Run BNT.......5330km on Australia's National Trail

Day 31…………… Blown in from Gundaroo.

Weather wise it was the worst day of running to date. I’d run in weather like this before along my local trail back in Melbourne. But the difference there was that I would be going out for easy 20km knowing where I’d finish, that being the comfort of my old house!

Today was to be a 50km run taking me through the wind swept grazing country of the lower tablelands of NSW. It was cold, blowing a gale, with showers, and after the day before run through the rain and cold, I really didn’t want to leave the warm and now homely feeling of the Maui Mothership!

When I finally made the decision to get out and get on with it, I couldn’t open the door of the van as the wind was so strong, was it a sign to stay in bed today? I would have liked to have thought so!

I was wrapped up like a parcel as I jogged away from the Maui. I turned back to wave Vickie good bye and she shouted the words “Remember, this is what you do, you run long distances IN ALL WEATHER!”. I smiled and opened up the stride.

It felt like the lonely winding dirt road went on forever, as I was repeatedly blown! I was running at an angle so my feet went taken from under me. The trail started the climb up, and I knew that the windiest bit was still yet to come, as I would have to run along the ridgeline above Lake George.

The views were sensational, but like I thought, the wind was strong and the misty rain that was falling stung my face as the wind whipped it in all directions.

Safely down the other side and 25km in I was met by Vickie. What a welcomed break to be inside the Mothership to get a little warm and be sheltered for a while for the neverending and relentless blowing of the cold wind.

Back to it and only for a short few KM as I was heading for the 1000km milestone! For the first time today I felt warm inside, due to the achievement to date. I saw the Maui in the distance knowing that Vickie would have park right on the 1000k mark. It was a quick celebration, as I still had 20km to knock off for the day. It wasn’t so much the distance, after all I had run 1000km over the last 28 days, It was the cold, wet and wind, I really wanted to be out of, so I needed to bash on.

It was nice to have the Vickie alongside me. Rarely has it happen on this trip. We are working as a team, but we are both alone for the best part of each day. I dumped my pack in the van and Vickie would drive ahead so that I would have a drink station. It was also good when running through Cowville, that’s my name for the wondering cattle, that I fear, well the bulls within them!

We got to the Hume Highway. It felt funny crossing this road, as in just a few short hours I could be back in Melbourne where I had started. Just a few hours was sickening to think after all the hours I had put in to be here.

Once the other side there was only about 8km to go. We passed the back of the giant windmills or wind farm, looks like even on the better days this place is blowing a gale, why else would they construct these things here? I had an odd feeling about them, they were big, steel and dominated the skyline, but at the same time there was something quite arty, mesmerising and tranquil when you watched them.

I was happy to finish for the day. I felt really beaten up only by the weather. It takes so much of your energy on days like these, just to stay upright and warm. But, as I was reminded first thing this morning, this is what I do, no matter what’s happening outside.