Week 8 - Getting Figures back in Sync

Running: Year to Date

Distance:  656.4 kms in 8 weeks at ave  82.05 kms ( down from 88.6 kms in week 7)

Last week:  35.9 kms

Altitude:  20,791 metres in 8 weeks at ave  2,599 metres ( down from 2,861 metres in week 7)

Last week:  765 metres

Last report I included Sunday in the week's results in error. The end of a week ( 7 days ) this year is on a Saturday.
This week anyway is the start of a rest/tapering week as I have Convicts & Wenches 50 km in northern Tasmania next weekend.
The event I'm in is mostly beach sand running, hoping the tide will be out, with a little trail to get around a headland.
Biggest factor will be the wind if it blows. Most likely to be a north westerly off the sea. That would mean a head wind going out & hopefully some assistance on the return. Here is a photo from the event website,

looks good. That sand may be a leg killer.

Week 7 - A Good Week

Running: Year to Date

Distance:   620.5 kms in 7 weeks at ave  88.6 kms ( up from 86.7 kms in week 6)

Last week:  100.3 kms

Altitude:  20,026 metres in 7 weeks at ave  2,861 metres ( up from 2,744 metres in week 6)

Last week:  3,560 metres

A great week for running with the continuation of cool & dry weather. Summer has given us a miss this time, may be another time.
I had three days with vertical over 650 metres each which helped get the vert back into heading up. Distance wise, there were two days with distance under 7.5 kms, so it's still achievable to get to a solid run total with consistency & care.
A couple of pictures

from my run on Saturday to the top of the 2nd highest mountain in the Hobart area, just 10 metres short of the main one, Mt Wellington which dominates the skyline.

Week 6 - Down on Vert

Running:  Year to Date

Distance:  520.2 kms in 6 weeks at ave  86.7 kms ( up from 85.7 kms in week 5 )

Last week:  91.75 kms

Altitude:  16,466 metres in 6 weeks at ave  2,744 metres ( down from 2,913 metres in week 5 )

Last week: 1,901 metres

Dropped down in vert this week as there was next to nothing over the weekend due to a flat run on Seven Mile Beach near Hobart airport.

The trails were all sandy through a pine tree lined nature park on one side of the peninsular with open beach on the other. But, as there was a high tide during our run, we had to go up the dunes to not get wet feet. Wet sandy filled shoes are no fun.This run was 2 laps of an 18 km circuit, had a vague plan at the start of doing 3 laps, but on the unforgiving soft sandy track, 2 was enough.

Wonderful scenery helped with the tough going.

Otherwise, the rest of the week was fairly normal. A chance to give the hills a miss, even though I still finished with 1,900 metres of vert.

Week 5 - Now Looking for Change of Scenery

Running: Year to Date

Distance:  428.45 km in 5 weeks at ave  85.7 kms ( up from 85.1 kms in week 4)

Last week:  87.95 kms

Altitude:  14,565 metres in 5 weeks at ave 2,913 metres ( up from 2,811 metres in week 4)

Last week: 3,321 metres

A Hobart local wrote about his weekend run that using Mt Wellington is becomes a bit mundane. While it's a wonderful location with so many tracks & great scenery, it's also technical running.
It's hard to find good flowing, good surface trails where you can just run without having to watch your feet all day.
A change of location even if losing out on some vertical might be the way to go.
As I am still new to the area, I don't know of, or where to find suitable flowing "nature park" type trails. Being undulating to hilly isn't the issue, it's not being able to " just run".
I did speak to the local running shop early on when I first arrived here. Seems I might need to drive an hour or so to find something suitable. Not going to do that, driving to a destination to start running is a waste of running time.
This week was just above average for both distance & vertical. Only one main training run was on Saturday with a good run of 40 kms with a bit over 2,000 metres of vert. It consisted of a big circuit starting close to home to the summit of Mt Wellington taking just under 6 hours of moving time. Stopped twice, once to chat to a group of Asian tourist from a cruise ship in the harbour who were half way up the mountain, and second time to a trail bike rider out to enjoy a few dirt kms in the mountain park.
Maintaining momentum at present with Convicts & Wenches 50 kms now 4 weeks away.
Final comment, still waiting for summer. Recent top temps of 25 degrees in late afternoon, always cloudy & always windy has felt like summer has passed us by. Winter in Qld may be.