I have now had four consecutive weeks of lighter than average running. One of my niggles, the lower leg strain, is now healed. The other – the right heel – is still there. But that’s the same issue which has, in the past, appeared to get worse with rest. Totally counterintuitive. So, if it doesn’t get better with rest, I guess I’ll just have to run through it. I’ve started this week with a longer run than in recent times, and it hasn’t appeared to effect the heel.

The photo below was taken near Santa Maria in California. It’s close to Pismo Beach, where Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck were heading before they took a wrong turn and ended up in Aladdin’s cave. Soon after this photo was taken (by Carmel) I did an interview with the local television station.

On This Day

Oct 31, 2012

Distance today = 45.41 km; Total distance = 13,929.03 km; Location = Manchester, Massachusetts – 42 34.298′ N, 70 46.247′ W; Start time = 0841, Finish time = 1532

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/238973068

I have now officially completed the US leg of my run around the world.

I began the day by heading out of Boston toward the north-east. By lunchtime I had reached the town of Salem, famous for the witch hunts of the 1600s. It may have an even darker side, with some suggesting it is the inspiration for the city of Salem in the soap opera Days Of Our Lives.

I eventually reached the town of Manchester, which is nestled on a bay on the Atlantic coast. I dipped my feet in the ocean to symbolize the end of the journey across North America, thereby ending my US leg. I have run 12,035 km (7,478 miles) in the US since mid February. I doubt too many people have done that in a single year. I have also run though 25 of the 50 states.

Tomorrow night we fly to Chile, where I will begin my trek across South America. It will take a couple of days to get sorted out, so the blog will take a hiatus till then – probably resuming on Nov 3.

PS Chook and Don left this morning to take the car back to its home in Denver. Chook ran an amazing 117 km with me this past week, from a low running base. He just kept on going. It was great to have him and Don along for part of the journey.

PPS I took a wrong turn this morning, resulting in some backtracking. I have subtracted 360 metres from the Garmin data.