Bailing out the Irish!
Today I had a very tough but an enjoyable day. A late start with heavy rain most of the day. However it was really good enjoyable running with Benjamin a Berliner who tracked me down. He helped me a lot today. Benjamin was very well read on my blog. Can you believe he even mentioned the red jacket. The red jacket I wore for the first 100 days of the run without taking it off because it was winter. He asked me jokingly if it was the same red jacket I wrote about in march 2011. ” wasn’t that in the Nebraska!” Then he asked me what was in my backpack. My sleeping bag clothes charger bits and pieces ” And the magic letter!” He said long time readers to the blog will know the magic letter is a letter of introduction from the Lord Mayor of Dublin. Also other interesting questions about the Darien Gap. Before he left he got some delicious goodies in the supermarket! Thanks Benjamin I enjoy the run with you it was great 
Benjamin confided in me a desire to run around the world but instead of using a cart he would use a wheel barrow!
But you are married with five kids and what would you do with your wife? I asked. I would put her in the wheel barrow! He replied. A stronger man than me I thought!
There was a lot of rain today but it didn’t dampen my spirits I really enjoyed today. My Spot tracker didn’t update properly. I made it to Bonn the old German capital. 30km.Finished outside of McDonalds. Theo as mentioned in last blog had picked up Nirvana from Jurgen’s. We decided to call it a day because I was pretty cold from the rain so we will return there tomorrow. Theo had booked a very nice hotel and we had a nice dinner. Theo born in Holland, works in Strasburg, France. Married to an Irish woman he has an Irish accent. A speaker of seven languages. So he took a bit of figuring out. He wondered if the reason the Germans – except for Benjamin -were not out supporting me was because they had already bailed out four million Irish people! He mentioned that he knew a woman that has a place for me to stay but the only problem is her dog does not like men! And Theo said Tony looks like a bag of bones so perhaps the dog will like him. So the lady said don’t worry I will lock him up in my bedroom! So Theo asked ….Lock who up in your bedroom…. the dog or Tony? 
I tell you its just as well I don’t offered easily. Later in an email from Benjamin ” I was shocked at how bad you looked!” My own sister Ann remarked on the Brno photos ” you used to look younger, nicer and fitter, what happened!?” And Tomás Rusek in Brno on the phone to friends.. ” Yes Tony Mangan he used to be a good runner!” And I am thinking I am crap now put out to pasture to run around the world Theo had driven several hours all the way from Strasbourg in France he’s going to crew for me tomorrow what a guy thank you very much Benjamin and Theo.
August 16th, 2014 at 9:02 am
And let’s hope you get similar support on the remainder of the most daring expedition !! Well done.Tony.
August 16th, 2014 at 10:43 am
Fair play to Benjamin and Theo for helping you. Tell them I’d be more worried about the dog than you!!! With your appetite would he be safe??? Take care
August 16th, 2014 at 8:21 pm
Haha! I Think it is more, that you skipped under the radar of the german running community! I think we, as a people are reluctant to help, but once we commit, we commit… We all should be a bit more decicive, just like Angela Merkel in the beginning of the euro crisis. It could have reduced the damage by a huge amount. Anyway – your independence of support makes the achievement even greater!
The read jacket you wore yesterday was obviously inferior to the one you had in 2011! it wasn’t even waterproof! An what rainshowers we had that day! I was really worried you would catch a cold. I returned to a hot shower and a warm meal after just 10 kilometers.
August 16th, 2014 at 9:03 pm
“a bag of bones”–haha—-well I do imagine your body fat content is near 0 by now—but just think of all the fry ups that await you in the UK==
The scent of the Irish countryside is getting stronger and stronger
good running-Greg
August 17th, 2014 at 9:27 pm
Hey Tony
Your doing Brill, have being keeping an eye on you via the net for sometime now, cant tell you how proud we all are of you back in Kilkenny, not to mention the great work you doing for aware(extraordinary)I see now your heading towards the Netherlands. Sitting in the office at the computer, tonight with my son eoin, we were looking to see how you getting on, Eoin suggested that we could send you a message, up until now I didn’t know how to Ann gave me directions on a piece of paper some time ago , but i made a bags of it so, here goes hope you get this mail
God Bless take care Tony,
from all your Kilkenny Cousins
August 18th, 2014 at 8:19 pm
When you run fom France to England are you going through the Chunnel?
August 19th, 2014 at 1:17 pm
Thanks Ann in mad rush if u could pls post
Holland almost run country number 37 Belgium this afternoon.
But rain like country number 1…. Ireland!
Belgium, France and England within a week
On Aug 19, 2014 2:45 Pm
August 19th, 2014 at 1:48 pm
Sounds like a fun day was had by all! We will fatten you up again within days so don’t worry!! Stay safe and congrats on another country!!serena
August 19th, 2014 at 10:05 pm
Keep up the great work Tony! Nearly home now. See you soon
August 19th, 2014 at 10:06 pm
I’m sure you have arrived in Belgium now, well done, yet another country under your belt (runners) Well done Tony
August 20th, 2014 at 2:49 am
great going tony. well done. the idea of you being in england next week is brilliant. you are flying along. look after your body for the next few weeks. keep up the great work. kevin
August 20th, 2014 at 10:43 pm
Thanks very much to Irish woman called Brigid Brady living here.
Last week Brigid sent me an email offering help. She bicycle crewed me to 50 km today along with Steph her Belgian partner and two lovely kids. What a crew. I felt strong at the end. The day began with a sore knee and I wondered how I would run at all.
Brigid from co Wicklow met Steph at the sparthatalon two years ago. Thanks to my former Irish team mate John O Regan for giving Brigid the link to my website. Spot didn’t update my finish location in Leuven today.
Am sleeping in their house tonight. Thanks again for magnificent help
August 20th, 2014 at 11:08 pm
Glad you are getting help at this crucial stage Tony. Hope your knee will be ok, take care
August 21st, 2014 at 6:55 pm
Thank u for nice words and encouragement Colette!
Gotta keep my promise to keep peace in the family and only 50km extra. Looking forward to seeing nu all and will have a nice chat on my rest day there around 18/19 or 20 oct.can’t remember. Perhaps we meet at Dublin port next month
Many people wondered why my Ireland lap is mostly coastal and Kilkenny is the only inland place.. Now they know
Love to all from central Belgium
August 22nd, 2014 at 12:08 am
Tony—gettin closer every day—–wow, you will be smelling salty air from the channel very very soon—and that is very very exciting——
Good running old friend
Greg