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Longest wheelbarrow journey-world record set
by David Baird
SYDNEY, Australia --
David Baird, 65, a British pensioner, ran from Perth
in Western Australia to Sydney on the east coast while pushing
a wheelbarrow for the whole 112-day , 2,572 miles (4115km)
journey-setting the world record for the Longest
wheelbarrow journey. 
Photo: Mr Baird arrives in Sydney Harbour
where he then ran across the bridge towards the finish line
in Manly, northern Sydney. Photo: Barcroft Media
Pushing a bulk standard garden wheelbarrow
with no modifications, Mr Baird suffered not even one puncture
nor had any mechanical failures.
The fit looking 65-year-old said he
was feeling :amazingly good'', considering he had travelled
a massive 4115km on foot.
The keen marathon runner said the biggest
battle he’d faced was traffic. “I’ve had four months of trucks
and cars looming towards me within arm’s length . . . it was
pretty scary,” he said. 
'Twice I had trucks swipe the side of the
barrow and four or five times I'd have to dive into the bushes
for safety and the barrow would end up thrown in to the air
by the up-draft of the trucks.
There were several times I had to sit down and
compose myself.
Taking in about 70 towns along the way,
Mr Baird said he pushed the wheelbarrow for between 10 and
12 hours a day. "It would take Joanne (his partner) to
take my shoes off,'' he said. "She was my crew member, my
one and only crew member.''
His whole run was the equivalent
of one hundred 'full marathons' in just 112 days. 
'I've never been much of a drinker but
I have to admit that I've acquired a taste for beer on this
run. 'After a long hard day on the road a freezing cold beer
is just heaven,' he said.
The 65-year-old is raising money and awareness
for breast and prostate cancer charities and had more than
£9,000 thrown into the barrow along the way.
Mr Baird is no stranger to competitive
sport. He represented England as a schoolboy sprinter and
also in rugby union; and the South of England in gymnastics
and judo.
The idea for his wheelbarrow challenge
came from The Anakie to Sapphite wheelbarrow race in Queensland.
Organised by locals, the 18km race is organised
as a reminder of the gem prospectors who flocked to the area
in Australia's early years. 
Baird, originally from Western-Super-Mare
in Somerset, set out from Perth in Western Australia on September
21 and finally reached the Pacific Ocean at Manly Beach.
So far Mr Baird has raised about $20,000,
which he will give to the Breast Cancer Foundation of Western
Australia and the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.
The former gem field and mining worker said
he intended on remaining in Sydney for another two or three
weeks, during which time he would attempt to raise more funds.
Sponsors:
- John
Holland Group /One of Australia’s leading construction
and services providers;
- Kelso
, A Hills Company;
- Rema
Footwear / Have provided Dave and Jo with all the
footwear for the event
- Steel
Blue / Quality safety boots for a day on the job,
or stylish shoes to paint the town red
Donations may be made by visiting the
Aussie
Dust web site, www.aussiedust.com.
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Friday, January 16, 2009
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