Fighting the Wind to Snowtown

Daily miles: 30.37 | Total miles: 7,764.71

I got up at 6:30am and followed my usual routine—by 7:30am I was out of the hotel and on the road. The day looked promising at first, with some clouds in the sky and warm sunshine breaking through.

After about 4 miles, however, the wind showed up in full force. It was so strong that I had to pull on my rain jacket and tighten the hood just to block out the noise, and put on my sunglasses to keep the gusts from blowing straight into my eyes. My nose was running nonstop, and for miles I couldn’t clear my throat. Mama mia—wind can be so rough on both body and mind.

A steady headwind combined with an uphill climb meant that for several miles I could only walk, my head bent down against the force. Eventually, I found a rhythm again and managed to start running. Out here, it’s always a practice of staying as relaxed and easy as possible, no matter what the elements bring. I kept moving forward, stopping only briefly to drink or pee, and then pressing on.

By the time I arrived in Snowtown, I felt both happy and relieved. I realized on the way that the grocery store would almost certainly be closed on a Sunday afternoon, and I didn’t have much food left with me. Luckily, I trusted I’d find something at the hotel—and I did.

Mark, the friendly owner I had called the night before, welcomed me with water and a room key. He introduced me to the local “brothers” and “mates,” who were all sitting together chatting. Mark even gave me a big discount on the room so I only had to cover the cleaning fee. Then Rick, one of the regulars, kindly brought me rice and later surprised me with a Mars bar, which I tucked into a plain bread roll for a quirky treat.

I spent some time talking with the locals, enjoying their warm company, and then settled into my room. Dinner was Chinese noodles with tofu and veggies—simple and delicious. Now I’ve showered, eaten, and I’m ready to rest.

Take care.