📈 Q3 2023 Wrap Report 📉

Hello Adventurers, 

What’s that Pyrrhic saying again? Y’know something about losing the battle but winning the war? Dunno…I’m a peacenik…so military analogies — especially those used by civilians — they tend be more real-world redonk than poetic licence punchy (i.e. us plebs mostly only ever go to war at Costco / Tesco when looking for parking, and occasionally suffer the wound of a fender most bender’d…in our pursuit of bulk discounts). Me? If I had I more bandwidth in my braindead brain, I’d offer some witty alliteration ‘bout Malta, medics / medicine, and me needing to be on the mend quicker. Basically, yada yada…this intro has nothing to do with war, and everything to do with Malta kicking my ass. And I don’t know if I’m winning or losing…but I am still in the fight.

This issue of the newsletter is a quarterly wrap…where I look back at places been / some lessons learned…as I enter the final quarter of this project. And somehow I’m still in the running as well as totally focused on the singular job I have to do; get to 240 marathons by 11:59PM EST on New Year’s Eve 2023.

Anyhoo, I had some physical setbacks — as well as technological setbacks — this week…so this issue of the newsletter is atypically short (because I’m half-fucked at the mo). My apologies, but we’re still gonna get into it — to the best of our abilities — because the work doesn’t get done unless we do the work,

- Ben Pobjoy

2023 TREK TRACKER

Where in the world...record am I?

• Countries visited: 60

• Flights taken: 61

• Kilometres flown: 86,419

• Marathons completed: 184

• Kilometres trekked by foot: 8,754.2

• Total kilometres trekked since 2015: 71,846

RAPID QUATERLY RECAP

A speedy synopsis of Q3 2023 for time-crunched readers

• The Wildest Thing: Prior to leaving for any ‘leg’ of this project, I walk into my bank — with my travel itinerary in hand — and politely ask the bank teller to put a note on my accounts (about my dates / destinations…so my accounts don’t get frozen when I make purchases abroad). The teller always confirms a note has been made, says we’re legit Gucci…and then my accounts get frozen every single time I go back on the road, LOL. Like, it is comedically bewildering how inept / ‘go fuck yourself’ the hegemonic banks / telcos / airlines are when they err, and how it’s fully on one’s self to resolve their fuck ups (with little recourse, and no reimbursement ever offered). Normally, it’s no biggie for me to correct…but my recent ‘account freeze’ rendered my Uber app unusable at 3AM one morning when I had to get to the airport (when public transit wasn’t even running) as it prevented the renewal of my monthly subscription for my GPS device (being the only way my family can track my whereabouts / my only SOS lifeline in the event of an emergency). Everything is good now — after a 45 minute call with my bank — where I had to confirm a hundred purchases with some call centre dood…as he confirmed the bank teller didn’t mark up my accounts correctly last August🤯

• The Biggest Obstacle: My laptop is now on the fritz — it seems like an internal cord / connection between the keyboard and the screen is loose / fried — so I can only open the lid 45 degrees before the screen goes dark (making any computer work — joyous or not — a pain in the neck, LOL). So plz pray for my computer…it needs to stay alive until Mid-November…because that’s the soonest I can replace it when I’m back in Canada (as laptop prices in Europe are the North American numbers…prefaced by the Euro currency symbol)😰

• The Lesson Learned: It is impossible to swallow an entire elephant in one gulp, but if the elephant is carved up into bite-size pieces, it becomes snackable. This is a metaphor for this project, and how I’ve learnt to make the impossible, possible🧐

THE LAST QUARTER: IN REVIEW

Stats and anecdotes from Q3 2023

If my memory is correct, I think I started September ‘ahead of plan’ with regards to the total number of marathons I had completed this year (with respect to the conservative, year-long schedule I must honour in order to set a new world record by year’s end). Like, it wasn’t much — maybe I was up by just one marathon? — but this nevertheless functions like a form of insurance should I come up short at month’s end (and need to make a ‘withdrawal’ so as to ensure I remain on schedule).

The hope was to build on this momentum in September — and start banking surplus marathons — but this didn’t happen…because I got sick in the final week of September (and had to lessen my marathon pace). Basically, Malta was tough on me, it weakened my immune system, and I caught a head cold thereafter. These things aren’t terrible — like, a head cold is generally manageable / not derailing in normal life — but I’m driving my body so hard that it can’t recover (because I’m pummelling it with near-daily marathons). As such, a head cold that’d usually take a few days to pass now takes a few weeks to pass…and at worst, it could spiral outta control into something like pneumonia…and I can’t risk the latter. The result? Well, I could only do 20 marathons in September, and I guess I’m happy with that number…because I’m kinda on the mend / not getting worse, and I’m not behind schedule either.

Furthermore, I kept my ‘marathon attack’ going in Spain — after Malta — where it has been upwards of 35°C on some days. Luckily, the heat is dry — and I personally love dry heat — but the urban ‘heat corridors’ here are real / the sun is unforgiving. As such, I’ve had to marathon in the farm-y countryside where there’s more breeze ‘cause it’s open and hilly (but has no shade whatsoever)…and this has really tested my ‘field craft’ where hydration / glucose / sodium management requires advanced knowledge (because you can easily bonk, faint or get heat stroke if you fuck up…and I’ve been able to avoid all that while marathoning congested / coughing up lung butter…while recently doing four marathons in four days). My expertise has been earned from tens and tens of thousands of kilometres trekked by foot in lots of different conditions, and I’m so grateful I have this experience (if I didn’t then Spain would be beating me in every war and battle).

I’d like to hit you with some really good-sounding ‘mind over matter mumbo jumbo ra-ra-inspo’ about how I’m holding it down…but it’d be a lie; TBH, my mind and my body are excuse prone right now. However, I am resolute in my purpose — knowing the job I need to get done this year — and this ‘clear objective’ is what I tap into near-daily to override the mutinous forces inside of me. I can’t yet explain this phenomenon-to-me — like, it has nothing to do with ‘spirit’ or ‘soul’ — more so, it’s about ‘mission’ and ‘meaning’ being imprinted onto every fibre of whatever I am / have to be for the success of this project. Really, I think it is like a riff on Kant’s Categorical Imperative — concerning motivation for action — but a hack that has nothing to do with morality, and everything to do with operation. As such, it’s ‘essence’ converted into the ‘essential’, and that is the ‘carved elephant made snackable’ which is the most powerful lesson the Marathon Earth Challenge has taught me this year.

Anyhoo, despite temporarily being ill and weakened (as much of my gear is starting to go kaput), I actually feel really strong in stride. Like, the ground feels solid under my feet and my march is near-mechanical (and very much powered by my essence…which is sorta funny since l’essence is one of the French words for gasoline). That said, October will be the most difficult month of this project — I’m objectively worn from the preceding three quarters of marathons / travel, there’s lots of ‘hot temperature places’ ahead, some red-eye flights, and visits to some highly populated / unknown-to-me places that’ll have jammed / busy streets — but hey, I remain up for the challenge! Plus, I wouldn’t have it any other way; this is the adventure or a lifetime!

The marathons don’t do themselves…so the least I can do this month is the bare minimum; get to 200 marathons by the end of October (earned step-by-step, hence snackable). And then I gotta step-and-repeat that shit — hopefully with a bit more gusto — in November and December.

The mission is singular, and that is the mission; whether I’m weak or strong or sick. I’ll be cautious, but I’m also gonna get ‘er done.

MARATHON MUSINGS

A worldly rundown of hits and misses from Q3 2023

One of the missions of this newsletter is to provide readers with unconventional travel and sightseeing recommendations from the field via my Marathon Earth Challenge. And given subscribers sign up in waves over weeks and weeks, I wanted to do a recap of what slapped and what stunk in the 18 different countries I marathoned since the last quarterly wrap report.

My hope is it functions as a bit of a resource for you to consider or consult when planning your next trip. And anything that's hyperlinked below takes you to old issues of the newsletter...which go way deeper on 'place', and provide exact locations of sights and attractions.

The following is pretty spontaneous and not sequenced in order of importance — or — like from best to worst. So take from it what you will!

THE HITS

Weekend getaway worthy: Ljubljana. Yes, it is tiny…but it is absolutely terrific; especially at night when it looks most gorgeous. IMO it is best enjoyed by older couples who desire quality time together and a slower pace overall…where you can speak and stroll at your leisure. Basically, Slovenia’s capital is really charming and understated, and if you’re more of a reserved person who savours quiet moments, then this place will speak to you. It’s not loud or bumpin’ or happenin’ and that’s sorta the point; it’s good living sans pomp.

Where stunning architecture and noble social policy intersects: Vienna. On appearances, this place truly dazzles the eyes; possessing a European grandeur that’s unparalleled in scale and impact. Basically, you can stroll ‘round Vienna with a cheap coffee in hand…and feel like a millionaire (since you’re continually enveloped by extravagant architecture). Yes, the people are dull and lifeless…but they’re in-part responsible for the city’s imaginative approach to equitable housing (and I believe it is important to visit / study places like this; they create new realities / ditch old orthodoxies / and demonstrate to us a world that is possible).

Culture vulture hotspots: Zürich and Berlin. The former is a standout for high culture, and the latter is a standout for low culture. And one is not better / worse than the other…because both get to great art by different means. Zürich is definitely on the intelligentsia tip where the art is elevated and sophisticated whereas Berlin exemplifies that unbridled, high-octane type of ‘new energy creativity’ that flourishes on the streets (and rams its way into the institutions). If you dig art — as in real art…not (f)art-as-backdrop-for-shitty-social-media-selfies — than these cities will keep your ‘culture cup’ full. Now get there and drink up!

A nexus of history: Budapest and Malta. Places with tumultuous histories can learn from their past…or be beholden to the worst aspects of yesteryear…and both can be educational for very different reasons. Like, Budapest was fucked in the 20th century / is fucking itself in the 21st century…and today offers a masterclass on mistakes left uncorrected (as the country regresses into a strongman’s playground) whereas Malta is very much charting a new course and progressing. Basically, if you’re a history nerd and/or policy wonk…trips where you can ‘compare and contrast’ two or more different societies will utterly fascinate you / give you lots to chew on. I don’t know if my suggested pairing is right for you, but I’d encourage anyone to do this kind of thing! And because of its recent election, I’ll lump Bratislava into this section…because Slovakia now finds itself at a historical crossroads of sorts; suckling for Mother Russia once again.

Sun, sea, sail, swim, and stroll supremacy: Split. Yes, modernity gives us many conveniences…but it makes other parts of life unnecessarily complex. Now, I don’t want you to misinterpret me — because I’m not saying that Croatia is backwards (it isn’t) — rather, Croats just understand the restorative power of simple pleasures (like few others do). The vibe of the people here is amazing, and Split is just a remarkably relaxing place where friends and families can kick it. Here, the people genuinely enjoy one another…and like to take a dip in the sea together or sun themselves on a beach while reading beside one another or chat on a pier around a shared bottle of wine late into the night…and they just have their priorities right. Me? I find it important to immerse myself in places like this — from time to time — because it is a reminder to cherish togetherness (being an essential ingredient in a fulfilling life). Oh, and Athens does this exceptionally well too.

So fucking fun: Bruxelles. Look, I’m biased because I lived there as a boy…but as an adult, I can def say that Bruxelles is a super fun place to visit. Admittedly, I’m not a boozer…but this place is known for its excellent beer / the terrace culture is ace…and Bruxelles has a huge homegrown comic book culture that’s celebrated across loads of playful murals throughout the city centre. Europe can sometimes be hoity-toity in parts…and I just dig that Bruxelles is really homely (and doesn’t take itself too seriously).

THE MISSES

Sorry, gotta sacrifice something to make a point: London. Okay, hold your horses…because I very much love London. However, European capitals like London as well as Paris and Rome…they do a great job at marketing themselves (done with an out-sized voice so they often out-shout quieter places…and generate all the noise). Yes, the product is good…but these celebrated capitals are busy, expensive, require reservations, etc. But, what the Marathon Earth Challenge has revealed to me, is how enjoyable other smaller European capitals are — as well as even smaller cities — where they don’t have what the epicentres do, but more than compensate with their ease and intimacies. Basically, I spent decades prioritizing the biggies ‘cause I foolishly took the bait…and, well, ‘smaller Europe’…it’s just as good (but obvs for different reasons)…and I feel like I’m now making up for lost time! In short, don’t make my mistakes!

Great bullshitters: Serbia and America. I don’t think I’m necessarily becoming more ethical with age…rather, I just have less and less tolerance for humouring / enduring any person — or country — that speaks outta both sides of their mouths; especially those that fundamentally need conflict to exist. Like, TBH I’m a balding old fart — now kinda set in my ways (it is what it is…we all have preferences no matter how open minded we profess to be) — and I no longer have the energy to deal with drama queens, and both Serbia as well as America are that (on a cultural level as well as a political level). Like, Serbia is back on its bullshit provoking Kosovo and America is the has-been Uncle Sam…cranky at family dinners forever looking to start fights and arguments, and just too full of cringe contradictions. Everything can be corrected…but I’m sitting both out for the foreseeable future.

Busted bad…not gritty good: Bucharest. It’ll sound highfalutin, but I don’t care; I derive a lot of enjoyment from observing and analyzing aesthetics. And I’m not talking ‘bout me projecting what I think looks best (and expecting a place to fulfill that / reflect it back to me)…but just like me trying to understand what aesthetics say / don’t say about a place. Like, are the aesthetics representational of something (like history, beliefs, myths, symbology and/or necessities informed by geography or weather)? Are aesthetics a non-thing? Are aesthetics a decoy? I ask questions and try and answer them…never doing so from a normative frame of mind. Like, Athens and Berlin look like total dumps…but are so spectacular under their misleading epidermises. And Prague looks great…but it’s simply good looking with nada under the hood (it’d be a one night stand if it were a human being…great for a bang, but bad for a longterm relationship). And, well, then there’s just those gritty places — the aesthetical radar jammers — that are so hella busted you gotta actively decode ‘em. IMO, places like Tbilisi and Sofia fall into the gritty good column (they’re visually rough with redeeming qualities) whereas dumps like Bucharest and Santiago fall into the busted bad column (visually rough with little to no redeeming qualities). And make no mistake, I’m grateful for all travel / believe it’s such a privilege to visit anywhere beyond Toronto’s city limits. As such, I was glad to have visited Bucharest…because it is sorta falling apart / doesn’t work well / has lots of wastoids…and mostly because it revealed to me that the bar for entry into the European Union is so low that you can trip over it / fall into this no-longer-illustrious-to-me club). Bubble burst…so thanks for that Bucharest!

Most overhyped: Prague. I don’t know how to say this without sounding like an asshole…but if you’re well-travelled with regards to Europe, Prague will disappoint (but if you haven’t travelled much wihin Europe, you’ll prolly dig it). IMO, Prague is too goofily tourist-focused and just a half-assed ‘bits and bobs’ type of place. Yes, it has some art stuff and some medieval stuff and some communist era relics (and much else)…but it combines to be a ‘meh’ smorgasbord (whereas so many other European places go better / deeper on said things). Prague does offer buffet-like variety…but the meal just ain’t that satisfying.

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