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Chariot It Out Into The Great Wide Open

Hi friends it’s been a very busy week since finishing my run across Ireland in Dunquin last Wednesday.

I commuted back to Dublin on Thursday, dashing around the city all day Friday and last minute packing/reorganizing till 10pm.

The family dropped me out to the airport, got about an hour sleep till it was time to check in.

At the check in I was told my airlines policy had changed and I had to pay 55 euro for a second checked bag. Though I had my credit card in hand the clerk went the extra mile checking my long loyalty record to the airline on her computer for ages.For whatever reason she didn’t want to take fee. I was amazed when it was suggested for me to reorganize my bags allowing me to just check in the one, avoiding the fee, carrying on a large cabin bag and personal bag. Because of this hurried repacking a screwdriver ended up in my carry on bag! So, I was pulled up for this at the baggage check, given a lecture that I should know a bit better if I was running around the world!

‘ Yes Sir ‘

Screwdriver was confiscated, puncture repair adhesive was carried through with my toothpaste.

On to New York for my 20 hour layover en route to Newfoundland.

Stayed with my friend Phil Mc Carthy of the USA 24 hour team.

We watched the New York marathon on tv and then it was time for me to make a mad dash for the airport again. Great to meet up with old friends and rivals again, the first of many I am sure

A two and a half hour flight to Saint John’s, Newfoundland, the nearest eastern city to Dunquin.

When a young local woman Sandy Pike heard of the World Jog on a Canadian running forum she offered to pick me up from the airport and kindly put me up for a couple of nights, also bring me the short distance to my starting point, Cape spear on Tuesday.

I went to her work place on Monday morning to pick up Nirvana, my wonderful Chariot Cougar 1 carrier. I had arranged to send it on ahead of my arrival by Fed-ex as I preferred not wanting to take a chance with dodgy baggage handling and a couple of other logistic reasons.

This was fortuitive as Canada is home to the great wonderful Chariot!

Though intended as a child stroller a simple modification converts it into a jogging stroller.

Runners and walkers have hijacked this idea of loading up their baggage, journeys across the USA and further afield. Gone are the days of the backpack for many walkers while also making journey running a pleasurable possibility.

Chris, Chariots great customer support representative sent along some puncture resistant tyres and inner tubes which I am road testing. Also a 16″ and 20″ spare wheel and other spares.. Nothing spared, they are taking care of me. Included was a very nice note from the staff.

” Happy travels Tony, All at Chariot will be rooting for you! ”

Last night the weather was beautiful when I arrived, it finally caught up with me and started belting down all day Monday.

I don’t think there is any hurry for me to post my planned song,” November Rain ” by Guns N Roses for the ” Song of the week on my ipod ” I have been told I can probably make an accurate posting for that one any day this month By The way I got a new ipod and camera, will be more careful these ones don’t get wet.

Eventually I got all the tyres and tubes replaced, the gear repacked.

Sandy came home from her studies. I feel bad as she has got an important examination for her economics degree on Tuesday, yet she is so enthusiastic and obliging insisting nothing is too much trouble, its amazing.

I have decided to dedicate my run across Newfoundland to Sandy’s studies and for the result she wishes and has worked so hard for.

I treated her to dinner in a nice restaurant and then we went over to visit her mad cap mother, Jenny who though in a hurry out to work on the night shift as a nursing home nurse still took time to make us some coffee with canned milk… I had been lectured earlier in the day that the only coffee that mattered in Canada was Tom Horton’s, which is a chain rivalling Starbucks here.

” That’s the way we like our milk her out of cans, always have since my great grandad O’Dwyer came over here as a stowaway on a ship from Ireland. We got a great Irish tradition here and Paddy’s Day is almost as important as Christmas Day! ”

Tomorrow…Out into the great wide open, my first foreign country of the world run….

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 9th, 2010 at 4:57 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.

8 Responses to “Chariot It Out Into The Great Wide Open”

Joe Byrne Says:
November 9th, 2010 at 9:11 am
Glad to know that your run is being acknowledged where ever yopu go.
Long may it continue. Slan. Joe Byrne
Kenny Mc Andrew Says:
November 9th, 2010 at 11:00 am
Tony,hope all is well and the miles are coming easy,I was at a committee meeting last nite for M.S.B.and we want to again wish you the very best and also it was passed by a full majority that a donation was approved for you towards your jog around the world,I will fill you in on the details later,once again keep the revs up!!!
Kenny MSB PRO.
Ann Salmon Says:
November 9th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Hi Tony,

Best of luck on the north american start. You are well set for the adventure of your life. Live the dream !!!!!

Ann
ann Says:
November 9th, 2010 at 6:23 pm
Great to see your spot tracker back in action Tony. Keep on running Ann
Frank O'Connell Says:
November 11th, 2010 at 9:44 pm
Keep it up Tony! We are all routing for u back home!
theworldjog Says:
November 11th, 2010 at 11:57 pm
Thank You very much Kenny and MSB! That is fantastic and I will proudly wear our MSB singlet around the world!
Just ran 160km in 3 days from Cape Spear to Arnolds Cove, still got another 800 here in Newfoundland. Its very much Like Ireland! Outrunning the cold so far and feeling strong. Not much oppertunity for internet access
Thanks again to all the lads Tony
Janet Pike Says:
November 14th, 2010 at 10:17 pm
Hi Tony I seen your interviw on NTV news and enjoy reading your updates daily!It sure was a pleasure meeting you and enjoyed our coffee with canned milk.lol.lol.Lots of luck on your journey and living your dreams.May the wind always be at your back and the sun always shine on you!!Smiles Janet.
jerome sav Says:
November 26th, 2010 at 10:43 pm
Hi Tony, just checked your site out today – did Dublin Marathon and didn’t catch you as I hoped I might have. But saw U – in Longford some 2-3 years ago after finishing the threadmill time marathon, and I thought there is one hardy b*d!
So good luck, what ur doing is what I have cowered away from – got too fond of easy living etc.
My intentions are great but ……..!
Somebody said – road to hell is paved with good intentions!
Go man go !

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...