I’ve decided I am definitely becoming addicted to trail running; or at least the feeling it leaves me with. Never have I done something that is more challenging that makes me smile more! It is so awesome to feel happy exerting myself…
As I had to pick up a comatose CBoy post-40 hour famine Xbox Challenge at 10am, our run had to be earlier this morning. Up at 6am, out of the house by 6.30 up in the hills by 7am! It was a strange day weather wise, much like yesterday, so I packed my light spray jacket and was ready to dodge raindrops if I had to. The nice attendant at the Shell service station knows who we are now, and all we have to do is walk in the door and he holds out the toilet key for us! I really should buy petrol there someday to repay the favour. A stretch and a chat, and 10 minutes later we were underway. Our goal today was to find the trail where we went off course last week. I didn’t mind that we had, the run last week was challenging enough, but we were curious to know how we’d missed it!
MGal was better at looking up than me and she noticed the turn off; man I wish she hadn’t! It turned out that the part of the trail we missed was absolutely killer! It went goat-like up a big climb. The fact that it is so technical and requires you to be two steps ahead of yourself looking for sound foot placement means that before long you’ve run 45 minutes and not even noticed…the time that is. Just when you think you can’t climb anymore, it tends to flatten out for a bit, turn a corner and climb again! And I thought Perth was flat!!! If we thought last week had been our toughest run yet, it was relegated down the list after today! All the while I kept picturing myself in Grande Cache, hoping what I was climbing was something close. I want to bring a camera next time and email some Death Racers and ask “is this anything like it?”
We reached the power lines, the real ones we were supposed to reach in 40-45 and thought we’d been so clever to reach in 25 – at 46 minutes! That is apparently about 4kms! That’s how much climbing there was. A quick snack and gel and drink, and stretch, later and the climb had tapered off to this lovely level(ish) fire trail run. MGal and I had agreed to head out for an hour this morning before we turned for home and at the 60 minute mark we’d clocked 7.75km! Not bad going once we stopped climbing. Another rest at the turn around (the back of an orchard) and we both decided we felt like going more, but knew we shouldn’t get stupid and that we had a big run back still. I’m glad she was paying attention because at least 6 times she called out to me where I’d run ahead a few paces and missed the turn completely. I was absorbed in the run, and she was my running-eye-dog…
This run had had more climbing on the way out; last week was more of a descent. There were still hills in the return, but also quite a bit of technical downhill. It seemed more difficult on the way up and before we knew it we were at the bottom of the last big climb into the start of our run! Along the way we chatted about a goal to extend by 10-15 minutes before the turn around each Sunday, building up the total gradually. I knew that speed and distance is a little hard to average in this type of running, but we’d burnt 1200 calories by the time we finished. 200 more than last week! With a maximum HR of 184; and an average of 153 – I was happy with a 2 hour and 6 minute run, about 15.5km! We both agreed we were more than happy as we didn’t feel as dead as last week, and knew before long we’d be over the 3 hour mark! MGal was going to kick this IM in NZ in the butt, and she was helping me to kick my goal also.
We’ve also set a goal of riding up Kalamunda Hill, locking the bikes, doing the run, and riding home. That probably won’t happen for another month, but MGal needs cycle work for her IM and it can’t hurt me. And if any of you know Kalamunda Hill….it will be a challenging brick session for a Sunday. I will conquer the hills, I know it! Another morning where we were both smiling at just how beautiful it was. The sun was poking through the eucalypt and with every breeze; we got our own personal sun shower with all the moisture falling off the trees. My shoes got quite damp, but the merino socks I had on keep my feet dry. Thank you lambies!
With Cboy collected and our other tasks complete, we were home just after lunch. I had lunch and rehydrated (didn’t really need to I think I piddled about 4 times on the run!) and spent the afternoon weeding an area I’d set aside for a future veggie garden and shifting soil into it. I then dumped lots of junk on the verge waiting for the council collection. Whatever slackness I’d exhibited yesterday I’d more than made up for today. I was pooped by bed time, a sleep well earned.
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