Week 14 - Hilly Races

Running:  Year to date

Distance: 1,038.45 kms in 14 weeks at ave 74.2 kms ( down from 79.4 in week 10 )

Last 4 weeks:  244.6 kms

Altitude:  34,412 metres in 14 weeks at ave 2,458 metres ( up from 2,380 metres in week 10)

Last 4 weeks:  10,615 metres

Much has happened since I last report after the Convicts & Wenches 50 km run. That event was most on beach sand, so flat with a bit of vertical as the trail passed over a headland joining 2 beaches.
After that, I headed to Victoria to run the Razerback 64 km over the mountain peaks of Mt Feathertop & Mt Hotham. This was mostly rough technical single track both climbing & descending with a section of open exposed high plateau as we headed to the famous, in Australia, Pole 333.
This landmark is associated with several high profile mountain running events & it was such a delight to be able to touch & get a picture of it.
The Razerback run had 3400 metres of vert in the 64 kms which I covered in a few seconds under 12 hours. A big day out, so enjoyable. Lucky to have had the company all day of my running friend, Mandy who kept me going & focused.
We then had a quiet couple of weeks with some running mostly on flat sandy trails as the recovery took a few more days than expected. Quads quite tender for a while.
Last weekend, the annual Neverest Challenge was held in Canberra. There are also events in Sydney & Melbourne where the aim is to raise funds for the rebuilding & education of kids in Nepal after the earthquake a couple of years ago. It's not a race, but a challenge to get as close as you can, either solo or teams, to the height of Mt Everest ( 8828 metres).
I started on Friday night with the other solo runners in Canberra and did 6 laps of Mt Ainslie ( 12 kms & 880 metres of vert). A sleep overnight then back to the start line for a full day of 25 laps ( 50 kms  & 3660 metres) to make a solid result for my Canberra section.
Back in Tasmania, a week to get prepared for another effort at hill repeats and to add to my Neverest Challenge totals. Lingering fatigue stopped me today at 28.65 kms & 1,860 metres of vert).
However, very happy to have made it well up the mountain with no injuries, just tired.
A few pics from recent events

Top photo is Mt Feathertop, 2nd highest mountain in Victoria, 2nd photo, an overnight & safety hut more likely used during the winter snow season, 3rd photo is the famous Pole 333 in the middle of nowhere, 4th photo is of chair lifts at Mt Hotham, 5th photo is taken from top of Mt Ainslie in Canberra just before sunset before the start of Neverest Challenge, and last photo is where I did my Hobart, Tas section on the grass of a Frisbee golf course.
Wonderful scenery at all of these places. So lucky to have a passion of climbing hills well away from the crowds. A short rest now before I do the Compass Club South marathon ( off road) at the most southern end of Tasmania in early May.