One of the realities of my calf injury is that I currently have to run as a heel striker. I simply can’t push off from my toes just yet. And, for the first time since 1983 I am feeling a little bit of shine soreness because of it. Just a hint of soreness, but something I need to be very aware of for the next couple of weeks.

I’m slowly upping my daily distance, though only one kilometre at a time, and I then stay at that distance for a few days. I’m making progress but am a bit frustrated at the pace of improvement. Patience is not one of my virtues.

This week Tony Mangan concluded the continental part of Europe and is now in England, almost at London. He’s been running for nearly four years now and will be finishing with a lap of Ireland, bringing him to a total of 50,000 km over the four years. And Jesper Olsen is going to run the final week with Tony. I’m looking forward to hearing all about it. See www.theworldjog.com.

Kevin Carr is now in northern Canada. He has some much more remote running ahead of him for the next few weeks. See www.hardwayround.com

On This Day

Aug 29, 2012

Distance today = 50.35 km; Total distance = 10,772.52 km; Location = Spring Hill, Tennessee – 35 43.445′ N, 86 53.723′ W; Start time = 0822, Finish time = 1654

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/216578445

A more humid one today, possibly due to the hurricane down south of here. And more Tennessee forests and hills to run through to ease the discomfort of the heat.

I passed through the town of Columbia around lunch time. On the way out of town, a couple of 50 something women by the side of the road asked me if I could change their flat tyre. I agreed, of course, but it was a strange encounter. I didn’t smell anything on their breath, but there was definitely some sort of substance abuse going on. Their spare was the wrong size (the tyre was about an inch less in diameter than the others), and they proceeded to drink coke and chain smoke while they watched me change the tyre in the heat of the day.

Once I had it changed, they drove off on the wrong side of the road and almost had a head-on with a car that was blowing its horn in alarm. A few minutes later they drove back by in the opposite direction. I’m not sure what was going on, but it certainly made the day a bit different.

I churned out another 50 km – once again, I’d like to stress how much easier it is to keep up this regular distance with a support crew. Carmel is doing a fantastic job. Without her, I’d be forced to stop at locations that are geographically convenient, but the distances would be all over the place, and a lot shorter on average.

Aug 29, 2013

Distance today = 44.87 km; Total distance = 25,558.76 km; Location = Albury, NSW – 36 05.014’ S, 146 54.744′ E; Start time = 0814, Finish time = 1537

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/366921547

An eventful day, with lots of media interviews and meetings on the road.

I left Beechworth early in the morning, after an interview with ABC radio in Wodonga. 10 km later I passed through the very small town of Wooragee, where a teacher from the local school called out to me from the classroom. She had heard the interview, and was waiting for me to pass. The students all came out and we took photos and had a Q&A session. It was very nice to meet the students and staff, and Carmel later dropped in to meet them too.

The next part of the run was quite hilly. I met the local paper, the Border Mail, for an interview, followed by Prime News.

Carmel’s niece, Maxine, also met us on the road, along with her three kids. They live locally. Later, Maxine returned with her friends, Leah and Mick, who then ran the remainder of the day with me. We finished in Albury, where we again met Carmel, Maxine, and another friend, Heidi.

So, it was an enjoyable day, meeting numerous people – it certainly passed very quickly. I crossed the Murray River just before Albury, which means I’m now in my home state of New South Wales for the first time on the world run since the day I started, on Dec 31, 2011.