Happy Halloween! I felt like a scary monster this morning pushing on through the heavy rain the first two hours of beautiful countryside.
Ran through Patrickswell, then Adare famous for its cheese and thatched houses.
I slogged it on through the undulating hills around Rathkeale pulling many thorns out of Nirvanas tyres.  Just before Rathkeale my friend Colm O Thorna and his wife Eileen pulled up. They were in Castleisland for a festival these last couple of days and on their way back to Dublin. On towards Newcastle west..The clocks went back last night so now it gets dark around 5.30. I need to start earlier now.
I am delighted by my bodies adaptation to the physical demands of the World Jog..When I start in the mornings I don’t have any stiffness. As I mentioned before I am not counting the Dublin Marathon distance in the World Jog total, but I still ran it and thats an average of a marathon a day for the last 7 days.
As a novice to this Journey running my first impression of pushing a buggy the marathon distance probably equates to running a 50km effort or about 20% extra effort…I guess I will soon find out.
Just before Newcastlewest Finbar of West Limerick AC pulled up. He is putting me up tonight. We agreed to meet in Tescos about 2.5km down the road. I gave him some heavy baggage and ran on. Tesco was my finishing spot today and Valerie, his wife will take me back there in the morning for the run to Castleisland.
We drove for about 20 minutes to his beautiful house by the Shannon river.
I was made very welcome at Finbar and Valerie’s house. Their two children were  getting ready for a Halloween party. I drank my protein drink which I usually forget about, had a soak in the hot tub and had a delicious dinner.

Today 38.2km Total 242.5km

Adare Castle, Co. Limerick

As mentioned yesterday my regular phone out of action and number for those that need to contact me is 086 2033672.

Camera has dried out and most importantly there is just a glimmer of life from the Ipod..Hoping in a couple of days it will recover..

Took a wrong turn leaving Nenagh this morning. Ran an extra km. This distance does not count.

In Dooradoyle today after running 46.2km, got a flat tyre

 Staying in Martin Doody’s house. Martin is a 2:31 marathoner and member of Limerick AC.

My Spot tracker has not tracked me since Roscrea 2  days ago. Friends that have used Spot tell me this is possibly because of all the rain/ cloudy weather and that this often happens.

Total km to date: 204.3

For any nerds, scrutineers, baseball statistician types out there I don’t like to post the start/ finish times drivel on the blog as my aim is to keep this fresh and not a monotonous repetition of such stuff. For anyone interested in this stuff please find your bedtime reading  at the bottom of the route page under ‘ Online Daily Log! ‘

Just a quick and temporary post for anyone trying to contact me..My temp no is 086 2033672

My regular phone is out of action..Hope it drys out soon or I will have to figure something else out for the moment.

It rained hard and cold all the 33.8km from Roscrea to Nenagh through puddled hard shoulders today. I passed through Moneygall the ancestral home of Barack Obama. A proud sign stood by the roadway with too much detail for me to take in as cars and trucks pelted me with rainwater. Suffice to say the town is laying claim to the American president because a wig maker from here moved to the United States in the 1800′s.

I pushed on for about an hour to Toomevara, went into the Centra service station making a beeline for the toilets with my thermos of hot tea..

Gradually and very carefully I warmed my hand under the hand-dryer and drank hot fruity tea. What will I be like in Canada in a little over a week I wondered.

Well I do have good equipment,  I guess I just got caught out.

 In the bottom of my bag I have warm mitts, waterproof mitt covers, gore-tex leggings and gaiters…Tonight they will be the first items I unpack.

In the pocket of my so-called waterproof  jacket my mobile phone, camera and ipod swam. I was soaked to the skin,  as wet as a fishes underpants.

I pushed on towards Nenagh, up and down the undulating hills about a k up and a k down. Past the roadworks, turned left at the roundabout and then there was only 5 left..The rain eased off..It was not so bad now but I was shattered, head down I pushed too  tired to enjoy the beautiful maple leaf covered road and pathways. My head was still down pushing at around 8kph. I was daydreaming of the finish of the World Jog..Today is October 29th. My planned finish date with the 2013 marathon is this day 3 years..

I musn’t think too much like this, it will grind me down, my resolve is strong, stronger than even when I broke my two world 48 hour records…Come what may I will succeed, ready for the battle, mental and physical, barrier get out of my way…I am coming through.

Ray from the Local athletic club, Nenagh Olympic drove out to meet me when I was near to the town. Then Deirdre the local ultra runner who has a very commendable 22 hour 100 mile pb  ran the last couple of k with me. The Club have kindly put me up in the luxurious Abbey Court Hotel. A few of the young athletes, Ray, Mary and other club members cheered me into town.

Later on that evening  I watched the youngsters train on a local school grounds road track totally enjoying themselves in the bitter cold. It’s always wonderful to see kids play sport….

PS. Not sure  why today’s route was not uploaded to the Spot tracking map  as I tracked my locations about 6 times today. I will go outside and try another Spot tracking soon.

Total distance to date: 158.1km.

Nenagh Olympic's warm welcome

Moneygall Ancestral home to Barack Obama

  Irish Runner Magazine Article Press  HERE

Click here

Tired, weary and hungry I arrived at the Racket Hall Country House luxury hotel, presented my Magic Letter of introduction (from Dublin’s Lord Mayor Gerry Breen )

Chris the bemused manager told me he was surprised as he had never known a world runner to run through Roscrea before! I requested just a discount and I am being treated to a complimentary dinner, bed and breakfast!

Thanks Chris and thanks to the Racket Hall Country House for giving my spirits a lift

This morning I walked the 2 or 3 km to yesterdays finishing point in Portlaoise. Just as I was setting up my equipment a man came along and gave me a tenner to my charity Aware.. Nice one ’ 40 euro I have collected without looking for on the road so far.

I felt good, got about 8k out of town when an elderly man called Chris flagged me down..He had just left his house on his way to work and asked me to go back for a cup of coffee, said he didn’t give a damn about being late for work in the local garage as he is the boss. Chris burnt my toast, said that’s the first time he ever toasted bread…Still it was much appreciated.

On I went pushing Nirvana up and down the rolling hills through Mounthrath and on to Borris- in – Ossory. Walked through Borris half looking for something to eat, that was the only real walking I have done so far..Got to the far end of the town and nothing, should have stopped in the first caf.

Just outside of Borris I changed over to running on the right side of the road just to help out my bio mechanics from running around 100km on the other side. I noticed it was much easier to push Nirvana down the hills and on the flat when running towards traffic. I explained the system yesterday but suffice to say I can see the approaching vehicles and when one is not coming I can venture about a half metre across the yellow line push and the straightening smack means I can get about 25-30 metres on average before I give the handlebar the ditch saving diversion push to keep it going.

I knew I should have had brekkie back there… As the Americans would say, I bonked or ran out of energy.. Took an energy gel, some choc and a swig of Pepsie and I was rejuvenated..

It was then I pulled into the Racket Hall about a km short of Roscrea.. 38 for the day…Yes a nice hot bath, think I will have a steak tonight, Thanks Chris, Thanks Rackets Hall… It’s a long way to Tipperary they say, well for me its 3 days out of 3 years… I am really loving this life on the road…Many of the worries I had before starting are gone… Am up for the challenge, hope you will stay tuned.

So it eventually began for me for real when I left mams house at 10.20. the day after the marathon.
I decided to delay the start for over 2 hours as my 2 buddies were coming over to the house to see me off., Liam Fenelon race director of the Longford Marathon and Alan Young my great crewman had come over especially from Scotland.
They started with me, I ran a sentimental lap of Sundrive Park as mentioned before this park I have run in so much in the past, thousands of kms almost enough for a smaller world run!
We ran past my house on Sundrive Road..Then I was on my own pushing Nirvana up the Long Mile Road..Had a bit of difficulty around the Clondalkin area trying to get around the roundabout and onto the right road..Half expected the Gardai to pull me off the road!
Eventually I made some progress.. Half way to Newbridge I played the first song of the World Jog.. Had often wondered what it would be..I scrolled through the 6 days of stored music, have decided I will listen to every song, eventually. I wondering who to play, Arcade Fire, Dylan. No not really, I had been struggling a bit and wanted something a bit uplifting. The dial stopped on Bon Jovi, Yes that’s good! So it was ‘ Living on a Prayer.
Immediately I was revitalised and it was easy my Chariot carrier buggy now named NIRVANA just glided along my arms pumping in the air as I pushed Nirvana along with ease.. Sometimes I can get a good 15-20 mts with a good angled push. As I am running in the hardshoulder and with the camber there is no fear it will wheel onto the road, more into the ditch. I soon learned to give it a correcting directional push with my left hand and a push on with my right..And on it goes..During these pushes I can run faster… Its great on the long downhills I can get up to 13.5 kph holding onto it with the lock I have around the handlebar or just grabbing it at the right moment..Moments like this its great fun.

Into Newbridge, no Youth Hostels and not knowing what to do for accom, The Limerick athletic Clubs and Nenagh AC are taking care of me after I emailed them. 2 emails to Newbridge AC were ignored.
I joked with the friendly garda, ‘ I don’t suppose a letter of introduction from the Dublin Lord Mayor works here! ‘
I went to the local church and was told there was no possibility of camping in the large wooded area behind..
‘ Sarcrillage? ‘ I said.. ‘ No we cant be letting anyone camp there, even an Irishman running around the world ‘

Went next door to the Patrician Brothers and was told in a very tolerating tone ‘ Yes ‘
What’s happened to the land of a thousand welcomes…Not anymore..Not even a drink of water..Getting a very bad send off from my own country…I know it will get better when I get a bit further west..
I pitched the tent and then remembered a friend, a Polish woman called Catrina lives in Clane about a half hour drive away.
I sent her a text asking to meet for a coffee.
While waiting I got some nice fish and chips..
Had a nice evening chatting with Catrina in a pub, didn’t want to let Nirvana out of my sight so roller her in.. Catrina decided upon the sex of the Chariot Carrier by the way… ‘ You don’t want a man Tony, You need a good woman! ‘
She was always aware of my interest in travel books and had often teased her after reading camel crossing of Africa books that she could come along with me!’ No Tony what about not having a shower for weeks! ‘o when I texted her a couple of weeks ago she thought it was a windup till she actually saw the show on the road.
She couldn’t quiet believe I was started the World Jog and have little help.. There are a few people batting for me..Thanks Catrina has set up a place for me to stay tomorrow in Portlaoise. Also thanks for the Madonna medal you insisted on chaining around my neck… That’s 4 medals and 6 mass cardsto the collection…Am I joining the priesthood or is everyone worried about me?
So my second day on the road. I wheeled Nirvana down to last nights finishing point at the Garda station and started running.. Ran for about 15k and had a breakfast roll and then ran on.. Some of the hills were a bit brutish for me at this stage I am trying to regain my fitness that I lost during the build up I am afraid I neglected it.are

Yesterday I was coming up to a service station and a man called Philip McGee stopped and gave me a fiver for my charity Aware, Then he asked me what I was up to. So he took the fiver back and gave me 20, then he gave me the fiver again and bought me an ice cream.
I arrived in Portlaoise drenched as it had been raining heavily this last hour and a half. Pulled Nirvana into Lethians pub for tea. The friendly barman PJ was gobsmacked, treated me to the tea and took photos while I updated this and my online daily log (on the route page )

Eben, the South African friend that Catrina put me in contact with arrived and said his place is only a mile away…Seemed more like 3! I ran fairly hard for ages in the dark following his Mercedes, got lost a couple of times before he came to my rescue.

Eben’s wife, Dubliner Melanie had prepared a delicious meal with an enormous portion of pork and veg…My first decent meal of the World Jog, got the nutrition ratio up significantly here!
The young couple have 2 children 10 year old Buddy and 3 year old Elana love it out here in Portlaoise, though Eben commutes daily to his Dublin job in a property management company, Melanie is quiet happy not to have been back to Dublin in 3 years, she has everything here she says.
I finished off this posting after dinner. This was my second night on the road and first with electricity, had a lot of charging up and odd jobs. Felt I was being a bit anti-social as they watched The Apprentice, but I know they didn’t mind, a wonderful genuine family.

Before the World Jog began I put a lot of effort into the structure and editing my blogs, now time is an issue and I will more or less type it as it comes, so sorry for any typos!

Got 5 of my devices charged up as they ran low without power last night… Have even taken to getting my phone and Garmin Forerunner GPS (which I use as a guide to my distance) topped up in service stations or places I go to have tea.

TOTAL DISTANCE TO DATE DUBLIN TO PORTLAOISE = 86.3KM

For me this was the first real step of the World Jog. From my mams house.

My buddy Liam Fenelon

Am staying in the family home the first night as it was too late to leave the city safely after the marathon and my sendoff.

Often I go running around the 2.4km loop at the Walkingstown triangle. I sometimes just intend to go for a short 10km run but have often felt good and ran 30-35km!
When this happens I go into the Half Way House much to the ammusement of the locals for a pint of water. The popular bar is fittingly just before the half way point on the marathon course.
Peter the barman became aware of my running ambitions over the years… So when it came for the family departure meal they came up trumps and sponsored me a family meal for 7!
I had a delicious roast lamb for my last supper and a cake was even brought out to my amazement.. We had a great time, Thanks to the owner Gerry, Patricia, Josie, and Peter.
Will have to return to their award winning restauraunt, thats for sure