30,000km Have been run – Running down a dream!
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!
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! ”
.
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.
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
May 5th, 2013 at 12:54 pm
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.
May 5th, 2013 at 8:00 pm
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
May 5th, 2013 at 9:23 pm
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
May 6th, 2013 at 12:55 am
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
May 6th, 2013 at 5:22 pm
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
May 6th, 2013 at 9:45 pm
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
May 9th, 2013 at 4:47 pm
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.
May 11th, 2013 at 6:58 pm
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
May 16th, 2013 at 12:11 am
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
May 16th, 2013 at 12:33 pm
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
May 16th, 2013 at 4:11 pm
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
May 18th, 2013 at 10:18 am
Hi Tony, its incredible to see your progress, i hadnt checked in in a while, 30000km, incredible, well past half way now!
May 18th, 2013 at 10:49 pm
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
May 21st, 2013 at 3:41 pm
Well done tony, fair play man, ONLY 20,000km to go!!
June 2nd, 2013 at 8:43 am
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)