European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 05, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Maxwell s -. Mission by Pam Runquist Sta writer Don Maxwell is a Man with a Mission americans he says Are in the dark about european sporting activities and they need to be enlightened. I think it s a shame to see Young gis who really look like they Are in shape and interested in sports holed up on a base he says. There s so much going on in our communities. They just need to be  in support of this cause the retired air Force colonel inn updates this newspaper with brochures announcing Cross country ski races bicycle rides Long distance runs and other sporting events. Ill bet there is a Large potential readership just waiting for a regular column titled something like do Europe through sports he says. A resident of Kaiserslautern West Germany Maxwell is no stranger to the european sporting circuit. An avid biker and runner he also is versed in Cross country skiing and participates in Volks marches. For variety he turns to More daring sports such As parachuting and paragliding. I be always been involved in sports but during my last few years in the military i sort of let it slip away. When i retired i planned to stay in Europe for a few months maybe a half year. I wanted to try out All those sporting events i had  five years later Maxwell still has no definite plans to leave and his sporting wish list has grown. I plan on Riding in the Paris Roubaix citizens Bike Marathon this summer and if possible also entering the Liberty Trail ride across France. This fall there s is file Don Maxwell s activities include bicycle racing. The Nair Burgering run and in the Winter i d like to try to Complete the world Poppet Cross country ski series. Then there s the. " the list goes on and on. Maxwell s goals May seem overwhelming but he s had years of practice. He emphasizes that people should get into the european sporting scene slowly. The important thing he says is to enjoy the experience. A Good Way to Start is with a simple 10-Kilometer  he suggests. Then you can move in to a 20-Kilometer version or try to jog a 10-Kilometer course. It la take a few aches and pains but eventually you la get Back into shape and be Able to move onto longer runs or other  other activities Maxwell recommends for those new to the sporting circuit Are the Rad fahren fur Jedermann the biking version of the vol Smarch series and Volk Laufen or Road races both held throughout Germany and elsewhere in Europe. Being involved in an organized event makes exercising More fun he says. These activities Are great for kids and families  for those interested in More serious sporting competitions he recommends a european Marathon or one of the major biking events such As the Liberty Trail ride. Competition adds a new perspective a Challenge Maxwell says. Maxwell adds that these activities Don t have to be too financially taxing. Expenses can be reduced by sharing transportation costs and staying at Low budget pensions or youth hostels. Language should t be a Barrier either he says because sports Are a Universal activity. I Don t speak much German but i get by he says. There s usually someone who Speaks English or i use hand signal or  Maxwell says the biggest problem is that no one knows about All these  once they find out and get out into the communities then they la realize what a great experience it  these articles and Calendar Are the first in an occasional series of sports features designed o provide More information on activities in Europe. Possible topics for future issues Are cycling biathlon and triathlons and Ultra Volks marches. Readers interested in contributing information on upcoming events in these Fields or suggesting topics for future articles should Contact the stars and stripes features department attn Pam Runquist Apo 09211-4211. Seeing Europe on the Bruncz " Lionel Scatliffe tunes up. Is file american runners in Europe have a unique Opportunity they can Combine their favorite sport with seeing Europe s cities and Countryside and striking up friendships with local residents. I was Only Here three Days when i decided to go out and run the Kaiserslautern German american half Marathon says Lionel Scatliffe who has been stationed in Kaiserslautern West Germany since 1988. I met some other local runners there. Runners just seem to have a Way of introducing themselves to each other. The first thing i usually try to find out is if there is a local running  Scatliffe now runs with pc Kaiserslautern a German club. He and another club member Are training for the Munich Marathon in May. It s been exciting to get out and meet the local running people. I be gotten to see a lot of the area he says. Pam Lavigne who is stationed in Frankfurt West Germany Calls Germany a runner s  Lavigne does most of her running along the paths toward Frankfurt Hochst. Sometimes she takes longer runs along the Nidd and in the Taurus. Lavigne and Scatliffe have found that racing adds a new dimension to their sport and Road races Are common throughout Europe particularly in Germany. Volk Laufe local Road races Are held in almost every German town and Many Host a Winter Lauf series in which local runners log in their weekend distances and receive medals at the end of the season. Then there Are the marathons held throughout the year in Many of Europe s most historical and Scenic cities. Signing up for one of these is a culmination to a european running career. It really had an International flavor says Lavigne of the Frankfurt Marathon in which she ran last year. She Hopes to run in the Moscow peace Marathon in August or in the Athens Marathon in october. Margo Sheridan another runner from Frankfurt says the pre race activities were an important part of her european Marathon experience. Sheridan ran the Munich Marathon two years ago. We travelled there the Day before and went to the Spaghetti party says Sheridan. I wanted to get into the atmosphere of things and to Check out the area. The race was a terrific experience. There were thousands of people and they just took off in Waves. I ran into several americans and was Able to talk to them along the  Sarah Kramer a runner who lives in mor Felden West Germany says running the Berlin Marathon last year was an unforgettable experience. It s hard to describe the actual feeling. There was a Strong sense of history. Looking up and Down the streets As we ran and seeing checkpoint Charlie it Felt very historical. It was a totally different experience than just being a regular  Kramer Hopes to return to Berlin to run the Marathon again this year when the course will travel through both East and West Berlin. Lists of Marathon and other running competitions in Europe Are available from several sources. The association of International Marathon and Road races Aims publishes a biannual yearbook of Long distance runs. For a free copy Send a self addressed envelope to Spiridon Verlas a Mph Box 8901, Linie Strasse 12, d-4000 Dusseldorf 1. Spiridon also publishes a More detailed list of Road races in Germany in the january Issue of its monthly newsletter. For free copies of it write to the above address the Deutsche Leicht athletic verb and or German track and Field association publishes the most Complete listing of Road races in Germany. For a copy of its Volkow Kalendar Send a self addressed envelope to Deutsche  Thlen verb and Julius Reiber Strasse 19, u 6100 Darmstadt training for a european Marathon is stripes Magazine april 5, 1990