President Jim Doti writes of finding joy in a well-run, if gentler, Black Forest marathon

President Jim Doti is renowned for his competitive spirit when it comes to marathon running. But sometimes he chooses a different pace. Writing in the May/June 2013 issue of Marathon & Beyond,  Doti describes his experience running the Hornisgrinde Marathon near the German town of Baden Baden. He admits that the hilly route coursing through Black Forest meadows gave him an excuse to ease up, but he’s grateful for it.

“Shouldn’t I take a few breathers to soak up the sights, sounds and wonders of the Black Forest? Isn’t this a race that begs you to stop and smell the roses?” he wrote in a first-person essay recounting the experience.

He decided it was, and still placed among the top three racers in his age category. Doti recounts the entire race, from his efforts to complete a registration form with an assist from Google Translate to the post-race celebration. Read a portion of the article at the online Marathon & Beyond website or in its entirety at the Office of the President website.