Day 16

Jiopen to Kending.

Waking in Kending meant we had the luxuries of internet use and western food. A coffee or two and Sub sandwiches are a welcome addition to our stomachs. Kending is it’s usual vibrant self. The holiday Mecca of Taiwan, it has the feel of Thailand (sans Ladyboys), and people love to come here to soak up the sun, rent scooters, browse the bright night street market and laze outside the busy bars.

We head back to yesterday’s finish line on the 200 near Jiopen. Neil is a little concerned about a quad strain he suffered yesterday and starting on the rapidly falling downhill slope may not prove comfortable today. But at 6km it’s not his quad but his hamstring that is causing pain. I complain about the amount of bugs bugging me and later realise my tiny complaints are not justifiably comparable to his and the scale of the obstacles he faces each day. Neil’s fed up of water and Super SuPao. This is not surprising as he has been drinking the beverages solidly for sixteen days. I daren’t think how many bottles have been consumed thus far.

At the eleven kilometre mark, Neil declares he’s in a foul mood and I too have refrained from being as bright as a polished button. Neil takes a short rest and my mood is quickly lifted when my Dad calls with the news that West Brom have beaten Wolves and are top of the league again. (Sorry, is that completely irrelevant!?) A large dog, large as my motorbike, strolls over to us. It is as if someone bred a greyhound with a horse and a cow. But the dog is friendly and docile and I’m happy that in southern Taiwan there is at least one dog that is not a life-threatening danger. Neil and I chat awhile about how annoyed we are.

It’s fair to say that today’s been a day of annoyances. Our moods are pretty flat. We know that there’ll be times when we get on each other’s nerves (to say the least) but have agreed that arguments are to be forgotten quickly. Neil’s mood is “aggressive” he says, and mine is nonchalant. Together our moods mix quite well and we come nowhere near killing ourselves or each other. Would any world leaders like a few tips?

Neil’s Annoyances: length of his hair (too long), constant smell of Bengay, sweat dripping in his eyes, humidity, (previous three annoyances combined to make the humidity cause Bengay stinging sweat drip into his eyes), leg pain, people calling his mobile while he’s running, barking dogs, bugs, mosquitoes, bugs, mosquitoes.

My Annoyances: headlight out on my bike (again), can’t see through my visor (again), (previous two annoyances combined to make big hairy moths fly delightfully into my face as I drive), peeling skin, stupid pencil lead keeps breaking, torch I bought last week already broken, barking dogs, bugs, mosquitoes, bugs,
mosquitoes.

I sit here now outside a ‘mom and pop’ shop in Eluanbi. Neil’s 4km or so behind, running past the ruggedly proud south coast of Kending National Park. In a moment I will meet him as he takes a detour down to the monument that marks the southern-most point of this island that has been our home, this island that, without which, I wouldn’t have met Neil and had the chance to partake in this challenge.

Sixteen days ago, Neil stood at the most northern point of this country and began to run. Despite incessant rain, unbearable heat, physical pain and mental fatigue, he has run. With the help and support of his many friends (near and far), the kindness of Taiwan’s people and the indescribable momentum and surprise only an adventure like this can provide, he has run. Everyone who’s run a marathon with him has expressed an increased respect for doing this day after day, completing one marathon for them enough, perhaps, for a lifetime. And I certainly don’t need to run anywhere to know, even having been here the whole time, that I will never comprehend the stamina, will and perseverance it has taken to travel, on foot, the length of this stunning coastline. And you know what?
He’s still bloody smiling!