Distance today = 55.33 km; Total distance = 7472.20 km; Location = Lidgerwood – 46 04.307′ N, 97 09.165′ W; Start time = 0826, Finish time = 1647

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/186918212

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/186922297

Running all day through this heat is a killer. The mornings are fine, then the temps zoom up by another ten degrees around lunchtime. Tomorrow is again predicted to be in the mid 30s C.

I crossed the border from South Dakota to North Dakota today, bringing my total number of US states run through so far to nine. They will continue to mount thick and fast over the coming months.

Many readers may have noticed the new video – a TV news clip from KDLT in South Dakota. It’s a nice piece, but there is one inaccuracy I’d like to correct. I will not be the first person to run around the world. You may have read my previous mentions about a couple of guys – Jesper Olsen and Tony Mangan.

Jesper is, in my view, the first to truly run around the world. In 2004/05 he completed such a circumnavigation. I believe Jesper deserves recognition as the first. Since that first run he has embarked on a second world run, which he has almost completed.

Tony Mangan is, like me, currently involved in his own world run. Tony has chosen a course of his own design which, I have to admit, is incredibly comprehensive. He will take four years to run approximately 50,000 km through some of the most remote areas on Earth. His run will be the most complete and detailed circumnavigation of the world ever achieved when he finishes it in 2014.

There are others who deserve a mention, such as Rosie Swale-Pope, who ran around the northern hemisphere (Eurasia and North America) several years ago.

Distance today = 53.10 km; Total distance = 7525.30 km; Location = Wahpeton (9 km west of) – 46 15.643′ N, 96 44.464′ W; Start time = 0830, Finish time = 1636

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/187274072

It was a day I was dreading. After a week of temperatures above 30C, today was predicted to be the crescendo. When I headed off at 8:30 am, it was already 28C. When I finished at 4:45 pm, it was 36C. I assume it reached nearly 40C at its peak.

Despite all this, I had a relatively good day. I couldn’t have done it, though, without Carmel’s support through the middle of the day. Between the 15 km and 37 km marks, she provided me with drinks every few kilometres – and a delicious lunch. All the same, I was still very thirsty by the time I finished my day at 53 km.

Following my mention yesterday of the cyclists who have circumnavigated the earth according to the Guinness World Records rules, I learned that a race based on these rules concluded earlier this week. The winner was a guy called Mike Hall, who completed his lap of the world in 92 days – an incredible average of about 320 km per day – which is more than six times what I’m averaging on foot. This smashed the previous cycling world record, which had already been broken several times in recent years.

It must have been as tough mentally as physically, to get up each day knowing he had over 300 km of riding in front of him, rain, hail, or shine (or worst of all, a headwind). Given that most people who ride or run around the world will only do so once, it’s a pity he had virtually no chance to see the sights. To a large extent, it’s the seeing, hearing, smelling, and touching that really makes a trip around the world under your own steam worthwhile.

However, I’m sure Mike Hall won’t be too concerned, having won the most gruelling race ever devised (the only tougher race would be one where the participants had to run around the world). Well done, Mike!!!!

Distance today = 50.81 km; Total distance = 7576.11 km; Location = Oxbow  – 46 41.185′ N, 96 47.941′ W; Start time = 0832, Finish time = 1631

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/187769119

A much cooler one today, with some light rain to finish with. I just didn’t feel like I had much energy either. It could be just a lagging reaction to all the hot days earlier in the week.

It’s not like I haven’t experienced hot weather before. Of course, in Sydney it can often be over 40C in summer. But there’s a big distinction between running for an hour on such days at 7 am, and running for seven hours through the middle of a day like that. The fact that I’m managing these conditions gives me confidence for the months ahead.

When Carmel went ahead to find accommodation for the night, she enlisted the help of the GPS system in the car. When she went in to the place it had directed her to, she found she was in a retirement village. Mmmmm, maybe in a few years time!

Distance today = 51.09 km; Total distance = 7627.20 km; Location = Hawley (11 km west of) – 46 52.560′ N, 96 27.461′ W; Start time = 0831, Finish time = 1612

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/188425088

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/188135239

When you have to run in serious gale force winds, it’s always preferable to have them at your back. Luckily for me, that was the case this afternoon. The weather report indicated the wind speed regularly exceeded 80 km/h. It pushed me along noticeably faster than normal. It would have been fantastic to have been cycling with it. Even a weak cyclist could have coasted at 50 km/h.

Last night I had been feeling decidedly out of sorts. I thought I may have been getting something. But it was nothing a good night’s sleep couldn’t fix. I continued to pick up throughout the day, and felt great by the end.

Around lunch time I crossed a small river in the large town of Fargo. The river is the border between North Dakota and Minnesota. There was a toll booth on the little bridge, charging motorists 75 cents to cross. Apparently it’s a privately owned bridge, and the toll must be an historic artefact, going back to the day when private citizens could build bridges and charge people to cross. I got across for free in the pedestrian lane. The support vehicle had to pay later when it made the crossing.

That means I’m now in my tenth US state of this run. And there are at least ten to come.