6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JANUARY 23-29, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com 831 Ben Balester has seen the world. Not the world of landmarks and city spires, mind you, but of airports, pavement and toil. When he speaks of Europe, it’s a dark and dismal place. South America is memorable to him for its oppressive heat. Yet the world he describes is one of beauty and—especially—community. In November, the Monterey native completed The Great World Race, running seven marathons in seven consecutive days on seven continents. Starting in Antarctica, the group of almost 60 participants then traveled to Cape Town, South Africa, Perth, Australia, then on to Istanbul, running first on the European side of Turkey and the next day in Asia. The competition finished with events in Cartagena, Colombia and Miami. “These are all places I’d love to spend some quality time,” Balester says, noting that the plane—once used on tour by the Rolling Stones—was their home. “But this was a unique experience.” Balester is a veteran of endurance events. In addition to traditional marathons, he has 10 100-mile runs to his credit and once took on the Mont Blanc course, a challenge covering 106 miles and 33,000 feet of elevation. He also runs locally with others, and it’s that sense of community that tends to give him inspiration. When Balester was taking part in the race, his employer—Hops and Fog Brewing Co. in Pacific Grove—charted his progress so regulars could keep up. When he arrived back home, a group greeted him at Monterey Regional Airport. Al Siekert was in that group and welcomed Balester with a warm hug. Siekert is the founder of Al & Friends, a nonprofit dedicated to providing Sunday meals for the hungry. Not only does Balester volunteer when possible, he also used the marathons as a way to raise money for the organization—$15,000 through a GoFundMe campaign. “You have to have hope that that loving act will change someone’s life,” he says of people who give back. “Al & Friends gives people a sense of belonging. It’s more than a warm meal, it’s community.” Balester was born in Monterey but grew up and went to school in England, moving back to the Peninsula when he was 26. It was while in college that he first began to jog. “I used to detest running,” he admits. “I got involved in some unhealthy habits”—smoking was one— “but I always liked to move.” But in 2001, Balester entered the Big Sur Marathon. He remembers the decision to go from casual jogger to marathoner as a decidedly big leap. Race participants included Olympic athletes, extreme sports enthusiasts and runners, ranging in age from 18 to 81. There is little to prepare one for the grueling seven-seven-seven experience. The start was moved up a day due to weather concerns in Antarctica, taking away a day of rest. Temperature changes from one day to the next could be extreme. The tour slipped off schedule, so they had to run Europe on a miserable night then wake up the next morning to take on Asia. That’s the one occasion when the competitors became irritable. But on the starting line someone began singing “Sweet Caroline.” Others joined in and spirits revived. Balester recorded his best time— 3:49—in Asia after an hour of sleep. Overall he finished ninth in the men’s competition with an average of 4:02. “They called me ‘Mr. Consistent,’” he says, pointing out that the biggest challenge to overcome was not the distance itself, not the pain in his legs and back. “When you’re fatigued, you can get through it. But when you’re mentally fatigued, you lose determination.” So Balester has seen the world from stretches of pavement. But along those courses were penguins in Cape Town, a snow-capped range in Antarctica, fishermen in Turkey and the beach of Miami. To connect with each place, he took a moment to walk barefoot—except in Antarctica, where he only dared a few minutes in short sleeves. After crossing the final finish line, Balester plunged into the ocean in Miami and floated in its warm embrace. “I was feeling very good,” he recalls. “It was ethereal. Then my back froze up.” High Mileage Marathon runner Ben Balester took on the world, one continent per day. By Dave Faries Community is part of what Ben Balester—shown here running in Antarctica—values in running. “When you get out there, it’s everybody sharing the journey together,” he says. “I met a lot of interesting people.” “They called me ‘Mr. Consistent.’” Health & Fitness The Chamber Connects At the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, we are connectors, providing our members with valuable introductions to new customers and referral sources. If you're looking for a platform to initiate important conversations and grow your business, we invite you to join our business association on the Monterey Peninsula! Join Today! • montereychamber.com • info@montereychamber.com • 831.648.5350
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