Run for a Kids Smile charity run!!!!

What a day – today I went to Shin Yokohama to the Nissan field kosukue track to run some laps in support of a 24 hr charity run going on in Germany today. My friend Michele who I met while trekking up Everest. Team Running Adventure is Micheles team and they were in and helping to raise money for “Run for a Kid’s Smiles” charity.  They were running for 24hrs around a track and getting sponsered per lap. I wrote to him and said sorry I can’t go, but I will run for you guys here in Japan.
I gave Ken from Topgear  a call and he sorted me with a place to run, I made a few signs and got there around 9am. By 10am I was off and looking for people to run with. Not long after, Ken turned up to support me and ran a lap before he was off to take a class nearby – he is a running coach. Then I found an awesome group of kids from the local running team and they came and ran a lap with me, great to have all their smiles with me. Then I meet Tatsuya – who you can see is in a wheelchair – he had so much power and after getting to know him I found out he races for Japan. Tatsuya joined me for 3 laps which was huge. Loved hangin with him.
Then I slowly but surely ran through the 75 laps – 30kms that we had agreeed I would do today. Damn it was hot – in the early 30s and I was drinking like a fish. All day long my great friend Emi was on the camera and took all the shots (500 odd for the day). Then had to get the Kiwi flag out and found this Japanese flag with “fight Japan” written on it. I loved been a part of this run which was in Germany, but with the help of all the great Japanese runners that joined me today to make this a very special day.
The sponsors even said they will sort the donation for my laps as well which is great, the money is going towards helping kids out in very poor areas, and to help get young girls off the streets and into normal jobs.
A huge congatulations to everyone who has been a part of this day, whether you were running or supporting and helping on the side line.  I look forward to sending our photos to Michele in Gemany and hearing how it went there.
Ready for a sleep now, flying out back to Australia tomorrow night which will be great to catch up with everyone on the Goldie. Then it’s to NZ 2 days later. Cant wait.
Good night from Japan x