Triple Tri - Mtn Run Leg

Today:
Distance: 18.75 km
Time: 1 hr 44 mins 11 secs
Rate: 5' 33" per km
Weather: very warm, sunny, temp 22-27 degrees, humidity 30%, wind calm
Week: 18.75 km
November: 260.05 km
Year: 3872.35 km

Somehow a couple of months ago I got conned into running the Mt Majura/Mt Ainslie leg in the Sri Chinmoy Triple Tri. I have ran it before and know the tracks well as we use it a part of the training for Six Foot Track. That doesn't make it any easier, in fact ran the same trails almost last weekend on the Two Peaks run over 26 km. Last week was cloudy,temp 15 degrees, and humid. Today, sunny, temp much higher with low humidity. Today's conditions suit me much better. The organisers did a very good job with plenty of drinks station along the course.
I started out just after 9:10 am after Bob had a very good ride on the mountain bike leg from Belconnen. I passed the first of about 6 or 7 runners early on, asked her if she had run the course before, she hadn't, was just following the arrows on the ground. The course was well marked, no chance of going astray as long as you were concentrating.
Walked a short section of really rocky track on the first part of Mt Majura but that was all for the run. I passed a solo runner near the top of Mt Majura taking it easy, he had a long day in front of him. After last week complaining of not being able to run the down hill at any pace, finally found some good sub 4 minute pace on the road section off the top of Majura. The pines section off Majura is mainly mtn bike tracks, very technical, would be good on a bike, great fun to run, talked to Maria afterwards, she's however is not a fan, I loved it.
The shade disappears on the section between the two mountains, the saddle and power lines are open and exposed, the UV's from the sun started to burn. The shade return on the climb up Mt Ainslie, ran this part well but by the time I touched the tower on top of Mt Ainslie the km rate had topped out at a bit over 6'00" mins per km pace. Not looking too good to get under the 1 hr 50 mins I had predicted.
Found some more of the down hill pace and almost flew off the mountain, if I had wings I would have been airborne. This is great stuff, but you need either youthful kamikaze no fear or an ounce of self confidence. Felt really good through the War Memorial and down Anzac Parade towards the edge of LBG. The distance covered according to the GPS showed it was not going to be close to the 20 km as quoted by the organisers, but the time was now going to be close to my predicted vague estimate.
Finished off strongly along the edge of the lake to get in a few minutes earlier than expected. Great day, loved it, ran well for a team of athletes all giving their best. Spent a bit of time in the lake afterwards washing off the sweat and cooling down. The lake was closed during the week,reopened on Friday, but still would not want to drink from it.
Many thanks to Sue and Steve for allowing me to be part of the team. I will publish this post then head out to catch up with those still out there. I hope they have as good a day as I did.