Training Log Archive: blairtrewinIn the 1 days ending Aug 12, 2009:
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Wednesday Aug 12, 2009 #
Run 46:00 [3] 9.2 km (5:00 / km) +250m 4:24 / km
Had to take my car out to Fyshwick to get serviced in the morning. I've learned a bit about skilled labour shortages in regional Australia on this trip, and one manifestation of it is that it's almost impossible to get a car serviced there on less than a month's notice; the 5k service has ended up being at 8k.
I'd thought about using that downtime to run, but Fyshwick is not the most inspiring environment for it (in addition to the XXX Megastore that everyone knows about, it's Canberra's home of car yards, furniture stores and building supplies), so instead I turned to an old classic afterwards - the Red Hill ridgeline run. The only thing that was different to the 1980s version was that I was starting it from Flinders Way instead of outside the science block.
The first couple of kilometres of this are past lots of expensive, largely diplomatic, real estate on Mugga Way, with premises proudly flying the flags of India, Canada, Turkey (still with police box outside, even though it's 25 years since it was fashionable for Armenian extremists to shoot Turkish diplomats), the Netherlands and the West Coast Eagles. The climb to the ridgeline follows - the gradual way, not the full frontal assault - and then the stretch along the top, which has some of the best views in Canberra, especially on a clear day (which today wasn't). Gradually built into this run and felt excellent on the last couple of kilometres, most of which was downhill.
One thing that's changed since I was last here is that most of the tracks have names, but most of them are highly imaginative ones like 'Mugga Way ACTEW Track' and 'Powerline East Track'. I have some ideas for alternatives but an obstacle would be that as far as I know some of the people involved are still with us (you normally have to be dead to have something named after you in the ACT). There is a 'Gandalf Trail' which suggests a Tolkein fan somewhere.
And one thing hasn't changed - judging by the number of butts nearby the rock in the pine trees next to Flinders Way is still the place to go for an illicit lunchtime or recess smoke.
I'd thought about using that downtime to run, but Fyshwick is not the most inspiring environment for it (in addition to the XXX Megastore that everyone knows about, it's Canberra's home of car yards, furniture stores and building supplies), so instead I turned to an old classic afterwards - the Red Hill ridgeline run. The only thing that was different to the 1980s version was that I was starting it from Flinders Way instead of outside the science block.
The first couple of kilometres of this are past lots of expensive, largely diplomatic, real estate on Mugga Way, with premises proudly flying the flags of India, Canada, Turkey (still with police box outside, even though it's 25 years since it was fashionable for Armenian extremists to shoot Turkish diplomats), the Netherlands and the West Coast Eagles. The climb to the ridgeline follows - the gradual way, not the full frontal assault - and then the stretch along the top, which has some of the best views in Canberra, especially on a clear day (which today wasn't). Gradually built into this run and felt excellent on the last couple of kilometres, most of which was downhill.
One thing that's changed since I was last here is that most of the tracks have names, but most of them are highly imaginative ones like 'Mugga Way ACTEW Track' and 'Powerline East Track'. I have some ideas for alternatives but an obstacle would be that as far as I know some of the people involved are still with us (you normally have to be dead to have something named after you in the ACT). There is a 'Gandalf Trail' which suggests a Tolkein fan somewhere.
And one thing hasn't changed - judging by the number of butts nearby the rock in the pine trees next to Flinders Way is still the place to go for an illicit lunchtime or recess smoke.
Run 1:00:00 [3] 12.3 km (4:53 / km)
Late afternoon session with Eric from his place on the western fringe of Canberra - mostly tracks out the back of Belconnen, with some suburbs coming back. Wouldn't have been too exciting if it was a regular haunt but a lot of it was new for me. Never really got going on this session though.
Dinner was definitely one in the 'only in Canberra' category - I went out with my parents and the surrounding tables featured three ministers and the PM's chief of staff. Didn't overhear any good gossip (there probably would have been more gossip to be had if we'd been to a Liberal hangout).
Dinner was definitely one in the 'only in Canberra' category - I went out with my parents and the surrounding tables featured three ministers and the PM's chief of staff. Didn't overhear any good gossip (there probably would have been more gossip to be had if we'd been to a Liberal hangout).