This morning we prepare for the big day ahead and the rising temperatures with a silent moment of peace.
Thank you to Bairnsdale Motor Inn for accommodating 4 of our runners. A good night's rest after these long days on the road in the sun is invaluable.
The morning running is the best - there is still a cool fresh breeze .....
Good friends are made every day!
The team captain enjoys a consultation with our coordinators in their Golf mobile office.
The landscape has become open once again and there is a very strong headwind as we run west towards Melbourne.
Prabuddha from Perth has joined the team.
The boys team arrive early in Sale, and quickly find the best coffee shop.
The manager and owner very kindly treats us all to coffee. One of his waitresses, who served us coffee, is the former Under 20 national 800 metre champion. We invited her to join the team .... but she didn't like the sound of the distances.
Having covered 70 kms already we all run into Araluen Primary School in the town of Sale.
The 4 captains are there to guide us in.
The students had discussed the Peace Run and what it meant to them, and had seen the Peace Run video in the lead up to the Peace Run visit.
We were very impressed when one student guessed the nationality of our Mongolian runner on their first try!
The three School Captains Emily, Hunter and Samantha received the Certificate of Appreciation and a print of an art-work by Sri Chinmoy the founder of the Peace Run.
In return they offered the Peace Run a piece of artwork from the school which had all the fingerprints of the students and teachers of Araluen Primary School.
The students are currently engaged in a project at the school called 'run to Melbourne' where all the students run around their sports track, keeping a record of their distance. The goal is to reach the distance from their school to Melbourne. So all the students were keen to run with the Peace Run around their track.
We run 2 kms across town to make an appointment with the Wellington Shire Council, who are taking time out of their busy schedule to welcome the Peace Run into Sale and the Wellington Shire.
The Deputy Mayor Malcolm Hole is the first to welcome the team to Wellington Shire. He speaks about the local region, it's commitment to Peace and how happy he is that the Peace Run is here and has visited Araluen Primary School.
Councillor Hole introduces the other Councillors who have come to welcome the team, Gayle Maher, Garry Stephens, Carolyn Crossley and Darren McCubbin.
A wonderful lunch is supplied for the runners.
Sophie from Channel 9 interviews a few of the runners for the evening news.
It is a hot afternoon and now the headwind is really strong. It poses a challenge and cools us all the same time.
We arrive right on time at Rosedale primary School in Rosedale and are immediately escorted into the gym by Zayden and Emily.
Its the last hour at school and the students brave the hot sun to run with the Peace torch around the oval.
Thank you to Darryl for offering us a very beautiful apartment.
A big thank you to Joe – a fellow marathon runner and Coco his very cute dog, for welcoming the three of our women's team to their lovely motel – Connells Motel for the night.
Peter from City Gardens Motel welcomed our final four Peace Runners to his Motel for the evening, and kindly offered breakfast for the team.
