The Route
The trek will take 8 days (weather permitting), starting from the entrance to Parliament House at 2pm Thursday April 15th, and finishing in the late afternoon of Friday April 23rd on the peak of Mount Kosciouscko. I’ll run roughly 15km each morning between about 10am and 12pm, and then take a break for a long lunch and relaxation. At 2pm, I’ll walk an additional 15km.
Note: these start times have been shifted for the last 2 days because of the unseasonable hot weather: we’re running at 7am now, and walking at 10am (i.e., Dave the Elder and I head out for our run at 7am while the rest of the “all the way” party walks; we then regroup at 10am to walk the second stage together).
The map shows the lunch stops and overnight stays. Click on the map for a larger image where the placemarkers are legible and the latitude and longitude are clearly displayed. Click here to download a roadmap (or here for a roadmap with street view shots)
The overall route is 233km, and I plan to cover it in 8 days. I will walk for seven of those eight days, with one rest day in Jindabyne.
I’ll cover roughly 30km every day, half with a run in the morning (starting at 10am; note-this has changed to 7am because of the unseasonably hot weather), and half with a walk in the late afternoon (starting at 2pm; note-this has changed to 10am because of the unseasonably hot weather). I’ll take a long lunch with my support team, and to allow time for supporters to arrive in time to join us for the 2pm walk (). The entire route from Canberra to Mt Kosciousko can be driven in three hours, so it will be easy to stay in Canberra overnight and drive to wherever the 2pm starting point is. We’ll put up signs to indicate the lunch locations–most of which are on the roadway or at rest spots (look out for signs saying “Keen Walk”).
Anyone who wants to join in for a run (cycling and rollerblading are fine too–I’m the only one who is restricted to legs only, given the terms of the bet!) will either have to stay overnight with us at the venues below, or leave Canberra early enough to make the starting point by 9.45am.
Awful weather at the time may force a change to plans–in which case I’ll post an update to the blog–but for now if you’d like to join me on any one or more days, please take note of those starting points, and enter your details on the Join Me page. Note especially the change for the last 2 days: 7am start for the run leg rather than 10am; 10am start for the walk leg rather than 2pm.
| Stops on the Route | Distance (km) | Segment | Start | End | Approximate Finish Location | |||
| Google Map Reference | Date | Mode | Time | Location | Location | Latitude South | Longditude East | |
| A | Thursday, 15 April 2010 | 25 | Walk | 1pm: Earlier start because of large walk distance | Federation Mall, in front of Parliament House | Old Tuggeranong Road on Monaro Highway and(we’ll stay overnight at the Michelago Inn and commute back for the start on Friday morning) | North of 35°27′47.39″–this was the targetted place but we didn’t quite make | 149° 8′3.60″ |
| B | Friday, 16 April 2010 | 12.2 | Run | 9am | Old Tuggeranong Road and Monaro Highway | Monaro Highway (2.4km after Williamsdale Road intersection) | 35°35′26.07″ | 149° 8′28.247″ |
| C | Friday, 16 April 2010 | 13.3 | Walk | 2pm | Monaro Highway | Michelago (accommodation Michelago Motel, 62359011; $80 per room including continental breakfast) | 35°42′ 11.92″ | 149°09′ 37.01″ |
| D | Saturday, 17 April 2010 | 15.4 | Run | 10am | Michelago (Michelago Motel) | Monaro Highway (Colinton Rest Area; right hand side of highway) | 35°50′ 14.55″ | 149°09′ 39.13″ |
| E | Saturday, 17 April 2010 | 13 | Walk | 2pm | Monaro Highway (Colinton Rest Area) | Bredbo (stop at Bredbo Inn; there’s no accommodation available in Bredbo that night, so the overnight stay will be at the Best Western Cooma 64521133–$130 per room including breakfast) | 35°57′ 2.81″ | 149°08′ 42.06″ |
| F | Sunday, 18 April 2010 | 14.6 | Run | 10am | Bredbo Inn Bredbo (I’ll get driven back to here from the overnight stay in Cooma; if you want to join me for this leg then get to the Bredbo Inn by 10am) | Monaro Highway (Chakola rest area) | 36°04′ 33.29″ | 149°09′ 29.91″ |
| G | Sunday, 18 April 2010 | 18.8 | Walk | 2pm | Monaro Highway (Chakola rest area) | Cooma (Best Western; 64521133–$130 per room including continental breakfast) | 36°13′ 31.97″ | 149°08′ 5.04″ |
| H | Monday, 19 April 2010 | 17.4 | Run | 10am | Cooma (Best Western) | Cooma Airport | 36°17′ 29.85″ | 148°58′ 11.63″ |
| I | Monday, 19 April 2010 | 16.3 | Walk | 2pm | Cooma Airport | Berridale (Snowgate Motel–$80 per room including continental breakfast) | 36°21′37.17″ | 148°49′53.08″ |
| J | Tuesday, 20 April 2010 | 16 | Run | 10am | Berridale (Snowgate Motel) | Jindabyne Road (Bus Stop on Eucumbene Road) | 36°22′ 4.81″ | 148°40′ 41.94″ |
| K | Tuesday, 20 April 2010 | 13.1 | Walk | 2pm | Jindabyne Road (Bus Stop) | Jindabyne (Banjo Patterson Inn; 64562372 or 1800046275; $99 per room including breakfast) | 36°25′ 0.63″ | 148°37′ 27.62″ |
| L | Wednesday, 21 April 2010 | 0 | Rest Day | Rest Day | Jindabyne (Banjo Patterson Inn) | Jindabyne (Banjo Patterson Inn; rest day) | 36°25′ 0.63″ | 148°37′ 27.62″ |
| L | Thursday, 22 April 2010 | 14 | Run | 7am | Jindabyne (Banjo Patterson Inn) | Kosciousko National Park Entrance | 36°20′ 40.68″ | 148°34′ 8.02″ |
| M | Thursday, 22 April 2010 | 18.6 | Walk | 10am | Kosciousko National Park Entrance | Perisher Valley (Stables Inn; Ph. 64575755; Chalets for 6 at $382 each; let Adam or Vanessa know you’re with KeenWalk and they will do the rest) | 36°24′ 26.59″ | 148°24′ 46.98″ |
| N | Friday, 23 April 2010 | 6.4 | Run | 7am | Perisher Valley (Stables Inn) | Charlotte’s Pass (end of the road, beginning of walking track) | 36°25′ 54.60″ | 148°21′ 9.34″ |
| O | Friday, 23 April 2010 | 11.1 | Walk | 10am | Charlotte’s Pass | Mt Kosciuosko | 36°25′ 56″ | 148°16′ 0″ |
| P | Friday, 23 April 2010 | Finish | 4-5pm | Mt Kosciuosko | Mt Kosciuosko | |||
Photos


about 6 months ago
Looking at those porkers Rory Robertson and Chris Joye, it would do them good to join you!
about 6 months ago
Hi goethe,
One of them (Chris) did actually observe once that Rory needed the exercise more than I did!
about 6 months ago
I guess Chris doesn’t look at himself in the mirror much these days. By the way, your map above perfectly highlights the land shortage in this country – I can’t imagine how we can squeeze anymore people into that space, clearly there’s no land left.
about 5 months ago
When are you going to total up the sponsors?
$0 does not look impressive
I know I didn’t add much but I’m worry you will not have money for fresh socks
about 5 months ago
Thanks Gerard; yes, as noted it’s just the reporting that is not up to date. The total donated so far is about $1,9000, of which $1,823.10 is left after PayPal fees.
Fresh socks have actually caused a problem BTW: I bought some cheap ones while here in Hawaii (and a brilliant new running shoe but possibly one half size too big for me) and I got blisters on my heel on a 12km training run! But I am healing now and I’ll be back to running tonight (in Honolulu; back in Sydney on Wednesday).