My left calf must weigh close to a kilo more than my right calf at the moment, such is the swelling. It’s a pretty serious tear. I imagine it will be at least a week, perhaps two, before I can run properly again. The good thing is, I can still run very slowly if I take very short strides and don’t bend my knee. I must look like a 100 year old running, but at least I’m able to get out on the road for a couple of kilometres.

One thing an injury teaches you is what that particular muscle is used for. There’s no way on Earth I could push off from my toes on my left foot now. And there are a few other unusual movements that I’ve quickly learned I can’t perform until the injury is a lot better. At least it’s a trauma injury and not an overuse injury. This will heal steadily and, when it does, I’ll be back out on the road with little or no after effects.

Ideally, the explosive (and impulsive) force exerted by a person’s muscles when accelerating is more than balanced by the internal strength that muscle has to resist tearing. Some people never seem to tear muscles because their internal resistive strength outweighs the force they exert with that muscle. Unfortunately, I think I’m the other way around. The ability of my leg muscles to resist tearing does not outweigh the explosive force I place on the muscle.

It’s great for acceleration, but the downside is regular muscle tears from sprinting. Well, actually it’s the acceleration, not the steady paced top speed that’s the problem. That’s why I always seem to tear a hamstring or quadricep when I do any persistent sprint training or play any form of football. This is the first calf tear I’ve suffered from such activity.

So I guess my competitive fast paced days are over. I’ll just have to concentrate on journey running. I don’t seem to incur much in the way of injuries from that pursuit. Getting around the world without any serious issues is proof of that.

Now, I don’t usually diverge much from running related topics in this blog. But there’s a story I’d really like people to read by clicking on the following link:

http://www.mamamia.com.au/chloe-waterlow-family-interview/

The reason this story is so pertinent, beside the obvious, is because Ruby is a student at Carmel’s school. Any help would, I’m sure, be much appreciated by the family.

To finish on a lighter note, here’s another photo from the high part of the Andes, taken by Carmel during my world run. Once again, I’m the little speck in the distance down the road.

On This Day

May 16, 2012

Distance today = 52.99 km; Total distance = 6295.81 km; Location = Gering, Nebraska – 41 49.327′ N, 103 39.748′ W; Start time = 0929, Finish time = 1708

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/178910350

It’s Libby’s birthday today!!!! Woo hoo!!! So we began, of course, by presenting her with her gifts, balloon and all. Believe it or not, it’s her first ever birthday in Nebraska!!!

Then, for me, it was on to the road. It was a hot day, which caught me off guard a little. Like all hot days, one feels OK early on, but the heat wears you down over the course of a few hours. By lunch time, and with 28 km under my belt, I was struggling. The soreness of the past few days didn’t help either. Luckily, the sky clouded over by 3 pm, and the last couple of hours were more comfortable.

As you will see when the next video is uploaded, the late afternoon saw some real drama. I had stopped to walk briefly while I checked my position on the phone. Suddenly, just two metres in front of me on the shoulder of the road, a very angry snake was ready to strike. If I hadn’t looked up when I did, I would have stepped on it and been bitten for sure. I’m not sure which variety it was, but I’m guessing a sidewinder (it did turn out to be a rattlesnake), and it was more than a metre long. I watched and filmed for a while, as it reared up at each car and truck that passed by just metres from it.

Tonight we’re out for Libby’s birthday, and perhaps some margaritas. Tune in tomorrow for the details.

I have checked the internet for T-Mobile reception regions, and it’s not looking good for the tracker over the next month or so. It looks like I’ll only be able to indicate my location at the end of each day via hotel wireless (and some of these will only be approximate when I finish elsewhere).

May 16, 2013

Distance today = 39.82 km; Total distance = 21,008.14 km; Location = Istanbul, Turkey – 40 58.591′ N, 28 52.951′ E; Start time = 0849, Finish time = 1522

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/313493570

Wow, what a day of milestones. Not only did I complete my run across Europe, the third of four continents I will traverse on my run around the world, but I also passed 21,000 km AND I passed the 80% completion mark. And, of course, that’s also three continents that Carmel has driven across – what a brilliant support crew!

The weather was beautiful again, especially with the sea breeze off the water. The road was very busy, but I had to expect that from a city with a population (so I’ve been told) of 18 million – the largest in Europe. I must say, Istanbul has grown significantly in the twenty seven years since I was here last. It is huge!

Amazingly, I was passed three times today by the four French cyclists I had run into a few days ago. I guess that’s what happens when you’re all heading in the same direction. Carmel snapped some photos of them as they went by her.

Despite the run being very close to the sea all day, it was also very hilly. The last part flattened out, which Barry appreciated, as he ran the final 14 km with me. That means he has completed exactly 100 km with me over the past 11 days from Sofia. Not bad for a previous non-runner (although I’ve seen him do a lot of running on the touch football field and tennis court). Well done, Barry.

We now need to deliver the car back to Munich before we can leave Europe. The plan is to have a look around Istanbul tomorrow, then take a few days to drive the car the 2,000 km to Munich, then fly to Kuala Lumpur for the short Asian leg. For those who are unaware, the rules state I need to run across at least four continents from “ocean to ocean”. My four are North and South America, Europe, and Australia. However, I want to do at least some running in Asia, so I will trek from KL to Singapore, prior to running across Australia.

I will be starting in KL on May 23, but will occasionally update the blog with relevant information in the interim. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, we’re about to crack the champagne.