No issues this morning after yesterday’s long run. I only kept it short, but could probably have backed up again with another long one if required. In fact, I added another couple of kilometres yesterday afternoon to take the day to 45 km. It gives me additional confidence when I can easily add more distance late in the day.

The anomalous bad day I had a couple of weeks back is a distant memory now. And I haven’t had to ingest anything unusual to solve that problem. In fact, all I had yesterday on the run, besides a light breakfast before starting, was four chocolate milks bought along the way. And I didn’t feel hungry at all, nor lacking in energy.

Now for the news I alluded to regarding my book about running around the world, due to be in the bookstores on June 29. I am very pleased to announce that one of Australia’s leading authors and newspaper columnists, Peter FitzSimons, will be providing the Foreword for the book. Peter followed my run at the time, mentioning in his column each time I reached a multiple of a hundred marathons. It’s a pleasure to now have him contribute to the book.

On This Day

Apr 2, 2012

Distance today = 51.09 km; Total distance = 4402.84 km; Location = Cortez, Colorado (8 km east of) – 37 20.895′ N, 108 28.766′ W; Start time = 0850, Finish time = 1608

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/164249615

I awoke to snow again today. It wasn’t as heavy as a few weeks ago, but I reckon it was colder.

At least the wind direction had turned, and I had a tailwind favouring me. However, I would have preferred no wind at all. Even a tailwind produces a wind chill factor, and I estimate the effective temperature was at least ten degrees lower than it was out of the wind. All the same, I was thankful it wasn’t a headwind, which would have kept me on the road for longer.

By lunch time it had warmed up enough for me to take off my gloves and beanie, but it got cold again by mid afternoon – time for the heavy apparel again.

I was pleased to knock over more than 50 km in these conditions. Tomorrow I have to run uphill again, this time to over 2,500 metres – a new record high elevation for the world run. I hope the weather improves, otherwise it’s going to be very uncomfortably cold at that altitude.

I also got my T-Mobile reception back today, in and around the town of Cortez. This means the tracker is working again, at least while I have reception. Fingers crossed I don’t lose it again for so long.

PS I stopped for lunch today under an awning, and noted my distance as 43.45 km. I didn’t move more than a metre or two while I ate, yet when I went to head off, I noticed the GPS watch reading 44.02 km. It was also saying it had lost satellite reception, almost certainly due to the roof overhead. Somehow it got confused and attributed me with distance I didn’t do.

Therefore, I am subtracting 570 metres from what the Garmin data indicates (51.66 km) to get an official distance for the day of 51.09 km. You can see where the watch went haywire if you click on the Garmin link above and scroll down to the Pace/Speed section. It has me momentarily at high velocity, even though I am going nowhere on the map.

Apr 2, 2013

Distance today = 50.65 km; Total distance = 18,868.24 km; Location = Karlstein, Germany – 49 09.279′ N, 12 11.178′ E; Start time = 0840, Finish time = 1738

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/292338373

It was a bit of a tough day, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, there was so much stop-start, due to a lot of minor roads and trails I was running on. When cycling paths parallel the roads for long distances, it’s very easy, but today entailed lots of turns and changes in direction. There were a myriad of possibilities to head the wrong way. I had to constantly stop to check where I was and where I was going, where Carmel was and how she could reach me, and where there might be accommodation and what that meant in terms of where I needed to finish my day. I found I just couldn’t get into a rhythm.

The early part of the day was pleasant enough. I was running along a trail next to the Donau River. I even gave my friend, Richard, a call via Skype on my phone – we had a chat from Bad Abbach in Germany to Gerringong in Australia.

Soon after, I caught up with Carmel. She had just been to the supermarket and had bought a new supply of bottled water for me – there are no taps along the road. That brings me to the second reason the day was tough. The problem was there were no markings on the bottles to indicate they were soda water. Soda water, with its high sodium content, is one of the worst things you can drink for endurance and stamina, especially if you’re on the road for hours at a time. But I decided I’d ignore this fact, and drank a reasonable quantity anyway. It didn’t take long for me to start feeling way below my best, struggling for many kilometres. Carmel found another supermarket and bought some pure water. When I met her next, I drank nearly two litres of this. Within half an hour, I was starting to feel much better.

On the flip side to the day, I’m enjoying some very pretty countryside in this region, and I’m looking forward to the next few days, as I make my way toward and into the Czech Republic.

Carmel’s wrist is benefiting greatly from the time away from the post-photo processing on the computer, so we’ve decided to give it another day of rest, hence, no photos today.

Just finally, if you have a look at the new video posted on the web site (from the Today Show), you will find me looking extremely haggard. I wasn’t feeling that bad, nor do I usually look that bad. I think I must have been sitting too close to the web cam – those fish-eye cameras don’t do you any favours.

PS I have deducted 40 metres from the Garmin data, as I backtracked to use the toilet at MacDonald’s in Regensburg, and forgot to turn off the Garmin.