The cool waters of Sydney’s Bondi Beach had never felt more inviting for ultramarathon runner Nick Ashill – a former Sharjah professor who became the first New Zealander to complete the feat of running across the US and Australia.
With just the occasional emu, kangaroo and dingo for company along the almost 4,000km of desolate Australian terrain, his incredible achievement marks him out as one of the rarest humans on the planet.
Mr Ashill – who previously lectured at the American University of Sharjah – became only the fifth person to complete both the 5,400km run from Los Angeles to New York and the almost 4,000km route from Cottesloe Beach in Perth to Sydney.
While that dual challenge would be plenty for even the most hardened of ultra distance runners, Mr Ashill is already planning his next epic adventure – a north-to-south run of his home country New Zealand that will see him rack up another 1,600km.
Now recovering at home, Mr Ashill told The National he hoped his efforts would relay an important health message.
“There were some days where I did not want to get out of bed and put on my running shoes,” he said.
“I got inspiration from my mum who lost her life to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in 2015.
“My body did still so well over the 4,000km.
“Unlike America, I lost no toenails and I experienced no blisters.
“I put this down to great feet preparation, awesome shoes and great nutrition.”
Lung condition
IPF is the most common type of pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease that occurs when lung tissue becomes scarred or damaged causing stiffness and breathing difficulties.
The condition affects around three million people globally and is usually fatal around three years after diagnosis. Currently, there is no cure.
Most of Australia’s interior, the Outback, is sparsely populated with fewer than 40,000 people living throughout the vast Northern Territories due to extremely harsh living conditions.
Temperatures in central Australia often pass 40°C in summer, due to the unrelenting desert sun, with the national record temperature of 50.7°C recorded in Oodnadatta in the heart of the country.
But it was the terrain that caused Mr Ashill the most challenges during his run, with everlasting roads stretching over the horizon and plenty of ups and downs.
“The first seven days was definitely challenging, getting out of Perth,” said Mr Ashill.
“There was more than 3,000 metres of elevation and plenty of hills. The Nullarbor Plain was relatively flat but it was certainly mentally challenging with 1,200km of nothing.
“Even petrol stations were several hundred kilometres apart.
“But the wildlife was incredible, with roaming emus, kangaroos and dingoes, as well as highly poisonous snakes and spiders.
“Running Australia's longest straight road of 146km played with my mind, as it was relentless running straight for two and a half days.”
The 59-year-old ran around 60km each day, completing the distance on June 28 in just under 70 days.
So far, Mr Ashill has raised more than $10,000 to fund research into IPF.
“I am planning another challenge – running the length of New Zealand so I will continue to advocate for individuals living with respiratory illness,” he said.
“At the end, I celebrated by running into the cold water at Bondi Beach and shared a few words with my late mum.”
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No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
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