Monday, December 08, 2008

Its a long way to the top......

but it had nothing to do with rock'n'roll! Saturday's run was the hardest, toughest run since.....since... since the last time I walked/ran Mt Tennent.

I really only saw Mick and Nick before we started and then only in passing, usually when I was walking up as they were running down Mt Tennent, and they were looking relatively fresh in comparison. Steve, softshoeshuffle, JK and I ran together in parts or met up at the summit once or twice.

The first ascent from the Visitors Centre is rocky, steep and not for the faint-hearted (Strewth, you'd hate it!). I rolled my ankle not far from the start but fortunately it wasn't serious and for a while I didn't say anything because I didn't want to jinx myself. The only times I really noticed anything was when I stopped running or during the final descent back down to the Visitors centre, when the ankle was aching a bit. (Today - Monday - it's fine).

We passed a group of bushwalkers on the way up to the top for the first time, then some of the same group on the descent to Bushfold Flats, and then again on the final descent. Otherwise it was just us crazy runners. As mentioned I walked a good part of the uphills and even that was really hard work. But I'm stubborn and I was determined to get to the top for the second time even if it took all day. That, and the fact I had run out of water and there was a water tank at the top!

However, it felt so good to finally finish back at the cars - five hours (4hr 30min running time), 30.5km and 2,323 calories later! Not only because it had been a tough gruelling run but because I had completed it - despite a lot of walking. The run may not have been fast, it was definitely not pretty but I did it.....and I have DOMS to prove it!!!!!!

2 comments:

Tesso said...

What a run. If that doesn't prepare you for 6ft nothing will.

Ewen said...

Ah... now if you were following my 6' plan, there'd be no DOMS at all! (until after the race)