Kevin Tiller

Late last night after 9.30pm Chris and myself were discussing a possible final run before he goes away as the hartal for Sunday has been lifted but Monday’s hasn’t, nor Tuesday’s and it sounds like there will be a new general strike  / hartal on Wednesday now. There was that one last free day where we could finish the project on a symbolic note, but still put in a relatively hard run.

We decided to run from the centre of Dhaka to the site of the new school in Sonargoan on the outskirts of Dhaka.  The distance is approx 35km maybe a bit longer. It would be hot even at. 5am so it’s key to get away early as apparently the traffic coming back is a nightmare.

We had all the kit and equipment needed at hand so Chris organised a driver Mofiz and we were set.

So today I was up approx 4.30am. I was ready just before 5am and we headed off. I was obviously nervous that my blisters didn’t turn into a real problem (they didn’t) or that my fitness would prove wanting (it didn’t).

It was still pitch black when I setoff to a cracking pace along the empty streets, just like I’ve done on hundreds of other Sunday mornings with the Sydney Striders running club. Eventually it got lighter and the streets woke up and traffic gradually increased.

It was actually quite fun flying long, as it was a dead straight road, dead flat and just a few people, carts etc to avoid. I was sweating profusely onto my new Bangla-Dash singlet (locally made & excellent quality). I also starting gulping back gatorade like there was no tomorrow.

After about 10km about an hour in Chris was keen to get in the action and so took a turn whilst I rode the car. We promptly lost him for 20mins+ in an almighty traffic jam with literally more than a hundred bses.

Later on we swapped back and I continued. I’d like say it became more rural but it didn’t really – still a lot of factories, workshops & industrial places all spreading their dirt, grime & worse.

At one point I ran over a flyover and found myself running next to a Muslim boy in kong trousers, long top& skull cap was running up from another direction. It was cool. We chatted. I think he was going a lot shorter as he was really going fast.

Chris had a go at running a few more times and also kept up a great pace – he was conscious not to over-push a dodgy hip. On the final turn onto the small road that leads to the village there wasva full scale market in place and the pace died down (thankfully as it had been fast, was just a bit less than 4hrs). We picked up the project manager, a guy who lives in the village and then walked the last few hundred metres.

Chris was pleased with the building progress. I was impressed with it all. We also saw the old school, a temporary shed with no air or lighting and would be extremely difficult for 40 kids to learn much there. I pkan to comeback on Friday with some others to see it up close. Very honoured.

Chris has the $5000 I have collected in donations snd is using that to fund some of the fixtures & fittings inckudibg the solar powered lights. So thanks all if you who have donated and if not then you can still donate here.

We took some photos including one in traditional bangla lunghi and headed back by car. The traffic was of course way worse now and 2hrs to geet back the 35km. I didn’t care – I was sat in the back with the aircon on and as libg as I didn’t move I’d be fine.

Back at the apartment I had a shower and sleep. Later on we went to the pool for a brief swim but to be honest I feel very fragile and definitely not my best. Had a brief snack of leftovers from what was to be served if we’d run all the way to Dhaka (I am convinced we would have made it – Chris had a great team in place).  After I finish writing this I’ll got to bed at just before 10pm.