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Beau Miles
A Mile an HourBeauismsFilm

Running a mile an hour

By May 27, 2018May 31st, 201910 Comments

My tiny farm is a triangle within a diamond. The short western fence-line joins longer southern and northern sides- sealed roads, that come to a sharp point (where hoon drivers go sideways into the ditch. I go down with a cuppa and watch as they dig themselves out). An awkwardly square patch of weedy grass full of doe-eyed Jersey’s represents my single shared boundary paddock. On the other side of it, the last owner within our diamond has a triangular patch, much like mine, nibbled to the ground by spoilt horses.

Three roads with different names circuit these three properties (to see these properties, click here for the opening credits of Bass by Kayak!). When I first ran the block, I gauged the loop to be about 1.5k, and was chuffed when the dials on my old ute recorded it as an exact mile. I’ve been lapping the block ever since, enamoured with the potentials of having a beautifully symbolic loop on my doorstep. It has become, like so much on my little patch, a space to compare myself against the world, and my change-making within it. In-sinc with seasonal bouts of fencing and tree planting, grass-growing and shed building, every lap seems different, even to the point where the world, and I, are different entities on return. A lot can happen in 7 or 8 minutes.

I’ve cooked up a plan to run a marathon around the block. Naturally, it’s gonna be a bit different. To exaggerate the potential of a day, I’ll run one lap/one mile an hour, for 24 hours. And yes, to appease the distance keepers out there, I’ll run three (and a bit) laps in the first hour, making it 26 laps/26 miles (or 42.195km). The marathon itself is not the guts of this project, merely a skeleton. In between each lap, in the barn, and around the farm, I’ll be keeping busy with a variety of projects. Pottering away on building things, fixing things, cooking for the crew- and Helen (like a parking meter, or toddler, Helen needs to be fed every hour), chopping wood, attempting to play music, reading books, planting trees, blogging, and lots, lots more. I aim to fill in the 24-hour period with as much action, thinking and diversity like I’ve never done before. I’ll film it, with a band of merry people, and be showing you the highlights…

Join the discussion 10 Comments

  • Tim says:

    You are a funny man beau! I’m excited to see what crazy inventions come out of that shed every hour! I’m sure Helen will be watching on trying to decide if it’s ADHD or Psychosis! You’re a mad man but I do love your blogs!

    Cheers,

    Adoring ex student.

    • Beau Miles says:

      Good onya TIm…Film out soon mate, revealing just what I got done. Not as much finished as I wanted, but some great satisfaction in some of the small tasks that I’ve put off for years.
      More soon mate.

  • Chris Buckingham says:

    What stunning idea! Are you going solo or looking for help with the odd jobs?

    • Beau Miles says:

      G’day Chris. I went SOLO on the jobs…but good idea. Get friends and odd sorts around for a barn-raisin’ shin dig/project fest for round two…perhaps.

  • Josie Wales says:

    Dude, this is just insane but totally something that you would do !

    • Beau Miles says:

      A good excuse to get stuff done, find out how the legs work at a Mile an Hour, and see what crops up in one-full day…Indeed Josie!

  • Ryan Mazure says:

    Beau when does the film come out?

    • Beau Miles says:

      Its on the way…and won’t be long. It will likely come out with a bit of a bang, at a formidable film festival…more info shortly.

  • Paula Gething says:

    Saw the film (and you) today at Run Nation. Laughed, admired, googled you! Really impressive thought process and great commentary and filmography. Thank you!!!

  • Von Katindoy says:

    Cool docu-film, Beau! Caught it in Amazon Prime. What was your PhD dissertation about, may I ask? Thanks.