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5km past Daren on Highway 9 to Jiopen.

Having bought a more detailed map of the area, (albeit in Chinese), we attempt to figure out how we can stick to the coast when there is seemingly no road for tens of kilometres. We eat a good lunch and take a daylit scout down “Highway” 26. It proves that the road is certainly in the process of being built but is, as yet, nowhere near finished. After a few kilometres, only a dirt track stretches out in front of us. According to the map, this will soon lead us to a river and then, inconveniently, disappear.

So the mountain route it is. In daylight it’s far better and the cooler temperatures of this altitude make uphill running a little easier for Neil. At Shouka, we think we can leave Highway 9 and take a district road (199) back out to the coast, meeting then again with Highway 26 (the part that has, we hope, already been built). Neil is as ready as ever to take on a mountain. Of course, he would have preferred to stay on the flat coastal route, but as he says, “If I have to go inland, I’ll go inland”.

Thankfully, before long we are at the junction for the 199 and it looks like the bulk of the uphill is over. And what a treat the 199 is! It’s a pleasant, narrow, winding road and with no traffic at all one can enjoy the scenery, flowers lacing the roadside. The different bird calls come from distant trees and the cicadas buzz, hum and whizz loudly like crazed electricity lines. The noise is as vast and multi-layered as the view, which is nothing but the greatest stretch of green mountains and sky. At 15km, Neil’s making good time and enjoying the road. He says it reminds him of running in St Aubyn’s, where the gradients of the winding country lanes are gentle and less trying on the legs.

As I wait for Neil I enjoy a spectacular view, perhaps the best to date. A dragon-fly the size of a hand hovers lazily nearby like a miniature glider circling the treetops below, and the half moon is visible in the pale blue sky. The absolute peacefulness is disturbed by a brief but noisy raucous from somewhere deep in the jungle and a number of birds squawk viciously a while. Weirdly, as Neil continues on this deserted paradisaical road, he encounters another runner, sporting his ING Taipei Marathon vest. They chat a while. About running, no doubt.

Taking the 199B, we head east again. In the aboriginal village of Dongyuan I chat, rather limitedly, to a couple of boys on bicycles. One tells me his name is Tony. The other finds me so peculiar he cannot answer through his laughter. Correlating the characters on the Chinese map with those on the Chinese road signs seems to be going well and we finally come across a sign for Kending, the most southerly point of Taiwan. On today’s half-way mark, Neil’s 15th consecutive marathon, arriving near here would be apt.

As night descends, we join Highway 26 again and the road is a close to the beach as we could hope. Soon after though, a mountain looms again, making Neil’s final four kilometres very challenging and painful. We head into Kending, about 40km away, on an empty tank of petrol and are delighted to find that, against the odds, we do not end up stuck all night on an empty mountain road.

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