In this episode of the Podcast It's a long road, I will reveal to you my book with the same title "Everything is a road".
In the book "Everything is a road", I record my experiential experiences, my individual battles and my personal "marathons" in my road path to date; a path not paved with rose petals, with which precisely for this reason I believe it can be identified every reader and amateur runner: because it highlights the magic and at the same time the difficulties of running in its true dimensions.
In this episode of the Podcast It's a long road, I will reveal to you my book with the same title "Everything is a road".
Hello my friends.
You will allow me but today the day is purely mine. Today's episode is all about me, or rather my book. My book titled…..what else……”It's a long road». Finally after a long time it is coming to fruition and another goal has been achieved and another dream has come true. Something I worked hard for, but I believed in it, I set it as a goal, I dreamed of it, I got tired and fought for it and I am very proud today that from here I share this joy with you and even more happy to tell you later that all my income will go to charity.
I decided to present my own book here through this Podcast to all of you listeners who I now feel very close to me, I would say like my family and not in a bookstore or some other place. I'm not one for such formalities, at least not at the moment and so to be a bit original, for the first time we will have an online book presentation through a Podcast and not in a physical space. After all, our strength is this company that has been created here and in fact I have met many of you and I hope to meet even more in the future and in various road events that I intend to take part in. I would even say that we "grow up" together!
I started writing the book on 18/01/2021, in the midst of a pandemic and long before I started the Podcasts. Almost a year before Podcasts. I had simply dreamed and planned the upcoming 6 Marathons that I finally started 8 months later, in September 2021 and I simply started writing my thoughts and feelings from my entire running path up until then. How I started running, how I experience it and much more, with the ultimate goal of course to record my entire journey towards the stars and the 6 World Marathon Majors. I didn't know where all this would lead, I took one step at a time, slowly and steadily but with a plan, until at some point out of nowhere the Podcasts came to say how it came and tied the knot. One step at a time, one success at a time, always keeping in mind the big goal which was to complete the 6 Majors and with them the book.
To reveal something to you, as the title of the book I was thinking of something very different and that had to do with the 6 Majors, but later the Podcast came to overturn both the title and the cover for me.
Let's say a few things about the book...
What does Tokyo have to do with garlic cod? How does New York combine with endorphins? What do a marathon and a burger have in common? What can a sports podcast connect with six international megacities?
These and many more are answered in the book "Everything is a road", where I record my experiential experiences, my individual battles and my personal "marathons" in my road path to date; a path not paved with rose petals, with which precisely for ' this I believe every reader and amateur runner can identify with: because it highlights the magic and at the same time the difficulties of running in its true dimensions.
Running as a sport was considered, from ancient times, so important that from an early age children were taught the techniques and philosophy of running, a competition that was established as a basic element of their education. Today, running techniques have been studied and developed to the maximum extent thanks to the expertise of qualified scientists. Street philosophy, however, is still a completely individual matter. Thus, through this book, I am unfolding my individual road philosophy, which over the years has evolved into a life philosophy.
In the book "Everything is a road", I describe in every detail all the anxieties, deprivations, setbacks and also the glorious moments that I experienced from the first moment I stepped out on the road, until I conquered my dream of becoming a Six Star Finisher, i.e. to finish in the six biggest marathons in the world.
I always remember myself being involved in sports. As a youngster, what had won me over was football. Amateurs, in groups of Thessaloniki. Football, amateur I always played in a team until I was 38. Around the age of 40, however, in 2012, out of nowhere, running entered my life. In the beginning simply, without plan and tactics. No knowledge at all. Without any program. I was just running. Guided by what I read on the internet and in magazines, I ran once, twice, at most three times a week, usually when my eldest daughter had tennis lessons. I was very happy about it and that's why I looked up the subject of races; half marathons and marathons.
Vassilis Krommidas, athlete and coach for over 30 years in triathlon and endurance sports, has been my helper in this endeavor since 2018. With his guidance, slowly but surely, simple running started to become a love, a hobby, an addiction. That is why I sought the above step, for improvement and development in what began to win soul and body.
My racing improvement was evident, my endurance increased, my distances increased, my times decreased.
When I reached the level to support longer races, more kilometers, more endurance, that's where my new running dreams were born. And every time I saw that one goal was achieved, another one took its place.
The training and hard work continued and other Half-Marathon, Marathon races followed with better results. All these racing experiences made me more excited and motivated. There I realized that when you really want something, nothing and no one can stand in the way of conquering your dream. And now I had achieved my own running dream; to complete the 6 World Marathon Majors, but at the same time to compete more in ultra-distances, which finally materialized with various races and the culmination in 2023 of finishing the 180 km Olympic Road in a time of 25 hours and 39 minutes, from where I succeeded and got the coveted qualification for the Spartanathlon.
The training sessions were many and systematic; gym, running, swimming, exercises, everything that was needed to achieve the goals. Daily and unobtrusively, systematically, methodically and consistently. The sacrifices even more. Especially those related to my family obligations as I was deprived of moments with them. Financial sacrifices, especially in bad times, more difficult. At the same time, I had to combine these efforts with my intense professional obligations.
And the moment of implementation has arrived. 6 Marathons in Berlin, Chicago, Boston, London, New York and finally Tokyo, where I managed to finish with a time of 3:19 and become a "6 Star Finisher"!. A goal that at first seemed like an elusive dream, was completed in Tokyo on March 05, 2023. I then became the 16th Greek to complete this undertaking and the first to do so within a period of 525 days!
From my participation in this series of six marathons, through the climate of the races, the organizers, the places, the trips, I was filled with feelings and images that I will remember forever and that changed my life and me as a person. The difficulties in completing this undertaking in such a short period of time are multi-dimensional and have to do with many parameters.
Every journey is a challenge and a test. First of all, the period of sports preparation must go smoothly and without injuries and problems, otherwise the whole venture-journey goes awry, which entails mainly a financial but also a psychological burden.
6 endings all so different, in 6 different cities of the world, but at the same time so common, since in each of these endings I felt the same incredible feelings. What runners feel when cutting the thread in every Marathon race. Emotions that wash from end to end of the whole body, causing all the cells to participate in this delirium and causing indescribable joy and pleasure. It is the moment when you cry and laugh at the same time, it is the physical and spiritual atonement, it is the culmination of all the efforts of the previous months.
And something important about this book!
All my income from the sale of my book will go to a good cause, since it will be given to medical equipment at the Pediatric Oncology Hippocrates Hospital of Thessaloniki. I had close contact with the director of the department, Mrs. Eugenia Papakonstantinou, who accepted this offer of mine with great joy and I can't hide from you that I can't wait for the good to be implemented and this will of course be done with your help. Let me repeat that not a portion of the proceeds, but all of my proceeds from the book will go to this cause! Let's all go together to sell out the 1st edition of the book and I will be happy to implement this goal as well. That is why it was my demand and you will see it and in every book you get, there will be a special zone that hugs the book and will mention this purpose.
I owe the warmest thanks, first of all, to my wife Sofia, for her love, deep understanding and essential support all these years, as well as for all the sacrifices she was willing to make by my side in order to make this happen. and bones and achieve this endeavour.
I also thank my children, Eliza, Celia and Miltiadis, who never complained about the long and frequent intervals we were away from them.
I owe a great deal of gratitude to my beloved parents, Miltiadis and Elizabeth, who stood for me as examples of morals and kindness, who nurtured me with values and ideals and, above all, who taught me to respect people and not to give up.
I deeply thank my daughter-in-law Anna Fotiou, an excellent teacher, writer and great person, who was one of the first to believe in me. I am extremely grateful to her for her guidance and advice throughout the writing process.
In addition, many thanks to:
Tasos Karagiannidis, my best friend and brother in running, for the countless kilometers we ran together and continue to run and the still countless running conversations we continue to have, my coach Vassilis Krommidas for the training guidance all these years, which really changed level; my friend and gymnast coach Marianna Vellis, for her professional advice and essentially beneficial guidance (Marianna, I wish your new athletics club in the Kautanzoglio National Stadium of Thessaloniki triumphs!) Giorgos Karagiannis of the "Golden Marathon Tours" office and the wife of Efi Papadopoulou, for the support, for the trips we took together and for their true friendship; my publisher Ilias Tsiptse who believed – more than me – in this book from the beginning, for the enthusiasm, the his constant support during the writing and for his trust; Fani Kehagia, educator, writer and text editor, for her patience until the book took its final form; finally, all of you loyal listeners of the podcast "Everything is a way ", for your support all these years. A support that I ask from all of you even more this time with my book and the proceeds of it will go to the cause I mentioned.
The book "Everything is a road", in addition to the experiential testimony of an amateur runner in distance races (marathons and others), proves step by step that nothing is impossible for man, when he is steeled by determination and will, faith in himself and true love for what he does.
This is what running is for some of us. Getting out of our comfort zone, since we need to work hard, wake up sometimes early, train while tired from our daily work, get up from the couch on a cold and rainy day to train. One of the most common obstacles to starting a running routine is the comfort zone. But by saying yes to new challenges and pushing yourself beyond its limits, you can develop resilience, self-discipline and a growth mindset. By pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone and challenging yourself to run regularly, you can experience great benefits for your mental health, improve your overall well-being and see running as an important aspect of your personal development. The skills you will develop through running can be applied to various areas of your life, helping you achieve personal and professional goals. Stepping out of your comfort zone may shock you at first. But when the first borah passes, you will be able to use the remnants of your old life to create the new one you want to create. It's not easy, but believe me, it's worth it.
Most people don't have what they want because they gave up at some point. They gave up on their dreams and goals. And life owes no one and never gives to those who need, but to those who deserve
Having lived a unique road adventure, I rightfully urge you: "Don't be afraid. Get out of your comfort zone and never stop dreaming!”
Also, don't forget that in view of the Marathon of Thessaloniki Alexander the Great I will be on Friday afternoon from 5 to 7 and on Saturday morning at its stand Sportbook 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., so that we can get to know each other in person and those of you who want to take my book, but also to sign it for you.
About the day of the match I have said it before, but I will repeat the following important thing. I will be the Pacer of the Marathon race for those who try to cover the race in less than 4 hours. We will accompany you throughout the race and I will try to help you break the 4 hour barrier which I know is every runner's biggest goal.
So in Pella there at the start of the race we will meet at the statue of Alexander the Great to say good morning, get to know each other in person, take some photos and those who want to come with us until the finish to break the 4 hours since we will move with pace 5:35 to 5:40. I really want to help as many people as possible succeed and it will be my great pleasure and honor to run together.
In closing, let me repeat that all my income from the sale of my book will go to a good cause, since it will be given to medical equipment at the Pediatric Oncology Hippocrates Hospital of Thessaloniki. I am asking all of you to support this book and I look forward to when the 1st edition is sold out, to make my commitment to the donation I intend to make a reality. To reiterate, not a portion of the proceeds, but all of my book proceeds will go to this cause! Help my friends to implement it as soon as possible!
The book costs only 14.90 euros and the publishing house does Sportbook in turn trying to help as much as he can in the implementation of my own venture with this donation, he will not charge any shipping for shipments within Greece. All you have to do is during the purchase process put the word "olaeinaidromos» in Latin characters and shipping will not be charged. So for only 15 euros you buy the book and at the same time you help to realize my big goal by donating to the Pediatric Oncology Hippocrates Hospital of Thessaloniki. All the runners together and not only can do something good and let's prove that we are many and that we are strong!
You can find the book either through the olaeinaidromos.gr page or through Sportbook publications, or from other online stores and physical bookstores. I will have a link in the description of this episode, but also in the Social of the Podcast.
Also something very important. Through publications Sportbook, the book will also be available in E-book at a better price of course. For all of you who don't mind and want to keep listening to my voice, whether in training or in the car or wherever else you want, the book will also be available on Audio Book again at a better price. In fact, it will be available from the publications Sportbook and special very good price to buy and combination of physical book, e-book and Audio book. This combination is really worth a lot from the financial point of view.
Don't forget to take advantage of the publishing house's offer with free shipping for shipping within Greece. Put the code in your order olaeinaidromos with latin characters.
So let's go, my friends, let's implement this goal together as quickly as possible, because it's for a good cause! All the runners together and not only can do something good and let's prove that we are many and that we are strong! Besides, as the audio says...
Thank you so much for listening to me!
Until next time, be well, be healthy and always do what we love and what makes us feel good.
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You can find the Podcast t-shirts through the site www.olaeinaidromos.gr or from the following link:
T-shirt – Everything Is Road
Sleeveless Road T-Shirt – Everything is Road
T-shirts are All Over Print, you will each be able to have your own name on the back, while the material used will be the best for runners, with technology Dry-Fit and Cool Max.
Also using the code oladromos23 you have a discount 10% on all other Athlon products.
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