I think I’ve seen the end of my short lived foray into rugby. While warming up for today’s game I tore my left calf, and quite badly. Although I’ve had bad hamstring tears before, this is the worst calf tear I’ve suffered.

I always knew it was the muscle tears that would be my nemesis playing a game like rugby. I wasn’t worried about the hits, but the tears of muscles and tendons are something you just can’t play through. It’s probably an indication that, at 55, and without having played in more than 33 years, I was never going to get away with it for very long.

Yes, I can recover and try for another comeback, but I know it will just happen again. Maybe not the calf next time, but something will go. It’s probably best if I concentrate on my running. The explosive sprinting is just too difficult. Anyhow, at least I got to play in a game and experience the feeling once again. A very short return to the field, but better than nothing.

Back to running – here’s another photo from the Andes during my world run. This was taken on the Chilean side at about 3,300 metres altitude as I was ascending to the top of the Cristo Redentor Pass. This is the dirt road that pedestrians and cyclists have to use. Other traffic drives through the tunnel about 1,000 feet further down the mountain. Snow melt soon turned this dirt road into a bog. You can just see me as a speck in the distance down the road.

On This Day

May 14, 2012

Distance today = 50.55 km; Total distance = 6191.06 km; Location = Pine Bluffs, Wyoming – 41 10.681′ N, 104 04.484′ W; Start time = 1000 Finish time = 1715

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/178626526

Back on the road today after a six day break, during which we flew back to Australia to satisfy visa requirements. It was a good interlude, enabling us all to catch up with family and friends, as well as to get a few things done at home. This included a surprise birthday dinner for the legendary Hud.

You’d think a break like this would be a positive thing in terms of physical recovery. I don’t think so! Just like the break between New Zealand and San Francisco, I’ve come up quite sore after the first day. I am expecting to be sore for the next several days, until my muscles and tendons get used to running 50 km per day again.

After a late start, I began the day at the precise location I stopped last week, and have now made it to a town just before the border of Wyoming and Nebraska. Tomorrow I’ll run into Nebraska. I should be there for about a week, as I make my way up to South Dakota.

I am very much in prairie country now, having left the Rockies behind. Lots of farming land to keep me company for a while.

May 14, 2013

Distance today = 47.96 km; Total distance = 20,918.42 km; Location = Seymen, Turkey – 41 07.053′ N, 27 54.605′ E; Start time = 0903, Finish time = 1648

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/312650616

With much of the day spent running in constant drizzle on a busy highway, with lots of semi-trailers passing me, it was not one of my favourites. The positive was that the temperature was down.

I was again on the D100, but it is getting more and more congested as I make my way closer to Istanbul. I passed through the city of Corlu, which I thought would be a nice peaceful town. Instead, it seemed its quarter million population was mostly out in the streets – it was a huge place, that was totally abuzz.

I eventually made it to our accommodation for the night – a five star hotel called the Silverside. The day was a little short, but I wanted to get in to the hotel so we could avail ourselves of the amenities. There is even a large snooker table, so I reckon Barry and I will be having a few games tonight. The girls are already heading down for a Turkish bath.

The car was unable to find me in Corlu today, so it was impractical for Barry to run with me. We’ll see if he can make up the 29 km required to reach his century in the next two days.

I will reach Istanbul on Thursday. Finishing a continent always requires a decision on where to stop. Ideally, it is some sort of focal point of the city, such as an airport. But I also need to finish within a kilometre of the ocean. In fact, it is my intention to dip my toe in the water. So, luckily for me, Istanbul Airport is immediately adjacent to the Sea of Marmaras. Therefore, I have decided to finish my European leg at the water’s edge, just past the airport.