Another stunning winter Sunday

Endomondo Running Workout

Well, I said when I set out that it was already visibly clear that we were past the solstice because it was noticeably lighter than last week. It certainly makes it easier to get out of bed. The Marrickville sky was a little cloudy but the weather's been incredibly consistent recently, 4 days clear to 3 days rain, and the rain only finished on Thursday, so I was pretty sure it'd be a good day.

I was stiff as a board in the thighs - some new exercises started on Friday - but eventually I got up some speed. It's comically similar to the setting sail of the Queen Mary. It's curious, I don't feel that I'm running at all well at the moment, although the times are as good - possibly better - than 3 months ago. It's hard to get into the rhythm of it, and easy to fall out of the rhythm when eventually found. Anyway, how it feels is not that important. I have technology to tell me how it's going. (Grins) Marketers' dream, nearly; if I didn't have Yorkshire blood I'd buy every new device as it comes available. "Fortunately" they are too expensive and not actually all that useful; plus my phone has most of them built in anyway.

Barrelling along Illawarra Rd I noticed what looked like a layer of brown smog hanging over Homer St ridge (that's the farthest point on the Illawarra Rd horizon, about 3 km away). It looked pretty unpleasant but the curious thing was that there was no sign of it on Marrickville Rd. However by the time I got down to the river there was mist everywhere, pretty close to fog. I don't remember anything quite like it before; it really reinforces the geography.

The 3rd & 4th most diligent of our group were, respectively, orienteering and running the Gold Coast marathon this AM. It was pretty easy to guess that if you lived anywhere near the water getting up would be an unappetising prospect & it was too cold to wait around. Andrew (T.O.A) and I set off immediately.

We went over the steps from the Cooks River valley into the Wolli Creek valley, which was even foggier than the Cook's. It was so foggy that I came within inches of breaking my neck by tripping over a chain strung across the entrance to a park. The glasses had to come off; I have a patent "de-fogging" spray but it's completely useless in these conditions. But within an hour the mist had burned off, the run was riz, the sky was blue and we were being deafened by the morning chorus of birds (invisible) along the Bardwell Creek.

We managed about 12 km along trails near water before being compelled into the streets of Kogarah. We managed to wend our way - it's not that difficult to navigate by the sun when it's just risen - down to Botany Bay a little south of Brighton & then we ran back along the bay watching planes float mysteriously up and down to the airport.

That's it really. A long run, but a beautiful morning for it.