Week 21 - A Week Up North

Running:  Year to Date

Distance:  1,824.3 kms in 21 weeks at ave  86.9 kms ( down from 87.5 kms at week 19)

Last 2 weeks:  161.45 kms

Altitude:  Garmin - 64,952 metres in 21 weeks at ave  3,093 metres ( down from 3,106 metres at week 19)

Last 2 week: 5,946 metres

Strava:  68,148 metres ( ave 3,245 metres)

I tried to escape the beginning of a Tasmanian winter by heading to north Queensland for a 10 day holiday. Unfortunately, the weather didn't play fair. Although it was mild to warm in temps, we had light showers & clouds every day. So humidity was high all the time.
But with little direct sunshine, running conditions were quite good. I managed to get out every day, sometimes twice a day. Visiting my brother up there, I walked the dog a few times which was easy to add a couple more kms each time.
Although not looking for much in distance or vertical, my sister-in-law is a good mountain runner, so we hit the hills a few times together. Picture is of the Pyramid, a hill at Gordonvale just south of Cairns. Base to top is 3 kms with 900 metres of rough, steep metres. Good fun, you bet.

Also, as much as I resisted, I was signed up for and ran two Parkruns while in Cairns. Although a completely flat course on the esplanade, the surface is a concrete path. Yuk !
Second time was 27 seconds faster then the previous week at a respectable, I think, 22' 46" for 5 kms. Is there another Parkrun in me ? Would have to be on gravel trail.
Still nothing planned on the racing front in the near future, so running will still be on getting close to those weekly averages without pushing. Winter temps & weather changes may soon mean winter running, and possibly snow.

Week 19 - A Storm To Remember

Running:  Year to Date

Distance:  1,662.85 kms in 19 weeks at ave  87.5 kms ( down from 88.8 kms at week 18)

Last week:  64.9 kms

Altitude:  Garmin - 59,006 metres in 19 weeks at ave  3,106 metres ( up from 3,103 metres at week 18)

Last week:  3,157 metres

Strava:  62,409 metres ( ave  3,285 metres )

Biggest rainfall event in Hobart's past 100 years or so with 130 mils of rain in 24 hours on Thursday/Friday. Most of the city central flooded as a rivulet that flows under the shops broke it's banks. A total mess.
On the summit of Mt Wellington, rainfall of 240 mils fell which has meant all the streams off the mountain are now small rivers.
I didn't venture to Mt Wellington after the storm but hit my local hills to do a bit of track clearing. Considering the amount of rain, the trails don't have any surface water. Ground so dry it has soaked up all the water. But, the storm had gale force winds so many trees have split & fallen across the trails.
Just managed to stay on average with vertical, but distance average is slowly dropping with no race events on the horizon. May be something in October/November. Until then, maintain the base.
A few pictures of trees down across my local hilly trails.

Week 18 - Maintenance

Running:  Year to Date

Distance:  1,597.95 kms in 18 weeks at ave  88.8 kms ( down from 89.8 kms at week 17)

Last week:  71.05 kms

Altitude:  Garmin- 55,849 metres in 18 weeks at ave  3,103 metres ( up from 3,092 metres at week 18)

Last week:  3,276 metres ( 11th on Skyrunning Aust/NZ Strava)

Strava:    59,220 metres

Maintenance week with nothing ahead to focus on. Race events in Tassie go quiet now for a while.
Couple of good vertical days up on the mountain accounting for 2,400 metres of the weekly total.
The week included a rest day, Wednesday.
But the highlight, or lowlight, was the gale force winds from Friday down at sea level. On the summit of Mt Wellington, wind speeds of over 120 kmph were recorded.
Winter is getting closer now with the need to be wearing several layers ( 3 on Sat) when heading up high. A chance of snow later this week, but unlikely to settle for long if it hits the ground. Late June into July is more likely.