Bush Capital & Monthly Handicap

Saturday:
Goorooyaroo & Mulligans Flat Nature Parks
Distance: 12.75 km in 70' 50" at 5' 33 " per km
Weather: sunny after cold, foggy, frosty start, temp at run time, 12 degrees, humidity 50%, wind light northerly, nice afternoon
Week: 36.9 km, July: 297.3 km, Year: 2565.5 km
Today:
Blewitt's Forest - Monthly handicap
Distance: race 7.0 km in 31' 18" at 4' 28" per km
Finished: 17th
Distance : warm up 1.1 km - day total 8.1 km in 36' 38" at 4' 31" ave
Altitude gain/loss: 150 metres
Weather: cloudy, temp 6 degrees, humidity 70%, wind calm
Week: 8.1 km, July: 305.4 km, Year: 2573.6 km

A big weekend has just finished and I can now relax and slowly pack ready to head to sunny, warm Qld tomorrow morning.
Saturday was helping at the Bush Capital marathon event, drink station 6 in Mulligans Flat at the marathon turn. We also had the 60 km ultra runners continue on and return 2 hours later, a good place to be. Except for the cold, the fog and the light but biting wind that stayed around until about 10 am. After that a beautiful day with the runners coming by at nicely spaced out intervals, all enjoying the Australian bush setting for their run. Ran from my DS out to Gundaroo Road to the next DS to collect signs and follow the last ultra runner back. Then ran from the Goorooyaroo/Mulligans Flat fence to Horse Park Dr, really good surface to run on and nicely down hill.
Saturday night an engagement party to go to, we didn't stay late as today was monthly handicap and another very early start.
Today a monthly handicap course at Blewitts Forest, very little flat parts after the first and last 500 metres, very tough course, fast down hill after 1.5 kms until 4.5 kms, then a long slog up next to Coppins Crossing Road for just over a km, before a fast down hill and a flat bit back to the start.
Those 3 days off and an easy day yesterday resulted in a very good 17th place starting in group 35. Only passed by one back marker, very happy with that, ran the up hills well, for once had some speed on the down. Speedygeoff shouted out near the 5 km mark that I was 64th so I picked up a few in the last 2 kms including an unfit Strewth. Don't mention the extra kilos she had in her pocket.
Good to see CJ do well in the walk, she needs to get the technique right as that is all she will be doing until the end of the year. I do feel sorry for her, but she is a toughie and will certainly see this injury through. A few marathoners from yesterday backed up today including Rob Ey and Elle, well done to them, I bet they sleep well.
Now for the benefit of Liz and Ewen' s bet. I will be disappointed if I go under 170 kms, happy with 185 kms and 200 km, the impossible dream. Anything can happen on the day. A very easy week driving up north, getting used to the warmer weather again, a couple of very short jogs, nothing too far. Also need a swim in the salt water before the run, great for preparation and certainly post race recovery. Footballers and horses use it, why not runners. I have no injuries, no excuses, just getting excited to get there and start.