Saturday, January 12, 2013

Hot date with my mistress

Today total: 31k
Week total: 63k
Month total: 141k
Year total: 141k

It's been 2 yeas since I ran on The Track.

Given today was forecast to be 45 degrees in Western Sydney, it seemed perfect :)

It was a great outing - lots of fauna - a snake; lots of lizards including a pretty healthy looking goanna; lots of kangaruchies; and a myriad of birds including my favourite of favourites - the ringing of bellbirds - 'with ring and with ripple, like runnels whose torrents, are toned by the pebbles and leaves in the currents...'

I was well and truly in my happy place!

Despite it being 36 at Katoomba when I finished, I didn't feel the heat at all - it was just a whole bag of fun. I put out 2.4L of water & Gatorade drops on the way down to the river, so that combined with a 3L refill of the Camelbak at the river, meant I remained really well hydrated on the climb out - I still had about 400mls of water left when I finished. I also took in about 5,000 kJs of food. You can't deny the elements, but you can work with them!

All up, I consumed about 7.5L of fluid - 1.5L on the way in, at least 1L at the river, and 5L on the way out.

With PW of 7 hours and a PB of 4.02 for the Tree to the Cox's and return - I wasn't entirely sure what to expect - I walked most of the way out and was back to the junction at the bottom of the climb out in 4.30 (9.26 av pace to that point). Though it took me 54 minutes for the last 2k, I was well satisfied with 5.24 for the 31k round trip - the new software calls it a 1,400m+ ascent/decent. Splits - fire trail head 20 mins, Megalong Rd 1.06, Cox's River 2.07. Climb out 3.17.

Could have done without the tyre being flat on the car when I got back to it - but I guess you get that on the big jobs!

The windscreen also had a narky message NPWS informing me I shouldn't have been there as all trails were shut due to 'severe' weather. Oh well.

All good :)

1 comment:

Ewen said...

I miss her too. Wish Colin hadn't made it so hard for regular sub-7 finishers to qualify.