Canberra Centenary Trail

Saturday:
Purpose:  long run
Distance:  38.42 kms  timed plus 1.38 kms not recorded
Time:   4 hrs 26 mins 53 secs recorded
Rate:    6' 57"  per km
Altitude gain:  440 metres
Weather:  cloudy, rain, temp range 18-19 degrees, humidity 100%, wind calm

Sunday:
Purpose:  long run
Distance:  64.85 km
Time:  8 hrs 35 mins 18 secs
Rate:  7' 57" per km
Altitude gain:  860 metres
Weather: cloudy, one time downpour, temp range 19-20 degrees, humidity 95% - 70%, wind mostly calm with late southerly change to 25 kmph

Week:  108.85 km,  Feb:  247.15 km,  Year:  582.6 km

The full Canberra Centenary trail covers between 135 kms & 145 kms depending on which trails you follow. Our original intention was to cover the basics, the main tracks leaving out the mountain detours. So no Black Mtn, no Arboretum, no Cooleman Ridge, no Isaacs Ridge, no Red Hill on day 1 & no Mt Ainslie or Mt Majura on day 2.
We had split the running to southside on day 1 & northside on day 2.
Saturday, Day 1, overcast, rain overnight, more forecast as we gathered near the entrance to the National Botanical Gardens, 7 of us plus Mrs TF's in the car as mobile drink station.
Conditions were Ok for a while, mild temps were nice but the clouds threatened to open at any time & they did mid morning.
We ran past Black Mountain, on to the lower trails of the Arboretum, over Clos Crossing, got chased out the construction site where the new Weston Creek suburbs are being built & stopped at Stromlo Forest Park.
The past Cooleman Ridge, down to Kambah Pool, along the river track to Tuggeranong. We made the scheduled drink station at the leisure centre but the rain was heavy & my Garmin had stopped as water had entered & the recording failed. Lucky I only lost the 1.38 kms so I have just added this bit on.
Decided to end the day here & live to back up again on Sunday. Good decision as it poured all afternoon, not very good conditions & no fun.
Sunday, Day 2 still overcast but better looking conditions as we started at Old Parliament House, over Kings Ave bridge, past the kangaroos on the steps of the War Memorial & on to Ainslie. Trails nice and soft after the rain.
Met Mrs TF & Kelly at the road crossing on Horse Park Dr before entering Goorooyarroo nature park. Beautiful running on good trails all the way to Mulligans Flat Road.
Then the next part early contained a small section I haven't done before although I had run the first hill when the Bush Capital 60 km ultra went that way & the last part as a walk on a few weeks before.
Undulating through here, walked a bit with Kerrie B, chatted about running of course.
Exited at the village of Hall where Kelly & Billy left us.
Continued on with Kerrie B & Softshoe to Barton Hwy & Gold Creek to the big roundabout where Kerrie left to go home, not very far.
We took it fairly easy on our way to the next drink station meeting in Belconnen. A short downpour made it interesting with thunder in the air.
Nearly finished as we made our past the AIS, and back to the original start line outside National Botanical Gardens.
A big weekend, not all of the trail completed but the 2nd part of day 1 we run on a regular basis.
I could say we have done the full trail, certainly felt like it. At least it's done, we won't do it again in a hurry in one or two days. Logistically, it's a mammoth undertaking & you need someone to do a lot of driving & waiting. Many thanks to Mrs TF for giving up her weekend just to help some insane but dedicated ultra runners out for a long training run.