It’s three years to the day since I concluded the North American leg of my run around the world. At just over 12,000 km, it was the longest of all my four full continental stages. The next day Carmel and I flew out for Santiago in Chile to start the South American leg.

It’s also three weeks today until the 12 hour race I’ll be running at the Icarus Ultrafest in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Interestingly, readers may have seen the footage on television in the past 24 hours of a large Airbus catching fire on the tarmac and passengers having to evacuate down the slides. Well, that happened directly across the road from where the 12 hour race (and 24 hour, 48 hour, 72 hour, and 6 day races) will be held. I really mean literally across the road – just a couple of hundred metres away. It will be quite a distraction if the same were to happen during the race.

One last photo from the recent Tour de Bois. This was taken on a back road as we neared the town of Wellington. You can see why we love the Tour de Bois.

On This Day

Oct 31, 2012

Distance today = 45.41 km; Total distance = 13,929.03 km; Location = Manchester. Massachusetts – 42 34.298′ N, 70 46.247′ W; Start time = 0841, Finish time = 1532

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/238973068

I have now officially completed the US leg of my run around the world.

I began the day by heading out of Boston toward the north-east. By lunchtime I had reached the town of Salem, famous for the witch hunts of the 1600s. It may have an even darker side, with some suggesting it is the inspiration for the city of Salem in the soap opera Days Of Our Lives.

I eventually reached the town of Manchester, which is nestled on a bay on the Atlantic coast. I dipped my feet in the ocean to symbolize the end of the journey across North America, thereby ending my US leg. I have run 12,035 km (7,478 miles) in the US since mid February. I doubt too many people have done that in a single year. I have also run through 25 of the 50 states.

Tomorrow night we fly to Chile, where I will begin my trek across South America. It will take a couple of days to get sorted out, so the blog will take a hiatus till then – probably resuming on Nov 3.

PS Chook and Don left this morning to take the car back to its home in Denver. Chook ran an amazing 117 km with me this past week, from a low running base. He just kept on going. It was great to have him and Don along for part of the journey.

PPS I took a wrong turn this morning, resulting in some backtracking. I have subtracted 360 metres from the Garmin data.