Distance today = 49.35 km; Total distance = 4257.84 km; Location = Blanding – 37 36.929′ N, 109 28.641′ W; Start time = 0842, Finish time = 1559

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/163085538

Today was tiring – nearly 50 km and just about all of it uphill. At least the hills weren’t too steep, but the unrelenting nature of the ascents gradually takes its toll. I have now been between 4,000 and 7,500 feet in elevation for the past two weeks, and will be going even higher in the next few weeks. The snow-capped Colorado Rockies are clearly visible now, although I’ve been on the lower Rocky Mountain plateaus for a good while already.

After starting this morning at Bluff Airport, I ran the seven or so kilometres into Bluff itself, and had breakfast with the support crew. Once I left Bluff, the climbing began. I have had much bigger days of climbing, but with so much mileage already in my legs, a full day of it is tiring. Coincidentally, my total ascent for the day was exactly the same as yesterday – 632 metres.

The highlight of the day was a great green chilli stew that I picked up for lunch at a small town called White Mesa. From what I can gather, this town is the traditional home of a small tribe of indigenous Americans called the Ute. I am guessing this is where the name Utah came from? Everyone in town appeared to be from this tribe.

I finished in Blanding – a town I am yet to be impressed with. I can handle my phone having no reception at all here, but the ban on the selling of beer and wine due to its “Mormon-ness” is a little harder to handle. I am very tolerant of others holding whatever beliefs they like, but I have no time for practices and customs that force others to follow suit. And I was really looking forward to a nice red wine on a Friday afternoon to celebrate my passing 100 marathons today. I’ll just have to make do with the Coronas the girls stocked up on earlier, and/or the Canadian bourbon we found under the seat of Chook and Don’s car.

Distance today = 50.39 km; Total distance = 4308.23 km; Location = Monticello (14 km east of) – 37 51.376′ N, 109 11.452′ W; Start time = 0824, Finish time = 1541

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/163438102

Another big day of hills, and I’m back up over 7,000 feet in altitude. There are several snow-capped mountains in the vicinity now. It was a warm day, although it’s predicted to be much colder tomorrow.

Not much else to report, except that I have finished March with 1,570 km run. My total for the three months so far is 4,308 km.

I still have no phone reception, so the tracker remains incapacitated. However, if you want to see where I am, and where I have been, then click on the Garmin link above – it will show you everything.

My official run position is now quite close to the Colorado border, and I will be crossing into that state tomorrow.

Distance today = 43.52 km; Total distance = 4351.75 km; Location = Cahone – 37 39.196′ N, 108 48.495′ W; Start time = 0831, Finish time = 1501

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/163909185

The weather today was atrocious. I was greeted by a cold gale-force wind this morning, which was in my face all day. When trucks passed me, they would whip up a mix of small gravel rocks and dust, which would sting as they hit me at high speed. I’m glad I had planned a shorter day than usual, as the wind appeared to be increasing as the day progressed.

However, despite all this, I had a good day, both physically and mentally. And it was also only the second time I’ve run the whole day at over 2,000 metres in elevation. With all this altitude training, I reckon it won’t be long before I’m fit.

I am now in Colorado, although not for too long. In a few days time I will reach New Mexico, where I’ll run for the following week or two.

No photos today, as the excessive wind gusts made it difficult and dangerous for Carmel to be handling a heavy camera and trying to keep it still enough for the shots.

Remember, while the tracker is temporarily out of action, you can view where I am by clicking on the Garmin link above, or by copying the latitude and longitude coordinates at the top of this page and pasting it into Google Earth.

Distance today = 51.09 km; Total distance = 4402.84 km; Location = Cortez (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.