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Australian Outback Marathon Update

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Victory!!! What a race! What a challenge! What an accomplishment! I gave it my all, and left no room for regrets, finishing with a personal best time of 3hr 23m 25s, and placing 4th overall! This has been quite the journey and I couldn't have done it without all of your well wishes and support!

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I look quite scary with my Aussie headwear on just before the race, but I was actually smiling under there! I wore this and my gloves to keep warm during the early morning chill just before the race. The Aussie headwear was very effective as it's super breathable and I was later able to pull it down once the sun started to warm up later in the race. Now it's time to run the race of my life!

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I was excited to try out my new handcrafted boomerang this afternoon. I was much less excited when it broke on the very first toss 😖😖😖 Hopefully that's the last of my bad luck before tomorrow morning's marathon! Gotta get that bad juju out of my system right now!

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I decided to take a short walk around before this evening’s race briefing, and was elated to find this little guy, a Thorny Dragon (or Thorny Devil), lounging about just off the trail edge, underneath some bush. With his desert camouflage I nearly missed him! He remained calm and unbothered as I cautiously approached, getting my camera in as close as possible while trying not to disrupt his afternoon siesta. In the end, however, I did get a little too close for his comfort as he then dipped his head down, revealing the spiny “false head” on the back of its neck; something they do when confronted by potential predators. Rather than bother him anymore, I decided it was time to leave him be in peace 😊

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Let's do this!!

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The final shake out before the Australian Outback Marathon! My legs feel ready, all that's left is to wake up tomorrow morning and run my heart out!

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The sunrises on the final day before the Outback Marathon....

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Hosted training run with the other runners. We got to test out the red dirt and catch a spectacular view of Uluru!

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At long last, the Outback!

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End of Sydney Update

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Today I finally got to encounter one of the many at-risk creatures that I've been working so hard to raise funds for these past several months at the Featherdale Wildlife Park. With your help, support, and donations, The Wilderness Society can continue to fight for and protect Australia's numerous endangered, vulnerable, and threatened species. Cute little creatures like this guy!

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Started my morning off with a quick run to the Sydney Opera House, passing through Hyde Park and the Royal Botanical Gardens on this short but hilly run!

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With each passing day, I grow nearer to my ultimate goal, the Australian Outback Marathon!

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End of Labuan Bajo Update

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Today I leave paradise and move on to the next leg of my adventure. As I draw nearer to the end of this journey, I now begin to prepare myself for the ultimate pursuit. Tomorrow I'll be in Sydney, and a few days later Uluru, where I'll face the Australian Outback Marathon - 26.2 miles of grueling masochism through the red dirt and sands of one of the harshest environments on earth! This is what I've been training for, and what you all have been supporting me toward. The time is near, and I'm ready for it!

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Enjoying my taper with a sunset run to Bukit Amelia Sea