Sunday 25 February long run report [Dave]: With rain forecast, today’s speedygeese long run was always going to be interesting – but nobody could have forecast some of today’s highlights. Ewen had designed a scenic route taking in the river and the Arboretum, incorporating Coombs trial parkrun. Today’s contenders were Susan, Sandeep, Shane and Scully, Brownie, Paul, Jen, Thach, Matthew, James, Ewen, William, me and first timer Cameron (welcome Cameron).
With slight drizzle, the lead group set a good pace, with the second group not too far behind and me in the rear. Within 3 minutes the small group of geese became two – let’s say Jen’s lead group and Ewen’s group. Jen’s group missed the turnoff. By the time they got back Ewen’s group was long gone, with only Brownie and I waiting feeling sorry for them (well, actually, I was just waiting to get some photos). 😂 It was a perfect opportunity to get a couple of nice pics – one with Brownie waving and whistling to the Dots on the hill in the distance and one with Jen’s group arriving at the bridge, with Scully in the lead, tongue hanging out.
After that initial confusion everything went smoothly…until Jen’s group got lost again, going clockwise on the arbo loop instead of anticlockwise (another of my favourite pics with Jen and Thach trying to figure out where they went wrong). Probably didn’t help that Jen had not looked at the course. It seems that there are some loyal fans who still follow her anywhere. Jen blames Thach, who apparently thought it was an out and back course. 🤣
I must say there are benefits of running at the back of the pack, including observation of all the antics. Also it was important to witness Jen’s presence now that she is not on Strava. 😮
We met up with Ewen’s group and I chose to turn and run with them, which turned out to be a smart move – apparently the other group was close to 4 minute pace trying to get back for the start of parkrun trial. Unfortunately, though, I missed out on a very nice single track that we hadn’t run before. Not sure what happened to Susan, but she disappeared somewhere along the way and was seen running the wrong way in parkrun. 😂
After 8k we joined in the trial, just as the drizzle intensified. Tim Grainger seemed to take delight in standing under his umbrella giving extended instructions while 119 people (plus Jen who forgot her barcode) shivered in the wind. I didn’t mind as it gave me just enough time to change into my go-fast shoes (which seem to knock a couple of minutes per km off my pace??). Matthew was first across the line and I was third. Jen was first female. I think we all forgot it’s a run, not a race, so the good runners were obviously jogging.
By the time we finished the parkrun trial the rain had set in and the wind had picked up so it seemed like a good time to quit and head for coffee (plus I was stuffed). Thach and Ewen had the same idea. Diehards like Jen and Giles continued on, with Giles getting another 8km in (after his 15km run from home to the start) before deciding to give in and phone a friend. Jen and Brownie turned up at coffee looking like drowned rats.
The highlight was the group hug and kisses from Giles, Vanessa and Brownie. 😝
See you next week for Sandeep’s course. 🤓
Back to my reports: Monday 26 February at Parliament House at the Rose Garden: running 15 minutes of 3 person relays then ~8 minutes of 2 person relays, all short course, were Craig, Pieta, Bernado, Mick H, Kelley, Isaac, Jen, Ruth, Jennie, Ewen, Tori, Vanessa, Warrick. Daniel ran some laps too, as did Dave, Christopher ran a few as well, and I just stood there.
Then Jen Isaac, Daniel, Ruth, Ewen and I had fish and chips for an hour or so, bought mostly from Snapper.
Thursday 1 March at Stromlo Forest Park, Thach and Ryan cycled many laps then joined us for the warmup; in the main session Colin, Jen and Isaac ran 3k around the 1k circuit alternating 200m fast/100m float; while I sat in the shade and watched. The temperature dropped by 5 degrees and a bit of a breeze sprang up, a pleasant evening for the start of Autumn.
With slight drizzle, the lead group set a good pace, with the second group not too far behind and me in the rear. Within 3 minutes the small group of geese became two – let’s say Jen’s lead group and Ewen’s group. Jen’s group missed the turnoff. By the time they got back Ewen’s group was long gone, with only Brownie and I waiting feeling sorry for them (well, actually, I was just waiting to get some photos). 😂 It was a perfect opportunity to get a couple of nice pics – one with Brownie waving and whistling to the Dots on the hill in the distance and one with Jen’s group arriving at the bridge, with Scully in the lead, tongue hanging out.
After that initial confusion everything went smoothly…until Jen’s group got lost again, going clockwise on the arbo loop instead of anticlockwise (another of my favourite pics with Jen and Thach trying to figure out where they went wrong). Probably didn’t help that Jen had not looked at the course. It seems that there are some loyal fans who still follow her anywhere. Jen blames Thach, who apparently thought it was an out and back course. 🤣
I must say there are benefits of running at the back of the pack, including observation of all the antics. Also it was important to witness Jen’s presence now that she is not on Strava. 😮
We met up with Ewen’s group and I chose to turn and run with them, which turned out to be a smart move – apparently the other group was close to 4 minute pace trying to get back for the start of parkrun trial. Unfortunately, though, I missed out on a very nice single track that we hadn’t run before. Not sure what happened to Susan, but she disappeared somewhere along the way and was seen running the wrong way in parkrun. 😂
After 8k we joined in the trial, just as the drizzle intensified. Tim Grainger seemed to take delight in standing under his umbrella giving extended instructions while 119 people (plus Jen who forgot her barcode) shivered in the wind. I didn’t mind as it gave me just enough time to change into my go-fast shoes (which seem to knock a couple of minutes per km off my pace??). Matthew was first across the line and I was third. Jen was first female. I think we all forgot it’s a run, not a race, so the good runners were obviously jogging.
By the time we finished the parkrun trial the rain had set in and the wind had picked up so it seemed like a good time to quit and head for coffee (plus I was stuffed). Thach and Ewen had the same idea. Diehards like Jen and Giles continued on, with Giles getting another 8km in (after his 15km run from home to the start) before deciding to give in and phone a friend. Jen and Brownie turned up at coffee looking like drowned rats.
The highlight was the group hug and kisses from Giles, Vanessa and Brownie. 😝
See you next week for Sandeep’s course. 🤓
Back to my reports: Monday 26 February at Parliament House at the Rose Garden: running 15 minutes of 3 person relays then ~8 minutes of 2 person relays, all short course, were Craig, Pieta, Bernado, Mick H, Kelley, Isaac, Jen, Ruth, Jennie, Ewen, Tori, Vanessa, Warrick. Daniel ran some laps too, as did Dave, Christopher ran a few as well, and I just stood there.
Then Jen Isaac, Daniel, Ruth, Ewen and I had fish and chips for an hour or so, bought mostly from Snapper.
Thursday 1 March at Stromlo Forest Park, Thach and Ryan cycled many laps then joined us for the warmup; in the main session Colin, Jen and Isaac ran 3k around the 1k circuit alternating 200m fast/100m float; while I sat in the shade and watched. The temperature dropped by 5 degrees and a bit of a breeze sprang up, a pleasant evening for the start of Autumn.
