Run Across America - 12th August - Day 60

Last night I decided that we would set off at an earlier time and get on the road early morning as the weather has been getting unbearable to walk in let alone run. I know that it’s going to change my sleeping pattern, etc as the team and I have got used to the routine we have kept since leaving Arizona. The only time I was running earlier than 7am was when Dr Trevor said it would be better starting early because you then have some cool weather for a few hours and you also don’t have to rush the day to fit in the miles. I continued with Trevor’s early morning starts (6am) for about a week before I decided after sleeping on the side of the road at few times that maybe an extra hour in bed was necessary (we miss Trevor, please come back).

Once on the road at 7am I didn’t feel too bad as I made sure I’d got to bed around 11pm the night before, after writing my journal. Matt joined me again, on the bike of course, even though he keeps saying about running with me a few miles. Matt hasn’t exercised since school and he smokes like his hero the late Bob Marley. All the team before Matt’s arrival were asking is Matt good at taking photos. I said he’s the official photographer, which means he’s the best I know and today he proved just how good he was with some amazing shots (check out the gallery). The weather started to hit the high 90’s around 8am and by 9am it had reached 100. As I said in previous writings the high temperature is not the problem (already run through California and Nevada at 115) it’s the humidity. I have lost a lot of weight since the weather changed (sweating) and I’m drinking 6-7 litres a day to combat heat stroke, etc. I weighed 9stone 12lbs last night, whereas on my first day of running I weighed 11stone 4lbs. When back home in Norwich preparing for this crazy run everyone was saying Jack you fat b*****d how can you run across America, well this is the reason. I was training hard taking part in 45, 50 and 100 mile ultra races as well as fitting in running between 70-100 miles a week. I made sure my girl Annie (best cook ever) was feeding me well and carbohydrate loading me not for days but weeks, which would hopefully match the weight I’d lose in the States.

Back to the day and Matt biked 10 miles and then took his well deserved rest added with a smoke. He smokes outside the RV and out of the way of everyone. After a quick break we headed for the crossing into our new State (Missouri) but didn’t really know about it as the crossing was over the Missouri river. Good bye Kansas State we all shouted after seeing the sign because it was two weeks of torture and seeing nothing apart from corn fields, horses, tractors and cows. We have all found it hard in Kansas State and anyone reading this from Kansas I’m not talking about Kansas City as that seemed a great place.  

This afternoon was tough again and I did struggle with the humidity and even had to walk for a few miles as I felt dizzy and very uncomfortable. When I finally got on the RV the team looked concerned as I lie on the floor with an ice pack on my neck. I said that I was not going to run the last 10 miles until the heat dies down and I’m completely hydrated up again. I rested for 1 hour until getting back on the road and forcing Natasha to get on the bike as a motivation for the last part of the day. I keep hoping that being in a new state the weather will now change but it’s reported that there are heat warnings for the whole of next week. I will struggle on as I missed my little girls 1st birthday to run across America and that gives me the motivation to continue on the way to New York City.   

Thought of the day – People say its “Only Pain” but remember that if you feel pain then your body is telling you it’s something bad not good. I am a very stubborn person and when running through Colorado if I didn’t listen to Alex then I would have continued on at the pace I was going on maybe jeopardised finishing the run at all.      

Regards, Jackson and Team