A Cold Winter Day in Australia

Daily Miles: 20.06 | Total Miles: 6770.18

This morning I woke up early, unsure whether I felt like doing a long run. Truthfully—I didn’t. It had rained heavily through the night, temperatures had dropped quite a bit, and daylight hours are short right now. On top of that, I wasn’t certain what kind of road conditions I’d face. So I chose caution over ambition. Better safe than sorry.

And what a treat that turned out to be.

I stayed in bed with a hot coffee first, then a tea, read a little, pondered a lot, and just allowed myself a slow start. I even took a hot shower before leaving—just to spoil myself a bit. I didn’t hit the road until just before 9 a.m. Yes, you read that right—nine! A rare luxury.

The moment I stepped outside, I could feel it—winter. A cold, partly sunny, and windy day in Australia. Uiuiui. Within a mile I was back on the highway and my stride started to flow. Then came the hills. Steep ones. Pushing the buggy uphill in cold wind is no joke. My muscles felt the effort, and the cold seemed to stiffen every part of me.

At times, the wind pushed against me so hard it felt like I was moving in place—like all the effort I put in wasn’t getting me anywhere. Wind is my least favorite element. It’s mentally and physically draining. The noise, the icy chill cutting through, the resistance—it’s brutal. Absolutely brutal.

But it’s also temporary.

So I pushed on, motivated by the thought of a warm shower, thick blankets, and maybe even a heater waiting for me in Goulburn. Wouldn’t that be nice? Yes. Yes, it would.

The views along the way were stunning. This was my first real stretch inland, and the scenery felt new and expansive. Just before arriving, a highway sign caught my attention—Goulburn: a historic town of 24,000 people, officially declared the first inland city by Queen Victoria in 1863. The homes here definitely reflect that history—many old and full of character.

When I arrived, I had just two things on my mind: food for the evening and a room with Wi-Fi. And yes, I found both.

Tomorrow, I’ll run again—wind or no wind. I’ll embrace this short winter spell and look forward to the spring slowly making its way back. Ahhhh.