Week 47 - Reversing the Trend

Running:  Year to Date

Distance:  3,668.4 kms in 47 weeks at ave  78.05 km ( up from 77.8 kms in weeks 46)

Last week:  90.4 kms

Altitude:  91,805 metres in 47 weeks at ave  1,953 metres ( up from 1,928 metres in week 46)

Last week:  3,133 metres

As the year draws to a close, it's getting harder to move the averages.
I have been chasing a target of 100,000 metres of altitude gain in this year. A couple of good elevation runs in the past 7 days have moved the vert average up a bit. Getting that back above 2,000 metres is dreaming.
Today's run was only 18.7 kms but I got almost 1,100 metres out of it doing a double over a hill behind Glenorchy ( northern Hobart suburb).
For a change, it was all fire trail. However, some was rocky & steep & slow going. It was good fun and a course I will do again. It's only a 5 minute drive from home. I wouldn't run there as it's all bike path and road.
The vert challenge is there to be met. Just need a few weeks of nice weather. Not hopeful, as we can't get more than a day or so of reasonable conditions in a row.

Week 46 - P2P - Not Quite

Running:  Year to Date

Distance:   3,578.0 kms in 46 weeks at ave  77.8 kms ( down from 78.4 at week 45)

Last week:  50.9 kms

Altitude:  88,672 metres in 46 weeks at ave  1,928 metres ( down from 1,949 metres at week 45)

Last week:  980 metres

A week highlighted ( may be) by the running of the annual Point to Pinnacle run from Hobart's Wrest Point Casino to the top of Mt Wellington.
Low light was the race was changed to an out and back due to weather conditions on the mountain. Apparently low cloud, severe rain, high winds & a wind chill temp of -10 is enough for the race directors and the police to turn the race at half way.
Good news is we still had a half marathon to run. With just under 600 metres of up hill, it changed the race as most would not have trained for a 10 kms down hill finish.
Still a good number of entrants turned up from the 3000 entries. I think about 200 no shows is pretty good considering conditions on the day were fairly miserable, rain/showers all day, cool but little wind at sea level.
I finished 545th out of about 1400 in the running section. About the same number of walkers also competed. In my age group, veteran's male, not sure where this started, I finished 86th. But, in the over 60's, I was 7th male. Happy with that, I'm not a road runner & would have preferred an all the way up hill.
Figures for the week low as there were 2 lay days before the Sunday run. Ran every day after, first couple were slow, but last two were relaxed & comfortable.
Feeling good now, a 15 minute relax in the river on Monday was terrific.
I'll plan on doing an ultra in Feb next year ( 101 kms trail with hills). Build base until Christmas, then go full on in January & early Feb. It's a very scenic coastal run in NW Tasmania.

Week 45 - Two Weeks Below Average

Running: Year to Date

Distance:   3,527.1 kms in 45 weeks at ave 78.4 km ( down from 79.4 km in week 43)

Last 2 weeks:  111.65 kms

Altitude:  87,692 metres in 45 weeks at ave  1,949 metres ( down from 1,986 metres in week 45)

Last 2 weeks  2,296 metres

Not the best two weeks but there was a good hilly run 10 days ago. A mountain top called Collins Bonnet with a summit at 1,260 metres ASL is only 10 metres below the height of Mt Wellington.
Mostly on rough fire trails with the last 1 km a climbing over large rocks following posts as there is no track.
This area would be wonderful when covered in snow in winter. It was nice on this day.
The rest of the past 2 weeks was a bit hit & miss running when the chance was there. We had 6 days in the north of the state attending a family funeral.
Not many hilly area to run, let alone find something more serious in altitude resulting in the poor figures above.
I have Point to Pinnacle on this Sunday starting at Wrest Point Casino in Hobart and finishing on top of Mt Wellington. Basically a half marathon ( on road, not my favourite) in distance with the finish line at 1,270 metres ASL. Very little down hill, the first half is a gentle climb, the last half gets tougher. Hopefully I can run it all.
Just looking for a good result in my age group among the other 3000 entrants.