Distance today = 52.38 km; Total distance = 1673.54 km; Location = Taotaoroa –  37 54.871′ S, 175 37.519′ E; Start time = 0904, Finish time = 1645

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/146517772

Sorry for  the hiccough with the web site. Hopefully things will be back to normal from now. I published yesterday’s blog but it is only just now visible. Please read it first if you haven’t already.

Following on from the previous instalment, we had a great BBQ last night with members of the Tauranga Boys College cross country team, including some of the parents. It was great to chat and answer questions, and the hospitality was unprecedented. We then stayed the night with Scott and Kirsty, which was greatly appreciated.

This morning we then returned to the school, and I ran a few laps of the playing fields with the boys (distance not counted in my total), before some photographs with the press. It was all a very pleasant experience, and hopefully I have been able to impart a few pieces of wisdom to the boys as they start their training regime for the upcoming cross country season.

From there it was straight to the point where I stopped yesterday for today’s start. The first 20 km was all uphill to the Kaimai Pass (I kept thinking ‘Kyber Pass’, one of the great examples of rhyming slang ), where I had a great view down into the Waikato Valley.

After a hair-raising descent, it was across the valley floor to my finish point for the day on Taotaoroa Road.

I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s run into Hamilton, as I’ll be meeting up with Roger “Chook” Evans and members of his running club, who will be accompanying me over the final kilometres. It will be great to have some company again on the run.

Just finally, I read with amusement last year the blog of Nick Hayes and his mates.  They ran from Melbourne to Sydney, competing for the title of who could find the most coins along the way. When running highways it’s amazing how many coins one finds. Well, how about this one Nick – did you ever find a Tongan coin on the road? I guess it might be common in Tonga, but it’s a first for me.