Training Log Archive: jennycas

Refer to previous week's running for a reason why. Early night tonight.

The Hahndorf Mystery Night Run. (Of course I looked at the map - I don't like mysteries!)

About 20 of us set off down Paechtown Rd at about 8.30pm with the intention of running through the tunnel under the freeway between the two sections of Totness Recreation Park. When I say tunnel, I mean 200m of 5-foot diameter stormwater drain! Peter, the organiser, had done a great job of putting bits of reflective tape on the trees to mark the section of singletrack through the park leading down to the tunnel (the arrows got smaller and smaller as he ran out of tape!)

The only problem was, that Fern and I got to the tunnel, with one other guy, and nobody else was there. We waited a few minutes and the organiser arrived saying that he thought the main group, who were originally behind us, had accidentally shortcut straight down the hill rather than following the rough singletrack, and were probably already through the tunnel and out the other side.

Okay, so there was one other problem; another guy waiting back at the top of the hill to find out where everyone else was. The organiser went back for him and Fern and I continued through the tunnel and around the lake (phosphorescent in the moonlight), and to the gate at the far side of the park, where there was definitely no sign of the main group, and so we waited for the other 3 guys to catch us up. Down Milne Rd, across Mt Barker Rd, up Totness Rd, along the undulations of Birchmore Rd we 5 went, discussing the fact that the others would already be back in Hahndorf drinking the beer. It was a perfect night for a run; the only thing I would rather have been doing was rogaining!

As we turned the corner to run down Paech Brothers Rd past the vineyards, a string of torches became evident in front of us, and by the time we got to the crossroads we had in fact caught up to the pack, who had all assumed that we were in front of them and been muttering about how we would be back in Hahndorf by now drinking all the beer!

Up Schroeder Rd past the wild pie cherries which Sus and I pick every Christmas, then down Windsor Rd (2 1/2 km of downhill, and today my knees don't work) into Hahndorf and finishing past the church which still has its Christmas star on top :) Probably the most fun I've had on a run for a long time.

With Zara, Fern, Troy, Scott, John. Across the golf course, along Long Gully, then up a steep footpad to the left when we were nearly at the cherry plantation. As all good shortcuts do, this one petered out but we kept scrambling to Saddle Hill. we crossed Saddle Hill Road, passed the little dam now empty, up to and over Jubilee Drive, down past the climbers at the Upper Waterfall, to the tank, then cross country to the train line and back past the nursery. Just about enough for me 'cos i was very stiff in the hips and back, especially up hills. Think the weekend may have caught up with me.

Decided that rather than trying desperately to keep ahead of the water buffalo (who should really be in the slow lane not the rec lane, but there's probably not room for him) I would let him overtake me, and hold my breath when the wash went past. This meant I wasn't running out of puff halfway through a lap, and could keep bubbling along quite nicely - I am incredibly slow though.

Very much in awe of Zoe and her dad swimming the 2km between Henley and Grange, jetties the other day, especially as they did it in the opposite direction to the official swim (Grange to Henley) and were swimming against the current!

The usual loop with Fern, John, Zoe and Susanne. We took it easy and as a result I felt better than I had done going up Morialta any time this summer, despite the long run on Sunday. Hip kept quiet though knees weren't so keen on the downhill.

Followed by dinner at the Tower Hotel. I should have remembered that their gnocchi gives a bad name to both potatoes and pasta. Providing it with a pond of butter to swim in doesn't help.

Hiking up Brown Hill with Fern in search of geocaches turned out to be quite a good recovery strategy. The views from the top are impressive (small city we have here though).

The trail running guys who are part of SARRC and also active on coolrunning.com.au organised this run following the Sea To Summit walking trail which goes from the ocean at Kingston Park to Mt Lofty, via Flinders Uni, Eden Hills, Belair and Cleland, avoiding roads as much as possible. The route is not signposted at all, so they did a pretty good job of marking some sections with chalk and flour. Other sections were left slightly open to interpretation; "When in doubt, go uphill" were our instructions on the start line. Did I mention that this was at 6 am?

I hoped to do this under 4 hours - wasn't going to push myself with the dodgy hip and was a bit worried about it getting warmer later on, 'cos i really lose a lot of salt when I sweat. Carried a pack with water and Powerade, and was really grateful to be met by dad and my car at a number of points so I could drink and pour water over my head (cooling off is a good thing but it washes away my own personal salt lick). Not sure how I felt about being stalked by mum who would pop up at odd points along the trail, but at least she had fun!

Sus, Lachlan & Harry were near the front from the start and I didn't expect to see them after crossing South Rd, except that they took an unintended redundancy and I took an inadvertent shortcut so I saw them again through Bellevue Heights. After that I figured they were running about 1 min/km faster than me so would finish about half an hour in front.

It was good to be joined by Zara from the halfway mark in Hawthorndene as I was flagging a bit by then - hip was annoying me, as were the blisters forming under my arches (should have worn the new socks she gave me for Christmas). Up through Belair was manageable but once we came out the top on to Sheoak Rd in the sun I really flagged. Think I needed to eat more - basically I was starving and anything I nibbled on only boosted my energy for about 5 min. Zara ran on ahead from Crafers while I found a tap, filled my hat and wore it, which cooled me down enough to keep going though I had to walk (and dodge the wanky Waterfall Gully power walkers) the last bit up from the YHA to Mt Lofty.

Very pleased to be finished! I went straight for the Vegemite jar and ate it neat :) after pouring a couple of litres of water on my head my brain became useable again. Legs may take a bit longer, I can feel my toenails turning purple as I write, but I'm really glad I did it, really glad the SARRC/Cool Running guys organised it, and starting to think maybe 6-Foot Track could be realistic one of these years!