Today we ran from Katherine to Mataranka – after first driving from Darwin back down to Katherine. The leg up to Darwin was effectively a large "side-trip": we now resume our circular route around the continent.
The afternoon heat was alleviated by a cool breeze, making the challenge both easier and wonderfully pleasant.
After experiencing the busy crowds of Darwin in mid-year, we now launch into several days on the wide open highways of the Outback, meeting relatively few people. As it is school holidays in the Northern Territory, we won’t be able to visit the tiny and sweet schools of the region.
Still, for the sole runner, surrounded by the immense land, this offers a meditative experience all of its own. For some of our newcomers, serious marathon runners like Samalya (who arrived this morning from his home in Germany) and Abhinabha, it represents a pure running experience, and they were very much looking forward to the following days.
For Noivedya, who also joined in Darwin, it will answer the question of whether he can fully recover from a knee problem while pounding the pavement of the vast Stuart Highway.
Today Stacey Marsh – one of our National Coordinators who had earlier run with the team as far as Perth, and has since been working from Canberra – rejoined the team. She reports on her flight from Canberra, where we will be finishing in a little over 5 weeks time:
We crossed the halfway mark on this 112 day journey over two weeks ago. So we are technically on the homeward stretch back into Canberra. However to rejoin the team took two flights (7 hours travel) and another 5 hour drive in the van over this vast vast vast continent. Leaving the somewhat cooler temperature of, oh about -1 degree this morning, to land into 35 degrees with high humidity ...
Soon after the plane took off from Brisbane on the second leg of the flight, you looked out the window and all you saw was 'sunburnt' dry land for as far as the eye could see.
Every once and while a house or two would pop up at the end of a very long desolated road. And to think over the next 5 weeks our team will run on this very land we are crossing, taking the Peace Torch along those remote roads and meeting people in these areas to share the message of the Peace Run.
From the air you wouldn't believe anyone lived in this area, and even though it is not the highest populated area in Australia, we know there are wonderful Australians living up here with big hearts and warm smiles who in their own lives try to make a difference to the world. We look forward to meeting with them, as the Torch makes its way across the land ...
Turning out over the Arafura Sea on approach to Darwin – keep flying that way a little more and we'll be in Indonesia ...
... coming in to land, we flew right over the big top of Circus Royale, which our team had visited and presented with the Torch-Bearer Award only a few nights ago.
By now, our runners have almost reached their destination for the day ...
In Mataranka, this termite mound has been turned into a monument.
These kids in Mataranka were eager to be involved in the Peace Run ...
In Mataranka we also met with the lovely family of Ash, Katie and their children – Scarlett, Darcy and Luka – from Melbourne, where they are regular participants in races staged by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team.
Having covered our ground quickly today, we arrived at the Mataranka Homestead Tourist Resort, which kindly hosted us (as the World Harmony Run) in 2008, and hosts us once again in 2013.
Our hosts here included several spectacular peacocks and several friendly wallabies.
Mataranka is most famous for two things: as the real-life setting of the book (and film) "We of the Never Never", and as the site of thermal pools. After setting up tents, many of the boys ventured along the trail ...
... to enjoy an early-evening dip in the spring-fed natural warm-water pool.
Meanwhile, Sukhajata serenely guarded the tents, while keeping a vegetable stew on the boil. We eat like kings on the Peace Run!
