Million Kilometres for Tibet

100,000km

2008-08-25T19:56:00.001+10:00

We have finally broken the 100,000 barrier. We are on 102,061km. Wow!

The new members via the Facebook Group has definitely helped! Keep up the good work everyone and lets recruit some more members!

Now on Facebook!

2008-08-17T19:32:00.002+10:00

Great news this week. We now have a Facebook presence with twelve new people enrolled! As a result we have jumped up to 89,571km! It wont be too long before we are over 100,000km! I reckon we still aim for the BIG MILLION KMS and we can do it! This will help keep the Tibet Cause in the public spotlight.

Dedicated band of contributors

2008-08-10T19:22:00.003+10:00

The "Million Kilometres for Tibet" cause has been going for a while now and even though it didnt get the response I envisaged, the total is climbing slowly ( 81,683km) and will keep going for a while with the dedicated bunch of contributors that we have on board.

What was the aim ? For as many walkers, runners and cyclists to get together, combine their weekly training totals and reach 1 million kilometres.

Why Perhaps it may send a message to China that people do not like the oppression that China is carrying out against the Tibet Autonomous region and other areas of China.

It's not too late to join and you can backdate your training and racing kms from the start of 2007. If you would like to join and help, please send an email to myself at pessam@bigpond.net.au . Why not start during the Olympics?

Some videos and latest information about what's happening in Tibet

July 2008 Update

2008-07-02T20:07:00.002+10:00

Sorry it's been a while since I have done an update.

The total is now 74,261km.

Our small but dedicated team are still trying to collect the Million Km's for Tibet and are getting there slowly.

In the next few weeks, the totals will start to climb even more.

My Danish friend, Jesper Olsen has started his World Run number 2 and will be donating his kms.

My Tassie friend, Vlastik Skvaril will be running across Australia.

My Irish friend, Tony Mangan is continuing to train well and has some more races coming up in the second half of the year.

But everyone's kms are important, so please help send a message to China that there are people that support the rights of Tibet to stand on it's own two feet.

Tibet items from my Blog

2008-03-20T21:03:00.001+11:00

http://journeymanphil.wordpress.com/2008/03/20/latest-news-on-tibet/

http://journeymanphil.wordpress.com/2008/03/16/no-beijing-olympic-reporting-free-tibet/

my recent efforts

2008-02-27T02:25:00.004+11:00

Hi all,
I've been distracted for a while and while meaning to post, time simply slipped past. I could offer up excuses ("the Ghost Town took up all time") but I think better of all of you than to do that. I simply didn't put the time aside. So, last night I made myself a promise to get to it. I will confess, this is a good time of day for me as it was quite cold last night and I'm waiting for the world to warm a bit before heading out for my miles.
You see, I'm back in training for a long hike. It looks to be over 500 kms, and yes, I'm donating all my training kms and the ones from the journey to this cause. The walk itself will have some purposes other than my getting in a good leg-stretching.
My route will echo an ancient trade route, the Camino Real, which ran from Mexico City (in the south) to Santa Fe (in the north). It is some 400 hundred years old, which in terms of western man, is old in the USA. By my fourth or fifth day I will enter an area known as the Jornada del Muerto (Dead Man's Journey, or Trail of the Dead Man). There are many stories about this area and how it came by its name. One thing for sure - part of it is the most desolate desert I've ever seen. There are whole cow skeletons lying about bleaching in the sun. Their rib cages rise from the sand with tattered bits of hide flapping in the wind. It will be unlike any experience I've ever had.
After crossing the Jornada I will continue north through some ranchlands and into the Cibola National Forest. When I emerge, I'll be on pavement from there on into Santa Fe. Something like the first 200 miles (322.5 kms)of my trek will be on dirt tracks with the exception of a total of ~15 miles (24.2 kms). The road in the north is known as the Turquoise Trail. It's the scenic byway that will take me all the way into Santa Fe.
It's a known fact that the US is become a nation of obese people. It's quite startling. I worked and worked for months last fall to try and get something on local tv to promote being outdoors and walking. I got close. Then it all fell apart through no fault of my own. It was frustrating. So, I thought about my upcoming walk and how I might turn it into something more than just a personal event.
To give some meaning to what I'm doing, I'll be stopping at three schools to give presentations about my walk in the Arctic last summer. I've invited around 80 public officials from the federal to the local level to participate by writing a simple letter explaining what they like to do outside. If they don't do anything outside (highly likely), then they can relate something from their childhood. The letters will be given to the students I visit along my way. So far, I've heard from two officials - one enthusiastically, the other non-committed. Tut. I've now invited walkers and runner and their families and friends to write those letters. I'm always excited to go pick up my mail and see whose letter has arrived today.
The principals and teachers at the schools are thrilled. They're going to have the kids write short essays on the same theme - what they like to do outside.
There are those who think such efforts of mine are frivolous - foolish gestures. I tend to be more optimistic. Same with the millionkmsfortibet. We have to try. No voices accomplish nothing, but each voice through each km donated makes a statement. I, as one, hope you'll join in. It'll cost you nothing but may encourage you forward. I know when I don't have a good week training, I feel terribly guilty for having few kms to offer. Hopefully, my big trek will boost the numbers significantly.
It keeps me going to know that I'm not the only one. A good number of others in the group have recently run 100 and 50 mile events. The season is right, there are many events to choose from. So our kms will continue to climb. Thing is, we're a friendly crowd - others are always welcome! All the best, susan

27 Jan 08 - Thanks

2008-01-27T08:26:00.000+11:00

All,

We have now passed the 50,000km barrier. Our new total is 57,330km This is mainly thanks to a wonderful donation of the kms from the Ghost Town 3.5 miles event and Tony Mangan coming on board with his kms for the Year. I would like to thank everyone for their contribution so far. I can see that we can sill get the 100,000 kms before the Olympics. Let's do it.

Phil

See below for Susan's report from the Ghost Town Event.

As director of the Ghost Town 38.5 I try to make a contribution on behalf of my runners every year. This has varied from sponsorship (registration, meals and housing) for a small team of Navajo runners to a monetary contribution to a scholarship fund started by the late runner/writer Marc Witkes. My run this weekend had 47 participants. 43 finished the course, the other 4 gave it their best. Together they ran or walked 2, 821.45 kms. At the post-race bbq I told them the year's contribution was going to be in their honor: their efforts would be added to the growing total of kms to be presented in Beijing as a statement that we athletes hope the Chinese will release their hold on Tibet. There were nods of approval throughout my crowd. The Ghost Town 38.5 is happy to be able to contribute to this cause.

If by chance you wish to do the same - either as a race director or as a runner (training miles count), contact Phil through millionkmsfortibet@yahoogroups.com.au

October total

2007-10-20T07:26:00.000+10:00

We have now covered 41,153kms which is a remarkable effort for the small band of people that are trying to run,walk or cycle a Million kms for Tibet before the start of the Beijing Olympics NEXT YEAR!

We have a yahoo email group which we exchange our kms on and we now also have a presence on Facebook. So there are many ways of taking part.

I believe we can still do it. But we need a lot more people to come on board. So if you would like to help raise awareness for Tibet and what is occurring and you log your walking, running or cycling kms fairly well, please email me at pessam@bigpond.net.au We also dont mind if yoursomeone that walks back and forth from the shops or school every day. As long as you know the distance we would love to hear from you.

Phil

PS - Please pass ths libnk to anyone that might be interested in joining.

Phil's recent travels

2007-10-06T15:46:00.000+10:00

Photos from Thailand

Photos from Makassar

Travelling in Indonesia and Thailand

Phimai Historical Park

Susan in Lapland

2007-08-19T15:58:00.000+10:00

Hey all,

First of all, thank you for all those who sent supportive replies to my posting from Jokkmokk. I left the internet cafe shortly after the posting so I didn't get the replies until the last day or two, but I appreciate them!

My last week on the trail: it was pretty amazing. Two days that involved boats for part of the distance. Both of those days it was over 80F - hot considering the clothing I had with me. Skimming over the water was lovely...saw a group? family? pod? (not a herd!) of otters playing not far from shore. Water was like glass. One day it was across the length of the lake and up a river. The next day it was to the far end of the lake to an archipelago with something like 7 bridges. I just know it was fun and beautiful and helped me make great time.

If I'd known the difference in trail and terrain from the first three legs to the last, well, who knows!? It was still a lot of ascending and descending, but they were more like massive hills rather than mtns. The trail itself was substantially better footing. I was totally in the "zone" and seemed to make twice the distance/hour compared to the first two weeks.

And I was alone. I love going early in the morning, when everyone else is asleep. Most days I saw no one until I arrived at the hut. Sometimes I opted for my tent in the middle of the wilds rather than the huts. It was just fun and I seemed to smile a lot. Once I topped a hill I seemed to climb for a long time and there was the trail, a thin ribbon appearing and disappearing as it went up and down over the hills for several miles ahead of me. I laughed gently and realized the joy of the moment at seeing it extend out before me.

The third day the weather turned and I walked in a storm unlike any other I've ever walked in. The wind about blew me over a couple of times, the rain soaked through my boots within ten minutes. I scrambled into my rain gear. After a couple of hours I was getting somewhat chilled, the wind just bit through my clothes. There was an emergency hut - pretty much a wooden box with a door and steps up to the door. The box was prob. 4x8 ft. I scrambled inside and peeled off the rain gear just to breathe for a bit. Realizing how cold I actually was, I debated with myself about changing clothes altogether. In the end I switched from soggy pants (they'd gotten wet when I was getting into the rain clothes when the storm first hit) and ended up in two complete bottom layers and two complete top layers under the rain gear. Then I had water and forced myself to eat something with the rationale, "You need energy to stay warm."

I knew I was about half way, maybe a little more to the next main hut. It was with great relief that topping yet another hill I spotted the roof. I put my arms straight up over my head, trekking pole in one hand, as though I'd just crossed the finish line. Again I laughed...I seemed to do a lot of laughing for the joy of the whole experience...and started singing/humming the theme song from Bonanza as I covered that last 1/4 mile or so. Naturally, I was euphoric and a mis-step on a slick rock had me crashing to the ground. No more singing, slow and careful walking, and I got there eventually.

The last day was cloudy and a bit cold, but no rain. I made great time and arrived on the mtn. just above Hemavan to find the ski lift operating earlier than I'd been told. There was a big sign that no one was allowed on the lift without assistance, so I busied myself pulling on fleece (now that my work was done for the day) and tying my trekking pole to the pack. At just the right moment an athletic looking guy jumped off the lift and announced he was there to help me. Perfect timing! He was very amused when I told him that the lift was the scariest thing I'd faced so far - I'm not fond of hanging in lawn chairs from little poles attached to a single wire while descending a rather steep mtn. Then he asked where I'd started my hike and I won much approval when I told him the ground I'd covered.

The rest of the day was simply a stop at the local youth hostel where I was graciously allowed use of the fax and internet to book a ticket to Stockholm. The host gave me a ride to the airport and my journey home had begun. It was all kind of surreal - such an abrupt entry back into civilization.

Once at the Stockholm airport I got my ticket to the STates changed for Sat., booked myself into the airport hotel, soaked for a long time in the tub, got dressed in the cleanest thing in my pack, went downstairs and bought some truly clean clothes, and had dinner. Then I slept.

The next day there were flight issues and in Amsterdam there was a mad scramble to get me on alternative carriers. The first two airline employees said, "There's no way to get you to Albuquerque today." Hmmm...what would those perky folks on the Amazing Race do? I offered up alternative airports - El PAso or if nec. Tucson. Ah ha...I ran for the gate, arrived in Montreal, Canada, was personally escorted through several locked doors so I could get to US Customs which I needed to clear before getting on a flight to Dallas Ft. Worth. Amazing what is possible! I literally ran through DFW and arrived at my next gate just in time to board with everyone else.

So, I was in El Paso approx. 18 hrs. after leaving Stockholm. Then it was simply a matter of reporting one missing backpack and the 2.5 hr. drive home. I think I finally went to bed at 2 a.m. Sunday.

I need to write one last report for the local newspaper. I'm not sure exactly what to say yet. The last week was more calm, more gentle, full of joy. You all will understand what I mean when I say, "I felt strong. I felt fit. It all felt good."

So there it is, I've done it. I learned loads about the trail. So, if any of you ever want to head out that way, let me know and I'll be happy to share. Same with the actual reports that have been published...if you want the full versions...let me know and I'll send them your way in the next few days.

Cheers! susan

Welcome aboard Jesper

2007-07-22T08:32:00.000+10:00

Great news this morning that Jesper Olsen from Denmark is going to join the team. For those of you that don't know Jesper here is his website. www.worldrun.org He has completed a 26,000km trip around the world and in July 2008 he will be starting a 40,000km trip.

Dealing with Maps

2007-07-06T05:03:00.000+10:00

Today is one of tedious tasks, so I'm taking a breather and posting to the group blog. I'm less than two weeks away from my departure to Lapland. My pc died a couple of weeks ago and this morning I spent about an hour loading the scanner software into my laptop. Then it was another couple of hours scanning and printing sections of my maps. It was a bit boring, and somewhat intimidating, but the little chore has cut my load from 6 full fold-out maps to 10-12 pages of reg. sized paper printed front and back.

This may not seem like such a big deal, but I'm preparing to walk 275 miles with everything I need on my back, around my neck (waterproof map case and compass), or in my pockets (camera). This hearty walk has been in the planning for over a year. I'm down to the nitty-gritty details now. I'm embracing the required simplicity in my gear list.

It'll be my first walk of this magnitude and my husband worries how I'll handle the solitude. I worry about handling my return to normal civilization with its incredible amount of noise.

All my miles will be dedicated to the million kms for Tibet. I'm sure I will spend more than a few hours thinking about man's mistreatment of his brother. It's long been a personal philosophy of mine that we are on this earth with a responsibility to one another. Our burden and joy crosses language, cultural, and geographic barriers. It gives me comfort to know that my kms in Lapland won't just be a rather selfish indulgence.

My preparations are coming along. I've got piles of bags of beef jerky, dehydrated fruits, various nuts, and oatmeal sitting on a box in the living room. My tent, boots, backpack, and various small objects are huddled together in one end of the studio. They remind me daily to prepare, to check my lists, that the time is getting short.

It's short too for our Million Kms for Tibet. Next summer is not so far away. So, in my own awkward way, I encourage you to donate your training and event kms to this cause. It doesn't matter if you walk, run, swim, or bike. It's an opportunity to participate in something that could have great impact if we all do our little bit.

I don't know if I'll have a chance to post again before I leave. I'll definitely give you some kind of news when I return. After all, my kms will be "official" then - not just a hypothetical, waiting to happen.

My husband posed the hope that perhaps this will be my last wild adventure. I just looked at him, he knows better. Wherever you are, I hope you have happy and safe days between now and my return. My motto for today: "celebrate whatever comes your way, it's all part of life's great adventure!" Cheers! susan

Cap't. Karl's Traverse Trail Race in Burnet, Tx. 6/30/07

2007-07-03T07:42:00.000+10:00

Hi trail runners,

I signed up for Capt. Karl's Traverse Trail Running in Burnet, Tx. .It is a 6 or 12 hr figure 8 loop night race. I've never run all night before. I want to run a 100 mile race sometime so I thought this was a good trial run to see how it would go and what I could learn from it.

I definitely learned a lot from this race. I learned I need to bring more provisions to fix my feet for one.

Capt. Karl's is a pretty rugged trail, well, compared to Huntsville State Park in Tx. which is mostly where I run. This was at least as much work as hiking the Grand Canyon. I expected I'd get 50 miles in the 12 hrs and I think I would've gotten 45 except the 3rd loop was a fiasco and took me a couple of hrs to figure out my way back to the start..that bit was so exasperating I wanted to scream but I got reoriented and successive loops went better. Several places I had to walk fast, the terrain was just too precarious to run.

The first loop went well enough. I followed the pack and although the pace was slower than I would've preferred, I took the opportunity to try to remember the course b/c I'm notoriously disoriented in the dark..Toward the end of the second loop it got dark. I finished the 2nd loop pretty much by myself and feeling pretty good about my time, I headed back out..and got lost. Somehow I did several loops within the designated loop, passed the manned aid station twice w/o going back to the start, I can't tell you how this made me feel when I realized I'd made circles that would not be counted..

A guy appeared, said,"I hate to tell you this but you are going the wrong way. You may as well keep going and do the loop backwards." Then he explained that there are a couple of hard rights after the start, and of course I went straight..I spent a few minutes berating myself for being the only moron on the planet who doesn't know what they are doing but that passed quickly. I'm not as entertained by self flagellation anymore, and besides I wasn't the only one who screwed up. The other irritating thing was I started my last loop at 5:30 a.m. thinking I had plenty of time to finish but the guy at the manned aid station said I had to be back at the start by 6:30 so quit running, walked, did that exact same inner loop that made me lost the first time, grrr..meanwhile my husband called and since I was near the road, he came along picked me up and drove me to the start to get my stuff. Now I'm wondering if I misunderstood the guy, and he meant I had to be back by 6:30 to start another loop..I mean if I had known the last loop wouldn't be counted I would've have bothered doing it. Oh well, there's next year. It was a good experience, overall, I wasn't afraid, I never got sick, or tired, I had to go to the bathroom at "usual" times, so I learned that I can run for along time w/o losing it. And when I was lost, I didn't lose it. And I kept trying to eat something at regular intervals even though I was never hungry. I drank Amino all night, ate a couple of gels, shot blocks, orange slices, a banana, half a bagel..

It was really muddy in places and successive loops of several runners made the course muddier and muddier. I had 2 prs of shoes and socks, switched them out at midnight but I really could've used a 3rd pr of both. My feet were always wet, always rubbing and developed some mega size, really nasty blisters. (mental note to bring duct tape).

My legs are really stiff this morning and a couple spots on my feet hurt. In a couple days I'll be fine. There weren't a lot of people at the race, more were there for the 6 hr then the 12 and after the first loop I barely ever ran into anybody. I saw several fireworks displays off in the distance and once the moon came up, it wasn't hard to see. I had a headlamp and a flashlight. It was hard to remember not to beam the light right in people's faces but I'm sure a few people will remember me for that.

There was about a mile of jeep road through woods that was runnable and I always cut loose there. The rest varied between a short climb, jagged rocks, single track, mud or hard packed dirt. I fell once but that wasn't bad, I wasn't going fast. Overall it was fun, mostly just really funny, at times. One of the times I came to the manned aid station and the bag of pretzels was strewn all over, made me laugh, I felt so right at home! Hearing the generator in the distance was a strange comfort, I guess after that 3rd loop I really focused on staying on the course and everytime I'd pass the sound of the generator I'd be relieved, I'm on track..(There really is nothing like an ultra is there? :-)

They had breakfast burritos and fruit in the morning, and it looked good, but I still wasn't hungry. So I packed up my gear and left. I had taken my shoes off in the road, and by the time my husband drove me to the start I couldn't put them on again so was hoofing it through the weeds and gravel back to camp. They haven't posted the results yet but last yr, 50 miles was the furthest anybody got. I had expected to do 45,but I only recorded 30. I think. If ya count all the trail I covered while I was lost and the last loop that didn't count, I easily walked/ran 45. Oh well, there's next year..I really want to go back and do that again.

Everybody was really nice and the race director is a doll. Capt Karl's is another great, enthrallingadventure and for a good cause. (Cancer research) I loved it.

Lynnor Matheney
Houston, Tx

A Marathon in Tibet

2007-07-02T19:48:00.000+10:00

Was quite surprised to find this Marathon tonight when I was looking for information for my main web site:

http://www.great-tibetan-marathon.com/

General information

Thank you for your interest in the Great Tibetan Marathon 2007. We welcome you to explore this amazing race, set in one of the worlds highest mountain ranges, amidst a landscape of unparalleled beauty, history and unique culture.

The Great Tibetan Marathon 2007
Set in the Trans-Himalayan backdrop of staggering proportions, this marathon offers an exceptional running experience. Located within the political boundaries of India, Ladakh - the western most province on the Tibetan Plateau is also the only place other than Bhutan that has Buddhism as a living religion.

Running the distance of your choice at an average altitude of 3600mts (11,800 ft.), the Great Tibetan Marathon is undoubtedly a challenge of a lifetime. Forbes magazine selected the Great Tibetan Marathon as one of the “World’s 10 most Extreme Marathons” (Link).

There will be 4 running categories as follows:

1. Full Marathon
2. Half Marathon
3. 10 km
4. 5 km

To help you acclimatize fully and to avoid any serious altitude related sicknesses during the race, there is a mandatory 5 day period you will be required to be at an altitude of 3500mts or higher before you are able to run the distance of your choice. All our packages on offer confirm to this norm.

The Marathon program itself is 3 consecutive days, with the actual marathon taking place on the 21st of July.

On 19th July 2007, or at the earliest your 5th day of stay in Leh, we’ll be going for a Hike up to a monastery just outside Leh. Upon reaching the top, our team of health professionals will test you for your bodies Oxygen retention capacity. This is to give you and idea of how well you have adapted to the thin oxygen level of this Tibetan Highland.

The morning after the Hike, we’ll be organizing a 3km breakfast run. This will help you gauge your fitness level, and give you a taste of the challenge the next morning.

On the morning of 21st July 2007, the Great Tibetan Marathon begins to the sound of several meter long Buddhist horns from the courtyard of Hemis Monastery (3800mts). Hemis is the head monastery of Ladakh Region, and prior to the race the Chief Lama (priest) of the monastery will bless all the participants.
Running across the spectacular views the Indus valley offers, the track is set at the foot of the Stok Kangri Range (6100mts). Through out the track there will be several water and medical stops. Also, Ambulances will be constantly going up and down the track to take care of any emergencies. The track itself varies between tarmac, gravel, wooden bridges, village streets and overall a good firm track. It finishes at the foot of Spituk Monastery with a Buddhist celebration. At the finish, there will be a large medical tent with a team of doctors and nurses should you need any medical attention. Also at hand will be a team of masseurs for your service.

The Marathon day ends with a Gala Dinner in a large marquee tent setup specially for the purpose at the banks of the river Indus. The theme ? 1001 Tibetan Nights!

Participation
We would like to offer everyone the chance to come and experience the Great Tibetan Marathon, but unfortunately given the limited infrastructure in such a remote place as Leh, Ladakh; we are at present only able to offer 250 places.
These are available on a first come first serve basis.

Also, we require that your personal doctor/physician considers you fit enough to run the distance of your choice at this high and Altitude. We also recommend that you have finished at least one previous race in the category you choose to participate at the Great Tibetan Marathon.

Definitely one to put on the Wish list in future years!

What is it all about?

2007-06-30T18:21:00.001+10:00

The International Campaign for Tibet have recently launched their new website and campaign to campaign and let people know about the Human Rights Abuses that are happening in China. It is called the "Race for Tibet" and the website can be viewed at http://www.racefortibet.org/

I have been a supporter of the Tibet Cause for a few years. This got me thinking. How can the ultra world and the sporting world help highlight the Tibet problem in the leadup to the next Olympics. This is when I thought of the Million Kilometres for Tibet idea. Why don't we try and run/walk or bike ride a million kilometres to support Tibet in the leadup to the Beijing Olympics?

There have been nine people that have joined me so far. (their names will be added later). Their will be a tribute page connected to this that will list all the names that contribute their walking, running or cycling kilometres.

Our Group Blog for this effort is at:

http://millionkmsfortibet.blogspot.com/

Anyone can join individually or even Fun Runs or Marathons can send their total kilometres. So please send me an email at pessam(at)bigpond.net.au if you would like to join and perhaps help make a difference. Or send this link to anyone that might be interested!

I'm outa here

2007-06-14T21:34:00.000+10:00

by Tamyka Bell (one of our members)

Hi everyone,

As you may or may not know, I'm heading over to California next
Wednesday 13 June, for a bit of a holiday and a little running race.
Yep, I'm doing the Western States 100 Mile Trail Race! I'm really
hoping to finish in under 24 hrs, but cutoff is 30 hours.

Anyway, it starts at 5:00 am on Saturday 23 June local time, which is
10:00 pm Saturday in Brisbane. That means I hope to be finished by
10:00 pm Sunday 24 June Brisbane time, or at the very latest, 4:00am
Sunday morning.

If you want to see how I'm doing at any point, you can watch my
progress on the race website at
http://www.ws100.com/cgi-bin/runnerquery.pl?number=110

(If you live elsewhere, you can figure out the timings at
http://www.worldtimeserver.com/convert_time_in_US-CA.aspx?y=2007&mo=6&d=23&h=5&mn=0
)

I'll occasionally check my email while I'm over there, but I can't
promise anything. Take care, and think of me when you're not running
;)

The Two-day walks in Blankenberge

2007-06-05T12:18:00.000+10:00

Hi, all, this is my first contribution to a blog - ever. So, out of a bit of uncertainty, but wanting to keep my promise to Phil, I'm going to paste my first story out of Belgium. I was there for two weeks in May '07. All my kms from that trip have been donated to the million kms for Tibet. I managed to earn 50kms during the IML two-day walks in Blankenberge, followed by a seven-day solo-hike on the Transardennaise (a village to village hike on an amazing variety of paved and dirt tracks/roads through woods and open countryside). The story from the longer hike is still in the works, and when I'm in writing mode it's hard for me to produce many variations on the same theme - thus the pasting of the story on the Blankenberge walks. So, here goes:

MARCHING IN BLANKENBERGE

Blankenberge, Belgium is a small coastal city in Flanders. It is home to the International Marching League (IML) two-day walks that open the season of walking events. My previous participation in an IML event was two years ago when my older daughter, Hannah, and I walked in the four-day long event in Chantonnay, France. We had such a good time it became a goal of mine to return to Europe to “march” with friends made along the way.

Traveling to Europe is always a lengthy process. Surprisingly, I was able to travel on Delta from Albuquerque to Atlanta and right into Brussels. Then it was a train from the airport to a station in Brussels proper, and then another train to Blankenberge. Hannah and I met a trio of friends (Harry, Eddie and Chris) when we were in Chantonnay and I have stayed in touch with them via email. When I realized I’d be making the trip to Blankenberge for the walks, I asked Harry where I should stay. He recommended a B&B that he’s stayed at every time he’s walked in Blankenberge, which is some years.

My friends were driving in from Germany on Friday, but I’d arrived on Thursday so I could recover from the jet lag and get my feet under me after sitting for so long on planes and trains. I left the train station rolling my luggage behind me. With rather sketchy directions from Harry on how to find the B&B, I opted for a stop at the tourist information center opposite the train station. The patient lady in the kiosk handed me a

map of the city and together we managed to find the street I was looking for. A quick eyeballing of the skyline and I headed in the direction of the cathedral, around the corner, and down the block. Voila, I’d arrived!

After meeting Christiane, my hostess for the weekend, washing up and sorting things out in my room, I decided it was time for lunch and that I was in need of a little walk to keep me awake. Blankenberge is a fairly easy city to navigate. So after my meal, I explored the downtown area. The winds were a surprise to me. They come in off the sea and are quite chilly. A short walk was enough to send me back to my room where I rested, read and waited for dinner which was scheduled for 6:45 p.m. It turned out I was the only guest for the evening. Christiane’s husband is the cook. Christiane is the hostess and waitress. She graciously kept me company that evening so I didn’t dine completely alone. My goal had been to stay awake until nightfall and it didn’t take me long to fall asleep after the meal.

Having arrived the next afternoon, my friends were waiting at the table when I entered the dining room on Friday evening. Both gentlemen are formerly of the British Army and both now live and work in Germany. Harry is a Scot and Eddie an Englishman. Thank goodness for Eddie! He had to occasionally translate for me when I was lost with Harry’s language. The Scottish tongue can be a mystery to the average American. We were joined by Per and Maria from Sweden. Our happy quintet ate together, walked the IML walks together, and laughed a lot. That first evening, Harry and Eddie led the way to a large gathering of walkers. It was just the beginning of the weekend, and we’d end up out on the town each night to follow.

The IML events are truly walking events. Still called “marches” by the Europeans, they are designed to bring people of many nationalities together, and for me they have done that. The five of us were agreed to walk the 25 kilometers (kms) routes each of the two days of the Blankenberge walks. The routes are flat. The western side of Belgium, also known as “Flanders,” is flat. It is the flattest place I’ve ever been. The wind chilled the air that first day. There were a few threats of rain, but we lucked out and the dry stretch that had preceded our arrival continued until the day after the walks.

Walking is a good sport for socializing. We five walked together, sometimes all five together and sometimes in pairs or trio. My notes say that discovering just how many people Harry knows kept me entertained both days. We’d rotate companions naturally, without assignment, but as pace and crowd allowed. Harry and Eddie have walked Blankenberge several times and knew the best places to stop for food. As the day was cold and grey with fierce winds, we sat at an outdoor café somewhere along the route slurping down hot tomato soup. The soup could have been hotter. We commiserated at how quickly it cooled in the wind.

Lest I forget, the Belgians love their beer. There was free beer (per our coupons) at some of the aid stations, and many walkers chose to stop at the numerous pubs and cafes along the routes (both days). It’s a mystery to me how people hone the skill to both drink beer at each stop and continue walking for 25-42 kms each day, but most of them managed quite well. These events are social as well as athletic and everyone seemed to be having a good time!

It was on the first day that we crossed paths several times with a good-sized group of walkers from Taiwan. They were in an organized group, stretching and moving as though in a form of meditative exercise at the start line. One of the men knew Harry and Eddie and gave each of us a postcard of a different section of a large Taiwanese painting. It was further down the day’s walks that we passed them again. There was much bowing and nodding. Somewhere in the exchange I complimented one of their leaders who was wearing a traditional-style hat. That brought many giggles from the women in the group. Later in the day, one of the women told me that their leader would like to trade hats with me. My brand new felt “cowgirl” hat with the earflaps had been carefully selected for the trip. It would not only prove essential in keeping me from being sunburned, it kept my head and ears warm in the winds, and served as something of a mini-umbrella in the seemingly endless rains that I’d experience in my walks in the Ardennes. I was as gracious as I could be, but explained that while the offer was tempting, I must decline the trade. Next time I go, I must have something small to give in such circumstances.

Harry was alongside when we entered a tree-lined lane. The cows watching us were our only spectators. I had to take a photo as the Belgian cows never failed to make me smile. They just appeared humorous to me. At the end of the lane we entered a large property that I suspect used to be a farm but is now a sculpture garden and café. If we were not in a formal march, I’d have stopped there for longer. As it was, Harry took photos of me with one of the sculptures, and I managed to take a few others before my camera batteries died.

We arrived back at the tent on that first day in good order. Per clued me and Maria into the fact that there were free massages in the smaller tent. We ladies trooped on over and waited our turns. The woman who worked on my calves was curious as to my nationality. She was very excited to know I am an American, as Belgium is not a country that many Americans visit. Throughout the weekend I met only one other American, a military man stationed in the Netherlands. My masseuse chatted while she worked, and I found it easy to let my aching legs relax. Maria and I were both moving smoother after our rub-downs. It’s a lovely perk to the Blankenberge walks.

Then it was back to our rooms for showers. There was just enough time for me to do a little hand washing. I wrung out my clothes and hung them in the shower where they could drip freely without damaging the wooden floor of my room. My arrival downstairs to rejoin the group was two-three minutes late. I don’t think Eddie will every let me forget it. Harry had graciously offered to drive us to the down of Diksmuide, a town that was completely flattened in World War I. It has been carefully restored and is quite charming. The rather grand structure that is the town’s Catholic Church was a surprise to me. On the outside it’s quite ancient looking, but very modern on the inside. Mass was about to start so we didn’t stay long.

Day 2 of the walks was also windy and started along the beach which had us fully exposed to the winds. We eventually turned inland and found ourselves on a lovely bike path in a large wooded area. After that it was through farmlands and small villages. It was on this day that I arrived at one aid station to find Eddie, Per and Maria already seated, sipping on beer or other beverage. The guys encouraged me to try one of the brats that were being grilled just down the street. As I woofed down my brat with a contented look on my face, Eddie informed me with great amusement that the sausages were horsemeat. I didn’t blink, but with a twinkle in my eye, responded, “Thank you, Mr. Ed.” And so the day went: walking miles and miles on flat Belgian roads, laughing with good companions, eating a hot grilled brat that tasted good even after I knew what I was eating!

We were in the last few kilometers when I found myself alone. Harry had been alongside when he ran into another familiar face. The other three were just ahead of me for most of this stretch. I nearly caught up with them until they made a traffic light and I was the first held back by the police officer. Sag, slump, droop, I waited for that light to turn only to be held at the front again for the next three lights. There were plenty of other walkers to for me follow, thank goodness, as we turned onto the beachfront boardwalk which was crowded with families and couples strolling on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. I dodged cyclists, baby strollers, and crowds moving in a head-on direction to the one I was walking. It was a little discouraging to find myself caught in a density of people, but I managed and was happy when I caught sight of the big tent.

It turned out that when I entered the tent to get my IML walking passport stamped and discovered that Maria, Per and Eddie were just ahead of me in line. My feet were killing me as I’d taken my trail shoes thinking we’d be on dirt and sandy surfaces more than pavement. There was a large blister on the side of my right foot at the ball, and another on the outside heel of my left foot.

Maria and Per headed back to Sweden that evening. Our quintet reduced to a trio. Harry, Eddie and I had dinner and then went out so they could have a beer or two. My choice of beverage was hot water, which caused many an eyebrow to go up, but it kept me from getting chilled. I actually believe the hot water kept me healthy over the entirety of my trip when it seemed like all around me were succumbing to colds and sniffles.

The joy of the IML events is getting to know walkers from other countries. The walks are not timed and are not competitive. They are for people who love to walk.

I’ve done a good bit of thinking about what to take to trade or give to others, as that seems a lovely gesture in good-will. Many walkers have flags from their homeland protruding from their packs, stuck in their hats, and the military units have official flag-bearers. My search for a small flag from New Mexico must continue until I find just the right size. For it is my goal to return and march with friends old and new.

Harry and Eddie drove me to the train station the next morning. After our farewells, my journey took a new direction as I headed back to Brussels and then on to Libramont in the Ardennes where a whole new adventure awaited.

---------

That's it for now, hope you enjoy this telling of my first weekend in Belgium. I'll try to get a condensed version of the Transardennaise adventure after my "official" writing is done. In the meantime, I'm determined to get back out to do some miles. We've had a lot going on with family and weather - I hate training in the heat. My next hike is coming up sooner than I like to admit - the Kungsleden - some 440+ kms in Lapland, Sweden. I spend loads of time daily working on the details. Saturday coming up I'll be heading to Albuquerque (3 hours away) to take a GPS course at an outdoor/sporting goods store. When I'm in a wilderness, or even a forest alone, I try to keep my mind focused and often spend time thinking about those I know through groups like this. Happy miles all! Best, susan

Signed up for the Bellarine Rail Trail

2007-05-31T11:21:00.000+10:00

Hi All,

Simon Carroll here.

Just a short note to let you know that I have signed up as a provisional starter in the Bellaraine Rail Trail run in August. At 34km's it is a pretty long run for me and will determine whether I go ahead and book in the Melbourne Marathon for later in the year.

Sun
19 Aug
BELLARINE RAIL TRAIL RUN (34KM)A 34km run along the
Bellarine Rail Trail from Geelong to Queenscliff. Starts 8.00am from the Geelong
Showgrounds. There will be a 5 hour time limit. contact: Brett
Coleman 0438-434-260. email: brtrun2007@optusnet.com.au. Visit
the website for
more details.

I will use the seemingly very social nature of this run to chase a few km's or even recruit some participants.

I hope you are all training well and congratulations to all of you who now motivate me to keep training, particularly as Winter descends.

Vlastik and Deb's run around Tassie

2007-05-26T19:29:00.001+10:00

Vlastik Skvaril and Deb DeWilliams recently ran around Tasmania to raise awareness for Camp Quality. Vlastik has also been a contributor to Million Kms for Tibet since Day 1 and Deb contributed her kms from this event.

Here is their GREAT story

RUN AROUND TASSIE
This year it is going to be only a “short” run - 1,270 km. What is very special about this run is that Debbie de Williams is joining me to raise money and awareness for Camp Quality. Debbie is the first female who walked around Australia in 2003/2004 breaking 5 World Records in process. Over 18,000 km in 365 days! Who could wish for a better company!

The run will start from Launceston on the 28th March 2007 and will travel anti - clockwise around our great state. Debbie and I will run together doing an average 50 km per day, every day to complete over 1,270 km in 25 days, finishing in Launceston on the 21 April 2007.
Every dollar raised during the run will go to Camp Quality. We have sent information about the run to a number of service clubs, local Councils, sporting clubs and schools and already starting to get responses. Monday - 22nd March we are departing for Launceston to have logo of our sponsors to put on the van.

On Wednesday at 10 am we start our run from the Mall at 10 am by Alderman Rosemary Armitage.
At 2.30 pm first stop at Hagley Farm Primary school.
Friday 30th April and we have already spent 3 days on the road. The start at the Mall was wonderful with many supporters attending - too many to mention all. Students from Scotch Oakley College led by the Deputy Head of the Junior School Nick Kendall came in force and presented us with donation of $475 – very unexpected but much appreciated. Alderman Rosemary Armitage sent us off with good wishes from Launceston Council and we left with a convoy of Launceston Taxis.

Weather was good all day, we kept running to Exton from where we returned to Westbury to enjoy a lovely roast and spent the night camped at the property of Mr & Mrs Cameron, the parents of our crew member Alistair.

Next day we had one heavy shower, got saturated, but by the end of the day we were dry again. Finished in Latrobe, very much supported by Latrobe Council – with Michelle Dutton the main organizer of all the activities. Two police cars escorted us to Bells Parade, where we stayed at the Caravan Park, sites donated by the owner Gavin Imlach.

We started at 6.30 am, most of the morning was raining but by afternoon it cleared up. In Ulverstone we were met by the Mayor Mike Downie and later in Penguin joined by fellow runners Roger Clark and David Sweetman and closer to Burnie by Les Naunton.

At 4.30 we arrived at Caterpillar – Elphinstone. Chris Symonds organized a sausage sizzle which raised over $640 for Camp Quality – I cannot thank them enough for what they have done for us. I am very proud of having a company like this in my home city. The Lord Mayor Alvwyn Boyd was there as always to offer his support. Thank you all!

This was my last entry in my Blog while staying overnight at home. I was hoping to keep updating it during the run but unfortunately we could not get to internet at all so I had to leave it till we finished the run and returned home. Our “Next G” mobile service proved a disaster. I was not able to send SMS or pictures to the Blog either because we had only about 10% of the time any signal at all. Here is a warning to everyone. We had CDMA service which was very good even during my run to Cape York last year. However we were convinced by Telstra to switch to the “Next G” with the assurance that it was even better than CDMA. Now even at home in Burnie we have a very weak signal and Telstra is refusing to put us back on CDMA. Even my old digital phone has better reception in most cases.

After leaving Burnie we had beautiful weather. Just before Wynyard we were joined by Christine Wright who ran with us for several hours. “Doc” Hancock at the “Coast FM” had a good interview with us (106.1) and on we kept running until Port Latta where we camped over night before proceeding towards Smithton. The highlight of the day was meeting “Bosom Buddies” from Smithton who were on a training run for their big walk to Hobart. Since I spent two years living in Smithton I knew well many of them. I was actually told by Ian King during my run to Cape York about their intention and he even mentioned that they were inspired by my run to take on this huge challenge. I know now that they have done extremely well. http://bosombuddies.circularheadallcomcs.com.au

We arrived early at Smithton so kept running another 15 km before returning to Smithton to meet with the Mayor as planned at 5 pm.

The Mayor of Smithton Ross Hines and Deb met us with a considerable donation. It was much appreciated especially considering the fact that whole Smithton was in fever with the upcoming walk of their “Bosom Buddies.” Every shop in Smithton was decorated in pink colours, the whole town was buzzing with excitement. They are a great community.

While camping overnight at West Esplanade there were few showers but morning was fine and we continued to Arthur River staying overnight in a lovely Caravan Park with the compliment of the friendly owners Helen and Darren.

Much has changed in this part of Tasmania due to increasing tourism since I was here last time many years ago. It is developing rapidly with obvious increase in prosperity.

This was our last chance for a shower for next few days. For the first time I was on the new road “Western Explorer.” 124 km of unsealed road, very winding with short but very steep sections as the road follows the hilly countryside. Some very steep parts had bitumen as it would be very difficult to get up on gravel. I found it very interesting and enjoyable since this was one of very few places I had not visited in Tasmania before. Called Tarkine it contains Australia’s largest temperate rainforest. It is remote and mostly unchanged over 65 million years of Gondwanic history. Inside the Tarkine live 54 threatened species including the world’s largest Lobster which can grow to 1 meter in length. It is also home to ancient Huon Pines over 3,000 years old and old Eucalypt trees that reach 80 m tall and 17 m in circumference.
We ended the day after 62 km on a roadside of a very narrow road but as expected there was no traffic overnight. By 6.30 am as usually we were on the road again towards Corinna and a ferry across Pieman River. Corinna was between 1850 to 1890 bustling river port serving numerous goldfield in the district. In 1883 a 7.45 kg gold nugget was found at Whyte River and a 4.45 kg nugget found a month later. Corinna was one of the most populated towns in Tasmania. It is now a nostalgic collection of small well kept timber cabin. The Ferry runs from 9 am till 5 pm so if we did not make it by 5 pm we would have to wait till 9 am before getting across. I thought it was too much to expect from Debbie to make it by 5 pm so I suggested to take it easy, to catch the ferry at 9 am next morning, staying on this side of the river. After all we had enough time to make it to Zeehan next day by night time.

The reason for my reluctance to push too hard was the fact that Debbie was last year diagnosed with breast cancer and only in December had her last chemotherapy. I doubt that there is another person in the world who would in this situation take on such a challenge – running 25 days average 50 km per day. But even mentioning this idea made Debbie very upset – she is not going to take the easy option – we were supposed to end up on the other side of the river and there is no way settling for anything less. And this was the admirable grit and determination Debbie was displaying all the way. No wander she is the first and only woman to walk around Australia in all sorts of conditions breaking five World Records. We crossed the river on the ferry well before 5 pm with the compliment of the owner and camped on a roadside. Very cold night again and some rain overnight, overcast next day cold strong wind but no rain. We are very lucky with the weather.

Next stop at Zeehan, this only time we had to pay for stay in the Caravan Park. Zeehan like all other towns looks million dollars. As all towns on the West Coast it was built as a mining town and many mines are still operating along the coast as well as many are being re open with the mining boom we are experiencing at this moment which together with tourism is creating the prosperity which is so evident.

Next stop is Strahan on Good Friday. It was very generous from the owners of the Strahan Holiday Park to book our three vehicles in for a free stay in spite of the heavy booking due to Easter Holidays. Strahan was the major port for exports of the West Coast’s mineral wealth for nearly 100 years. Today it is both fishing port and the major tourist getaway to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

Very cold night again but sunny day so it was back again to shorts and T-shirts. During our run through Queenstown – another major mining town with rich mines I was twice asked by people where was my dog Asta. Sadly she died before Christmas but it showed that even people so far from Burnie remembered us for our charity runs.

Big, bare and colourful mountains are in our way so we have long steep claim ahead of us. We both ran most of the way so it was not long before we reached our next stop – Lake Burbury. Found a lovely camp, watched a beautiful sunset and enjoyed a lovely dinner as always cooked by Debbie’s mother who with her husband Owen were part of our support team. Debbie’s husband Glynn and business partner and friend Alistair were taking turns to look after Debbie and Jo was looking after me. It was a great team work during the run. And not to forget to mention Maggie. She is Debbie’s dog who did a lot of running with us.

We are now again in wilderness, running through World Heritage Area of Franklin and Gordon Rivers. Overnight stop at a car park for bushwalkers heading towards Frenchman’s Cap Track. I walked it once, at that time there was only a “Flying Fox” as the means to cross the Franklin River. Now there is a bridge. A lot of real adventure is taken out from these bushwalks to make it easier for tourists. I think that it is a pity. Frenchman’s Cap is a very spectacular mountain and the views from the top cannot be adequately described by words. It must be seen!

After foggy and cold morning the sun came out again. Derwent Bridge is our next stop. It is on the edge of the world famous Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park which is also listed as the World Heritage. To our surprise we arrived there much earlier than expected due to my mistake in calculating the distance. It was a bonus and it was agreed to give our “chef“ day off from cooking dinner for everyone and we all looked after ourselves by either eating in the pub or having something from a can. She deserved a bit of rest too. As we were getting to camp outside the pub, Alistair decided to move the vehicle to a better spot forgetting about his bike leaning against the camper trailer. The result was a very twisted bike with the wheels more like figure 8 then round and the pedals badly bent. Without any fuss Alistair with Owen produced a small miracle and the bike was useful again. But as you will learn later, it was only temporary reprieve.

The next day was extremely windy. It even broke the flag pole on the campervan while Jo was driving 2 km ahead as always. We found it on the roadside stuck in very thorny blackberries. Alistair again demonstrated his shills by freeing it without tearing it in spite of the wind ripping it out of our hands. We are now in the highlands full of lakes from which water fuels many of the power stations. Apart from few wind turbines all the electricity in Tasmania is generated by Hydro. Our next stop at Taraleah is the centre of Hydro development. The lakes around feed eight power stations.

After the building of the dams and power stations was completed the town almost disappeared and what was left was badly ran down. But now it is a thriving town again, the houses lovingly restored and a number of modern facilities for tourists and fishermen who come to this area for their big catch. The caravan park is spacious and comfortable with all facilities first class. Thanks to the owners once again we could stay free of charge. After several days of roadside camping it was great to have a hot shower, electricity and an opportunity to refill our water tanks.

More rain over night but fine, cold morning with temperature slowly raising and by 11 am it was very pleasant condition for running and sometimes a bit of walking. We are still covering our average 50 km per day without any drama. The road is very hilly, gradually the bush is being replaced by pastures. The soil on the highlands is not very rich so it is used for grazing sheep and beef cattle – it will not feed too many heads per hectare but there are thousands of hectares available making it still worth bringing the cattle and sheep on. We arrived in Hamilton after dark – the daylight last only till 6 pm – our ”canteen” as always had already settled down in a lovely camping spot near the river with delicious dinner already waiting for us.

This was the coldest night so far, frost in the morning but with gloves and balaclava on we could survive till the weather warmed up again. After running through New Norfolk where we were met by a journalist from the local newspaper, and had the opportunity to visit a supermarket to replenish our supplies. The night was spent about 13 km past the town on a roadside. During the night I had a strange dream. I somehow ended up with a dog on a leash, did not know whose dog it was and had no idea what to do with him since I did not want to abandon him. Then I woke up. In the morning, a few kilometers into our run we came across a large white, friendly dog wondering near the busy highway and when he saw us he started following us. I did not have the heart to leave him there since it was too dangerous so close to the busy traffic. I asked Debbie to keep going and headed with the dog for a near house to find someone to take a care of him. In the first house I was referred to another where I was told lived people with dog kennels who might help me. When I reached the house, the dog decided to keep going further heading towards a railway crossing just as the red signal went on and train was approaching. I was in a panic but luckily the dog turned back and started heading in the opposite direction. Eventually I was lucky to find a piece of rope and once I tied it around his neck he was happy to follow me again. The house I was referred to had a sign on the gate “We love dogs!” and a couple of ladies were in the backyard exercising beautiful Afghan Dogs. I knew I was in the right place. They said they sometimes saw a man walking this dog past their house so they took care of him. I had to run hard to catch up with Debbie since I lost at least half an hour but they were going to stop for a breakfast so it took only about 5 km to be with them again. I still wonder about the timing of the dream. I had never before had a dream like that!

We had a very eventful day ahead. Running across the Tasman Bridge in Hobart was a very special moment with views of beautiful Hobart with Mount Wellington towering over. Running past Constitution Dock made me proud to be Tasmanian and have such a beautiful city as our Capital. TV crews from both Southern Cross and Win were waiting for us as was a journalist from the Mercury and a call from ABC Radio. The Acting Lord Mayor Alderman Eva Ruzicka welcomed us to the Hobart Town Hall where we received reception fit for VIPs. We were very moved by being welcomed with so much attention. Ms Ruzicka showed us through the building. It is simply magnificent and charming. It is situated in most important historic site in the City of Hobart. When Lieutenant Governor David Collins arrived in the Derwent early in 1804 to take over Bowen’s settlement, he quickly rejected Risdon Cove, the place where Bowen first landed and started searching for a better place. He wrote: I fortwith commenced and had satisfaction in finding what I sought for in a very fine cove on the west side of the river. The grounds on each side of the run is of a gradual descent, and upon the next to the cove I had formed my camp.

He pitched his tent on Tuesday 21 February in the area where the Town Hall now stands.
The manager of Camp Quality Tasmania Peter Croswell was waiting for us as well with some children from Camp Quality and their mums. It was a very special for us meeting them especially since one of them I met last year during filming a commercial for the Cape York Run. Unfortunately she is not doing very well at the moment and we can only pray that she makes it through. All we can do is to raise the money for the camps to give these children some joy.
Our destination today is Middway Point, 18 km past Hobart where we are staying overnight outside Debbie’s house.

Tonight Jo and I are visiting Polish Club, where by shear luck our Czech friends are having dinner and their monthly meeting. To make it in time, Jo and I had to turn back still about 2 km short of Debbie’s house while the others kept going. It was worth doing that. The dinner was delicious with the compliment of the Club and we were very pleased to see some of our old friends we had not seen for some years. Received some generous donations as well and it was time to drive back to the spot where I stopped running before to finish running the rest. The road was very narrow and of course dark. I was relieved when we got to our destination at 9.45 pm!

We had a late start in the morning – 8 am. We both were a bit sluggish and huge hills waiting for us. Names like “Bust-Me Gall Hill” and “Break-a-neck Hill” demonstrate the terrain adequately! As the day progressed, we both got second wind and moved so well even through the hills that we finished running just before dark only about 2 km short of Orford. The road was too narrow and winding – too dangerous to keep going after dark. But our “Advance Party” found a very good camping spot so we were saved.

We are now on the East Coast – a place of a natural coastal beauty. This area received some rain lately . Apart from the beauty of the Freycinet Coast and Oyster Bay the paddocks are green as we expect in Tasmania. There is a growing number of vineyards and olive and walnut orchards, all new development since the climate and soil was found to be very suitable for this purpose. Fishing and tourism add to the prosperity of the whole coast. More recently many retirees from the mainland discovered the beauty and cheap properties comparing with coastal areas of the mainland and are moving south. There is a lot of new development everywhere and it is only matter of time, before the property prices will be too high for many ordinary people to be able to afford. This is a bad news for young generation of Tasmanians.

From Orford it was a long slog to Swansea – 63 km. We arrived in the Caravan Park after dark, last hour running in rain. But with a hot shower and possibility to wash and dry our clothes it was no problem. And on the top we had a beautiful spot right next to the beach with breathtaking views in the morning.

The next day was to Bicheno, only 47 km. It is a lovely place, used to be a small sleepy fishing village when we used to spend there school holidays with our sons. It was our favorite spot. But now like all the other places it is getting very commercialized, it is not the same any more. Lucky again our “advance party” found a Caravan Park with beautiful sea views, again with the compliment of the Manager of the Park.

Next morning was an early start again – we had 60 km to Scamander and to another stay in a Caravan Park. The owner Frank offered free sites and when I went to thank him I discovered, that he used to live in Burnie only one street from ours and we both knew well few of his friends in Burnie. On the way we had a couple of unhappy incidents. First one was when Alistair’s pushbike final broke down with broken spikes so instead of driving ahead and then riding back on the bike to assist Debbie, he had to walk. I think that on many occasions even before this he would have covered at least the same distance as we did either on the bike or on foot. But I never heard a word of complain from him!

The next trouble was when while running Debbie suddenly realized that she left her mobile on the wheel of their camper trailer during the last stop. It took some time to go back and find it. Unfortunately it was run over but at least she could retrieve the phone numbers stored in and has a peace of mind that nobody else could run a huge bill on it. She had to contact her husband Glynn to buy a new phone and bring it when relieving Alistair in a few days time. Otherwise the rest of the day went without any further incidents and we finished in a good mood in spite of all the dramas.

Again early start as we had an appointment at St Helens at 10 am. We are now running through bushland where some five months ago fierce bushfires burnt thousands of hectares of bush. It could have been very depressing to run many kilometers of burnt countryside. But the marvelous capacity of the nature to recover from such a disaster was evident all around. New life was appearing from the seemingly dead trees – new leaves, green colour taking over from the blackened trees and ground – it was simply marvelous. A new beginning, feeling of great optimism, that was the overwhelming feeling we were experiencing. What a wonderful world!
The deputy Mayor meeting us in St Helens was a very friendly lady and after meeting us and offering much appreciated Cappucino at “Benjo” she accompanied us to St Helens District School. We had a very enjoyable meeting with the students in the gym – we were very surprised to see so many students in a relatively small town. I talked to them about Camp Quality, Debbie about our other exploits, they had a lot of questions – it was very well spent time. Finally the students advised us about their forthcoming fundraising for Camp Quality. We were very impressed with their enthusiasm and their desire to help raising funds for the less fortunate children. I believe that such an interaction is useful for everyone. Hopefully the students will grow into more charitable people and some may get some inspiration to achieve more in their lives than they would otherwise. And for us it is even more motivation for future fundraisers.

On the way from St Helens we discovered to our horror, that the road ahead was going to be closed the next day for several hours due to the car race “Targa”. We decided to run hard to make to Weldborough and stay there during the race. Actually we did not have any other choice. The road there is very hilly and winding through beautiful Myrtle Forrest and some green pastures. We camped behind the pub and once again had a dinner in the pub, giving our “chef” much needed rest. The historic pub is Heritage listed and was built during the town’s mining heydays.

After watching the cars competing in Targa – huge variety from historic cars to most modern and powerful machines like Porche and Ferrari – we were on the way as soon as the road was re opened. I should mention that one Jaguar stopped at the pub unable to continue with engine problem. Multi talented Alistair came to the rescue and after some searching he found the problem and fixed it for the very grateful owner who didn’t have any idea about what to do. He took a part in all Targa races so far and was due for some special award if he completed this one. We hope that he did!

On the way to Scottsdale we are passing through vineyards and fertile farmlands, hop farms, lush dairy pastures and dense rainforests and up the hills where miners scoured a fortune from the tin-bearing gravels – the heritage of thousands of Chinese diggers remain today.

Scottsdale is a beautiful town full of lovingly restored heritage buildings. We stayed overnight at the Camping Ground – well kept by local service clubs. It is a credit to the whole community.
The road ahead is again very narrow with long, steep hills. We decided to camp at Myrtle Park – large camping area where we found a lovely spot on the bank of the river. Debbie and I kept running another 8 km before returning to the camp. It will be only about 28 km to Launceston making it very easy for the last day.

It is 21st April, after 25 days and 1,270 km we are approaching Launceston. Again fine warm day. Our second last stop is at Scotch Oakburn College which is holding it annual fete where we are meeting our friends to thank them for their support and then to the Mall to arrive there exactly at 3 pm. It was a very special feeling when Maggie, Debbie and I made our last steps to the Mall with cheering supporters and media including Southern Cross TV. Tracy from Camp Quality was there with some of the children, Michael Ferguson, local MP and many others. As always I had a mixed feelings. On one hand looking forward to see our family, sleep in own bed and a bit of a rest. On the other hand, it is again back to normal life. I sometimes think that I prefer the “abnormal” way with some hardship but with everything so simple. All you care about is to get from A to B, have some food and some sleep. Perhaps that is all we really need.
It is also sad to say “good by” and “see you again” to all members of our team with whom we spent 25 unforgettable days.

I end now with “THANK YOU” to everyone involved in any way with our “Run Around Tasmania”.
How much money we raised? We might never know exactly but it was enough to put smiles on a lot of faces of children with cancer. We had cash donations of several thousands dollars, some fundraising is still in the progress and also there are donations through Camp Quality website which will be very difficult to add up. But even more important is the fact that the run contributed considerably to the increased awareness of the children with cancer and their needs. And that is very satisfying for all of us.

Vlastislav Skvaril
Burnie, 25th April 2007 (ANZAC DAY)

For more about this run visit www.deborahdewilliams.com.au

2007-05-22T22:21:00.000+10:00

I keep a personal blog of my fitness and life journey at www.fitfromfat.blogspot.com. Here is a copy and paste of my most recent post. I will also add the link to the left hand side of this page.....Mike Keller

Recovery Day / Karma Building

It has been my intention for a week or more now to go to a trail in the Gorge Metroparks and take some bags with me for picking up trash and recycling. Since I am recovering from the marathon anyways I made today the day, and roped in my daughters and mother in law to go there with me and help. Mostly they just kept me company and watched while I did the dirty work. My daughters watched and gave the appropriate "gross" and "ewwww" comments to the different items of refuse I would pick up.

There is one area in particular that I have always wanted to see cleaner where there is a waterfall and a cascading valley of boulders that leads down to the Cuyahoga River below. I think partly because the majority of the water forming the waterfall is runoff from the neighborhood above, and also because this is a very scenic portion of the trail with a footbridge, there has always been a lot of trash here. We separated our finds into trash and recycling bags so we could recycle some items instead of just throwing them out.

Now I didn't set out to be a one man crew cleaning up all the area metroparks...but I did hope that I could throw out the challenge to some of my trail friends who will read this....take a few empty bags on a run or hike...maybe think about it so your run or hike is ending near an area that you would like to see cleaned up, so you don't have to carry the full bags too long. Get back to me if you accept the challenge and let me know where/when you did it! Oh, and if you are a blogger friend, take pictures and blog it to show others!!!

www.fitfromfat.blogspot.com

Million Kms for Tibet - 25,763km

2007-05-22T21:51:00.000+10:00

http://www.planetultramarathon.com/millionklmsfortibet.htm

I think with the Dalai Lama visiting Australia soon, it’s a worthy opportunity to mention the Million Kms for Tibet. Last November a group of runners, walkers and cyclists started an effort to show China their concern about the abuses being committed in Tibet and that the world is watching with them approaching the Olympics. This idea started as a result of the Race for Tibet Campaign

So if you would like to help join the effort and contribute your running,walking and/or cycling kms to the effort, please send an email to myself at pessam@bigpond.net.au We will also accept people contributing their steps on their pedometer towards their effort (1,100 steps = 1km)

So lets tell China that we know what they are doing in Tibet.

PS - A good website I found on Tibet earlier and the Olympics:

http://boycott2008games.blogspot.com/