The Slow Long Run and the Short Run

Today:
Distance: 55.05 km
Running time: 5 hrs 40 mins 38 secs
Rate: 6' 11" per km
Calories used: 4286
Elevation gain/loss: 620 metres
Weather: sunny, temp at start 6.6 degrees up to 11.5 degrees, humidity 55% down to 40%, wind cold southerly at 20 kmph down to 6 kmph, gusts early to 30 kmph
Week: 105.85 km
August: 309.8 km
Year: 3297.25 km

Firstly, my brother from Cairns who trains young Bini, the 12 year old from Ethiopia, has told me that Bini finished 3rd in his age group at the Australian school cross country championships in Geelong, just seconds behind the winner. He would have frozen down there today if Victoria had the same cold southerlies that we had here. That is a great result and should give him plenty of confidence to know he can match it with the best in his age group in the country. He may not have even been wearing shoes if the course was grass.
Today was my last really long run before GH in 3 weeks. Missing a week of training probably has not been that bad, more mental than physical.
Today I broke the run into 4 sections, each time returning home to eat and drink, and catch a replay of Steve Hooker winning the pole vault.
First lap, up through Gowrie to Fadden, then on to Wanniassa Hills, over the trig, nearly blown away by the strong southerly, on to the underpass under Long Gully Road to Isaacs ridge, short circuit before going back through the underpass to MacArthur, Fadden Pines on Isabella Dr and back home. Eating, toast with banana and honey and coffee, then out again.
Second lap, a circuit of Tuggeranong Hill, Conder, Theodore sub station, Calwell oval, past shops and home. Eating, creamed rice, tasty.
Third lap, down to Point Hut, along the river track to Pine I top car park, then return behind Bonython to Woodcock Dr and home. Eating, toast and honey.
Last lap, flat run around Isabella Plains, glad to finish but feeling good, could have continued on, plenty left in the tank.
Had a few bad patches during the run, but it came back together with a walk and then a rest between laps. Walked nearly all the hills as well as a short walk break after 30-40 minutes. This translated into a reasonable km rate overall, still much faster than I will plan to run in Qld. Up there the plan will be to firstly finish, then maybe somewhere around 26-28 hours, fairly slow but over half the time will be in the dark.