Friday, June 24, 2011

Not far from the tree.

My daughter Tallulah had her first cross country race this afternoon, The race was a 500m on the field behind the school...she won! i'm so proud.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

My group.

It’s been a tumultuous couple of months, I’ve hated running and longed for it simultaneously. I’ve learned a lot about what I’m like when I’m not running (not pretty), and just how much running balances me and helps to enrich my life, both mentally and physically.

I was running with the group again yesterday at Bold Park. I admittedly have missed a lot of these group runs lately and it was good to be amongst friends and charging hills again. I have lost some level of fitness (as expected) and did struggle up at least one hill. Fitness aside it was great to be back on the trail, running into the darkness with my headlights glow dancing in front of me. Running with a group is absolutely essential to run well in my book, they urge you on when you’re struggling, share your goals and success', and help you back up when you’re down. My group is amazing, I have some of the most inspirational people around me and without them it would be a lot harder to find the motivation to keep on pushing my limits…and breaking them.

If your looking to come for a run with us follow the link below.
https://groups.google.com/group/Perthtrailrunners?lnk=srg&hl=en&pli=1

Thursday, June 16, 2011

...and that's how it's done!

I've always been a fan of sprinting the down hills, but Kilian Jornet has taken it to the next level! wow...

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Racing again?

A good friend of mine has come up with this idea as an intro in "ultra-running." 
I think it'll be awesome fun. Well done "B" on getting this off the ground!
the Perth trail series!
http://www.perthtrailseries.com/

Saturday, June 11, 2011

The unexplored...


Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
--Robert Frost.

I returned to Eagle View trail in Swan View yesterday, Not long ago a bush fire had devastated the area, The damage and scorn ground linger as a sad reminder of the fires power. It was hard to see the normally lush and overgrown hills charred and bare, so a little into my run I changed my plan. Now that the overgrowth is gone, you can see there is a myriad of unexplored trails, some so faint that only a kangaroo could have blazed them. My curiosity got the better of me and I followed one, it lead me to a large rock outcrop, which I climbed, than bush wacked, then emerged again on another unnamed trail. I wasn’t running now, I was exploring!
I climbed a large hill, sucking down water from my pack, and wiping sweat from my eyes. Above me a hawk was chasing a flock of black cockatoos; something BIG made an unnatural noise just a few feet away, I paused. It was a huge kangaroo, he starred at me for a long time and I gestured with open hands “that I meant him no harm” but he turned unafraid and nonchalantly hopped away. Still making my way up the hill, I promised myself a view of where I’d just come from, only once I’ve reached the summit. And upon finally getting to the top turned to drink in the view, spectacular.
I eventually ended up on the south/east side of the E.V.T. Previously unrunable as the overgrowth weaved an impenetrable blockade of prickle bushes, and while the prickle bushes remain the trail is much better now due to recent upgrades to this section of the trail. It still remains largely unused as several golden orb spider webs would later confirm. I’d be running along then feel a hardy tug on my chest as if I’d tried to run through fishing line. On examining my shirt I’d find a very large spider, and the remains of his web, filled with a weeks taking of insects, wrapped in the orbs silk cone.
Time past easily and I returned to my car, exhausted and happy. Trail running is awesome...