I did a big session yesterday morning, focusing on training for speed. The overall run was at a pretty good pace, but it was punctuated with a 300 metre sprint run in 47.8 seconds, plus various bounding, skipping, and jumping.

I actually felt better in the 300 metres than last week, even though it was nearly three seconds faster. I was constrained more by my legs than my lungs. If I was to maintain that pace for another 10o metres (which I think I could have if I ran on a synthetic track in spikes), it would have equated to 63.7 secs for 400 metres. I’d like to be running under a minute for the one lap by early next year, so I require a further four seconds. I reckon that’s achievable.

Today’s world run photo is another from Kaikoura on the east coast of NZ’s South Island. This one was from the opposite direction to yesterday’s photo. If you look at the photo from yesterday you’ll notice the sun is shining from behind the camera. This is looking into that very same sun.

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.