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30,000km Have been run – Running down a dream!

30,000km run!

 

Sat/Sun 44km run.Total = 30,029km in 693 road days.

 

I hit the road last night with an extra spring in my step. I have been running nights for a week now and its great. Not much traffic, not a fly in sight and being able to run down the middle of the road to get away from the most severe road camber I have ever run on a road. Oh! And it’s a lot cooler too.
The heavenly skies are full of stars, more stars than I have ever seen in my life. I was running towards Tennants Creek some 44km away. We were staying in the youth hostel there which has an 11am check out, so if I was nifty we could even get back for a few hours sleep.
At 15km my 30,000th kilometre would be run. How to mark it for there are no kilometre markers on this Stuarts Highway. After 10 km I sent Michael on ahead to mark out the 30k with some rocks, he thought I was barmy!

3 Zero is 30,000! And here's to the next 30, sorry I mean only 20,000km!

Just as I was running on I shouted out to Michael.
” Hey Michael is that a kangaroo? ”
” Where? ”
“No it’s a dingo! ”
” Where? ”
” Ah Michael, I am only winding you up! Thanks for everything! ”

.

Running down a dream, bit by bit!

I ran on again, feeling strong. The tiredness seemed to be out of my legs from last week. My big push to Alice Springs had taken a lot out of me. Mentally and physically I felt like I was in recovery mode from running a competitive marathon, even if I run more now almost every day. The rest day, or rather rest night in Tennants Creek had been very beneficial to me for that old spring was back in my step and I was running well again, at least well by my tired standards!
I sent Michael on again to about 4 km before town to prepare the breakfast. That way he could eat his and I could eat my bowl of porridge on the run. That way we wont waste any time cooking when we get back to the hostel around 4am.
Just after I left him, bowl in hand three aborigines frightened the life out of me when they seemed to walk out of the dark towards me. They were friendly enough, just giving me a greeting in the dark, I purposely gave a mutter through my porridge not wanting to give my accent away or get into a conversation after dark which is my norm.
Michael too got the shock of his life as they stopped to ask for a cigarette as he was packing up the cooker and stuff. Of course he doesn’t smoke and the lads just gave him a friendly good night. He packed up so fast that he left the coffee behind for which he was to received a couple of grumps from me next morning! All this despite his great efforts to keep me in coffee every morning (now night as we are on a different time zone to everyone else!) His efforts included buying a brand new gas 3kg gas cylinder!
I feel very uncomfortable about all the negative stories people are telling me about the Aborigines. It seems nobody has a good word to say. Everyone I meet be they, liberal, conservative or God loving keeps talking about all the endless money the Australian government are pumping into work and retraining schemes which are not taken up. I hear all about the drinking, fighting, arguments, laziness, unemployment, substance abuse problems and how some bars no longer serve them after sunset.
Surely it’s not like this everywhere in this community.
So I was delighted to meet a nice friendly family of about six a few days ago just about 8km from my finish. I stopped, chatted about the run for a while and took their photo.

We stopped to help this Aborigine family

Their car had run out of petrol. We stopped to see if they were ok. There was a young child with flies crawling all over her face, she didn’t seem to be bothered. We gave them water, food and an umbrella for it was 9am and the sun was already baking high in the sky. One of the family had hitched a ride to the road house to get a can of petrol. As their old car chugged down the road they honked and waved.


I stood on a long thin strip of black tyre and got the shock of my life thinking it was a snake. I had noticed it on the road when we were commuting back this evening. I stopped to take a look, it was dark, not really sure, no Tony you don’t need to know if it was a snake, just keep on running. Then I played it on my ipod Running Down A Dream.   Press HERE

Well a 20,000km home stretch!

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15 Responses to “30,000km Have been run – Running down a dream!”

  1. Fergus Says:

    Good Man Tony, 30,000 kms on the legs in a round world run has to be a monumental landmark. Well done and looking forward to the last leg of the Australian journey into Darwin.

  2. john clarke Says:

    tony,congratulations on another milestone 30k,your an inspiration to everyone, that is anything is possible when you put your mind to it
    regards john

  3. Matt Wade Says:

    Well done Tony,

    30,000 km is phenomenal running, How do you manage to stay injury and illness free ? You’re some man for one Ultra marathon man !
    Keep on running and if there’s anything that I can do to help from Dublin please let me know
    Best regards,
    Matt

  4. Ann Says:

    Well Tony, John hit it on the head, an amazing achievement 30,000kms and so cheerful and happy. Glad you finally got an insight into the aborigines as you felt hard done by hearing so many tales that didnt add up. They may not all be the same, but couldn’t understand why the child was not in the car away from the flies? Surely a natural instinct for a parent?? Anyway another great blog, Michael is a wonderful support and get over the lack of coffee, he obviously get a terrible fright!! Take care Ann :)

  5. kevin scanlon Says:

    tony, 30,000 km is phenomenal. the blog is great……you never know what or who you will meet in the middle of the night. good luck. kevin

  6. Mam Says:

    Hi Tony, great news that you have completed 30,000kms. Congratulations Tony on completing more of your dream:) take care of yourself and continue to enjoy Mam :) :)

  7. Richard Donovan Says:

    Well done Tony, another fantastic landmark. You’re almost on the home stretch with just 20,000 km to go :) .
    We’re all proud of you here in Ireland.

  8. kevin scanlon Says:

    tony, you are steadily moving on up. the north of australia is looming at the top of the spot tracker………great going……..well done. kevin

  9. Ann Says:

    Great to see you started running again today just a half hour ago, you are really making tracks. Looking forward to next update. Take care and enjoy Ann :)

  10. Ann for Tony Says:

    First signal in 12 days pls ask Ann post 65k today Will arrive in Kathern Sat Thanks to Terry for putting us up there in his Hotel Ibis and rest day Sun.All going well Darwin on Sat 25th end of Australia and Oceania. Asia beckons. 30585km for 703 road days :-) thanks for support

  11. kevin scanlon Says:

    thanks ann, i figured with the spot tracker moving and no updates that tony was out of range for a signal. the northern tip is getting close. keep up the great work, well done. kevin

  12. Ed Says:

    Hi Tony, its incredible to see your progress, i hadnt checked in in a while, 30000km, incredible, well past half way now!

  13. Greg Havely Says:

    Tony–WOW—30K —that is like 18K miles–WOW—and WOW again—-and you are nearing the end of Oceania —and soon will be heading into Asia—homeward bound—WOW!!—-
    You totally amaze me every time I read this blog—-
    good running-Greg

  14. Simon Evans Says:

    Well done tony, fair play man, ONLY 20,000km to go!!

  15. Michael Gillan Says:

    HI Tony

    I was unable to get on the i’net as Terry had problems but am at Tennant Creek now

    Congratulations on the visa first up

    Thank you for letting me be part of your run up Australia it was an honor to be working with you and thanks for the memories I have of the run, it will never be the same for me as each time I look at the map of Australia with the line up the middle I will be visualizing your little backside running into the distance!

    And all that porridge and pasta we shared!

    Thanks again

    Will try to get to see you at the finish line or before if I can

    Sincere regards

    Michael

    (p.s if anyone is considering helping Tony on a leg of his (run pun intended) you will find the experience to be well worth the effort)

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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...

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