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ECUADOR HAS BEEN RUN! NEXT UP PERU AND THE CHALLENGES AHEAD.

AFTER A 29 YEAR WAIT! PERU AT LAST!

IN 1983 WHILE CYCLING IN SOUTH AMERICA I DID NOT CROSS THE BORDER FROM BOLIVIA TO SEE MY DREAM COUNTRY, PERU THE HEARTLAND OF THE ANCIENT INCA EMPIRE, CUZCO, MACHU PICHU AND ALL.

YOU SEE I GOT AN INCREDIBLY CHEAP AIRLINE TICKET, SOMETHING LIKE $250 OPEN RETURN VALID FOR A YEAR BACK TO EUROPE. IT WAS ALMOST CHRISTMAS. I SPENT 10 DAYS IN LA PAZ, BOLIVIA WAITING FOR THAT FLIGHT. I COULD HAVE MADE A QUICK EXCURSION TO PERU, BUT NO I SAID, I WILL RETURN AND SEE IT PROPERLY. I NEVER DID RETURN, I GOT SUCKED BACK INTO THE RAT RACE IN IRELAND.

NOW AT LONG LAST I AM BACK, BACK TO SEE PERU PROPERLY WHEN I RUN ACROSS THE BORDER ON FRIDAY MORNING IT HAS BEEN A LONG, LONG WAIT.

ECUADOR HAS BEEN RUN, AND A TOUGH COOKIE TO CONQUER. ONE WEEK LONGER THAN EXPECTED DUE TO THE MOUNTAINS.

I MOVED OVER TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD WHEN APPROACHING A DANGEROUS BEND AND DISCOVERED ANOTHER DANGEROUS BEND!

NEXT UP IS MASSIVE PERU, THE EQUIVALENT OF RUNNING FROM LONDON TO THE TURKISH BORDER, SO ALMOST THE LENGTH OF EUROPE.

THE BIG BAG WILL HAVE 3 STOPS IN LIMA TO SAY HI TO IRISH CONSUL MICHAEL G RUSSELL, THEN ONTO CUZCO TO SEE THE SITES AND SIGHTS AND THEN ONTO PUNO (STILL WORKING ON THIS) TO GET READY FOR THE BOLIVIAN INVASION IN ABOUT THREE MONTHS TIME.

I HAVE TO BE HONEST, THE MOUNTAINS ARE TAKING A TOLL ON ME. I AM SURE THIS IS MORE DIFFICULT THAN DAILY CYCLING STAGE IN THE TOUR DE FRANCE MOUNTAINS, THIS WILL GO ON FOR ANOTHER 4 MONTHS, TWO AND A HALF MONTHS IN THE ANDES SO FAR.

MY DAILY AVERAGE HAS OBVIOUSLY TAKING A BATTERING BUT I AM MORE THAN HAPPY WITH 30ISH KILOMETRES PER DAY NOW, STILL IN AND AROUND THE 1,000 A MONTH AVERAGE.

UNLESS I CAN GET A VISA TOMORROW FOR LONGER THAN 3 MONTHS PERU WILL BE THE FIRST TIME WISE/PRESSURE COUNTRY. BUT REALLY I EXPECT TO BE OK, I AM REALLY NOT WORRIED,I JUST NEED TO BE BUSINESS-LIKE THERE.

COLOMBIA WAS A TOUGH MOUNTAINOUS COUNTRY, ECUADOR WAS TOUGHER. PERU WILL BE EVEN TOUGHER THAN ECUADOR. BOLIVIA A SIMILAR SIZE TO ECUADOR WILL PROBABLY BE EVEN TOUGHER AS IT SHOULD BE WINTER HIGH UP IN THE ALTIPLANO AT OVER 4,000 METRES.

IN 1983 I SPENT SOME TIME CYCLING IN BOLIVIA. WHAT I REMEMBER ARE TOUGH AND VERY STEEP MOUNTAIN HAIRPIN BENDS LIKE THE ALPE´HUEZ IN THE TOUR DE FRANCE. I ALSO REMEMBER ROAD FULL OF GRAVEL, ROCKS AND SAND DUNES. I AM TOLD THE ROADS ARE STILL THE SAME!

SO THAT’S THE CHALLENGE FOR THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS OR SO. BY THE WAY I NEED TO EDIT MY ARGENTINA /CHILE ROUTES ON THE ROUTE PAGE AS I WILL BE GOING STRAIGHT DOWN THE CENTRE OF ARGENTINA AND RUNNING IN VERY LITTLE OF CHILE .

NOW FOR THE HARD BIT TO WRITE.

I WILL BE TAKING A BIT OF A BREAK FROM THE MOUNTAINS AND RUNNING ON THE LOWER LANDS IN NORTHERN PERU. THESE LOWLANDS HAPPEN TO BE THE NORTHERN PERU DESERT. TOWNS, VILLAGES WILL BE SCARCE, AND WATER MAY EVEN BE AN ISSUE.

MY ENTRY INTO THIS AREA WILL BE DANGEROUS ALSO DUE TO MUCH ACTIVITY WITH ARMED BANDITS IN THE AREA.

ALL NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS WILL BE TAKEN. BECAUSE OF THESE TWO PROBLEMS, THE DANGER AND NEED FOR WATER AND A NIGHTLY SAFE HAVEN I WILL BE REVERTING BACK TO MY DOUBLE COMMUTE AS IN CENTRAL AMERICA.

BY THIS I MEAN THAT I WILL RUN WITH VERY LITTLE ON ME, JUST SMALL CASH. I WILL LEAVE MY PASSPORT AND ALL ESSENTIAL KIT IN THE HOTELS I COMMUTE TO AND FROM TO MY START FINISH LOCATIONS USING THE FEW BUSSES THAT RUN THE BOGOTA/QUITO/LIMA ROUTE. IN FACT I WILL HAVE VERY LITTLE KIT FOR THIS LEG OF THE RUN. I AM NOT EVEN GOING TO WEAR NEW SHOES AS I WILL USE TWO HALF WORN OUT PAIRS FOR THE RUN TOWARDS LIMA. I WILL NOT BE RUNNING INTO LIMA CITY. I PREFER TO AVOID ALL BIG CITIES, MEXICO CITY BEING THE EXCEPTION WITH AN ESCORT!

IT IS IMPORTANT FOR NEW READERS TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN I TALK OF USING BUSES, I MEAN THAT I RUN EVERY SINGLE KILOMETRE AND THE FOLLOWING MORNING I RETURN TO THE EXACT SAME KILOMETRE OR OTHER LOCATION WHICH I HAVE PHOTOGRAPHED AND CONTINUE RUNNING FROM WHERE I LEFT OFF THE PREVIOUS DAY. THIS IS NO DIFFERENT TO HAVING A SUPPORT VEHICLE WITH A CREW. ONLY HARDER AS I HAVE NO SUPPORT CREW AND OLDER READERS KNOW I HAVE HAD MANY COMMUTES LASTING 3-4 HOURS FOR 50KM DISTANCES, BUT WHAT CAN I DO, LIVE MY DREAM AND SMILE

I WILL SURELY NEED TO GET MY ´MORNING ACT TOGETHER ´THE ADVANTAGE OF THE HEAVY BAG SYSTEM IS THAT I CAN PUT TWO OF MY 4 ATM CARDS INSIDE WHEN I SEND IT ON TO LIMA, JUST IN CASE! I WILL ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO NEW EQUIPMENT AND RUNNING SHOES.

I AM SORRY IF THIS SOUNDS COMPLICATED, BUT NOBODY EVER TOLD ME THAT RUNNING AROUND THE WORLD WAS EASY!

THE ARMED BANDITS REALLY JUST WANT QUICK CASH/VALUABLES AND I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANY INSTANCES OF AGRESSION WHEN THE VICTIM CO-OPERATES. I AM MOST WORRIED ABOUT LOOSING MY SPOT TRACKER, USELESS TO ANYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD. I WILL HAVE A SECOND CAMERA AND BACK UP MY PHOTOS ON A STICK TO BE LEFT BACK IN MY HOTEL.

THE AREAS OF CONCERN ARE PIURA WHICH I MAY BE ABLE TO BYPASS BY TAKING THE IB ROAD TO CHICLAYO. ALSO PAIJAN, NORTH OF TRUJILLO. AND SUPE SOUTH OF TRUJILLO. I WILL BE CHECKING IN WITH THE POLICE. TO BE HONEST THE NEXT 1,000KM OF PERU IS THE ONLY CONCERN I HAVE FOR THE REST OF THE RUN.

I HESITATE TO PUT THIS ON THE BLOG, BUT MY WISH IS FOR READERS TO GET THE ´FULL PICTURE ´AS THOUGH YOU WERE RUNNING WITH ME. GOD HELP MY POOR SUFFERING FAMILY.

This entry was posted on Friday, March 30th, 2012 at 1:56 am and is filed under jogging. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

7 Responses to “ECUADOR HAS BEEN RUN! NEXT UP PERU AND THE CHALLENGES AHEAD.”

kevin scanlon Says:
March 30th, 2012 at 8:10 am
tony, the best of luck with everything in peru. between the mountains and the bandits and the long distances, it sounds like you and your followers are in for a crazy few months. please god it will go smoothly!!! take it handy. kevin
Colm Ó Tórna Says:
March 30th, 2012 at 10:55 am
Maith thú,a Antaine,Any comment for Gaeilgeoirí na hÉireann.Majbe you will join the Bernard Dunne Brod Club! Colm
Ann Says:
April 1st, 2012 at 6:32 pm
God Tony, that sounds so dangerous with bandits and mountains and water shortage. Well we will be wishing the next 1000kms away. Take care of yourself and continue to enjoy. Ann and all the family
Mam Says:
April 1st, 2012 at 6:35 pm
Tony mind yourself in Peru. We didn’t realise it is as dangerous until reading your blog. Mind yourself and we will be praying for your safety. Enjoy but be careful. Mam
Tony Mangan Says:
April 2nd, 2012 at 1:57 am
REPLY TO:Colm Ó Tórna
Colm! Go raibh míle maith agat as do chuid tuairimí an-fáilte roimh chách. Cinnte más mian leat mé a dhéanamh ar agallamh, seol mé ar na ceisteanna seo!
Thank you very much for your very welcome comment. Sure if you want me to do an interview, please send me the questions!
Folks. Colm is the man who co-ordinated my run through the Gaeltacht/Irish language speaking area on my way to Dunquin at the start of the run in Ireland.
Go raibh míle maith agat.
PS Colm. I got no idea what you are talking about re: Bernard Dunnes Club, I am running around the world and guess am out of touch!
Katheryn Cochrane Says:
April 4th, 2012 at 6:48 pm
Great read Tony!! Good luck in Peru!!

Katheryn Cochrane
Pasadena, NL CANADA
theworldjog Says:
April 6th, 2012 at 3:06 am
Hi Katheryn! Great to hear from you
Stewart says you are in great training for the Ottawa marathon. Good luck with that, Tony

since Tony began his World Run on 25th October 2010

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About Tony

I have always considered myself to be an average runner. In school, I was even bullied for I was a sports wimp. Through hard work, dedication, perseverance, self-belief and a strong mind I succeeded in not only running around the world but breaking four ultra running world records during my competitive career. Having previously cycled around the world I didn't start running until I was almost 30. Then I had a dream of running around the world. For many reasons, I waited for over 20 years. One reason was to establish my pedigree as an endurance athlete. I started and finished my world run as the current World Record-Holder for 48 Hours Indoor Track 426 kilometres (265 miles), a record I have held since 2007. I also broke and still hold the World Record for 48 hours on a Treadmill 405 kilometres (251 miles) in 2008. When I retired from competition, more pleasing than any of my world, European or Irish records I had the respect of my fellow athletes from all over the world - in my opinion, sports greatest reward - an achievement I am most proud of. Then I finally put myself out to pasture, to live my ultimate dream to run around the world! This blog was written on the road while I struggled to find places to sleep and to recover from running an average of 43.3 kilometres or 27 miles per day for 1,165 road days. There were many nights I typed this blog on a smart phone, so fatigued my eyes closed. Many journalists and endurance athletes have referred to my world run as the most difficult endurance challenge ever attempted. During my expedition I rarely had any support vehicles, running mostly with a backpack. In the more desolate areas I pushed my gear, food and water in a cart which I called Nirvana, then I sent her on ahead to run with my backpack once again over altitudes of almost 5,000 metres in the Andes. I stayed in remote villages where many people had never seen a white person before. I literally met the most wonderful people of this world in their own backyard and share many of those amazing experiences in this blog. My run around the world took 4 years. There were no short cuts, I ran every single metre on the road while seeking out the most comprehensive route across 41 countries, 5 continents, I used 50 pair of running shoes and my final footstep of the run was exactly 50,000 kilometres, (almost 31,000 miles) I eventually finished this tongue in cheek named world jog where I started, at the finish line of my city marathon. I started my global run with the Dublin Marathon on October 25th 2010 and finished with the Dublin Marathon on October 27th 2014 at 3 05pm! Thank you for your support, I hope you can share my unique way of seeing the world, the ultimate endurance challenge! Read more...