Distance today = 56.89 km; Total distance = 24,717.48 km; Location = Casterton – 37 37.693’ S, 141 17.155′ E; Start time = 0822, Finish time = 1644

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/358146729

It was a long and cold day, with a fierce westerly wind blowing. The one advantage was that it was behind me. Thankfully, I didn’t get wet.

Despite the road being a key highway, it was not busy at all. I passed a lot of sheep, and some cattle. They are all scared of me for some reason. However, one cow did let me pat it.

Late in the morning, I crossed from South Australia into Victoria. I am now in the same time zone as my finishing point in Sydney. After a whole world of time zone changes, I now have no more time zones to cross.

I’m looking forward to a better day of weather tomorrow, but my hopes may be forlorn. I’ll just have to grin and bear it, however the day turns out.

Distance today = 54.51 km; Total distance = 24,771.99 km; Location = Coleraine (11 km east of) – 37 38. 382’ S, 141 47.841′ E; Start time = 0840, Finish time = 1658

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/358651961

Another day of sunshine that was very regularly punctuated with freezing cold rain showers. At one stage, the rain actually consisted of tiny pieces of ice.

I was also attacked by a magpie again, though it didn’t make contact with my head. I reckon all the magpies are a bit edgy at the moment, ahead of Collingwood’s clash with Hawthorn on Friday.

Michael has re-joined the support crew, after a couple weeks off. We just can’t keep him away. Last night we had dinner in the Glenelg Inn Hotel in Casterton, where Troy kindly provided a delicious meal and the wine. Great hospitality, once again, and a very enjoyable evening – certainly a place to visit if you’re passing through Casterton.

Troy also told me about the Lower Coleraine Road, which was a great find. It was almost devoid of cars, and had fewer hills. All the same, it was still a hilly day overall, with a long one out of Coleraine.

I was also reminded today of a little piece of trivia, which might make you think a bit – the girl who played Cindy Brady in The Brady Bunch (I think her name was Susan Olsen) turned 52 today. Where does the time go? Now that’s a wake-up call to get out there and do whatever you want to do, before it’s too late. Time creeps up on you faster than you realise.

Distance today = 53.67 km; Total distance = 24,825.66 km; Location = Penshurst – 37 52.380’ S, 142 17.691′ E; Start time = 0833, Finish time = 1734

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/359146198

We had an interesting time last night, meeting with Julie and Paul from the Coleraine Hotel, and several of their clientele. Many thanks to the pub for the accommodation, and to their social club for a $100 donation to Oxfam (it’s in cheque form at the moment, and I have to work out a way to get it into the system).

I discovered an intriguing fact about Coleraine. Helena Rubinstein initiated her cosmetics business from the town. She had come here in 1897, after her father had tried to arrange a marriage for her in Poland. She had escaped on the pretext of visiting her uncle in Coleraine. Once she’d set up the business, she expanded it by moving to Melbourne, then eventually to New York, where it become the biggest cosmetics brand in the world for quite some time. And it all started in a small town in western Victoria, with a current population of about 800.

Today’s run was in better weather conditions – mainly sunshine, but with a cold westerly tailwind (better than a headwind). I reached Hamilton around noon, and did an interview with Tessa and Judy from the local newspaper, The Hamilton Spectator.

The afternoon was a bit tough. It’s always hard when I have more than 30 km to run after lunch. I finally made it to Penshurst to finish my day. Feeling a bit tired tonight, though.