Back from holidays, plus TNF recon.

Yes, part of the break in transmissions was due to some holidays up the coast.

So a quick summary of what has been going on and then more detail on a recce run for the TNF100 yesterday.

Some more tempo runs locally and another summer series event at Killarney Heights (one major navigation stuff up!) led up to the Western Wanderer STaR. Started off with the 6am group and the leaders of this were running around 5:30 pace. At about the 11km mark the 6:05 group caught up and I thought I'd try my hand with running with them as I was feeling pretty good. I held on with them quite comfortably for around 10km running sub 5 min k's but started to tire on the hills, drifting back but in sight and then regrouping with them at water stops. In the end posted just over 28km in just under 2:30 for an average pace of 5:11, was quite pleased with this effort.

Some travel to Melbourne and more tempo runs with then the first Autumn Night series race at Meadowbank for some night navigation with the trusty headlamp. They laid out a good challenging course and despite a couple of small errors I posted a good result and finished strongly.

Then up the coast to Hawks Nest and got some good runs in, trialing my new TNF Rucky Chucky's that I picked up for a bargain at Paddy Pallin's sale.

In running in these I certainly noticed them being a little heavier on the feet than my normal diet of Kayano's or Trance's, let alone the Zoom Elites. After a few encouraging days I finally fell victim to the lurgy that had swept through the family. We got back on Thursday and I decided Friday night that I was not sufficiently recovered to do the Fat Ass Hellgate run and opted to go out on Sunday for a run over the back section of the TNF course, which I will be most likely be doing in the dark during the race.

Out of bed early and made Katoomba in good time and after final prepping of the camelbak (I had loaded it up with most of the compulsorary gear that I would on race day) I headed off from what will be on race day CP4 at Katoomba oval near the scenic railway.

I have never run in this area of the Blue Mountains so took the Blackberry along, not just for some photo's but also in case I stuffed up somehow since I was by myself (did leave the wife with details as to what and where I was going).

The run starts off around the top of the cliff tops towards Echo Point, it was coolish but there were great sights of the valley, here is a shot of the 3 Sisters from Echo Point which I had to stop at as this was where I popped the question to my wife about 15 years ago!

Then down the seemingly endless stairs behind the 3 sisters to the base of the cliffs, for sure the quads will not like these after having already done 70km on race day. Then some proper running again taking care to navigate the slightly tricky unmarked turnoff to enter the trail to Jamison Valley. The running through here was gradual downhill on a proper firetrail, here is a shot back towards the 3 sisters

After 2 creek fords the climb up towards Kedumba Walls...

This seemed to go on for ever but also provided some spectacular views. Close to the top the weather started to set in and a consistent drizzle and stronger wind was now the standard. I also noticed that my left foot was starting to get a little tender. I stopped at Queen Victoria Hospital (CP5) for a quick snack and took the chance to put on my poly pro vest as it was certainly a lot cooler now.

The section from CP5 was quite enjoyable although I think I stuffed up the navigation a little around Wentworth Falls, lots of tourists on these trails, even with the weather. Finally I got back on track and knowing that the bridge to the finish was closed ran to the highway and then directly into Leura. I was originally planning on following most of the first stage back to the scenic railway but by this stage my left foot was becoming sorer, obviously an overuse pain and I opted to finish at Leura, especially as the weather was getting worse by the minute.

Here is a satellite track of the route and below that is the elevation profile, the bulk of the climb up Kedumba is 600m in 6km. (For reference the Mini Mini climb on 6 ft is around 450m in 4.5km and Pluvi is around 420m in 3.6km) But like Six Foot there is then another 5km of "gentler" climbing, very similar to Black Range.





The legs are fairly ok today, I notice that the hot points that I do have (including the top of the left foot) are quite similar to what I have experienced before in various rogaines. For sure I put part of this down to the slightly heavier Rucky Chucky's so will have a few more longer hitouts in the similar fashio before the actual event.

All in all a great day despite the attrocious weather at the end and the heavy traffic back down the mountains due to a couple of crashes.