Cotter - 21 mile plus Mt McDonald

Today:
Distance: 33.9 km
Time: 3 hrs 31 mins 55 secs
Rate: 6' 15" per km
Altitude gain/loss: 740 metres
Calories used: 2750
Weather: cloudy, temp range 17-20 degrees, humidity 78% down to 70%, wind southerly at 25 kmph
Week: 110.35 km, Feb: 98.75 km, Year: 585.45 km

Six of started just after the sun rise. The rain from Friday had gone leaving soft tracks but the air was very humid. A car left at the start indicated the girls had gone, we didn't see them at all, and by reading comments on Kerrie's Facebook page, I'm certain we wouldn't have been able to keep up. They were to do the same course, but somehow have finished 3 kms short. May be they swam across the Cotter dam, it's the only short cut I know.
A tough start to the run with just over 5 kms of up hill to reach the trig on top of Mt McDonald, Nothing too steep, just goes on and on. A gain of 300 metres in height over those 5 kms. The views over the construction work for the expansion of the Cotter Dam is well worth stopping to see. Funny how the taxpayers dollars are spent to retain water in a new dam when we are lucky to get any rain at all. It may never fill in my life time. I hope I am proved wrong.
We continued on down the Uriarra village side to cut back to find the jelly legs track, a bit cut up and rocky. Feeling the lack of drive from the legs from this point on, a combination of the track session on Thursday night and the massage on Friday. No forward power at all.
All fairly quiet on Bullock's Paddock Road, turned up Clift Road to see Robbie flying down the 21 mile track on the other side of the gully. He had missed Mt McDonald and was at least 40 minutes in front, didn't see him again. A very black wallaby stopped on the track on Wark's Road, almost tame, didn't want to move.
Finally made it Vanities Crossing, a bit of flow over the wall, nice cool but not cold water. A struggle on towards the finish, over 41 minutes is not too good for the 6.4 kms.
A good day out with partners also running Maroondah Dam in 2 weeks, good time on feet run & walk. Should show benefit of the track races & the massage after I get some power back in the quads.
A trip to Pine Is later in the afternoon for 15 minutes in the river. There is next to nothing in the Cotter river, waste of time trying to get wet out there. A good day, start to taper from now on, ease back a little until early next week. Shorter run next Saturday, run from home so I get to sleep in.