As luck would have it Sal spent the night getting eaten alive by mozzies and woke early, scraping the skin from her legs with blunted finger nails. OK, not so lucky for Sal. AJ slept right through despite her (retreating) cold and the neighbour's party I had feared came to nowt, so it was lucky for me and I slept pretty well, still on the floor on the lounge, weighed down by pasta and xmas pud.
This morning I scored an earlier-than-expected lift to Camp Cove, just south of South Head. It was overcast and still, humid, but did not seem as humid as recent days. It was, so I have no idea why it felt better. There was the threat of rain too...please, please, please, let there be some cooling rain! I wandered as far north as I could, the game plan today being to run from the tip of south head to the tip of north head, a distance of 1.5km. By boat. I don't have a boat.
Ordinary weather and the early hour combined to save me from the nudists who are allowed on Lady Bay Beach and I cannot say that upsets me. I quickly paused at the car park as I headed back south and towards the city, saying a quick bye-bye to Sal and AJ who were off to meet Mara, Sal's sis, and have some breakfast. I started up the hill to the cliffs above the gap and headed along the clifftop walkway for around 1.5km before turning west and leaving the coast. Plenty of downhill to the City, with a coupel of ups. I followed, in reverse, the City to Surf Course. Heartbreak Hill is far less heartbraking on the way down.
I paused briefly at Rose Bay to watch a cormorant fishing in the clear, shallow, high-tide water. Life affirming stuff, I love watching nature go about its business, especially in the heart of the city. Onwards and upwards. Another pause to click a tourist shot of the bridge at around 13.5km, then over and I was a little surprised to find that at around half way I felt...OK.
Military Road, once I'd climbed to it, was a flat affair that sort of drifted by. I grabbed a bottle of water from a service station at what was almost exactly half marathon distance. I chose water because I had taken a couple of gel sachets, and had one there. It tasted predictably awful. Blackcurrant my arse. As I headed down towards spit bridge I looked ut over the harbour and got a view of south head, another photo-op.
Over spit bridge and up the Gallipoli steps which save you from a long hill climb at the expense of your calves. Another brief pause at the top to look out over the water and then it was more downhill to Manly and then the final climb to north head. Darley Road is a bit of a bastard, but not too long and I actually managed to overtake someone on the way up. I got into the national park and there was some rain! Sweet rain! By now I knew I had my trophy run in the bag, and the last km or so was a nice gentle trot to the viewing platform on North Head. According to the trusty Garmin I have travelled the 1.5km in 32km and a little under three hours.
I really need a boat.
I gave Sal a call to see where she was and she told me she was on North Head, approaching the carpark. A couple of pictures taken a trotted back to find Sal, AJ and Mara pulling into the carpark. We had a quick chat to plan breakfast. Being a glutton for punishment I told them I'd run back down the hill to Manly, figuring it was a fairly easy 3km back to town. Of course the sun decided to come out and it was a little nastier than I'd hoped, but in the bank.
And then the best part. I took my horrible squelching trainers off, dumped my bag and jumped in the harbour. One of running's great pleasures, finishing at the shore and taking a cooling dip. Then it was another of the great pleasures, seeing the big breakfast that has been ordered for you turn up - get in there!
Breakfast done we meandered through town for a while, AJ entertaining us with her playing in the fountains, getting soaked and loving it. Sal and Mara decided to catch a movie, so we head home, stopping so I could grab a celebratory six pack of carbohydrate replacement. Then they head out and the monkey bum crashed out on the floor while I didn't. Should have, but cricket was on.
Tired now, but pretty pleased I managed to get in some decent miles today.
2 comments:
Jesus bloody christ. And I thought you were joking about head to head. I was dripping with sweat by the end and really enjoyed your swim.
Great work. I know you'd been gearing up for this, so I'm glad things lined up for your today. You've started the second half like you started the first. Superb!
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