Meeting a Legend on the Nullarbor

Daily Miles: 30.1 | Total Miles: 8,250.71

My alarm rang at 6:00 a.m. after a night of steady rain. I knew my tent would be soaked and could only hope for a dry window to pack up. With no tent window, I had no idea what the sky looked like — it’s always a bit of a guessing game in the mornings.

I packed as much as I could inside the tent, then stepped out. Everything was wet, but I still love mornings. The air was fresh, the sky was slowly lighting up, the moon still hung in a blue pocket of sky between heavy clouds, and the sun began to rise — an incredible scene to start the day.

Once packed, I got back onto the highway. The wet road meant every passing truck sprayed me with a fine mist — a little wake-up shower. Not long after I started walking (with a bit of running mixed in), the drizzle began again, then turned into rain. I got soaked, but luckily the temperature was mild. Each time the rain stopped, I dried out again. This cycle repeated much of the day.

I loved the slower pace today. I walked for long stretches, ran when I felt like it, let emotions rise and fall, and watched the sky change from dark to blue to grey, with rainbows thrown in for good measure.

Around mile 20, something special happened — a car stopped next to me. It was the support car for Iino Wataru, the legendary Japanese super-ultra runner I’d heard about from other travelers. He is one of the best in the world, currently running a project nearly four times the length of mine, fully supported by a crew. What serendipity to meet such a legend here in the middle of Australia, both of us crossing this continent on foot in opposite directions! We had a wonderful chat, and he even gave me two apples before heading on.

Feeling inspired, I ran and walked the next 10 miles, enjoying the drier weather (though with more flies!) and the thought of reaching a roadhouse for the night. Once I arrived, I met Robin and Paul, who were traveling in a campervan. After a lovely chat, they generously gave me money to enjoy a warm dinner later — thank you both!

I checked in with Ram, got a small discount on my room, and immediately set about drying my tent — improvising as usual to make sure it stayed put in the wind. Then I recharged all my devices, updated social media, and finally sat down for dinner: vegetable curry with rice and naan — such a treat after a long, wet day.

Now I’m in a warm room with a heater, everything is drying, and I’m ready for a hot shower and a good sleep. Tomorrow all my gear will be dry, and I’ll be ready for another day across the Nullarbor.

Thanks for checking in and following along. Good night!