Running Man Battles Blisters, Bullets

M E X I C O  C I T Y, Aug. 2, 2000 -- Briton Robert Garside, on a quest tobe the first to run around the world, has been attacked in somany countries that he almost expects it now.

Calling himself “The Running Man,” Garside is nearing theUnited States, where he plans to run from coast to coast. On histrek that began almost four years ago, he has been shot at inRussia, robbed in Pakistan, jailed in China and had guns pulledon him in Panama and now, in Mexico.

Battling Bullets

“Just outside Acapulco there was this long dark corner andI thought this would be a great place to rob people. Next minuteone guy’s running at me with a gun and two others with knivesand I thought, ‘Oh dear, here we go again,’” the 33-year-oldtold Reuters in a recent interview.

In Mexico City Garside bought his 26th pair of shoes beforeheading up Mexico’s desert coast to San Diego where he hastelevision interviews lined up for mid-August.

It will mean running at least 60 miles a day. He already hascovered some 30 countries since December 1996 and aims to runthe length of seven continents and 42,000 miles by the time hegets back to London, sometime in 2002.