Running with 9000

On Sunday I'm running the Ottawa half marathon, with 8,999 other people, if they all show up. Yesterday, I went out for a final training run around the Norwegian countyside. The airport hotel even gave me a map. They have a strong health policy, which includes encouraging their guests to get out and run along the narrow roads. However, the map left a lot to be desired. It was printed from a google satellite map, so although it gave a good indication of buidlings etc, it was very grey and murky and the details (including roads) were hard to make out. I tried to orientate myself from the hotel, and ran in what I thought was the right direction, but never found the old airport buidlings marked on the map and ended up after about two and a half kilometres facing the hotel again. So I set off in another possible direction, but again never found the buidlings marked on the map. This time I kept going, and tried to run in a big loop that I figured should be about 5K. The last leg of this loop took me up a dirt track, and eventually a realsied that it was a farm road and there was no way out. So even though by that time a had run a further 4K or so, I had to retrace my steps and run back the way I came.

Running around the Norwegian countryside by myself, I realised that there is a benefit to running with 8,999 other people. With any luck, none of us will get lost.