50k in a day
So, last Saturday I did the ‘Go The Extra Mile’ 50km walk. Me & about 130 other entrants started at Jells Part at 07:00am & followed the Dandenong Creek track to the foot of the Dandenongs. I did about 4k of running in the first (flat) half. Because of the running, I arrived at pit stop #2 - Doongalla picnic ground – about 15 min ahead of my team mates. I ate & drank & tended to my feet for a while & because I was under no obligation to stay with the team for the whole 50km, was about to set off for the hilly 3rd leg when they arrived. Because we were together again I decided to wait. It turned into a 60min pit stop which was way too long for me. I was cold by the time we resumed. Now we were moving again I was happy enough to stay with the team now. There was no choice really as the 3rd leg was too hilly to run anyway.
The last 1-2k of the 3rd leg was steep downhill which was a bit painful and mentally irritating. I much prefer uphill. The 3rd pit stop was at the bottom of the ‘1,000 steps’ which lead up to One Tree Hill picnic ground. The 3rd pit stop was also way too long for my liking (about 45 min). Made it up the ‘1000 steps’ pretty easy. We did an accidental extra 800m at the top when we missed a route marker. The final leg was 12k (12.8 for us). We completed the last bit in darkness, finally finishing at about 7:30pm. My legs held up really well. They became a bit achy at about the 20k mark, but their condition didn’t really deteriorate any further from there. It took waaaaay longer than I was expecting because:
a) I didn’t do as much running as I though I might.
b) Deciding to wait with the team during the marathon pit stops
c) Re the Dandenongs, she does not surrender her k’s lightly on her hilly bits.
I’m ever so impressed with my 43 year old legs. Surgery on both knees (including a reconstruction), ropey veins, excess kgs around the waist, a 4kg backpack and some serious up ‘n’ down hills were no trouble for them.
I’ve since done a 8.5 k run and some bike riding. DOMS are fin. Now that (mostly) walking event’s done I can focus on building up my long runs. Yay.
The last 1-2k of the 3rd leg was steep downhill which was a bit painful and mentally irritating. I much prefer uphill. The 3rd pit stop was at the bottom of the ‘1,000 steps’ which lead up to One Tree Hill picnic ground. The 3rd pit stop was also way too long for my liking (about 45 min). Made it up the ‘1000 steps’ pretty easy. We did an accidental extra 800m at the top when we missed a route marker. The final leg was 12k (12.8 for us). We completed the last bit in darkness, finally finishing at about 7:30pm. My legs held up really well. They became a bit achy at about the 20k mark, but their condition didn’t really deteriorate any further from there. It took waaaaay longer than I was expecting because:
a) I didn’t do as much running as I though I might.
b) Deciding to wait with the team during the marathon pit stops
c) Re the Dandenongs, she does not surrender her k’s lightly on her hilly bits.
I’m ever so impressed with my 43 year old legs. Surgery on both knees (including a reconstruction), ropey veins, excess kgs around the waist, a 4kg backpack and some serious up ‘n’ down hills were no trouble for them.
I’ve since done a 8.5 k run and some bike riding. DOMS are fin. Now that (mostly) walking event’s done I can focus on building up my long runs. Yay.
posted by Also Ran at
9:46 AM
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