Hi Fans, after a few TV-Shows and other PR stuff it is going to get a bit calmer now. I run 3 times a week for 12km and drive my bike once in a while. 
Last week I participated in world’s longest virtual triathlon on it’s way to London, UK - 173km swim, 771km bike and 394km run with many great athletes and on Oct. 15th you can see me at Bamberg, Stechert Arena where I will speak at 19h about my Coast2Coast Adventure.
CU Achim
Start as usual 5 a.m. with already extremely humid temperatures. After three miles I was already soaked. Heat and extreme humidity have joined me continuously on my way to New York City.
There is nothing to be mentioned about the route apart from another encounter with a sheriff. Somehow they obviously all want to learn to know me. He gave me strict orders where and how I have to run on “his” road. On the right side of the white line – NO. Left to the white line – YES. He demanded an ID from me. I can only give you a wet tissue. Funny, he didn’t react on that; he obviously does not understand German 
So I followed his instructions as he continued to control me out of his “ambush”. Without any further events I reached today’s destination a campground, beautifully located on a lake.
A far more annoying event occurred today. It is almost impossible to believe what some people seem to be capable of. As you might have noticed, today our website was off the server for quite a while. Though it’s beyond believe but it very much looks as if somebody manipulated it and deleted the whole website. I am speechless. What kind of a person is capable of doing this?
A big THANK YOU to Norbert Sparding who put in a nightshift and got the problem sorted out. Now everything is back online.
See you soon
Achim and Team
Today we stayed with the local Fire Department in Centralia, as our friends, the fire fighters invited us for a snack there. The Captain of the fire department offered us to stay overnight including electricity. We spent a nice evening amongst the fire fighters and handed over the Flag of Honor. They really appreciated it. Afterwards I was allowed to put on the helmet of the captain; fortunately the fire brigade was not called 
The following day we said good bye to our friends as our routes will be different from now on.
Again I started at 5 a.m. As tired as I felt myself, as “tired” was the route. I continued until I reached our destination for today, a campground close to the Interstate 70 between St. Louis and Effingham/IL.
Otherwise there was nothing to report. Again a day that took me closer to the final destination .
Start today at 5.05 a.m. for a change
Again I started with my fight against the route and the sun heading to New York City. 
Hard to believe but there were some clouds in the sky. So the sun had two rivals today, the clouds and me. Hence I ran in the hope that the clouds would support my personal struggle with my “hotly loved sun”. That worked for a while but then I was left alone again. The clouds disappeared from the sky. Ok, not all by myself, as Andrea joined me for 25 km! But I didn’t engage in any dialogue with the sun – to put it simply, I just did not care.
At about noon I left the dull Oklahoma and turned towards Kansas. (For you my friend Gerhard; in his capacity Dr.)
Briefly after the border I heard a familiar sound, sirens, aha…. a sheriff again. Do I have to get back into the cage? The door opened and a young man, equipped amongst others with an armoured vest, approached me. He smiled and I new immediately: “That’s a nice one”. He asked if everything was ok and I answered in my incomparable English – yes
I tried to explain where I came from and where I am going. I assume he thought I was pulling his leg. But he took it with good humor. When I saw the mobile home in the background, I sent him to my crew as the two of them do speak better English than I. He just turned around and drove towards the mobile home. Andrea and Markus told me later that they had a very nice conversation with him and he was obviously very impressed about my project – Run for 9/11, Flag of Honor. He was happy to receive some leaflets, as he wanted to share them in his office.
I ground on with my last 4 miles and finished this stretch with hot soles again (no dialogue!).
See you soon
Achim and Team
…sorry, it wasn’t possible to upload a report yesterday. But that’s not very dramatic as you didn’t miss anything on the lonely streets of New Mexico – apart from the usual – time and 
again cars stopped and supplied me with water.
Today it was just the same. En route on Highway 60, never ending straight roads, scorching heat and solitude. My only highlights were when I caught sight of our mobile home waiting on the horizon or the endlessly long trains which signalled unbelievably loud.
I guess I will need to unpack new running shoes as the old ones are completely worn out. Finalizing today’s stretch, I achieved 1300 km.
I still don’t abandon the hope for a couple of cooler days. I protect myself against the sum as much as possible. What is a great tan good for, if I look like a wrinkled box when I arrive in New York?
See you soon
Achim and Team
Start at 08.00 p.m.
There is not much to report about the last night. That’s the disadvantage about running during the night. One can only get a vague idea about the landscape. But very slowly we are approaching slightly cooler temperatures though it’s still more than 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). No special encounters whatsoever, only my lonely steps in the night. After 15 hours, only interrupted by a few breaks I “worked off” another 94 km.
I was extremely happy that I ran during the cover of the night as it turned out that it didn’t cool down much despite the many meters of altitude difference.
Now I am heading towards Flagstaff. There it is supposed to be considerably cooler. At least we hope for it. I will just take the risk and change back to day shift.
See you soon,
Achim and Team
….if I had only known what was expecting me this night, I would have seriously considered not to start at all!!!!
….if I had only stayed at the Colorado!
Start at about 08.00 p.m. During my first kilometres I had nice company – my team partner Andrea. Already in the very beginning I realised it did not cool down at all. A strong wind was blowing into my face at temperatures of 36 degrees Celsius.
Andrea: ”I thought, I join him during the cool night but what a mistake. A hot headwind and the asphalt making my feet burn. After about 10 kilometres I was just happy to have reached the saving mobile home. It is absolutely unimaginable what Achim is going through!!“
…I would have liked to get into the mobile home myself as my legs were as heavy as if I had already run 100 kilometres. This sweltering hot air and in addition the scorching hot asphalt made my eyes heavy. After 30 kilometres I had to change from running to walking. I realized that I was dragged to the centre of the road when I was falling asleep. This was kind of dangerous even during the night as there were many trucks en route. Therefore I thought it was wiser to swap to the left side of the road and continue walking there (or was it tottering?) I noticed that I had huge mental ‚gaps’ and a steady dialogue governed my brains. “Why is the hot wind blowing into my face and not my back? Why has it be soooo hot and can’t be cooler? But a WHY does not count, it is as it is! Such thoughts do just lead into the wrong direction and weaken me even more. But the thoughts were following me time and again on my way to the mobile home. When I arrived there I took the liberty of a 20 minute break and relaxed. But I was still so much under control that I got up subsequently and continued – actually throughout the whole long night until the early hours of the day. Then I told myself: “ You have to run again”… and I told that to myself time and again. And finally it worked. This way I “simply” worked through my 95 km and after 15 hours (of which I miss some) I finally reached my destination of the day.
O.k. and now …. the next night shift begins!
See you soon
Achim
Finally we completely changed from day to night. Start yesterday evening at 08.00 p.m.
The route led along the Colorado a really beautiful river that belongs to different Native Indian tribes.
I would have loved to jump in for refreshment which would have been a nice treat at “cool” 30 degrees but the distance was too far just to make a ‘detour’.
Therefore I used a bucket with ice water instead to cool down my over heated head. It was a real joy. 
My strategy during the night: I run about 4 miles (6,5 km) and then the following procedure is repeated time and again. I take in my „addiction drink“ and a few culinary snacks like fruits with Greek yoghurt, eggs, and once in a while a water ice. Finally I take a small bottle of water for the go.
While I continue running, my team is waiting for 40 minutes and then they follow me. About 500 m before the „magic” 4 mile mark, they are passing me and I know my next refreshment stop is soon to come. This system helps me mentally to survive the enormously long distances.
During the night I was accompanied by an animal – a “wolf” (that’s the German word to word translation for chafe!) He distressed me up to my final destination where I fought him with Q10.
A highlight after tonight’s struggle was the swim in the refreshing Colorado. *
What a pity that we now have to leave him.
*A very warm thank you to Sharon and Bill Pollan from one of the most beautiful camp grounds „Blue Water RV Park- Parker“.
By the way, they were the first to offer us our stay for free. Thanks again.
Alright, now right away into the „rack“ J
See you soon
Achim and Team
Today we report from our perspective – Markus’ as well as Andrea’s.
Markus: ….and it turned out to become even worse! Start at 05.00 a.m. After the misery of yesterday it was a miracle, that Achim was up and ‘running’ again. I accompanied him for about 12 km and the heat was beyond words. Originally I wanted to join Achim for the last kilometres but he said this would not be a good idea as he would have reached a different state of mind by then. So I ran with him between kilometre 60 and 72. How is a human being able to endure this? What is driving him?
Since yesterday I am convinced he is from a different planet! UNDISCRIBABLE!! I was able to or better had to witness his continuous ordeal. It really hurt me to see him suffer. Gee, was I happy when he finished for today. But even after this unbelievable ordeal ‚our Achim’ still has a joke on his lips. This man is INCREDIBLE.
I, Andrea, can only support the comments of Markus. Today I joined Achim for 15 km but already as early as 05.00 a.m. but as soon as the sun raise behind the mountains it was becoming extremely hot.
As the weather forecast predicts even higher temperatures tomorrow running during the day becomes impossible without putting Achim’s health at risk. Therefore we decided to relocate the activities into the night.
We will keep you updated….
Warm regards from Achim who is getting some rest (hopefully) in the mobile home.
See you soon, your Coast2Coast Team
Start at 07.00 a.m. at WTC in San Diego.
The first 50 km worked out rather well under the circumstances.
But from km 50 onwards it became really hot and mountainous and actually really gross. My legs became heavier with every step I took and the last 44 km took me 6 hours.
At about 07.00 p.m. I reached the mobile home more creeping then running.
But then I was released from my misery and Andrea and Markus were obviously also very relieved to see that my pain had an end, at least for today.
I have a faint idea that tomorrow my misery will find its continuation.
See you soon and good night
Achim and Team
