Here we go again!

I had not even gotten all of the penguin poo off my shoes last spring and I get a blast e-mail from Marathon Tours, the same group that organized the Antarctica Marathon. President Thomas Gilligan was in serious negotiations with officials in Cuba to allow Americans to run the marathon in Cuba this November and they wanted to know if there was any interest out there.

I e-mailed right back and asked only one question…“Does this count as my South American continent?”

A few months and e-mail updates later it was confirmed that we would be going to Cuba in November to run the marathon in Havana. The best news was that since it did not involve 10 days at sea, my 50 State traveling companion – and wife – agreed to go with me.

Presently, you still need to have a specific reason to visit Cuba. There are 14 different “status” reasons such as religious, medical, educational and so on. We received permission under the educational status and will be visiting two colleges that specialize in sports medicine as part of the trip.

So, here is the crazy part. Even though Cuba is only 90 miles from Miami, it is 100 years apart in terms of technology. I am told there will be no cell phone service, no Wi-Fi and telephone service will be extremely limited and is about $3.00/minute.  I have also learned that the country is still on rationing and citizens are required to use books or stamps to buy food and other items.

Somehow, I have managed to keep my travel companion. Unfortunately, Maria has been reading all the literature and is convinced that we will come back with typhoid and 36 other diseases…if we don’t get kidnapped. I’m fairly sure she is thinking that maybe the boat ride would have been a better choice.

I will do my best to try to get my blogs out daily, but they may not have pictures until I get back to the mainland – just like the marathon in Antarctica. I will be taking my GO-PRO so I will take lots of pictures of the marathon and the travel to the colleges.

So, all systems are a go! We received our final papers today for the trip and leave from Miami on Thursday November 12^th and return on the Monday the 16^th! So, keep checking back to ralphruns50.com for updates as we head out for Cuba in one week.

AND – just so you know, I did receive the answer to the only question that I did ask when this opportunity presented itself to me. For anyone wondering – Cuba does not count for South America. It is considered North America. I tried!