Top 30 at Western States? Yeah, I can hang...

First of all, I honestly believe flying into Cape Town is one of the most beautiful views anywhere in the world.



My colleague, who is also a running buddy, has been in Cape Town for a few days now. There are multiple huge HIV-related meetings going on, and she met a lovely Tanzanian man, Simon, who is with his wife at one of the meetings. Turns out, he's a runner. Which is actually an understatement; Simon is a RUNNER. As in, top 30 at Western States for the past 7 years. As in, world record holder as the fastest man to ascend Mt. Kilimanjaro. And he is the most lovely 6'5, 150 pound man you've ever met. So we ran this morning.

And when I say 'we ran' I mean, he went for a nice morning jog and didn't even break a sweat, and I cursed the hills in Cape Town and hoped for traffic lights to turn red so I could catch up to him :) It was great.

Simon will race the 18-mile trail race around Table Mountain on Saturday morning. My colleague and I tried to enter this race, but it was sold out. Simon called the Race Director yesterday and got in, because he is special. We are not, so we will jog our little selves around Cape Town for three hours on Saturday morning.

I love it here.