Distance today = 57.82 km; Total distance = 6405.97 km; Location = Alliance – 42 05.788′ N, 102 53.259′ W; Start time = 0923, Finish time = 1747

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/179540059

Hot, windy, lightning, and a few seconds of hail, all overlaid on a 58 km day – I did it tough!

The day began well enough. The first ten kilometres was quintessential Cowra to Canowindra (for those who know that region). By the way, yesterday was the spitting image of Forbes to Gooloogong. I love that countryside, so I feel good when running in similar surroundings.

However, the landscape soon turned to a more monotonous visage of sand hills covered in grassy tussocks, with not a tree to be seen. The next 30 km was the toughest, making me wonder why I was doing this.

But the last 20 km gradually improved, strangely enough, as a thunderstorm rolled in. There was lots of lightning, a very brief smattering of small hailstones, but no real rain that fell on me. For some reason, all this led to me feeling better, and I finished quite strongly.

Today was also one of those rare occasions when I crossed both a latitude (42 degrees north) and a longitude (103 degrees west).

I think I’m now over the soreness that ensued from last week’s break, but I’m a bit concerned about how I might handle day after day of 50+ km in 30+ degree heat. Well, I guess we’ll see soon enough.