Half marathoners 3COFFEE WITH WARREN, with Warren Harbeck |
|
We have three coffee companions who truly are globetrotters. Literally! Burt Boucock, Marisa Croft and Lesley Neaves are siblings, the children of Cochranites Bill and (the late) Judi Boucock. They’ve just completed running a half marathon on their fifth of our world’s seven continents, South America, in the awe-inspiring Torres del Paine National Park region of Chilean Patagonia. How did this all start? The Siblings-3, as I’ll refer to them here, began running half marathons almost nine years ago. “We set a goal of running a half marathon together on each continent,” they tell me. “It is wonderful to train and travel as a family, where we can support each other and experience the amazing places, people, cultures, and different environments. These endeavours strengthen family ties, support an active lifestyle, enrich our own lives, and perhaps inspire others we meet along the way.” They ran their first international half marathon in 2015 in Europe – Dublin, Ireland, to be exact. Then they ran in North America, Asia, Australia, and now South America. In their 21 km run in Patagonia, mostly through the national park, cheered on by llama-like guanacos dotting the landscape, they achieved their goal of the fifth continent. Africa and Antarctica, now it’s your turn! I asked them what stood out this time. “Especially memorable about Patagonia are the Andes,” they said. “Yes, they feel similar to our Rockies, yet they are different. You would see the lakes shimmering in the sunlight showing off their beautiful blue colour from the glaciers. You would look away for a few minutes, and then, like a curtain opened up in the sky, there were these majestic mountain peaks filling the skyline. They would take your breath away. Then suddenly, as quickly as they appeared, they would be covered up by clouds, and you would never know they were there! “It was truly a gift to witness such beauty – a gift our late mother, an artist, nurtured us in. “We also have to credit our father for his dedication to being active. He would always be out jogging or riding his bike on the roads and hills of Toki, where we grew up, and his commitment to be active has inspired us three siblings to continue the tradition!” Ah yes, the gifts of beauty and life example. Thank you, Siblings-3. Truly inspiring!
© 2023 Warren Harbeck |