"It's hard to appreciate the Earth when you're down right upon it because it's so huge. It gives you in an instant, just at a position 240,000 miles away from it, (an idea of) how insignificant we are, how fragile we are, and how fortunate we are to have a body that will allow us to enjoy the sky and the trees and the water ... It's something that many people take for granted when they're born and they grow up within the environment. But they don't realize what they have. And I didn't till I left it.'' -- Jim Lovell, Apollo 8 and 13. Greeting Fellow Runnersâ The average distance from the Earth to the Moon is 384,403 km, thatâs 238,857 miles. To put that into perspective, itâs exactly 2,462 miles or 3,961 km between New York and Los Angelesâso the moon is 156 times the distance away from the Earth as New York is to LA. When the Apollo Astronauts went to the moon, they noticed a few things which probably should have been obvious and expected.  First, the moon is dead; Buzz Aldrin stepped out of the lunar lander, looked around and gasped âMagnificent desolationâ.  He witnessed first hand that the moon is beautiful, but void of life. The second thing the astronauts noticed when they looked back at the earth was that it was the only thing in the sky that had any color.  It shone of deep blues, white wisps, dark greens and browns.  The Earth was, in fact, a magnificent oasis of life. The third thing the astronauts realized when they stood on the surface of the moon was that, if they lifted up their arm and stuck out their hand, holding it out to towards the little blue bubble that was hanging in the lunar sky, they could cover the entire Earth with their thumb.  Everyone who has ever lived was hidden behind that thumb.  The entire history of the human civilization was hidden behind that thumb, every creature that had ever swam, crawled, slithered , hopped, walked, or flew had lived (or were living) their whole lives, hidden behind that thumb. Wally Schirra, the astronaut who flew around the earth on Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions once said âI left Earth three times. I found no place else to go.â Think about the profoundness of that statement. He found no place else to go because there IS no place else to go.  Seen from space, this little blue bubble we run upon is our home and is very likely to be the only place in the entire Universe that we will ever be able to live.  I know that weâre talking about going to Mars and we can imagine a future where we terraform planets or create starships to take our descendents to extra-solar planets over the course of a millennium; but this one planet that we live upon is a precious bubble of life in space.  Itâs our home, itâs small, and we have to take care of it. But today, Iâm going to suggest that before we can take care of this little blue bubble that we first take care of each other. Perspective might be the key to that. Iâm a science fiction fan.  I love âStar Trekâ and âStar Warsâ and anything to do with space travels and alien encounters.  Iâve often wondered what alien visitors to Earth would think as their spaceship got close and they saw this little blue bubble of life. Wouldnât they assume that all of the intelligent creatures of the indigenous civilizations on this planet lived in peace and harmony as a single tribe of the human species?  Wouldnât they believe that conflicts would be rare on such a tiny world where global cooperation was the only logically sensible way for such creatures to co-exist.  Wouldnât they expect that such creatures, born of the same species, evolved from the same ancestral lineage, and with essentially similar physical featuresâwould live, love, share and care for each other throughout their short lives? On this podcast, Iâve tried to make the point that if weâre going to live up to those expectations (and as the so called intelligent self aware species on this planet, I think we should probably make peace, love and understanding a common goal) and if thatâs a noble and good goal, then it has to start somewhere.  Whereâs it going to start?  With religion?  Maybeâbut religious differences hasnât been particularly effective with the whole âensuring world peace thingâ over the last thousand years.  Iâm saying that as a devote practicing Roman Catholicâreligion without the underlying foundation of tolerance, understanding, acceptance, charity and love for all of the people on this little blue bubble, no matter how they worship or what they believeâisnât helpful to a world in desperate need of peace. Will the goal of such peace start with governments?  UmmmâIâm not very good with understanding the whole socio-political strategy of the modern world, but Iâm pretty sure there are a few wars going on that started because âSo and So said that So and So had weapons and the other guy called So and So part of the axis of evilâandâahhhâmy head it going to explode!! No: world peace and the idea of a planet of creatures living together in harmony is not going to start with any of the traditional avenues of diplomacy, it has to start WITH US. You are a runner.  You are now running in a global event with friends from all over the world.  We all have our differences, we all carry our baggage of fear and shame, anger and frustration with usâbut thatâs okay: thatâs part of being human.  The one thing I can say that we have going for us, as runners, is that we do not hate.  Today weâre not individuals from other countries and cultures: today we are all runners: fellow runners. It doesnât matter what you look like, how you dress, or what you do in your spare time. Right now, this moment, you are out sharing an experience with other human beings who are feeling the same heart pounding exertion that you are feeling. And itâs a good feeling, tiring, yesâbut think about it: we are living our lives to the top as the good animals we were always meant to beâout here, we can imagine a world full of friends who believe in the ideals of love, joy and peaceâout here we can afford to be a little idealistic and possibly naiveâbecause weâre running a race that transcends borders, cultures and rules that have been set in place to keep us apart. You are a runner; and when you live your life as part of a community where you have friends all over the world, as you do, you begin to appreciate each other more, you begin to see the world from each others eyes and perspectives.  If each of us, running across the Earth could imagine the view of our planet from the surface of the moon, or Mars or from the very edge of our solar system and beyond, weâd have to appreciate how precious this little blue bubble really isâand more importantly, how precious we are to each other.  You and I are fellow runnersâand we set positive examples for every human being that lives on this little blue bubble in spaceâand when it comes to having a world full of healthy, happy, peaceful, kind, generous and thoughtful creaturesâit all starts with us. Show Links:http://www.worldwidefestivalofraces.comSend me your WWFR Race reports steve@steverunner.com or record an audio report: +1 206-338-3211 The song âNew Prayerâ was by Black LabDownload it for FREE at http://blacklabworld.com/marathon Ambient music included in this episode came from Aaron English, Amb26 and Adhesion. LESS

These are some of the things that have been on my mind latelyârandom thoughts that I dwell upon while Iâm getting my miles inâand thatâs one of the great things about runningâit can sometimes be a time for you to reconnect with yourself, to dedicate the duration of your run to thinking about politics, hate, wine and enduranceâ.so letâs go for a run together, and indulge me the privilege of telling you what Iâm pondering today.Show Links:http://www.worldwidefestivalofraces.comLeave a message: +1 206-338-3211Fdip featured blog of the week: http://running-with-coffee.blogspot.comThe song âOnes and Osâ was by Geoff Smith http://thegeoffsmith.com LESS

It was once thought to be impossible for any human being to run the distance of a single mile in less than four minutes.  Roger Bannister knew that if he focused on the task, if he used both his medical knowledge and physical abilities in a good and effective training program he could break the four minute barrier, and accomplish the impossible.  This is his story. Show Links:http://www.worldwidefestivalofraces.comPLEASE SEND IN YOUR WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR FDIP156 Audio Messages needed by no later than October 6th.Leave a message: +1 206-338-3211Fdip featured blog of the week: http://arizonarock-n-rollmarathontraining.blogspot.comThe song âImpossibleâ was by Luthea Salom.  http://www.lutheasalom.com LESS

Running will not prevent you from developing cancer, but it may save your life by retarding itâs growth and by increasing your bodies natural resistance.  Life is worth fighting forâand moderate exercise such as a 2 to 3 mile easy run every day is something that can both ease the stress from dealing with cancer as well as help us to fight against itâs uncontrolled growth. Researchers arenât sure how much exercise is needed to help prevent cancer, but they all agree that consistency is the most important factor.  Cancer as a disease and as an idea is something we must fight against.  Do not go gentle into that good night. Show Links:http://www.fitnessrocks.orghttp://medals4mettle.orggoodybag@worldwidehalf.comhttp://www.worldwidefestivalofraces.comPLEASE SEND IN YOUR WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR FDIP156 Audio Messages needed by no later than October 6th.Leave a message: +1 206-338-3211Fdip featured blog of the week: http://texasrunningjournal.blogspot.comThe song âI Know Youâre Thereâ was by Matthew Ebel.  http://www.matthewebel.com PLEASE VISIT: http://marcirunsthemarathon.blogspot.com LESS

A podcast is so much more interesting, entertaining, informative and intimate than a radio show.  When you subscribe to a podcast, youâre really joining a social club of like minded enthusiasts for whatever the topic of conversation may be.  Running podcasts are special in that they can be listened to while you, yourself, are out on your runsâor on a treadmill, or in the car on your way to or from work, or after your run as you do chores around the house.  A podcast is better than a radio show because itâs a conversation between the podcaster and you, produced and intended to be heard on a computer or, most naturally, an MP3 audio player with little ear bud head phones plugged into your head. You know all this because youâre not just a listener to Phedippidationsâyou are a fellow runner; weâre in this togetherâand there are other running related podcasts out there that are much better than this one,  that I know youâll enjoy if youâll give them a listen.  Show Links:   All of the PodCasts discussed in this show can be found at http://www.runningpodcasts.org/ PLEASE SEND IN YOUR WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR FDIP156! Leave a message: +1 206-338-3211 Fdip featured blog of the week: http://www.andrewisgettingfit.com The song âIndependence Dayâ was the band Jesta, aka Bryan Page from the UK.  http://www.jesta.co.uk LESS

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a procedure that can postpone the condition of clinical death, where the heart has stopped beating and the victim is not breathing.  There is no guarantee of successful resuscitation, but you can act as the heart and lungs of a victim to provide the body and brain with life sustaining oxygenated blood while waiting for a trained emergency responder or doctor to arrive on scene. The person you save through something like CPR may be a person who helps make the world just a little bit better, either directly or by enabling another to do so. Human beings have the potential to do good in the world, and every human life is worth saving for that reason alone. NOTE:  The information contained in this episode is NOT intended to be medical advice, or to replace proper CPR training.  Do NOT use the methods or techniques described in this episode to provide emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation: Please DO consider attending a CPR class and obtaining proper certification as a lay responder. Show Links:http://www.americanheart.orghttp://www.runnerssociety.com/4millionsteps.htmlCall me: +1 206-338-3211Fdip featured blog of the week: http://batmans.blogspot.comThe song âGood Hearted Manâ was by Roscoe Chenier http://www.black-and-tan.com LESS

Running is a universally important skill to have in life; no longer solely for the purpose of hunting, gathering and chasing down wild animals that lack the endurance we possessâbut as a way to keep our bodies in shape, to help strengthen our muscles and cardiovascular system and to become the good animals we were meant to be.  In baseball, itâs oneâtwoâthree strikes youâre out; but in life you only have this one chance to live your life to the fullest, to rise off the couch of doom and to run the way you were meant to run; fast and far across the planets surface.  And just as in baseball, when youâve run well and covered all the basesâat some point near the end; weâll all have the chance to run home. Show Links:http://eatdrinkrunwoman.comhttp://www.ovenstobetsy.comhttp://www.littlemarathon.com/Tunnelhttp://www.worldwidefestivalofraces.comhttp://www.buckeyeoutdoors.comCall me: +1 206-338-3211Fdip featured blog: http://www.Dashfordad.comchristine@zerocancer.orgThe song âField of Dreamsâ was by Mary Ellen Kirk http://www.myspace.com/merryellen LESS

The mens marathon of the 29th Olympiad will feature the fastest and most prestigious distance runners in the world today.  Those few hours and some minutes will mark the greatest race of their lives, and we will witness inspirational feats of athleticism as they run through an ancient city which is being transformed into a modern world.  While these are the best runners on an elite level which many of us will never reach, do not forget that they are also our fellow runnersâ.they have the same passion, the same determination, the same indomitable spirit that you and I share.  For those who have or will one day run a marathon, the distance that the Olympians of the mens marathon in Bejing will run is perfectly identical to that which you will cover in your own events.  Watch the race unfold before you and think about how youâve felt or will feel when youâre at the mile and kilometer markers that they will cross: and appreciate the association you share with those runners in the marathon of the 29th Olympiad. Show Links:http://www.runnersroundtable.comhttp://www.drusy.blogspot.comhttp://runningfromthereaper.blogspot.comhttp://4feetrunning.blogspot.comhttp://www.tinkoff.comhttp://www.planet3rry.com/gravity1053JPL Slideshow: http://www.yousendit.com/download/Q01GWWVncG9rUm14dnc9PQCall me: +1 206-338-3211Fdip featured blog: http://trainingfornycmarathon2009.blogspot.comThe song âThe Theme from the 1984 Olympic Gamesâ was by Griddle http://griddlemusic.com----------------------------------------------http://www.theextramilepodcast.comPLEASE enter this number into your cell phone contact list and leave a message (from time to time) for The Extra Mile PodCast:  +1 513-397-0525 LESS

This is episode one of a new podcast, created and presented by fellow runners around the world. The Runners Round Table! http://www.runnersroundtable.com Episode 1 - Join us at the table as we share some time with our good friend Dr. Monte from the great podcast, Fitness Rocks. He shares insight he gained from an interview with Dr. Eliza Chakravarty of Stanford Medical School about how exercise (namely running) can play a major role in reducing your disability and even morbidity as you get older. Amazing stuff. Also we discuss the new developments on The Worldwide Festival of Races and a little company called Nike who is staging a vaguely similar event in 2 weeks called The Human Race 10K. We also mention our dear friend Kevin of The Extra Mile Podcast - and his call for submissions. So get out there folks and record your training for all to share and send it along...Thanks for joining us for this live show and remember there's always an open chair waiting for you at the table. LESS

The athletes who will run in the woman's marathon of the 29th Olympiad in Beijing China are some of the very best distance athletes in the world.  Each of them have worked incredibly hard to reach this level of competition, and to qualify to stand at the starting line in Tian'an Men Square.  What happens during this race will be historic; the moments of the event will be forever seared in the memories of those who participate and those of us who will watch the race.  We will witness the pinnacle of Athletic Achievement in a way that will inspire us to do our best, to push ourselves past our own limitations and to reach our own Olympic dreams. Show Links: http://revruns.blogspot.com http://www.olympictruce.org http://www.boston.com/sports/articles/2008/08/13/noguchi_wont_defend_her_marathon_title http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/feedarticle/7718316 http://www.runnersroundtable.com Call me: +1 206-338-3211 Fdip featured blog: http://beachrunner411.blogspot.com The song "China Girlâ was by Lena http://www.lena.fm LESS