under my bed as I packed everything I would need for the weekend. At 1 o’clock we loaded into three cars and two busses. Each bus held 10 runners and 3 to 5 back-up and support staff members. The ride to the Dead Sea was full of excited chatter about what strategies were best for this run and how hard it would actually be. The set up for the run was this: each team had a bus that would drive ahead in approximately 5 KM increments and park to wait for the runners to arrive. For each team there was a car which would load up 4 runners. This car would follow behind each runner as head lights throughout the night for the runner. When each runner finished the car would pull slightly ahead to set up the next runner and pick up the last. If you’re thinking, Jesus Christ this is the most gas exhaustive process on this planet, I’m there with you, but for the experience I don’t think there is another system available. 

Our team, team “Jamz” decided to employ a technique of running in 10 minute intervals so as to cover more ground and not over-exhaust ourselves from the start. The other CIEE team decided to do the same, but as night drew closer they switched to 5 minute intervals to move faster. We did the opposite; as night came in we switched to 20 minute intervals so that those on the bus had a longer period in which to sleep and try to recover for the coming day. Probably one of the most sublime moments of the run was as we ran through a local village of Bedouin cheering us on as the sun set. I was in the runner’s car as we passed through the village but of course got out for my run at the village outskirts and missed out on all the fun. The sublimity of the run was quickly lost upon my dribbling nose and mucus clogged chest so as the night came on I opted to sit out and give my body a rest. 

I woke up around 7 am to find that our team had fallen behind the other CIEE group by about 3 KM. Members of my team were dropping like flies; PJ with a knee injury, Julia had thrown up, Quinn had hip pain, and everyone else was feeling the 120 KM from the day/night before. I still felt like death but extremely guilty for sleeping the night before so against my bodies rasping coughs of pain I decided to jump back in the game and lend some fresh legs to catch up to our main competitors from CIEE team “Cool Running’s.” As we drew within 10 KM of Aqaba we were neck to neck with the other group. We decided to switch to literally 1 minute intervals of straight sprints and were giving Cool Running’s a shot for their money but as we leapt upon the concrete city sidewalks we began to eat dust. We ended up reaching the finish line minutes behind but not discouraged in the least. 

The race had been sponsored by KFC and Red Bull (don’t get me started on how ironic this is) and so at the finish we were given cans of red bull and sprayed one another in celebration. Relieved to be finished and exhausted for the 19 and a half hours of running we decided to book into our hotels straight away. David, Becca and I got a room at the Captain’s Hotel and upon check-in passed out immediately. That night at 7 pm we were invited to a marathon dinner at the swanky MovenPick Resort. We had to sit and listen to an award ceremony for about 2 hours but it was worth it as all the contestants finally crammed into buffet “lines” and were served amazingly delicious, gourmet and free food. As we sat stuffing our faces many of the CIEE students planned the big night ahead. Because Aqaba is an economic free trade zone, the absurd 200% tax on alcohol no longer applies. To a group of college students from America this meant that we were going to have a good time. Little did we know that our hobbling legs (yes we could barely hobble after 242 KM of running) would lead us straight back to bed. 

The next morning we woke up to a nice hotel breakfast and lay out in the beautifully breezy sun and planned the day ahead of us. We quickly realized there was no way 18 of us (the students who had stayed) were going to be able to sneak onto any private beaches. So, PJ devised a new plan. For 25 JD each we rented a Venetian boat for 3 hours to bring us to two snorkel spots. Thus commenced the most beautiful and relaxing day of my trip to Jordan. The group of us packed onto the boat with booze in hand and took advantage of the liberal atmosphere and beautiful day. Aqaba is an up and coming tourist town that really contradicts the traditional Muslim culture that surrounds it in the rest of Jordan. Visitors and locals alike come to Aqaba to lay on beaches looking out on clear blue water, snorkel over beautiful reefs, stay at swanky resorts, and drink alcohol! From the boat we marveled at the difference between Aqaba’s high rise resorts and the lower-built but more congested and developed Israeli coast cities. It was crazy to think that we were floating on waters between countries that had been in conflict for a hundred years. 

I can safely say the Dead to Red Marathon is one of the most amazing things I have ever done. I started the race marveling at the calm waters of the Dead Sea and 24 hours later relaxed on the rolling waves of the Red Sea. I got to run along roads that over-looked the rolling mountains of the Israeli border and not fear the conflict that looms upon those borders. I pushed myself so hard that my 12 other team mates and I will be taking steps at 30 seconds apiece for the next month. And after all this I’m now sitting in bed with my second sick day of the trip trying to blog through a mushy head and congested lungs. (Sorry if none of this makes any sense but I feel like death and I need to get some things done to leave room for the homework ahead).

Jordan continues to amaze me. I can’t wait to see what next weekend holds for me. To be honest, I’m hoping I can just stay at home and start working on the two 12 page papers I’ve been assigned by Dr. Zubi al’Zubi instead of pushing them off any longer.

Love,

Wylie of Arabia