I recently received a message from Yves Barbreau of France, who plans to take an ultra-marathon team to America in September 2008 so it can run one marathon a day in eight days, on each of the eight Route 66 states.
It is called Team Globules, boasting a two-time French marathon champion and a winner of the European 100-kilometer race. It apparently does fundraising for research into Evans syndrome, an immunity disorder.
Here’s an excerpt from Yves’ blog, as translated from French by Google:
The Team will travel to the WBC route 66 from east to west, as is the tradition by wearing the colors of the A.F.S.E.!
On the trail of Thelma and Louise, she will leave Arkansas, transferred to Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona (Grand Canyon) to finish in Southern California in the Mojave Desert, where is the famous “road motel Baghdad coffee, which gave its name to the film!
Route 66, 2,448 long miles (about 4,000 km) retains a mythical character immortalized in books, movies, songs; It remains a symbol of the American deep off the beaten track, a nostalgic evocation of the age gold of a vanished America.
The blog says the team will run in six states, but Yves’ e-mail said Team Globules will run in all eight Route 66 states. Either way, it’s no idle feat.
The translator tripped over the reference to Bagdad Cafe, which is in the Mojave Desert down of Newberry Springs and was a foreign film by the same name. The movie has enticed a lot of Europeans to travel the Mother Road.
I’ve already given Yves advice on where to run so the team can be on the real Route 66 for long stretches, avoid the interstate, and run in relative safety.
I love ultrarunners. They’re a breed apart. A friend from a running club told me about Chris Carver who runs 60 miles to the start of a ten mile race, does the race and then runs home! He also did a 24 hour race around a track! I think I would die of boredom first.
I’m training for marathon three in my own quest to run in all eight Rt 66 states. But I’m having trouble tracking down a race on or near the route in Arizona. Any advice?