Running Europe

The Mission

On May 8, 2025, I set out from the mouth of the Douro River in Porto, Portugal, to follow the historic routes that cross the European continent. The journey carried me along the Caminho and Camino networks through Portugal, Spain, and France, over the Alps and Apennines of Italy, and into the Balkans — Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, and Greece — before reaching the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, the gateway to Asia. Unlike the remote stretches of the U.S., Europe’s ancient caminos have guided pilgrims for centuries, offering not just a path but a culture of food, lodging, and connection. That’s the spirit I was chasing: movement, but also meaning.

Christina, my partner in many previous adventures, will be supporting the run in person. Monica, will be supporting virtually and in spirit. Lisa Batchen-Smith is my uber-coach who has been instrumental in preparing me for all my adventures. #coachlisasmithbatchen

This journey is also for the dogs who have run beside me.

In 2011, I rescued Tux, a black lab mutt, who ran thousands of miles at my side—including days of 50 miles—until his passing in 2023. In 2018, a stray mountain dog in Brazil named Lucky rescued me. He came home to Florida and together we ran across the United States—over 2,000 miles—before his passing in 2021.

Tux was the dog I chose. Lucky was the dog who chose me. And in 2023, Monica, my wife, surprised me by choosing a dog for me: a rescued puppy named Jax.

They say most dogs can safely run 6 or 7 miles. Maybe. But maybe sometimes, the right dog finds the right person—and together, they go farther. This time, we test a random connection. Let’s see how far it goes.