Distance today = 60.05 km; Total distance = 25,618.81 km; Location = Morven – 35 39.490’ S, 147 06.649′ E; Start time = 0814, Finish time = 1746

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/367429915

The Hud has done it – he’s run 60 km with me today. In fact, he was stronger than I was. He easily beat the previous record, held by Dave, finishing very strongly. Chook, Eric, and Dave all did very well, but The Hud finished in much better shape than any of them. He’s now the new record holder for the greatest distance run with me in a single day, and is looking forward to celebrating by watching the mighty Rabbitohs have a win tonight.

After a nice dinner last night with Maxine and her running and riding buddies, Leah and Heidi, we were visited early this morning by a group of them, along with kids and husbands, including Maxine’s husband, Damien. They formed a gauntlet for me to run through in the streets of Albury.

The Hud and I then ran out of Albury, with Carmel and Sue acting as support crew during the day. We passed through Gerogery and Culcairn, finishing at Morven in the late afternoon sunshine.

We’ll see how The Hud backs up tomorrow. I think he is eyeing off Eric’s record for the highest total for two consecutive days – 81 km. He has also now moved into third place on the aggregate list with 144 km, edging Jeff off the podium.

Distance today = 51.02 km; Total distance = 25,669.83 km; Location = Mangoplah (12 km north of) – 35 17.257’ S, 147 18.186′ E; Start time = 0842, Finish time = 1623

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/367854733

The Hud has done it again – he’s a machine. He ran the whole day with me, totalling another 51 km. That means he has run 111 km in the past two days, more than two marathons on consecutive days.

He has set all sorts of records. Besides yesterday’s 60 km being the largest one day total, today he passed Eric’s combined total for two consecutive days of 81 km, and Dave’s combined total for three days of 110 km – and he managed that in just two days. He is also the only person to have run the whole day with me on more than one occasion.

It was amazing to watch him in action – his voracious appetite for records, and his steely determination to achieve them, despite the toll it was taking on his body. I was only going to run 50 km today, but he made me do 51 km, so that he could capture Dave’s record too. The only record he doesn’t have now is Chook’s aggregate of 272 km (Hud is on 195 km). Chook must be quaking in his boots – lucky for him, The Hud and Sue go home tomorrow.

It was an absolutely beautiful day, running through fields of canola under cloudless skies and in windless air. We were visited on the road by Jo’s uncle and aunt, David and Carol. They’d driven out to say hello.

Sue and Carmel went on to Mangoplah, where they met Jenny, who drove down from Sydney today. Jenny was last part of the support crew in Phoenix, in March of last year. It’s good to have her back. Actually, Sue and The Hud were last part of the support crew in Hungary, in April of this year, so we now have several old hands on board.

Maxine, Damien, and the kids passed us too, on their way to the local rugby grand final. They also stopped in to see the girls in the Mangoplah pub.

Tomorrow I run through Wagga Wagga, which I have been looking forward to since last year. One reason is that is means I’m close to home, but it also allows me to catch up with my old mate from the mid 70s, Watto Watto from Wagga Wagga. Watto is Mr Simile, or is it The Simile King? More on that in tomorrow’s blog.

Distance today = 48.57 km; Total distance = 25,718.40 km; Location = Harefield – 34 57.262’ S, 147 31.633′ E; Start time = 0859, Finish time = 1621

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/368435514

We had a great time last night, catching up with Watto and Marie, along with Jenny, Sue, and The Hud. And this time, Watto didn’t get turfed out of Romano’s for drunkenness.

The others headed off home this morning as I headed back to my starting location. I was met by a local runner, Anthony Metcalfe, who ran with me into Wagga. He had found me via the tracker. Thanks for the company, Anthony. And Hannah and Grace both called me this morning for Father’s Day, so I had plenty of company.

I was back on my own during the afternoon, after nearly 150 km running with others. After lunch in town, I ran through lush fields of green and yellow, with a few hills thrown in.

The afternoon was a little different to normal, with my old school and footy friend, Brian Love, keeping me informed as to how the Warilla Gorillas were doing in their semi-final. The Lovemeister would text me each time there was a score. I was very pleased to see that the Gorillas prevailed over Milton-Ulladulla, and will now meet Gerringong next week.

I also spoke this afternoon to The Hud, who was basking in his glory at a Father’s Day lunch. He told me that he will not attack Chook’s aggregate record, as he respects him too much. He had no problem demolishing Dave’s and Eric’s records, though. Now that Dave holds no records, will he have a crack at Chook’s record? He only needs another 64 km to beat it.

Distance today = 50.65 km; Total distance = 25,769.05 km; Location = Cootamundra (14 km west of) – 34 42.762’ S, 147 55.207′ E; Start time = 0828, Finish time = 1633

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/369192747

It was another day of perfect weather and more visitors on the road.

I started the day with an interview with ABC Wagga, which resulted in lots of waves from those who heard it on their radios.

I passed through Junee and Illabo, where Carmel met me with a pie. Soon after, David from Wagga, who had heard the interview that morning, decided to drive out for a run with me. Thanks David.

Very soon after that, Kate, Tony, and Sue Day met us on the road. They had driven from Sydney so that Kate could run with me. She ran the last 17 km or so, on a course I ran in 2009 as part of my Melbourne to Sydney run. I was feeling much stronger today.

Kate will continue running with me tomorrow, as I head through Cootamundra and on to Harden. Hopefully the weather and idyllic landscape continues.