Keeping up with the Joneses

The alarm on his mobile phone startled him about 3 hours short of a reasonable night’s sleep, five mornings out of seven. As he stumbled out of bed and groped for his training wheels his momentarily foggy mind was quickly focused on the job ahead. Upon drawing open his hotel room curtains, he realized he was once again welcomed by the darkness outside and was continually amazed by the hustle and bustle of the numerous donkey drawn carts and tuk tuks on the streets as the early risers went about their business.

Once clothed in comfortable training kit, not forgetting his Yankees cap, it was down to the hotel foyer where his pre-arranged security guards flanked him either side and after a brief greeting, off they went. As the doorman opened the large teak doors a gust of fresh air embraced them and heads down they surged forward….only to return some two hours later.

This was the routine of former Australian batsman Dean Jones as he pounded the pavement nearly every morning during South Africa’s recent tour of Pakistan. He single-mindedly put in the hard yards in preparation for his arduous task upon returning to Australia.

‘Deano’ has over the past two years embarked on a fund raising walk in aid of leukaemia that would test the strength, endurance and dedication of anyone. His walk for this worthy cause commenced again this week and will conclude during the Australia versus India Test in Sydney in a few weeks time.

He will have slugged it out for 2500 kilometres from Melbourne to Sydney and his chosen charity will be 4 million Australian dollars better off at completion.

Good on ya ‘Deano’…..Go you good thing!