Distance today = 51.14 km; Total distance = 10,722.17 km; Location = Mt Pleasant – 35 29.643′ N, 87 13.154′ W; Start time = 0823, Finish time = 1630

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/216214443

Beautiful countryside, this central Tennessee region. It was especially nice this afternoon, as I ran through a forest during a rain shower. It reminded me a lot of the French Pyrenees.

I saw several Amish people in their horse and buggies during the day. A couple of them passed me on the road. Carmel took a good photo.

I’m now just two days out of Nashville. Wonder if we’ll see Keith and Nicole?

Distance today = 50.35 km; Total distance = 10,772.52 km; Location = Spring Hill – 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.

Distance today = 54.88 km; Total distance = 10,827.40 km; Location = Nashville – 36 09.823′ N, 86 47.063′ W; Start time = 0820, Finish time = 1647

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/216910458

I have spoken a bit recently about roads that were not friendly to pedestrians. Forget those ones – today I ran on a road, coming in to Nashville, that beats all the others hands down. Nothing else comes even close to how bad this road was for running. The traffic was thick, and if I wasn’t running in the lanes with the cars, I would have been over the side in a six foot deep ditch by the roadside. I nearly fell into this ditch several times. My hips, knees, and ankles have never had such a lateral workout.

It was a suburb of palatial homes, and I think it was probably a conscious decision on the part of town planners to make it so pedestrian-unfriendly, as it keeps the riff-raff on foot, like me, from venturing into the suburb. Nor was there any room at all for any cars to park and, therefore, no shops or petrol stations of any sort.

Anyhow, enough of that. My day was otherwise quite good, although the weather was extremely humid. I covered nearly 55 km, including almost 500 metres of ascent on the hills. Looking forward to seeing some of Nashville by night.