Jogging Through the World's Hot Spots

QALAT, Afghanistan Nov. 17, 2009— -- "Are you kidding me?" I think to myself as I slowly realize that the only thing protecting me from potential snipers is a cyclone fence and the watch-tower guards who are whistling at me as I jog past.

It's early morning, still dark outside and I'm trying not to twist my ankle as I navigate a rocky path. But what I'm really wondering is how the soldiers I'm embedded with run this course each day on their small base in eastern Afghanistan.

I've been running for more than 20 years on routes all over the world, but I've never had to worry before about being shot.

The base is located at about 5,500 feet so my breathing is heavy and my pace slow. Despite the obvious drawbacks, as I look across the brown desert to the mountains beyond, it's easy to recognize this is one of the most beautiful spots I've ever been.

When I was younger, I was a sprinter and hurdler. One freezing winter night – wearing my sister's old Nike waffles and an oversized, hooded sweatshirt - I started running alongside my father to build a base for spring track.

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Injuries have sidelined me on occasion, but since that first run with my dad, I've pretty much never stopped. Now, I try to run several miles each day whenever and wherever I can. Lately, that means small forward operating bases in Afghanistan.

Last summer as the thermometer reached 120 degrees in Kandahar province, my feet were burning as my running shoes hit the tarmac. Afghan National Army soldiers – surprised by the sight of a female wearing exercise shorts – drove alongside me to catch a glance. They may have carried machine guns, but they were no match for a Smith College graduate with a limited tolerance for sexual harassment. After a few key words were exchanged, they quickly drove away.

Over the years, I've crossed the world on my feet. I've run a marathon in Alaska, jogged through Jerusalem and through vineyards in Friuli in northern Italy. One of the best runs of my life was a five-miler on a treadmill in the Maldives which I attribute to the clean air and mesmerizing turquoise water.