Another Lake Run

This Time around Lake Ginninderra.

Lake Ginninderra handicap 7km on the last Tuesday of each month.

A good field of over 25 runners, in about 25 degree temperature, and a little humid.
(Can I guess 25% ??)

A slow recovery run again today after the previous 2 days running.

Passed SFP on the way, and saw several workmen attending to the new Grass Track area.

Run was at 6:24 pace, which was good, considering there is another run from North Curtin Oval tonight, only 5km in the ACTCCC Spring Series.

Hope the weather holds until after the run, but looking forward to late rain as per the forecast.

Until Next Time.

The Morning After The day Before

The title to this post could have been:-

The same again, or
Almost to the exact second, or
Jerrabomberra wetlands, or
A slow run.

But I used the title above because yesterday it was the last Vets Monthly Handicap for the year.
7kms, over an "out and Back" course at Innabaanya, off the Majura Road, and in the Majura pine plantation.

My rate overall was at 6 min 16 sec pace, and ran with Julie for a greater part of the run.
She started one group behind, and we had a nice chat for the remainder of the run, except for the last km, when she had the strength laft on the last hill before the final turn.

I now know her plans for the next few years.

While out on the run, a couple of cyclists waited for us to pass, it turned out that one of them was Julie's friend. It's a small world isn't it.

Today's run was the East Basin and Jerrabomberra Wetlands loop around LBG.
Saw Alice and Val walking near the lake, passed the race walker near Molonglo Gorge, and heard Frogs and Birds greeting the day in the Wetlands. Little Ducks were nowhere to be seen, perhaps they are big ducks now, and a swan was standing on one leg, practicing for swan Lake perhaps.

The time taken for this run was meant to be slow, but in fact, turned out nearly identical to the run a few weeks previously, at 1 hour 33 mins 13 secs, only 2 seconds slower than the previous time.

Until Next Time

Triple Tri

Was part of a team, I think eventually of 8 participants, one doubled up on the ride legs, and was fearing the last running leg of 13km from Hartigan St Garran to the finish on bitumen paths.

It was initially supposed to start at 4:15pm, (the hottest part of the day and into a wind) but was the day progressed, was revised to about 6:00 pm, and actually started about 5:52 pm.

This was much cooler, and in fact on the climb up to Red Hill, had about ten minutes of sprinkly rain.

The run up to Red Hill although not that steep was along tracks that had plenty of protruding rocks which gave the feet a pounding.
Then down to the trails around the lower parts of Red Hill, one track junction took a few seconds to decipher as the white chalk markers were very faint.

Then at Kent Street, a welcome by SES volunteers who gave me a bottle of water, which was carried and drunk until the next drink/aid station.

The paths to the finish were rather quiet as this was in the latter parts of the Triple-Tri, nevertheless a couple of runners came past, and we exchanged pleasantries. There were also a lot of supporters of other competitors who also offered encouragement, then a final drink station at Dunrossil Drive.

It was great to finish, albeit in 1 kour 42 minutes plus, much more than what I expected, for the 13km run.

Until Next Time

My New slightly bigger "Little Friend"

He was ordered on Monday Morning, and arrived by delivery on Tuesday Morning.
All the way from Brisbane, and then by Delivery truck to the front door. Now that's quick.!!!

Not early enough for use at the Tuesday lunchtime lake Tuggeranong Stakes 6km run, but he was being charged while I was away, and came back to take him to the 5km Cross Country Club run at Weston Park at 6:00 pm.

I spent last night going through the instruction manual with him, setting him up to be a reliable companion by doing what I want him to do.

He will be tested tomorrow at Customs Joggers 5km lunchtime run.

Even a week without the assistance of these little friends, seems like a lifetime, I still don't know exactly how far the run was around East Basin and the Jerrabomberra Wetlands.

As a treat I'll take him around that course again and let him tell me, starting in Commonwealth Park near the Floriade area.

Until Next Time

My Little Friend

Must have been too challenging, with trying to remember all of the runs.
He collapsed last Saturday, and couldn't remember the Wetlands Run.
However I put him on lifesaving support, ie. battery charging and he "threw up" the message that the battery was charging, and a few hours later "threw up" again with another message that the battery charging was complete.

However, he could not be revived, by pressing the start button, or the start and reset buttons together. or by pressing any other combination of buttons.

So my little friend is just lying at rest inside his original box of tricks, just waitng for a miracle revival cure.

It feels different without my little Forerunner Man not being able to keep me company.

I have an idea, if I take him on my next run, that may be the miracle cure he needs.

But, If he doesn't recover, how will I know how far I've gone on one of the exploratory runs, I will however know how far the 5km ACTCCC runs, and the Vets Handicap runs are, because they are accurately measured.

Until Next Time

Jerrabomberra Wetlands

This was my target for a run last Saturday.

The intention was to run along the South side of LBG from the Yarralumla Bay rowing club, using the recreational paths, until Kingston, make the connection through the Wetlands to Molonglo Reach, and then return along those paths back along the northern side of the lake under kings avenue bridge, and back to the rowing club.

This was in preference to just a run around West Basin, or around West Basin and central Basin.

It turned out to be about 18km, and was a bit convoluted in getting through the wetlands, but once on the wetlands tracks, getting through the wetlands was a breeze. There is even a bridge (wooden) to cross.

A couple of cyclists, and a race walker in training were there at the same time as me, and a few tourists, and even some birdwatchers with binoculars.

I read in the paper this week that the proposed cycle path supposed to pass through the wetlands, has been rerouted to avoid disturbing the wildlife.

So a full circuit of the lake is possible, with numerous possible combinations.

At present, the connection through to the wetlands is a little convoluted near the Kingston foreshores developments, but it makes an interesting challenge to find the way, and even then, there are minor variations in choice of roads to run along.

Until Next Time