Triple Tri

I've had a big weekend for running; actually a big week when I think about it.

I headed out to the AIS track last Thursday night for my first Vet's meet for the season. I ran one leg of the 4 X 800 relay (a 2.37 for me), which was just so much fun. I then backed up a little later in the night to run the 10,000m. The latter was no starring performance for me. I finished with a 44.14, which is minutes outside my PB. It was hardly a surprise to be honest. It was my third run for the day after I had done a 14 k'er before dawn. Great to see Ewen and Strewth at the AIS. Well done to the both of you for your 1500 m walk and 10,000 run respectively. Good to see Griffin again too, such a friendly guy.

On Saturday morning, I caught up with the Saturday group for a gallop up and over Isaacs Ridge and then tackled Mt Wanniassa before heading back to the start at Mawson. This was a 14 km run and purely social as I was saving myself for the big one Sunday morning. I couldn't stay for the regular post-run coffee as I had to head off to my daughter's Little A's meet to help out as First Aid officer.

Sunday was the Triple Tri - that three triathlons back to back covering almost the length and breadth of Canberra and several of its waterways. I was part of a nine-member work team, and I ran the 20km third leg from the western side of Mt Majura, up and over the mountain, then down to Mt Ainslie, up and over it before exiting the bush at the back of the War Memorial, down Anzac Parade to the lake and then on to the finish at Grevillea Park.

With the temperature over 30 and a very hilly and demanding course, this was tough, hot, and dusty work. My time of 1.43 was nothing special but it was very satisfying simply to survive and finish this run. I judge it as one of the most difficult runs I have ever participated in. I was covered in so much dust, grime, sweat, sticky drink, and sun cream that I was surprised Rico could recognise me when I handed over to him for his 3.5 k swim in the lake.

Overall I was very impressed with what I saw of the organisation of the Triple Tri during my run leg. The drink stops were frequent and well appointed, even in some of the most unlikely parts of the Mt Majura scrub. To see a friendly face at those tables in the middle of the bush was just great.

I think a key point about my running over the last week shows that there is so much structure to our wonderful sport here in Canberra. It would be nice to have a beach or two but for runners the Canberra scene is well established, professional, and diverse. It caters to many standards and interests.

Mt Majura vineyard Two Peaks Classic run

I know I have a tendency to go over the top with my descriptions of my runs around Canberra, but there is something about our clear mountain air that makes me that way. I get a little loopy sometimes. Just can't be helped.

Anyway, I have run out of superlatives (thank God some might say!) for describing last Saturday's run where I ran with Elle from my Saturday group in the Mt Majura Vineyard Two Peaks (26kms) Classic. Most of my Saturday group did the shorter 15km One Peak Challenge.

It was simply the most perfect of Canberra mornings, a little brisk to begin with but later becoming warm and sunny with not a cloud to be seen. The Two Peaks Classic is appropriately named comprising two major uphill sections up and over Mt Ainslie to be followed a little later by a difficult (walk only) section up and over Mt Majura.

It was nearly all tracks and trail through scrub, pine forest, among delightful screeching bird life, kangaroos and the other unique flora and fauna of our wonderful country. (Ewen, take note - there were no slithery things to be seen but I did look carefully during one pit stop). Unfortunately I left the camera at home in the rush to get out the door in the dark earlier, which I really regreted as there were some magnificant veiws to be seen over central and northern Canberra.

The turn out was perhaps not has large as I would have expected, but I still saw many familiar faces. As always, I could really feel that positive energy from the special bond that us runners seem to have when we are there at the start of a race on a gorgeous day in a great part of the world.

Elle and I didn't push the pace and we were content to treat the event as a training run, finishing in about 2 hours 40. That was well back but I didn't care a bit. I simply enjoyed the run and was pleased with the effort as it was my longest run since the Canberra marathon earlier in the year. A special thanks to our mutual running friend, PRB, who didn't run himself but was tremendously generous in picking us up and getting us home again. Thanks also to the Australian Moutain Running Association and John Harding for organising such a wonderful event. And to the volunteers again, what gems. To come across a smiling face at a drink station in the middle of the bush is a unique experience in itself.

Dairy Farmers Hill

What a glorious morning to be running in Canberra again.

It was not too cold, no wind, and not a cloud to be seen. It was a roughly 15km gallop with my Saturday group this morning from the Curtin shops to Dairy Farmers Hill in the Stromlo pine plantation and return.

There was just time at the top to check out the view (top left) do a little stretching (top right) and say hello to Smiley (left).

Heading back down (below right) for the return leg we even came across a giraffe or two (below left).

My thanks to 2P for giving me a little wake up call to get bloggging. Since my return home from my travels I have not done much in the way of interesting runs. But as always there is the simple delights of the "ordinary" run, which are all too easy to take for granted. Today was very much one of those kind of days - not that we usually see giraffes on our "ordinary" runs in Oz.

We are heading out bush again next weekend for the Mt Majura Vineyard Two Peaks classic (26km) and the Mt Majura One Peak Challenge (15km).

I'm looking forward to finishing one of those runs as rumour has it that each finisher receives a bottle of vino from the local vineyard. I will try and stay sober enough to post a report.

(For the record, 2P, I did submit my tax returns on time and got a refund back within a week!).