Mountains and Hills...Up and Over

Today:
Distance: 41.6 km
Time: 4 hrs 40 mins 13 secs
Rate: 6' 44" per km
Altitude gain: 1120 metres
Calories used: 3413
Weather: sunny, cool to start then mild, 10 - 22 degrees, humidity low all day, 18%, wind nice light cool SW at 5-10 kmph
Week: 118.85 km
Jan & Year: 269.6 km

This day was marked on the training plan as very tough. Easy it wasn't, but may be not as difficult as I expected. Now that may be because the weather was near perfect, sunny, cool to start and a nice SW breeze most of the run.
Seven of us started just after 7:30 this morning, a new one, Robbie, has run with us over mountains a long time ago, that must have put him off until now. He did get lost, well missed a gate, went off in to another world, Majura Pines, having learnt his navigation skills from Strewth.
We did a short 4 km out and back so those doing the full distance would get over 40 kms for the day. The plan then was to go from the War Memorial up the main walking track to the top of Mt Ainslie, down the back tracks to the power lines, up to the saddle, continue down to do a sharp left turn up the fence line to visit Trent's grave. We paid our respects as you should, then on to the ridge track where Robbie went wrong, back to the saddle, then straight through to the roller coaster track. It looks daunting, it's a hard slog, open and exposed to the sun and wind. Back past the gun club to the start. Distance 12.5 kms.
We did that 3 times, we being three of us, the consistent Mick, the iron lady CJ, and myself. Others stopped mostly after 2 laps, not to be knocked as they are hard to get done. Even superwoman stopped at two, running in the lead with Mick most of the way, just needs more hills to be a force at SFT. Another 130 km week for her.
A few years ago we did this run on a hot sunny day, CJ and John and myself, suffered badly. Today, may be fitter, more experienced or very lucky with the weather, but the 3 lap times for us were all within just a few minutes of each other, for me the last lap actually quicker by a minute than the second. The second lap was run in reverse, definitely the hardest way with the roller coaster more up hill and the back of Mt Ainslie rough and steep.
There were heaps of people on the front walking track each time, all enjoying the exercise, may be not the exercise, but certainly the views over the city.
Writing this now 5 hours later, no soreness at all, just a little tired, but all is Ok. Hopefully every one else is the same. A drive down to LBG again, 15 minutes in the water getting toes and feet nibbled at by small fish. Just great.
Thoroughly enjoyed the day, very hard run, but really nice, great company with or just in front of CJ all day. Thanks for your presence CJ, the rest of the guys and Liz, hope you enjoyed the day as well. So much easier when your fitness level doesn't hold back a big day.