Merry Christmas!!!

First of all Merry Christmas to all readers and fellow bloggers, a little belated but then that's life I suppose when you have 3 kids over Christmas, plus one of them having a birthday 2 days later.....

Now where was I? (warning longish type post to cover a week and a half)

A trip to Melbourne screwed up Mon/Tues after the STaR so I headed to Balmoral for the Summer Series event on Wednesday. Running here is always a challenge with controls usually set at the top of the ridge, halfway down and then along the waterfront with generally a good amount of climbing required to collate a decent score. I worked out a route which kept most controls open depending upon my progress. As it happens the progress was good. I know some lurkers are Summer Series runners and so below is my route, with a commentary, scroll down further for other stuff if not interested.



Initially some easy pickings with 3,12 and 4 then up the hill/path to 11, dropping back a little to then climb up further to 22. Then following the contours along to 21, dropping down to 13, missing 30 points at 2 and 14. Back up and along to 24 (droppong another 10 points with 1) then halfway down the slope to 25, climbing back up to 16. TRaversing the slope to 6 (on Awaba) up to 27 then zig zagging down to 19 and 18. Across and then up to 28 then down through Chinamans Beach for 9 and 29. Anothet climb out and along to 30 then 20, dropping back down to Balmoral for 7. Running low on time but out to the island for 26 then weaving the streets of Balmoral for 17 and 10. I was on around 43 minutes here so knew I would be late but decided to be greedy and hit 15, looping around and up for 23, with a final downhill surge to 5 and home. Six and a bit minutes late saw 70 points deducted from my gross score of 550 to give a net of 480.

Stats
Distance 9.3km
Time 51:49
Avg Pace 5:35
Avg HR 171
Climb 120m

Friday
Did the stock standard weir run but felt pretty crappy throughout seemed to be very humid. Somewhat slower than my best but anyway...

Saturday
Initially planned a Quarry Rd jaunt in place of the CR Xmas eve run but fell short so headed out in the middle of the day with the goal of a longer run, including some good bush. A short cut through to Deburghs Bridge and already the heat and humidity were evident, putting my head under the tap at the rangers hut to try and cool down. New territory on the Eastern Side of Lane Cove River along the GNW with some good undulating trail running. As I paused at one intersection another runner approached who I recognised as Tom, a fellow Strider. We continued together up to Browns Waterhole where he turned around and I crossed the river and climbed up to Vimiera Road. A long pause near Macquarie Uni where I rehydrated, popped a gu and endeavoured to try and cool down. Eventually took a short cut or 2 on the way home and was pretty wiped by the end.
Stats
Distance 19km
Time 1:42
Avg Pace 5:27
Avg HR 165
Climb 160m

Tuesday (Boxing Day)
Took advantage of the reshuffled family Xmas arrangements and cooler weather to head out for a longer run. Dropped through LCNP, seeing Tom again and then also catching up with Jim Moody near the start of the Striders 10km races. A good long climb up to West Lindfield and then hit the bush in an effort to do the Striders Chatswood Chase in reverse. I missed one turn in the bush and was momentarily dislocated but kept on running on commonsense and eventually reestablished contact with the planned run. Kept climbing up to the Mona Vale Rd/Pacific Hwy intersction and across for some climbing up to Gordon and then along the rollercoaster parallel to the railway line to Boundary St. I decided to take the "long option" and headed east towards Penshurst St all the way down to Mowbray Rd. It finally started to warm up by now but I pushed hard home, grinding out the climb up Epping Rd back to home. Overall a much better run than Saturday!
Stats
Distance 28.2km
Time 2:29:40
Avg Pace 5:18
Avg HR 152 (legs seemed to be limiting factor!)
Climb 240m

Six Foot Campaign Summary
Day 25 of 96
Days run 13
Total distance 220km
Total climb 1965

Better than nothing I suppose but more consistency required which knowing my timetable will be tough.....

Also apologies to fellow bloggers for lack of recent comments, a little bit stretched at the moment!!