Day 55

Day 55 started by the quarantine checkpoint for vehicles entering South Australia. It was an incredibly warm night and The WA Weather Group (@TheWAWG on twitter who have been very supportive and informative) suggested that storms may be on the way.

"There are now only 16 days left thankfully. I reckon another 7 days of damage limitation then attack."

"The feature of this run so far is how much rest I get. I have yet to run late into the night like I did often during the run across the USA."

"I've got my sights on a 70 miler sometime in the last week. There's an outside chance that this may happen."

"For today, the aim is to breach the 1800 mile barrier. Thunderstorms are forecast. As ever, nothing is EVER easy or straightforward."

After 3 miles Mark arrived at the Victoria border.  This was the final time zone change for the run across Australia, although this also meant that Mark instantly lost 30 minutes of his running day as a result.  The border also presented the rain.  Mark is always cautious out on the road but rain presents a whole new level of awareness.  The passing vehicles, especially road trucks, generate spray by the roadside.  Usually drivers see Mark heading towards them and courteously move into the middle of the road so to allow Mark sufficient space.  Not today.  Very few moved.

The rain became too much and Mark was becoming soaked through.  At 9.3 miles Mark made the call to postpone running for the day.  The conditions were too dangerous, the spray from these passing vehicles but also the threat to Mark's health.  Wet trainers could aggravate Mark's feet and wet clothing poses risks of hyperthermia etc.

Mark quickly changed out of his wet clothing, opting for a few layers to generate some heat.  Some hot soup followed by a snooze would hopefully see the downpour through.  

The downtime lasted 4 hours, 3 of which Mark spent sleeping.  This was essential for his recuperation and preparation for big miles to follow over the next 15 days.

Some of the sights of day 55…

"The #murraysunset #nationalpark. Beautiful even on an overcast day like today. #rgrdownunder"

"It's a #roadtrain race #victoria #sturthighway"

"A knitted tree. How strange! #sturthighway"

"This is the 1st solar powered #firedanger sign I've seen in #australia. #sturthighway #victoria" 

"Sound advice #powernap #tacticalsnooze I've had mine today. #victoria"

After just over 5 hours Mark finished running for day 55.  

"25.75 miles ran. That's all for today."

"I've got to make it to #mildura tomorrow or this run is over. That's going to require a record day. It's 50 miles away."

"Lights out. Half an hour lost today due to change to final time zone. It's now 21:05. Massive day tomorrow."

The alarm was set for 30 minutes earlier to account for the time zone change and in attempt to give Mark the best start for the massive day ahead of day 56.  50 miles to Mildura...

Days 53 - 54

Day 53

Day 52 saw a record mileage day - 46.1 miles.  Although a fantastic achievement, 13 hours of running was certain to take its toll.  A late finish required a quick turnaround in order to get as much rest as possible ready for the start of the new day.  At the end of every day an essential part of Mark's recovery is to drink Cherry Active.  Mark's comments about this product are as follows:

"There isn't an ache in my body today. @cherryactive never ceases to amaze me. I should be in bits after yesterday's efforts."

"@cherryactive was originally recommended to me by the University of Northumbria in early 2011. These runs would be tougher without it."

Day 53, was a later start.  The late finish and longer distance from the previous day had naturally left Mark feeling tired.  At 07:20 he started running:

"A good haul of miles will almost guarantee that I leave #SouthAustralia tomorrow (Sunday). 43 is the target today."

"Nice chat with a local man out for a morning stroll. The people have made this journey memorable right from day 1."

At 09:06 Mark tweeted: "66 miles to the #victoria border. 137 miles to the #newsouthwales border."  This meant that Mark had covered a distance of 1700 miles in just 52.1 days. This now left 768 miles   before reaching Bondi Beach, Sydney.  

"Progress after 1710 miles of running. Day 53 of #rgrdownunder with Benfield."

"The remaining 758 miles."

The temperature was quick to increase throughout the course of the morning and was around 30 Celsius just before noon. This was set to rise and peak at 6pm. 

"It's tough going in this heat. Now aiming for at least 38 miles and survival. Anything above that is a bonus."

"Despite the heat I'm feeling strong today. Just got to get mileage in high 30s and regroup tomorrow."

"50 minutes left until the heat of the day peaks. Crikey, it's hot. Roll on 6pm."

"#glendevlin #vineyard #southaustralia"

"A battle in the #southaustralia sunshine."

Over the course of the last 2 weeks we have made excellent progress with Mark's feet.  There are no signs of infection and the original damaged skin has dried out and been replaced with fresh skin.  That said, the constant time that Mark is on his feet and the mileage covered will always prevent his feet from healing 100%.  Later in the day Mark complained that his right foot was becoming an issue: 

"Right foot is on fire. Not literally though."

"I can feel this day slipping away from me. Starting to get very hungry. At least the temperature is dropping. 30 miles done so far."

At 18:30 Mark made the call to end the day:  "Stopping at 30.25 miles for the day. Going to get my right foot looked at, some food and an early night."

"Feel very good at the moment. As happy as I can be with the way things are going. This is one heck of a slog in the #aussie summer."

After the mileage of day 53, this then left 742 miles to Bondi. Mark's ultimate aim was to ensure that this figure must be less than 700 by the end of Sunday.

We were fortunate to find a good location for the overnight stop, a camping area right next to a pub.  As we arrived a Christmas party was getting into full swing, the theme, a beach party.  Nothing unusual about that right?  As always, Mark was pleased to see a menu which presented steak.  He ordered the 800g option.  Very happy.

After dinner we took the time to assess Mark's feet and try to identify what was causing the pain on his right foot.  It wasn't good.  A new, and huge, blister had appeared between the big and 2nd toe.  As much as we treat the feet, there is no getting away from new blisters appearing.  The only thing that we can do is continue to treat them and prevent any infection.

"I'll be gritting my teeth while full of painkillers tomorrow. Left foot is healed now it's the right ones turn to cause me pain."

Day 54

Day 54 started with the discovery of some very unwelcome overnight visitors.  Unfortunately the overnight spot was close to the river.  This can only mean one thing - mozzies.  They certainly had a feast on the two of us so the early part of the morning was ensuring that they were all suitably squashed!

"Right foot very sore this morning. @Donna__Houghton is going to do her best to patch it up. 45 miles today is a must."

It was a very warm start to the morning and the temperature had already hit 22 Celsius by 05:30.  This was a sure sign of the high temperatures to follow.  Fortunately there was a good cloud cover and a slight breeze which helped keep the heat at bay, for a short while at least.

"Temperature forecast for mid 30s. Going to be a battle again. I'm up for it today."

The tactics over the last few days have been to load Mark up with his waist band and Camel Bak.  This ensures that he is able to carry up to 7 litres of fluids for maximum hydration.  Mark is also packed off with sufficient energy supplies so that he can maintain his energy levels on the periods where the meeting point is further away.

09:15: "Quick water top up of my #camelbak at the 11 mile point. I'm next seeng the RV at the 30 mile point."

11:05: "Just had an impromptu Iced Coffee and energy gel in the RV. I'm feeling tired. 16 miles ran."

11:53 "It's a little too early in the day for an attack but #ifeeltheneed #theneedforspeed powered by #farmersunion #icedcoffee"

I arrived in the next town, Renmark, some hours ahead of Mark.  I used this opportunity to stock up on essential supplies (and to wander round in shops with air conditioning!).  It's fair to say that there was a notable increase in both the temperature and humidity.  It was stifling hot and there was no escaping it on Mark's part.

"A warm blanket of hot air brings an end to my attack. Slowing down now. It's roasting hot here in #renmark"

"Crikey! This heat and humidity is insane. If there isn't a storm later is be surprised. #renmark"

By the time Mark reached the RV he had reached 26 miles.  He took this opportunity to soak his feet in some 'cooler' water and took time to reflect: "16 miles left until the #victoria border. It will have taken me 27 days to cross #SouthAustralia. #nullarbor #eyrepeninsula #goyderhighway".

Even with all of the windows open in the RV there was no escaping the heat, "Eating hot porridge in a baking hot RV is quite a challenge".  After an hour 'lunch break' Mark was ready for the final session of the day with 19 miles left.

The highway leading to the next town was particularly busy with tight bends.  This posed as a huge risk to Mark so he opted for a 'short-cut'…

"Hmm? Which way? I'm taking the right fork."

"Another decision. I'll go left this time. #sendasearchparty"

"Current location. #renmark #riverlands #rgrdownunder"

"I think I'm in trouble. #lost in #riverlands"

By 18:30, and after Mark's little 'off-road adventure', he had 8 miles left until the Victoria / South Australia border. This was the final aim of the day although he was really starting to suffer at this point, even potentially hallucinating...

"I think I'm seeing things. If I'm not mistaken there's a geet big #Dunlop tyre ahead."

"I've seen a monkey in dungarees twice in the last 54 days in #Australia so I could be mistaken. #seeingthings"

"I wasn't #seeingthings after all. #dunloptyre"

Mark's final tweets to end day 54:

"37.2 miles done and my right foot won't take any more pain. 706 miles to #bondi."

"I tried so hard today to get the amount of remaining miles down to less than 700. It's been a sweltering day so it's hard to complain."

"It's just after 8 at night and it's still 35 Celsius. There is no breeze and the RV is like an oven. We have a mosquito invasion going on."

"The battle here in Australia isn't just out there on the road. It's everywhere. It never ends."

"All of these factors are why I chose to run across this incredible country in the summer."

"The challenge, so far, has certainly lived up to, and in many ways, exceeded my expectations."

"Lights out. Only 16 days of this living nightmare left. On the plus side I just killed what I think is the last mozzie."

"Finally, please donate to my chosen charities if you can. The fund is very close to 28 thousand pounds. uk.virginmoneygiving.com/rungeordierun"

Day 51 - 52

Day 51

Once again the storms continued overnight.  This continued into the morning with high winds and rain. Mark made the call to start later in the day in attempt to allow the storms to pass.

At 11:00 Mark set off with new pair of trainers, number 5.  Number 4 are still going well but were soaked through on the downpour of day 50.  Mark started the day still feeling tired.  Aside from having run 1638 miles in 50 days, Mark's calorie deficit was (and still is) still an issue.  This would be a key focus over the next few days to build up and hopefully generate more energy reserves. 

30 miles was the target for day 51. 

"Conditions improve tomorrow and a record haul of miles is a must. Saturday and Sunday must see 41 miles ran each day."

"Monday and Tuesday both need record hauls of miles. That will then leave 14 days of the run left."

"Play is underway here on day 51 of the run across Australia. Very windy still. A cold 13 Celsius. #B64"

On day 50, Melanie, from the early days in Perth, contacted Mark to let him know about about about a fundraising activity that she would be holding.  Melanie had made some Rocky Road brownies and was sending them into John's workplace with all proceeds being donated to Mark's two charities.  A fantastic total of £48 was raised - move over Mary Berry - Mellie Berry is here!

At 14:50 Mark finished running for the day:

"Totally exhausted after 11 miles. Legs feel like they have growing pains. This is torture today."

"Finished just short of 12 miles for the day. Drained. Not a good day."

The focus for the remainder of the day was to ensure that Mark rested and carb loaded - tomorrow would be a big day.

"I've got a 35 mile stretch tomorrow unassisted. Full pack on and carrying 4 litres of water. This may be the way to go."

"This is the tactic I adopted during the final week of the run across the USA. Not seeing the RV very often helps to focus."

"There is no choice but to continue no matter how tired I'll get. This week can still be rescued."

"I've got a belly full of delicious food cooked by @Donna__Houghton. I think I've actually eaten more calories than I've burned for once."

Day 52

Day 52. Nothing less than 45 miles will do today. Seeing the RV for the 1st time at the 35 mile point. Carrying more supplies than usual.

Just said goodbye to @Donna__Houghton in the RV. Next stop for me is a town called Morgan.

"Rarely, on all of my travels, have I seen a more amazing sight than 2 Kangeroos hopping through the outback."

"You kind of get a peaceful feeling. They are very impressive creatures. A real treasure of this country."

"14:00 Marathon done so far on a warm day. 10k from #Morgan. Enjoyed it today so far. @Donna__Houghton's work on my feet has paid off #nopain"

At 16:00 Mark had completed 32 miles and made a stop for his first break. I checked his waist pack and camel bak and was pleased to see that all of the supplies had been eaten.  In addition to pasta for tea the night before and porridge for breakfast Mark we had hoped that addition snacks would help sustain his energy levels.  So far so good!

After an hour, Mark was back out on the road.  The next, and final, meeting point for the day would be a half marathon distance.  Fortunately from the break point we were able to identify a mile long shortcut which saved a great deal of time for the day.

As the day passed it was great to hear that Mark was doing so well.  I had my concerns around the mileage meeting point, especially after the pains suffered the day previous but Mark was focused on 45 miles. The donations had continued over previous days and the fund was nearing to £27,000.

"Today has been a tough but enjoyable day so far. As my headline sponsor, @drivebenfield, would say - #enjoythejourney #rgrdownunder"

"If the fund passes 27k today then I'll run a bonus mile at the end of the day. #cashformles uk.virginmoneygiving.com/rungeordierun"

18:30 - "#ifeeltheneed #theneedforspeed Time to finish today off in style."

"Thank you to whoever has just donated 200 pounds. The 46th mile is for you today."

"40 miles done. Can't hang around. Later. #ifeeltheneed #theneedforspeed uk.virginmoneygiving.com/rungeordierun 10k left. #boom"

"44 miles done so far on day 52 of #rgrdownunder with @drivebenfield. Time to wind it down to 46. Amazing sunset."

"46.1 miles done. Brilliant last 20k. There may be some tour records in there. I'll have to check the uploaded stats later."

"Mile 46 was 9 mins 3 seconds. The 2nd quickest mile of the tour. 4 seconds away from the quickest mile."

Mark finished running at 20:30.  This didn't leave long for a quick turnaround in order to shower, treat feet, eat and then sleep.  Bigger miles mean longer days.  Longer days mean less recovery time, there is no easy way about this.

"It's just gone dark and it's still 21 Celsius. It's going to be a warm night here in #insectville."

"Very pleased with today's run. Carried a full hydration pack on my back and round my waist all day. All to do again tomorrow."

"Lights out. #eat #sleep #run #repeat uk.virginmoneygiving.com/rungeordierun #rgrdownunder"

Day 50

There was a huge downpour overnight and early into day 50.  Unfortunately it was forecast for more.  The positive of rain means no flies for Mark.  He tweeted "The heat of the last week has now been turned down a few notches. This is a day to strike back." Just as he sent that the rumble of thunder started once again.

The start point of day 50 - near Spalding

Mark was out on the road for 06:15 and the plan was to get in as many miles as possible before taking a break.  This would be key to ensuring that the mileage deficit did not increase.

Over the course of the last 4 nights Mark has soaked his feet in the new substance.  Having assessed them again last night there is a noticeable improvement which is great news.  

As Mark set off on his way he quickly passed the 1600 miles point.  Here he was greeted by kangaroo but it was just too fast for Mark to catch a picture of it. Later on that morning, along the Burra Road and just as Mark approached the RV for a water exchange, a man in a car slowed down to check that all was OK.  Mark quickly explained what he was doing, shared a leaflet and the man was quick to donate a few dollars Mark's way.  We later found out the man's name, Jason, as he very kindly left a supportive message on Facebook.

After 13.1 miles Mark stopped to fuel up on porridge.  The plan was then to continue for another 13 miles before seeing the RV again.  I used this opportunity to visit the local town of Burra to make a waste dump (joy!) and to also have a trip bakers which had been recommended to Mark.

The route to Burra was quite hilly in places and Mark was faced with one that was at least 3-4 miles long and 1800ft at the summit.  The highest point so far in Australia.  

"After 3 days of hills, I see vast plains on the horizon. Australia is truly beautiful."

"Distracted by the plains ahead, I missed these storm clouds gathering to my right."

"Ah man. It's raining. 35 miles done. Looking good for 41 or being struck by lightening. Whichever comes first." 

"Rain passed. More on the way. 4 miles left to run today for 41 miles."

The storm had left Mark soaked to the bone and very cold.  He made a quick pit stop to refuel for energy and attempted to set off for the final session of the day.  Unfortunately this was not to be.  

"The storm has stopped play on 38.7 miles. I'm freezing. I'm calling it a day. 1638 miles done in total."

"Tomorrow will start at 7 Celsius. A week ago I was running in 46 Celsius. Crazy extremes."

"This reminds me of being in the caravan at Seahouses in October when I was a lad. Just need fish and chips for supper."

"Lights out time. Too cold to shower, eat or soak feet. Brrrrr. 830 miles to #Bondi."

"The RV is getting battered in this storm. If it's still in 1 piece in the morning it'll be a bonus. It's like being at sea."

"The storm is picking up speed outside by the sounds of it. I'll resume the run across Australia when it's safe enough out there."

#rgrart - this entry was sent to Mark by Jon Kirby, the programme controller for Real Radio.  Jon's niece Jessica Kirby, aged 8, has painted this fantastic picture of Mark in Australia which was named 'The Hazzards of Oz'.  Well done Jessica!

Day 49

At 3am we were woken by an incredible thunderstorm which was once again accompanied by spectacular lightning.  This only allowed 2 more hours sleep until Mark had to get up and start running again.  Unfortunately these 2 hours were not enough and Mark turned off the alarm in favour of a late start to the day.  Fortunately the storm had cleared by the time that Mark set off but the clear skies were an indicator of the hot temperatures to follow.

Mark was still feeling very tired and as a result was 3.5 hours behind schedule.  On a positive note, the donations had continued which is always a great motivator. The target for day 49 was Spalding, or further!  

As Mark departed Crystal Brook the weather appeared to change.  Dark clouds were looming and it looked as though another storm could be on the way.  Not the set back that Mark had hoped for.  The wind picked up in strength, almost worryingly so while I was sat in the RV by the side of the road.  

Fortunately the rain held off, but the wind did not.  The gusts of wind were so strong that Mark had to really stay focussed on the road and make an effort to run in a straight line.  The road to Spalding presented an uphill climb and as I passed Mark he looked like he was really getting stuck into it.

The tweets were limited throughout the day while Mark focussed his efforts on beating the weather conditions as well as aiming for the target location of Spalding. 

Mark ended day 49 at 18:50 on 25.85 miles.  The next 2 hours, as always, were critical in ensuring that Mark ate, had his feet soaked and dressed and legs massaged.  This would hopefully set him up well  and ready to attack day 50.  This would also see him break the 1600 mile barrier.  

Mark's final tweets for the day:

"I lost 4 hours today due to a late start. I was exhausted all day due to the lack of sleep."

"I managed to get my head back in the game this afternoon. This run is just one big physical and emotional roller coaster."

"Support on Twitter and Facebook has been brilliant again. I hope you are all enjoying this journey. There are only 3 weeks of it left."

"I've got 3 weeks to run 41 miles per day. Do that and I get to #Bondi on time. So far I've averaged 32.6 miles per day. See the problem?"

"I think the next 7 days are critical. Risks need to be taken to get as close to 300 miles as possible."

"If I don't get close to 300 miles of running over the next 7 days then this event is all but over. That's a fact."

"My body is screaming out for a lengthy rest. My mind is doing its best to keep in the game. This is easily the toughest challenge I've ran."

"But let's look at the positives. My feet are improving beyond any expectations thanks to @Donna__Houghton's treatment."

"I perform better when the odds are heavily against me. Right now, it's like Accrington Stanley versus Barcelona."

"I had quietly hoped that the run across Australia would end in similar fashion to the run across the USA. Looks like I have my wish granted."

"This will make for an incredible story of human endurance. I know of no greater stories. I can make history. It's in my hands."

"Just looking at tomorrow's route. 41 miles takes me to a place called Worlds End. Are you kidding me!"

"Lights out. Well fed, cleaned, feet treated and massage. I'm ready for whatever challenge Day 50 brings tomorrow."

"Goodnight from Australia. Please donate if you can to @sbrfoundation @tcfcharity. uk.virginmoneygiving.com/rungeordierun thanks in advance."

As Mark highlighted earlier, every message received is massively appreciated.  Mobile phone reception is more consistent now meaning that he is able to regularly read them. You can send messages via Virgin Money Giving when making a donation (uk.virginmoneygiving.com/rungeordierun), Twitter (@rungeordierun) on Facebook (Run Geordie Run) or alternatively if you would like to voice record or video a message then please send them to admin@rungeordierun.com (the quirkier the better!).

Days 47 & 48

Day 47

Mark started running at 6am from Port Augusta.  The target was 40 miles for the day in order to try and keep any deficit to an absolute minimum for a Christmas Eve finish at Bondi.

Today was also the first day of trying the new fly repellant. Port Augusta presented a huge amount of flies, the cream seemed to be fending them off well! Result! The temperature, as always, was forecast to be relentless.  By 10:15 it had already reached 32.5 Celsius, and it wasn't going to stop there.

Mark had managed 22 miles by midday and was running well.  The traffic was heavy meaning that Mark needed to be on his guard.  An earlier start meant an earlier breakfast yet Mark did not stop for lunch until 14:30.  I met him every 4 miles leading up to this point for a quick water exchange.

At 29 miles Mark finally stopped for lunch, fortunately I was able to find a spot to allow shade for the RV and a comfortable tactical snooze for Mark.  As Mark started running for the second part of the day storms started to brew to the right of the RV.  The large rumbling in the distance wasn't an oncoming road truck as initially thought but a fierce thunderstorm which was heading Mark's way.  After an hour the storm finally caught up with Mark, luckily we had planned this to precision meaning that he was quickly in the safety of the RV.

I caught this picture just as the storm started:

Mark had been running really well and was disappointed to have stopped at 32.4 miles.  We were completely engulfed in the storm which then lasted approximately 50 minutes.  Mark got back out on the road and fortunately, due to the high temperatures, the rain dried up quickly minimising the spray from oncoming vehicles.  Mark still proceeded with caution and donned the high vis for extra safety.

I drove past Mark to the final meeting point for the day and could see that he had really picked up the pace.  He tweeted "38 miles done. Don't think Mo would have caught me over last 10k ;) Winding it down to 40 now."  The outcome of day 47 was 40.1 miles - a brilliant day.  

We found a small campsite in a place called Baroota.  It was more like a mini jungle! We were welcomed by Karen and Belinda, owners of the site, who also made a very kind donation when Mark explained what he was doing.  

For the second night Mark soaked his feet in the new substance and I applied an overnight dressing to them.  From the initial pictures that Mark posted a few weeks ago there seemed to be some good improvement. Fingers crossed!

Day 48

Aside from the jungle location and all sorts of noises throughout the night Mark slept really well, although, as always, he could have slept a little more!

We drove off the campsite to the start line for day 48.  The sun was starting to rise and a big day lay ahead.

As Mark started on his way I could tell that this was going to be a tough one. Although a great night sleep, he was still very tired.  As I passed him in the RV he didn't even look up and was almost hunched running.  Mark's twitter activity for the day was very quiet and the water exchanges were brief.  This was not going to be an easy day.  The temperature had already hit 15.5 Celsius at 05:30 and was planed to reach at least 30 for the majority of the day.

At 08:55 Mark stopped running for some food and to rest.  By this point the temperature had reached 21.5 Celsius and was really draining him.  He utilised this stop for a quick tactical snooze although it appeared to be of little help as Mark was still showing clear signs of exhaustion when he woke up. 

Still very quiet I checked that Mark was ok.  For the next 20 minutes or so he was inconsolable.  Mark was suddenly overwhelmed by the grief that faces on a daily basis.  This is something that we have been able to talk about in the past, but not today.  As a member of the support team I have to be strong.  As Mark's partner I need to be even stronger.  This was extremely difficult and awful to watch.  No amount of words can replace those who have been lost.  A day for reflection, the motivation behind these runs and a realisation of irreplaceable figures in Mark's life.

Conscious of the miles slipping away, I urged Mark to get back out on the road.  The next meeting points would be a water exchange only and Mark would chip away and bringing down the mileage so to arrive at Bondi Beach on time.

Once back out on the road Mark made reference to a blog post from the run across the USA (http://markallisonjogtole.blogspot.com.au/2011/06/day-44-photo-of-day.html?m=1) and tweeted the following:

As they had on the mountain previously, the tears fell once more. The search was over. My work was done. They would never return.

I thought I could bring them back. All of them. If I searched all corners of this earth I was sure to find them.

They weren't there. They aren't here. They aren't anywhere. Once they went, they were gone for good.

The anger, the pain, the tiredness, the sorrow. It's too much. The consequence of love is this. The search ends at these fields of gold.

No more.

The warrior fell to his knees, exhausted and desperate. Only a tiny flicker of light remained in his heart.

The winds from the South threatened to extinguish the flame. Head bowed, the warrior was ready to accept his fate.

Suddenly, a stranger appeared carrying a parcel wrapped in cloth. She was beautiful. The warrior had seen her in his dreams on the plains.

The stranger whispered softly to the warrior. "Your search is over. You have found the beast that has haunted your nightmares."

The warrior took the parcel and slowly unwrapped it using what little strength he could muster. The object inside shone brightly.

"Use this sword and spare no mercy for the beast. Show valour in your fight, show it no fear and bring an end to this nightmare".

"Do not call for aid. None will come. This is your battle and yours alone. Finish the beast. Kill it. Slay it. Bring this to an end now".

Sword in clenched fist, the warrior rose to his feet. He stood tall and proud. He bid the stranger farewell and was ready to fight.

The warrior stepped into the crowded arena. They cried for blood. He wasn't going to disappoint them or the stranger.

The beast towered over the warrior. With an almighty battle cry he raised his sword and charged. To the death.........

At 29.5 miles day 48 was over.  We checked into a campsite in Crystal Brook and prepared to wind Mark down for the evening.  The luxury of a real shower  beckoned and Mark's feet were once again soaked in the solution.  The wounds look like they are really starting to dry out and the pain has been reducing each day which is most certainly the positive of day 48!

These were Mark's final tweets for day 48:

"Only 29.5 miles done today. One of the most difficult days so far. I could have easily stopped at 8 miles this morning."

"Yesterday's brilliant day followed by a good feed and sleep proves that you just don't know what the next day will bring."

"I've ran 1574 miles in 48 days. I've got 22 days left to run 894 miles. That's a daily required average of 40.6 miles."

"It looks like the run across Australia is going to end up like the run across the USA. Big, big miles over the final 3 weeks."

"Success is far from guaranteed. More days like yesterday and less like today are needed. I rate my chances at 30% at present."

"I need more money for the charities too. This is the ultimate motivation for me. Any money pledged is massively appreciated."

I"f you can please donate to @sbrfoundation @tcfcharity then please do so here. uk.virginmoneygiving.com/rungeordierun Thanks in advance."

Day 46

Day 46 started with the usual 05:00 wakeup call and 05:20 serving of porridge.  Mark was less than enthusiastic with the porridge and complained of feeling unwell.  The outside temperature was starting to rise however Mark was feeling particularly cold.  We agreed to get some electrolytes back into Mark and that he would rest a little more before reassessing the day ahead.

Close to checking out time at the RV park Mark made the call that he would use day 46 as his first rest day and that we would remain here, in Port Augusta, for another day.

While Mark slept I made the most of the 'luxuries' on the site; laundromat and supermarket.  At midday Mark was starting to feel a little better and his appetite had reappeared.  A trip into Port Augusta was the plan.

On Friday evening I received a message from an ex-colleague telling me to keep an eye out in Port Augusta for 'a lady wearing a Newcastle top - Natalie from Cramlington'.  As we hadn't planned to stay any longer than a few hours overnight I thought the chances of this happening would be slim.  As we were wandering down the main street Mark spotted a 'lady wearing a Newcastle top'.  Never one to be shy Mark approached and asked if she was a Geordie - he was greeted with a very excited response! Yes she was.  Now, what would be the chances of this being Natalie from Cramlington…it couldn't be that much of a coincidence could it? i took my chance to ask - "I don't suppose you're Natalie from Cramlington are you?" - "YES!"

It was great to meet Natalie, she had been expecting Mark last week (as per original schedule) and had been parading around in her Newcastle top hoping to catch him then! Natalie made a very kind donation which resulted in the charity fund breaking the £25,000 barrier!

Mark was also able to share his story with the local police, although one of them wasn't too pleased when Mark explained that he was a Geordie - the guy to Mark's left is a Spurs fan!

After a 2 mile walk and a seafood lunch Mark was back in the RV.  The temperature peaked at 34 Celsius but tomorrow was forecast to be higher.  Another luxury to this RV site was a swimming pool. Mark used this opportunity to soak which seemed to have a great impact on reducing the swelling in his feet when he came to put his trainers on in the evening.  

Whilst sat at the pool, Mark got chatting to an Australian couple who had been touring the country.  They were familiar with Mark's route so were able to share their own stories.  Having experienced the perils of the flies they were also able to suggest something better than the usual repellant - Desert Dwellers.  This was recommended to them by a tour guide and is a blend of natural ingredients (it smells like Vicks).  Fortunately the local chemist stocked this and we took the last two tubs from them.  Fingers crossed that this does this trick.  

Along with this new product we were also able to test out a substance which would hopefully help to repair Mark's feet.  He soaked them for 15 minutes and then I applied an overnight dressing.  Having only seen pictures of Mark's feet before arriving in Australia I can certainly confirm that they are as evil as they look! Hopefully we will see a little improvement tomorrow morning.

Having lost a full day of running, the target for day 47 is 40 miles minimum.

Days 44 - 45

Day 44

Today's target was to get the mileage to less than 1000 left to run.  Today also was also Mark's son's birthday.  Jack was 11 years old and Mark would later speak to him on the Gary and Lisa Breakfast show to wish him a very happy birthday.

Mark recorded a personal message a little earlier than Jack's actual birthday just in case the mobile signal dropped.

Mark set off on day 44 with me as company.  Today was the day that I had set myself the challenge of running a marathon to raise funds for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.  Having never ran further than 18 miles this would certainly be tough, especially in the Australian heat.

Unfortunately Mark's left foot was now presenting similar signs of damage as he had previously suffered with his right.  Mark took to the painkillers early on in the day to enable him to battle on through.  The pain had also been impacting Mark's sleep, he needed to have a full hours snooze at lunchtime to try and battle the fatigue.

Mark managed a total of 35.8 miles on day 44 and thankfully I survived my 26.2 miles.  I won't lie in saying that it was tough but then I never expected it would be easy.  Having spoken to Mark and having read his tweets I anticipated the worst.  Fortunately I was lucky weather wise with the temperature in the mid 20's for most of the day.  Had I ran this a day earlier then this could have been a whole lot worse with the peak temperature of 49 degrees Celsius. I also had the luxury of picking one day to do this.  Mark needs to do this all day every day for at least 39 miles.  I was also fortunate to have Mark as company on my run.  For the best part of the last 44 days Mark has been running on his own.  This really did give me a better appreciation of what Mark is pushing himself through.

Another member of the support team who has been able to experience the Australian climate and terrain was Ian.  Before flying out to Australia, Ian had set himself a challenge of running 65 miles which would also raise funds for Mark's two charities.  Ian achieved this over a period of 6 days, including the hottest day.  Well done Ian!

Regular readers of The Journal newspaper in the North East of England will have seen this image on the front page of Thursday's edition.  David Fairlamb, Mark's personal trainer writes a weekly column covering the run across Australia.  

As the day came to a close we pitched the RV in a place called Iron Knob.  This area was also to provide silence for at least an hour when mobile phone signal kicked in.

Day 44 was the last day for Carlton who had spent 2 weeks with Mark. Mark had this to say: "@carltonf46 has picked up where he left off in the USA with me. With no disrespect to the others he's the ultimate support man." 

Day 45

Day 45 also marked the last day for David and Ian who had joined Carlton on the support team for a week.  They have all been outstanding on support duty and made one last check that the RV was in tip top condition before setting me off on my own.  The target for day 45 was to reach Port Augusta.

Mark stopped for his second breakfast at 10 miles which also allowed for another quick assessment of his feet.  The left foot had been seriously starting to deteriorate in a similar fashion to the right foot.  We made sure that they were appropriately dressed and Mark took some painkillers in attempt to postpone the agony previously experienced.

Having been faced with more stretches of straight roads Mark was pleased to see a left hand turn on the horizon.

"I'm on the last 34km of the #eyrehighway. This makes me very happy."

"21 miles done. I was in 2 minds whether to stop or not. Porridge now then 2 miles to the left hand turn. It's then 16 miles to #portaugusta."

"This final section of the #eyrehighway to #portaugusta is the busiest road I've seen since #perth"

"2 cars have just done an emergency stop to avoid hitting this #Kangeroo. #eyrehighway #portaugusta"

On the car journey back towards Kimba from Adelaide we had noticed that there was another road which seemed to lead traffic off the Eye Highway. It seemed to be an obvious choice to avoid the heavy traffic already experienced by Mark.

"The point where I left the #eyrehighway. It's been #emotional"

Caroona Road gave a clear view of Port Augusta in the distance, this was still the target for the end of day 45.

"Progress after day 45. #rgrdownunder with drivebenfield"

"The final 965 miles. #rgrdownunder with drivebenfield"

"1500 miles. Done. #boom DAY 45"

"37.4 miles done on day 45. Over 1050 miles on the #eyrehighway in 33 days. Tomorrow's start point is the A1 due south in #portaugusta."

"1504 miles ran so far. #rgrdownunder"