Meet the Runners: Alternative profiles!

We had originally put these on the website but upon further review, we thought we might need to highlight and project a more serious side.  In any event, these profiles were written by the other person and may or may not be factual!  Please enjoy.

Chris: Written by Marc

Christopher is the elder statesman of the team, somewhat of a moral compass if you will. The wisdom, drive and integrity he brings to the duo offsets his occasional nerdy tendencies for colour-coded spreadsheets and his secret penchant for Madonna tracks whilst pounding Dhaka’s dusty roads at ridiculous hours of the morning.

Chris has been a P.E. teacher in Dhaka for four years now and has recently extended his contract for a fifth year – not even a bad bout of dengue fever mid-way through this academic year could tear him away from this place or prevent him from running a marathon in Singapore two weeks later. The guy even ran a marathon in Chiang Mai on Christmas morning AND managed to get his wife and kids out there to support him. He is to teaching and running what Custer was to the last stand.

Chris played college baseball in the States before retiring to take on Dhaka’s elite softball league. In between his lofty sporting achievements, Chris spent a ‘great few years’ working for the Peace Corps as regional head of P.E. in Belize. It is during that time that he met his wife and finally received his full accreditation from the ACA (American Cornhole Association) to run and manipulate Cornhole competitions on rooftops around the world.

Since then, pending permission from both the ACA and his lovely wife Sheela, Chris has more or less made transformed his rooftop into Dhaka’s own Corndome -Dhaka’s answer to Monmartre in Paris, where anything can, has and will happen. A modern day Robin Hood of sorts, Chris always takes it upon himself to ensure that fun is had for a good reason and the famed ‘Rooftop Raves’ are always organized as a means to support charitable causes, local friends in need and/or to simply find a variety of uses for his dusty exercise bike.

For those of you who haven’t met Chris, he’ll likely be spotted in a vegetarian restaurant, baseball cap on backwards, drinking a Guinness and either quoting lines from The Big Lebowski or reminiscing about his glory days in Belize. He is also likely to have a pen or pencil protruding from his hat, as baseballers haven’t yet discovered pockets, and will be closely followed by his two blonde-haired potential future major leaguers.

WWE Entrance Music: “Mr. Natural”, Mental as Anything

Quotable Quote: “Some days you eat the bear, and some days the bear eats you”

 

Marc:

Who is this guy?  With a heart of gold and as humble as can be, Marc brings balance to the dynamic duo.  While his counterpart has a gadget for everything you can think of for running, Marc, simply shows up and runs.  He doesn’t need anything except a pair of shoes and a path.  Somehow he was lured into running his first marathon this year and he was definitely up for the challenge.  With the first mara under his belt he is well equipped for any run he signs up for.  While he is a gentle giant, don’t let his laid back demeanor fool you, he’s an animal and the façade of tranquility masks a mad man, who with each run gets faster and stronger.  His only weakness as a runner could be his ability to speak and run at the same time.  Chris often has to ask him to repeat what the heck he is saying.  (That could also be due to Aussie-speak, mumbling or Chris’ bad hearing.) 

Hobbies: Marc’s hobbies may or may not include knitting, spreading the love of Aussie Rules to Bangladeshis, hopelessly explaining the rules of cricket to Americans and learning Bangla.  He has also learned the ins and outs of the fastest growing family game in America, “cornhole”.  While his technique is a bit rough, he manages to get it in the hole quite often!

Marc the linguist: Marc speaks: English, French, Aussie, ecto Bangla, un poquito espanol, and like five or six other languages.  His language skills have often saved the day on the ridiculous runs the Bangla-Dashers do.  One time, the duo was running from a Bengal tiger and because Marc has a bit of tiger in him, he was able to coax the beast into feasting elsewhere.  He has also asked for water and directions on numerous occasions.

Bangla-Dash, the idea: The Bangla-Dash spawned from the “ride of the tiger” last year.  Marc, trying to be different, thought instead of riding a bike to Kolkata, he and Chris could run from Kolkata to Dhaka to raise money for those less fortunate.  He has a thing for doing stuff the hard way.  In fact, Marc wanted to do it blindfolded, but that seemed a bit too kinky.   

Time in Bangas: This is Marc’s third and final year at ISD.  Next year he will be sorely missed and certainly not forgotten.  He’s going out with a bang as he makes a huge difference in the lives of so many people. In three years he nabbed a wife, had baby, attended 427 meetings at school and impacted all of us in so many positive ways.  Marrying Lima and buying land has ensured his return to Bangas.  Watch out for Rahi to claim a spot on the Bangladeshi Cricket team in years to come and perhaps for Marc, Lima, Rahi and Baby Chris (thought that sounded like a good name in case they ever have #2) some country living in rural Bangladesh.  Whatever the reason and whenever he returns he will be welcome with open arms by all.

Quotable Quote: Sorry, I couldn’t understand what he was saying, something about dettol or something?

Theme song:  Flight of the Conchords, Foux du fafa

About Bangladesh:

Dhaka, Bangladesh:: Chris’ take on this place

Trying to explain Bangladesh in writing is an impossible task.  I have lived in Dhaka for almost four years and I am constantly surprised by people and places each and every day.  Since Dhaka does not represent the whole of Bangladesh, I will not try to generalize the entire country with my observations here in the city I call home.  

Living in Dhaka is extreme.  You have extreme poverty and extreme riches.  Dhaka is the most densely populated city in the world and I read recently that at certain times of the year it is also the most polluted.  In addition to being extreme, Dhaka is intense.  I have never lived in a place that is so in your face.  With anywhere between 15-20 million people living in Dhaka it is rare to find a place where people, goats, cows or chickens aren’t.  That is why I run.  I run to explore, I run to escape and I run to find myself.  Dhaka has a way of changing a person.  I have seen people literally go crazy here.  The extremes, the intense nature and a culture that is so foreign to westerners can make even a well-traveled man or woman shake their heads.

I am often deeply bothered by what I see on the streets.  It is impossible for me to become numb to the poverty and neglect I find each and every time I set foot outside the bubble I live in.  I can’t help but feel guilty for all that I have and all that they don’t.  It bothers me and it always will.  I return to the States to visit and I feel guilt and resentment simultaneously.  I have seen children with no arms, men with no limbs set out on the side of a busy road to beg while they bake in the sun and women who are scarred from acid thrown in their faces.  I will never be the same.

I will never be the same, because with each experience I gain perspective and insight into how the world works.  I am constantly touched by the kindness and generosity of those who have nothing yet would invite me in for a cup of tea or offer me a bottle of water when I am some random foreigner they don’t even know.  Life is busy and frustrating, but when I take a moment to look and listen I am able to see past the pollution and congestion.

It can be difficult for all who live here with conditions like this.  I am however, forever humbled by Bangladeshis.  In most cases, the life they live is one of struggle and survival.  Yet somehow they make it work and that’s impressive.  They have the entire deck stacked against them and still they find a way.

I think that for me, it’s the kids that make me want to run 291 kilometers with Marc and try to raise as much money as possible.  My heart breaks each time I see a child in the street.  I want to make a difference in the lives of the kids, I want to see them in schools not the streets. It may be naïve to feel this way, but as I stated earlier, I will never be the same and I have to do something.  What a place!?  There is no way Dhaka can be described, you simply have to experience it.

What do we encounter on our Bangla-Runs?

This video highlights that you never can tell what we will encounter while running in Bangladesh. 

How does one train for a four day run!?

We have no idea!  Well that's not entirely true, but this is going to be quite a unique run as we will be running in shifts over the course of four days.  The plan is for one person to run five kilometers while the other person is support team in a lead van.  Every day we will run about 30+ kilometers each, depending on our stops.

As of now, Marc and I have been running since the beginning of August while training for the Singapore Marathon. We plan to continue our long runs through the December holiday and into the new year.   I will be running the Chiang Mai Marathon in Thailand on Christmas morning.  We have been following the good ole Hal Higdon marathon training plan.  It has served us well and is a great training plan to follow.

In early January we will be having an all day fundraiser run where our friends and any interested runners come out and simulate a day on the road with us,  i.e. running 5k then taking a break while others run.  This will be followed by an evening of dinner, drinks, discussion and hopefully donations!

Look for the Bangla-Dash on Facebook for pictures, videos and more updates!

Kolkata to Dhaka: Introductions

On February 15th-19th, 2012, Marc Favre and Chris Hesse will run from Kolkata, India to Dhaka, Bangladesh.  No, they aren't crazy (well maybe they are), they will be doing this as a major fundraiser for the Sonargoan Foundation.  The ultimate goal is for Marc and Chris to raise approximately 20,000 USD for the construction of three schools in rural Bangladesh.

This Blog will help to serve as a way for you to stay informed as Marc and Chris prepare for the journey, a way to see the children and communities that will be impacted by the project and a way for everyone to help spread the word.

If you want to get involved you can contact Marc or Chris for more details.  Stay tuned for more information with regards to donations, sponsorship, where the money goes, pictures and everything you would need to know about the "Bangla-Dash"!!