Team A

It was the first day with rain and overcast sky since the beginning in Brisbane. We traveled high up into the mountains to Fitzroy Falls where the team had stopped the previous day. The entire team took the opportunity to appreciate the amazing view of the falls before setting off for a great day of running.

In the valleys below there were blankets of mist drifting amidst the treetops. This elevated region undergoes the rain-shadow effect and the result is a lush green rainforest with huge fern and eucalyptus trees.

Light precipitation fell as the runners made their way on country roads. Every 20km the landscape would change. As it is Autumn here there was a beautiful blend of colours in the countryside landscape with golden, red and amber shedding leaves of the deciduous trees contrasting with the resilient evergreens.

As we made our way inland the landscape changed once more. The land flattened to plains of golden grass with the occasional cluster of trees. As the sky opened up revealing a true blue there was a great feeling of vastness.

As we ran we passed through quiet towns with friendly folk. This region is renowned for sheep rearing and we happened to stumble upon one VERY big sheep. This one would provide enough wool to make sweaters for the entire World Harmony Run team!

Our last stretch of running was on busy roads where many cars gave a friendly beep as they passed. We meandered through the hills until we reached the town of Goulburn.

- Colm Magee (Ireland)

 

 

 

 

Team B

 

Like any keen runner, injury is the bane of my existence. What might be a minor muscular injury for most people can be terrible for a runner, as it forces us to rest, unable to do what gives us joy.

For the past few weeks, I've suffered from an ankle injury that has stopped me from running. Swimming, yoga and gym sessions are all worthy substitutes, but nothing matches the joy and spontaneity of going out for a run. Yesterday I returned to running, inspired by the Harmony Torch. Today, I continued my return, joining a four-person team as we ran 40 kilometres, from the pleasant country town of Goulburn to the tiny region of Mount Fairy.

We started with another visit to Fitzroy Falls, this time covered in mist. It had been raining overnight, and Prabhakar said that it was the first overcast day since the Run started. Fitzroy Falls had been a majestic sight the previous day, and now the foggy weather had lent it an almost fantasy-like visage. But the waterfall was no less impressive, even with most of the valley rendered invisible.

I was the first runner in the team, heading through Goulburn. The ankle pain quickly disappeared, but my inspiration only increased, fed by the Harmony Torch, the green farmland surrounding me, and the friendly encouragement of the good citizens of Goulburn as they saw me run past. I was only slowed down by my lack of fitness, caused by the past few running-free weeks.

Of course, it's best not to run a marathon as you return to fitness, so I was happy to share the distance with my friends. Rathin Boulton was taking the Torch as the bright green farms along the way were replaced, suddenly and strangely, by dry paddocks, still populated with sheep and cattle.

My ankle was feeling fine, so I was inspired to do another five kilometres around lunchtime. We finished in the mid-afternoon, at the turnoff to Mount Fairy, and met a lady from Birmingham, England, returning from her afternoon walk. She had moved into the Mount Fairy property with her late husband, and was loathe to live anywhere else.

She adored this place, miles away from anywhere, and couldn't imagine living in a city. "I couldn't get used to having neighbours," she smiled.

As my weary body recovered from this boisterous return to exercise, I remembered what I had been missing. I noticed that it was very chilly, as we had run further inland (and further south). To be honest, as we head closer to Canberra, I was too pleased to care.

- Noivedya Juddery (Australia)

 

 

Team C

 

A tiny farmhouse poised on the edge of a seemingly fathomless valley – one tap from a giant celestial finger could send it pitching sideways into a deep ocean of fog, spinning wildly into nothingness, never to be seen again…

Dramatic; but this morning’s scenery was nothing short of it. Our team’s journey today was one of stunning contrast: a fabulous natural slideshow of the many and varied things that make this country unique. It began in an upward-winding fashion as we jumped in our van, took to the mountains and passed through verdant, mist-shrouded rainforest; not quite the sun burnt-planes some of our foreign guests expected! Some of the views had us catching our breaths – sights one might expect to see in Africa, or Nepal, but not the driest continent on Earth!

At midday, not a dew-lipped leaf to be seen as we found the highway towards Canberra and took the road by foot after Goulburn. Comparison was unavoidable; from green and fertile forests to sparse, thirsty stretches of crackling brown (tough sheep out here!), we start to feel more of a sense of Australia’s vastness.

 

Something else that grabbed our attention unexpectedly was a 10km stretch of gum trees along the highway adorned with old teddy-bears and other assorted stuffed animals. They didn’t look too happy to be there. What the? We broke our heads trying to figure it out, but in the end just appreciated it for the smiles it put on our faces. Sadly for , our New Zealand runner, and Angela and Nataliya from Europe, the famed 'kangaroo' remains unsighted, although we learnt some interesting facts about wombats. Our run took us right up to the border of the ACT where the runners will commence running tomorrow. Day’s running total: 48 km.

 

- Julie Anderson (Australia)

 

Making our way into Canberra, the nation's capital, we finally had a sight of many kangaroos alongside the road in the fields nearby and we wanted to take a closer look:

I think they were also taking a closer look at us too.

For those of us on the team that have never seen any kangaroos in our respective countries it was an absolute treat, they have a real grace in their movements and also strength in those legs.

Even a mother with her baby roo was in the pack and she let us take a couple of shots before she bounced off into the woods.

The sight of these animals and the variety of different qualities in the landscape, changing drastically even within each day, has made our run here in Australia so rich in colours and the expressions of Nature. Each day is truly inspiring and full of wonder.

A huge thanks to the hospitality and friendship of the Park Haven Motor Lodge in Nowra for our accommodations last night!

If you would like to place a link or a write a story about the World Harmony Run on your website, click here to Link to Us. We'll be happy to place a reciprocal link and list you on our Friends Online page.

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Team Members:
Prabhakar Street (Canada), Edi Serban (Romania), Standa Zubaty (Czech Republic), Sandro Zincarini (Italy), Runar Gigja (Iceland), Misha Kulagin (Russia), Dima Lehonkov (Ukraine), Colm Magee (Ireland), Angela Muhs (Germany), Anubha Baird (Australia), Nataliya Lehonkova (Ukraine), (New Zealand), Julie Anderson (Australia), Rathin Boulton (Australia), Noivedya Juddery (Australia), Amalendu Edelsten (Australia)

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