Running late?

At this time of year the mornings are rather crisp - which means it is perfect running weather!
So this morning in a balmy 5.8°C I headed for the river, hoping the fog would clear and my fingers wouldn't turn blue. Well, the fog didn't lift, but nor did my fingers quite turn blue and after a leisurely 4km "warm up" I was at Balyang Sanctuary and ready to line up for my 5th Parkrun.
When I posted about the Geelong running scene last year in my post Running Riot! Balyang Parkrun was in its infancy. Now, it is approaching its first birthday and continues to grow.

Parkrun 29th June, 2013

PBs are still falling (27 runners ran their best time this morning), new runners are joining (there were 17 first-time runners today) and so far 933 different runners have participated (114 of us this time).
In recent weeks there was a visit from some of the Newy Parkrunners who enjoyed a weekend of running and dining around Geelong.
And then today, there was another treat in store for Balyang Sanctuary's Parkrunners. By Friday afternoon word was out that Geelong's own marathon man Lee Troop would be a special guest appearance at this morning's run, making his first Parkrun appearance.
As described on BS Parkrun's Facebook page, the start of the event quickly approached. The race got underway as usual, but there was no sign of a professional runner racing to the front of the pack on his way to setting a new course record...in fact, there was no sign of "Troopy" at all...

Ready! Set! Go! The 45th Balyang Sanctuary Parkrun is underway!

Was he running late, had he made a wrong turn or changed his mind and decided to run a lap of his "Troop Loop" at the other end of the track?
Then, as I was settling into some sort of a rhythm about a kilometre into the run, a familiar figure in a long jumper and grey beany eased past, offering words of encouragement left and right as he went. The master was among us!

Lee Troop meets some Geelong Runners

Without any appreciable exertion, he cruised through the field and hit the finish line where he chatted with the crowd and happily posed for photos. In true Parkrun style it was all about participation.


Lee and Jo after the run

So, in true Geelong Runners style, our little band of plodders (relatively speaking of course) leapt at the opportunity of a photo or two and I could see a blog post in the making...

Doing things by half

Last Sunday was that time of the year again - the first Sunday after Easter, which means it was Geelong Half Marathon time again. And yes, once again I bit the bullet, signed up and spent the week prior trying to forget what I'd done and what I would have to do.
Preparation-wise I'd done most of the right things. I trained, I tapered (I could really get used to tapering), I collected my race number, I ate carbs the night before, I had the right breakfast and I arrived at the river in plenty of time. Fearing a repeat of last year's event when they were dropping like flies in the heat (see The hotter half), the organisers had decided upon an earlier start time of 8am. So, a few minutes after the hour I, along with 918 new-found running companions, headed out from under the James Harrison Bridge, around the common and along the Barwon aiming for Breakwater before the long haul up to Fyansford and back.


Yes, I am in there!

The weather was a sunny 15.8°C and rose no more than about 5 degrees for the time I was on the course. A little too warm to be ideal, but it did mean a much more comfortable wait at the starting line. I wasn't at all sure what my pace would be, but I was aiming for a time under 1hour 45minutes, so I made sure I found the "1hr 45min bus" (the pace runner guiding anyone aiming to finish in that time) and kept him under close surveillance - a strategy which got me through the hoards during the first 5-6km of the race at somewhere near my target time and feeling comfortable.


Running with the "pace bus" to the left and wearing an Aussie flag

From there, I picked it up a little and set my own pace. So far so good. There was enough shade to keep things bearable and I managed to drink rather than inhale water at the drink stops - I've never been good at simultaneous running and drinking.


Just past 7km and heading for the drinks station

Then somewhere near the 12km mark a slightly curious thing occurred. I moved to pass a couple of slower runners. As I did so one of them - a guy - encouraged me to "push through it". In 2010 when I ran my fastest time, I was passed near the 9km mark by a quicker runner - also a male - who encouraged me to stay at a comfortable pace (or words to that effect). I did not know either man, did not see them again and would not recognise them if I did, but on both occasions, their encouragement ringing in my ears, I went on to post good times. Whoever you were - thanks! 

Having passed the halfway mark, it was a matter of trying to make the most of things before I hit the wall which I knew was likely to be waiting for me around the bend on Red Gum Island, just before the 15km mark. It's always been there in the past and this time was no different, except perhaps that things started to become a little less pleasant around the 14km mark. Knowing what I was likely to be in for, I continued to talk myself out of that particular mindset for a further 3-4km, leaving only a 4km grind to the finish line.

Around 2km to go and about to be caught by runner #712

It wasn't pleasant and it wasn't pretty (photographers should probably be banned past the 15km mark of the route) but I finished faster than I'd started and was almost a minute clear of the pace bus with a time of 1:44:07. Not my best time, but not too far off and well within the 1hour 45minute target I was hoping to beat.

Finally!

Not a bad morning's work and then I was able to stand around and analyse the whole affair over a free sausage with the crew from Geelong Runners, some of whom ran and some of whom supported and all of whom had a ball.


Geelong Runners!

This year's half marathon (my 5th run in this particular race) was a milestone for the Geelong Cross Country Association as it marked the 25th running of the event for which we all received commemorative medals. When I first ran in 2009, the field totalled 495 and for several years before that, numbers had hovered around the 400 mark (if anyone knows how many lined up for the very first race in 1989 I would love to know). Last year, following progressive increases, 953 runners competed and this year, although only 919 runners completed the course, the event was sold out with a record 1200 entrants.
Before the race we were informed that around two thirds of this year's participants were from out of town - clearly word is spreading! Not surprising really, as this is a good, relatively flat course, with only a couple of kilometres round the common which are not sealed and great views of the Barwon to help keep your mind off your lungs and legs!

 

The best view of all - spectators at the finish line!

Which brings me to another point. I have spent many hours running and racing along the Barwon through Geelong and have even run at Barwon Heads, right at the mouth of the river, but it occurs to me that perhaps I should expand my repertoire to include some formal races along the river where I have not run before. One opportunity would be the Barwon Heads Sheepwash Classic over 4 or 8km beside and across the river mouth which run on Easter Saturday each year (guess that one will have to wait until next year), whilst the towns of Inverleigh and Winchelsea both host fun runs.
However, another rather intriguing alternative has been announced and I have the chance to get in at the ground floor with the inaugural race scheduled for the long weekend in June. Run Forrest will be raced over either a 10km course from Forrest township along the Barwon or a 21km loop course from Forrest to Lake Elizabeth and back.

The Lake Elizabeth track...in summer...

The weather would no doubt be freezing, the hills would be murder (I wouldn't be setting any PBs here!) and I haven't tried trail running before, but the scenery would be amazing and I would have a chance to run a section of the river (along the Red Carpet mountain bike trail) which I have never seen before....decisions, decisions!!

Over the Moorabool and around the world

Relating this post to the exact topic of my blog is a bit of a stretch, however it does tie in very closely to one of my other favourite topics - running. But this is not just running around the Barwon, as I have discussed before, this is quite literally about running on a global scale.
You see, on Wednesday I spent much of the day running. I played my usual morning netball game and attended my regular evening run, but in between I had the opportunity to participate - albeit briefly - in something truly remarkable: the first mainland Australian leg of a run around the world.
This run is being undertaken by Tony Mangan, an ultramarathon running Irishman from Dublin who, on 25th October, 2010 embarked on his dream of 20 years to run around the world.

Jo with world runner Tony Mangan

I won't go into too much detail, but suffice to say that so far Tony has run from Dublin to Dunquin, Co. Kerry (the westernmost point of Ireland), resuming from Cape Spear, Newfoundland which is the eastern most point of Canada and from there, south to Maine in the Unite States. From Maine he crossed the continent, heading west and south to complete the US stage of his run in San Diego where, after a break of a few weeks, he headed south down Mexico's Baja Peninsula before crossing to the mainland and continuing down into South America, finally completing this leg of his journey in Tierra del Fuego on 10th December, 2012.
After a short break at home for Christmas, Tony was back on the road, this time in Fiji. By the 18th of January he was in New Zealand, running from Auckland in the north to Invercargill at the bottom of the south island. That done, he arrived in Hobart, Tasmania and headed to Burnie where he spent a few days before catching a flight to Melbourne.
Anyone interested in reading the blog of Tony's ongoing adventure can do so here: The World Jog. It is well worth the read.
Then, on Wednesday morning 13th March, 2013, in the company of Michael Gillan who will act as his crew across mainland Australia, Tony hit the beach at Queenscliff...and that is where we come into the picture.
"We" in this instance was myself, Joe and Zdenko, all members of Joe's "Geelong Runners". Being otherwise occupied, I did not join the three guys until about midday when Joe took a quick trip back to Geelong to collect me (thanks Joe!). He and Zdenko had taken turns running with Tony out of Queenscliff and along the Bellarine Highway.


Zdenko and Tony

When I joined them, they were a little over 13km into the run and (for those who know the area) had just passed the Grubb Road turn off to Ocean Grove. After a brief round of introductions, I dusted off my runners and hit the road alongside Tony whilst Joe and Zdenko took turns running and driving.



Running with Tony and Joe, heading for Leopold

Every time we stopped for a drinks break, Tony would take a few sips and
disappear into the distance, forcing us to play catch up

Less than three hours later at a slow but remarkably distance-consuming pace, we made it into town and after a bit of fast talking on Joe's part, took Tony on the scenic route (via that other body of water with which much of Geelong seems preoccupied) to his accommodation for the night on Western Beach, overlooking Corio Bay.
I believe it had been Tony's original intention to run through the centre of town and out towards Fyansford and beyond that day, which would have given me the perfect excuse to expound upon the many fascinating aspects of the Barwon. Of course, in view of the fact that the Deviation Road is a no-go zone for pedestrians (a fact which I suspect was not known to the rest of the group), our international guest may even have found himself running along the track beside the river as he headed out of town. Now that would have been handy for a blog pic or two!
However, it was not to be and as it turned out, Tony decided to call it a day upon reaching the hotel. So, after a quick photo shoot for the Geelong Advertiser, we headed off to get ready for our own run before reconvening with Tony and some of our other runners at the Boat House for dinner and an impromptu demonstration of Michael Gillan's recovery techniques.
The next morning saw Tony hit the road again with Michael in tow, heading out of town on the Midland Highway. This provided me with my one and only photo opportunity in which to place Tony in the setting of the Barwon River system. Fortunately he had been provided with a free breakfast and as a result did not get off to a super early start which worked to my advantage. By 9am I was on the road and spotted Tony just clearing the outskirts of Bell Post Hill. This gave me the chance to take up position on the west bank of the Moorabool River, camera in hand.
I would like to be able to say I was able to snap a pretty shot of Tony crossing the historic bluestone bridge at Batesford:

Historic bluestone bridge at Batesford

but every extra step counts, so he stuck to the main route, crossing the Moorabool on the newer, less scenic bridge which carries all the passing traffic on the highway. 

Tony crossing the Moorabool River at Batesford

Over the Moorabool...

From the bridge, Tony headed up, out of the Moorabool Valley and off towards Geringhap.


...and out of the Valley...

We caught up with him again as he passed Bannockburn and ran a few last kilometres with him as he continued his journey, heading up the highway towards Ballarat, Ararat, Stawell and beyond...


And the journey continues...

...accompanied all the while - had he but known it - by the the northern tributaries of the Barwon which shadowed his route to Ballarat: the Moorabool on his right, flowing from the Bungal Dam and beyond and on his left, Bruce's Creek an as yet (by me) unexplored creek feeding into the Leigh River which of course, traced Tony's route all the way up to its headwaters where it rises as the Yarrowee River in Ballarat.
As I write this post, Tony has reached a point a few kilometres outside the town of Beaufort between Ararat and Ballarat, heading for the South Australian border.
Good luck with the rest of the world Tony!!!

Rundown

In some of my posts from last month, I looked at the idea of "naked running", running without distractions and with a minimum of equipment. After a recent longer run (Queenscliff to South Geelong) I found I had aggravated an ongoing issue with one of my feet. This was a problem I couldn't really afford to have as it not only affected my running, but my netball as well. Something needed to be done.
One of the things which was suggested might reduce the discomfort and strengthen my feet was running in Vibram Fivefingers - which I have also mentioned before. The idea of minimalist running shoes fits nicely with the whole "naked running" concept which I find rather appealing, so  accordingly, I purchased myself a pair of Vibrams and headed out last Saturday for my first run.

Vibram Fivefinger Bekilas

Knowing I had to give my feet time to get used to this new way of running, I chose my Saturday morning group run with Geelong Runners at the Waterfront where I knew I could take it easy if I needed to. The run was a success although it was quite a different experience from my usual runs.
The most notable difference of course is the way I ran. My stride felt significantly shorter and I was probably landing with less of a heel strike, although I was definitely not landing on my toes. As a result, my balance felt completely different and took a bit of getting used to. I had expected of course, that all of this would result in sore calves for a while as my muscles adjusted, however I was pleased to discover the following day, that I was discomfort free.
Not wanting to push things too far, I returned to my usual running shoes for our longer World Rivers Day Run the following day. No problem there either.

Geelong Runners at Barwon Valley on World Rivers Day

After a couple of days doing other things, I ran again - about 5km all up, but done in short sections of 1-2km around the river. The next day my calves finally caught up with me - or should I say one of them did. It was sore, so not wanting to push it too much I restricted myself to a couple of kilometres round the track at Landy Field, hoping the soft surface and the short distance would help stretch things out a bit without doing any further damage.
Likewise on Friday afternoon I did two slow, 3km runs along the river. Still sore, but no apparent problems. On Saturday I headed off for my run with the group. Still stiff, I was happy to take it slowly. We headed out to the turn around point and began to make our way back. I noticed a small amount of pain in the top of my right foot. In an attempt to ease the discomfort I wiggled my toes a few times. As I did so, I felt a pop. That wasn't good. It wasn't painful, but running was no longer an option.
Realising that something wasn't right, everyone stopped and together we walked - well they walked and I hobbled - back to our starting point. From there it was just a matter of heading to the x-ray department (via a much needed coffee at my favourite haunt in East Geelong: Gobble Food and Coffee).
Several hours and an x-ray later the end result...

The injured limb

...is that I have fractured the second metatarsal bone in my foot and once the orthotics centre is open on Monday I will be the lucky owner of a boot which will seriously reduce the muscle tone in my right leg for the next six weeks.
So, my challenge now is firstly to stay fit without doing any form of exercise which substantially involves my legs and secondly to consider ways of accessing the Barwon which don't involved running, riding or - for the moment - walking any great distance.
I suspect perhaps that my next post may involve disabled access to the river - not an issue I've considered prior to the present...

Around the bay in a day

The weather over the last few days has been sunny and our waterways have been sparkling. As per yesterday's post, we were down by the river for a stroll. Today and on Tuesday however, we headed away from the river, to that other water source in which Geelong takes so much pride - Corio Bay.
Since my last post on this topic, I can say that the bike lane linking the Barwon with the Bay is complete and gets regular use.

The Esplanade, Eastern Beach

Today the fine weather was showing signs of drawing to a close so it was warm and windy. Well, actually, at Eastern Beach it was blowing a gale and I was very glad it wasn't 9am Saturday morning when I would have been running into that blast!
None-the-less it wasn't too unpleasant and the view was as spectacular as always. Of course, with the co-incidence of school holidays and a temperature increase of a few degrees, it seemed like we were jostling for space with half of Geelong. And the powers that be have certainly done a great job of creating a world class public open space.

The Geelong skyline from Western Beach

On Tuesday however, in search of new running routes and with perfect riding weather we grabbed the bikes and headed around to the less-publicised side of the bay. This was not the first time we'd been in this direction. Every Saturday  I run part of the way to Rippleside with Geelong Runners and somewhat less frequently we take the kids to the playground in the park as we did last week.

Boats moored at Western Beach

On one previous occasion as described in my post from last year, we followed the trail on and off road right around the foreshore, through the industrial northern suburbs of Geelong to the banks of Hovell's Creek and then onwards to Lara. On Tuesday we retraced our steps. This time I was looking at the route not only as a cycling path, but also as a potential running track.
Most people would know the path which runs from Limeburner's Point on the east to Rippleside on the west, with its views towards the You Yangs and Jan Mitchell's internationally famous bollards (a concept which I think could readily be extended to the banks of the Barwon).

Bollards at Western Beach

From this point however, things became less obvious. The track disappeared and a short section of onroad travel between Rippleside and St Helen's was necessary.
Once there however, we came across the following residents enjoying the weater and the low tide:

Pied Oystercatchers at St Helen's Beach

Eleven-armed Sea Star

I had not to this point met a Pied Oystercatcher, nor an Eleven-armed Sea Star (yes, this is the correct term as they are not technically fish and yes, there were eleven arms in this case - feel free to count them!), although I believe the former can be found at Barwon Heads. The views here were equally as panoramic as earlier sections and the track good, until that was, we reached the amassed bulk of Geelong's industrial sector.
At this point we were required to navigate a few back streets and semi-trailers before we picked up the bike path once again beside Corio Quay Road. Sadly, not much has changed since last year and several parts of the route were more overgrown with weeds and less appealing than they were over a year ago which is disappointing to say the least. There was still not the slightest indication of where any of this section of the trail lead or where connections needed to be made. Were these issues to be addressed, this could be an interesting and informative ride through Geelong's industrial heartland.

Piles of wood chips at Corio Quay

Of course, I am far from the first person to have this idea. In 2005, a bold plan was put forward by local historian Ferg Hamilton to create a continuous walking/cycling track from the Geelong Waterfront to Lara, but despite support and lobbying by all levels of government, no progress has been made - a point of which we were recently reminded in a short article published by the Independent last month.


Looking across Limeburner's Bay towards Point Henry

But back to the point! The track once it returns to the foreshore past Shell is excellent and the views of this lesser-used side of the bay are no less impressive than from the east. We paused for lunch (and a discussion on the metabolic needs of distance runners) at the beginning of the Hovell's Creek Trail.
Back on the bikes we headed up the creek. I would like to be able to say that Hovell's Creek is somehow connected to the Barwon and thereby provide a little more relevance to this post, however this is not the case as Hovell's Creek rises in the foothills of the Brisbane Ranges and the You Yangs before flowing directly into Corio Bay at Limeburner's Bay.

Mangroves lining the banks of Hovell's Creek

However, there are some similarities between the mouth of the Barwon and that of Hovell's Creek, the most notable of which are the mangroves which line the banks of both waterways at the mouth. Likewise, each has a raised boardwalk which enables close access without damaging these fragile environments.
In the case of Hovell's Creek, it was only on this second trip that we discovered the boardwalk. From it, we were able to get up close and personal with the creek, the mangroves and any number of White-fronted Chats which at one stage looked as if they were sprouting from the mangroves. They were accompanied completely unseen, by an endless chorus of Little Grass Birds as well as a few swans and high overhead, a Black-shouldered Kite.

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Boardwalk extending into the mangroves at Hovell's Creek

It is also worth noting, that like the wetlands around Lake Connewarre, those near the mouth of Hovell's Creek and Lime Burner's Bay have been listed as an international Ramsar site, thus highlighting their environmental signficance.
By this point in our ride, time was of the essence, so suffice to say that once again we rode as far as the Princes Freeway, looked up the hill in the direction of Lara, paid a quick visit to the monument to Hume and Hovell which stands nearby and then headed for home at a somewhat less leisurely pace the outward journey.
On returning home, I think I calculated the entire distance from Lara to Limeburner's Point below the Eastern Gardens as somewhere between about 18.5km and 19.5km depending on the exact route. Not a bad distance for a run and with some stunning views along the way, but I am yet to decide how keen I am on sharing road space with semi-trailers while I'm running.
One way around the problem however, may be provided if plans I have seen mentioned in the paper go ahead. This would involve the addition of a section of track extending the current Ted Wilson trail beside the Ring Road to connect at some point with the trail at the foreshore leading out to Lara.
I might also add that this is just on point at which the Ring Road trail comes close to the various sections of track around the bay and where a connection could be made. As I believe I have mentioned before, the Weir Deppler Park at the end of the Cowie's Creek Trail is only a matter of 800 metres from the end of the Tom McKean Linear Trail running over to Fyansford via the old train line and some 600 metres in a direct line from the Corio Quay track which we used on our ride to Lara on Tuesday. So near and yet so far...

A world of rivers

This Sunday, 30th September, 2012 is:

 World Rivers Day

 

The Barwon River, Geelong at sunset

Despite having maintained this blog for over a year and a half, I had not until recently heard of this celebration of all things river-related. A little research on the topic tells me that World Rivers Day is held on the last Sunday in September every year and was first held in 2005.

The idea grew from an earlier initiative in British Columbia: BC Rivers Day, which was first held in 1980 and was the idea of renowned river conservationist Mark Angelo. The aim of the day was to highlight the importance of rivers not only to humans but to recognise the role they play in the wider environment. The day provided an opportunity for community groups to focus on river health issues, get involved with clean up activities and revegetation programs or just to get to know their local river a little better.

The Barwon River flowing high, Bunyip Pool, Buckley Falls

So, when the United Nations launched their Water For Life Decade in 2005 Angelo felt that an international day recognising the importance of rivers around the world would compliment some of the aims of the UN. It was from this concept that World Rivers Day was born.
With all of this in mind, I thought it would be timely to put together a post on this blog to highlight what Geelong and the other communities along the Barwon are doing to bring the community together to celebrate the event...


The Moorabool River, Batesford

Well, I searched high, I searched low, I searched here and I searched there.
I discovered that the Border Rivers-Gwydir Catchment Management Authority who are responsible for the management of that "other" Barwon River in the north are holding a community breakfast barbeque at Inverell on the banks of the Macintyre River (an extension of the northern Barwon River) which will also include interactive water testing and other educational activities designed to inform the local community of the various river rehabilitation projects underway and to increase awareness of environmental issues as they relate to local waterways.



The Leigh River, Inverleigh

The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority wanted to tell me about World Environment Day, International World Wetlands Day and even National Threatened Species Day, but neither they nor any of the other government or community groups with an interest in our Barwon River wanted to tell me anything at all about World Rivers Day. Parks Victoria didn't seem to know, nor did any of the "Friends of" groups, The City of Greater Geelong or Geelong Otway Tourism.
The one exception to this complete lack of information was a little group very familiar to me: Geelong Runners. In recognition of the day, they are hosting a barbeque and run around the river trail(10am-2pm this Sunday, 30th September at Barwon Valley Fun Park on the river). Run or walk as much or as little as you like. You are never too old - or too young - to start running, so come and join us!

Running around in circles

On Sunday in near perfect running conditions, I ran my 5th official half marathon. In many ways it was the same and yet different. As with the others, the race was staged by the Geelong Cross Country Club but came without the fanfare and the numbers of competitors of the Geelong Half Marathon which is held on the first Sunday after Easter each year.
This race was a little more intimate as the field was much smaller and for those members of the Cross Country Club who ran, it was a handicap race. For the rest of us (invitational runners) it was a scratch race.
I was delivered to the start line in enough time to collect my race kit - number and chip only no promotional freebies, caps or t-shirts here, this was definitely the economy version half. It didn't take long to find my fellow Geelong Runners and after a bit of a chat and a pre-race briefing we were off.


Start of the DeGrandi Cycle and Sport Half Marathon, 16th September 2012

This race was quite different for me in several respects. Firstly, the route, whilst still around the Barwon River Trail, was a loop course consisting of a short out and back section followed by two laps of a roughly 9.5km circuit starting just downstream of the Moorabool St Bridge. The loop took us down to Breakwater and over the old bridge, back up to Princes Bridge on the east and north bank of the river before crossing again to the opposite bank and heading back to Moorabool St. Whilst it was not perhaps as scenic as the full course run in the race after Easter, this was a slightly easier run as it included only the flattest section of the trail.

DeGrandi Cycle and Sport Half marathon about 2km into the race

Secondly, I have never competed in a race whilst running in company before. This meant that the first several kilometres were spent chatting and settling into what turned out to be a very comfortable pace before we each found our rhythm and spread out a little. Also in contrast to previous runs, I did all the right things. I settled for a comfortable pace from the start, I carried a gel for later in the race to fend off those lead-legs which I knew from experience were waiting for me somewhere near the 16km mark, I slowed down enough to drink all the water in the cup at the drink stations and just generally stuck to my own pace.
It felt like a really good run and I certainly enjoyed it - until I crossed the finish line and saw my time which was my slowest official time by some 35 seconds. Somehow, I had managed to run faster over the significantly warmer and slightly more uneven course in April than I did on Sunday. No wonder it felt so comfortable! Despite telling myself prior to the race that the time didn't matter, that I hadn't run the full half marathon distance since the race at Easter and that I was only doing the run as a warm up for the planned run in from Queenscliff to Geelong the following Sunday (stay tuned...) I was still unimpressed!
Clearly I have not achieved that final aim outlined in my last blog post and a good deal more therapy is still required. I'm hoping some of it will come in the form of an entertaining concept in charity fun runs which is about to hit Australia's shores. This is the Color Run Australia which has just arrived from the US.

Photo of Color Runners from the US taken from the Color Run website

The basic concept is that you start a 5km race in white clothes and each time you pass a kilometre marker, you are bombarded with (guaranteed non-toxic) paint powder. The colour is different at each kilometre so by the end you come out looking rather like the victim of a very colourful explosion.
Color Run events are planned for most capital cities and some of the larger regional towns across the country in the coming months. The date for Melbourne has just been announced as 25th November, 2012 and registrations are now open.
This should be one fun run where posting a good time is not even vaguely important!

Running on empty

My last two blog posts looked at who I run with and how I run. Now I want to look at why I run. The reason being that for quite some time I have struggled for motivation, which of course begs the question: why do I bother?
Well, that's easy to answer. Firstly, I like the benefits of being fit, secondly, I don't want to say "I used to be able to run ??km..." and thirdly, I am a competitive beast. Not particularly fast, but competitive none-the-less.

Geelong Half Marathon 2011

I also know why I started running - because I was already fit and I wanted to make sure I stayed that way. I am not a runner by nature. If I had to run to get fit, then I would never be fit. Staying fit is a struggle if all I do is run. No, I'm really a netballer (the Aussies and Kiwis will know what I mean and possibly the Poms and Jamaicans). For several years I have routinely played multiple games of social netball per week at a variety of levels.
About four years back I decided that some distance running would improve my endurance on the netball court. I was right, it did. It still does. It helps me run the legs off the guys when I play in mixed competitions and the women half my age in most of the other comps. I can't be taller and I can't be younger, but I can be fitter and faster and maybe occasionally I can be a bit smarter.
I play netball five days per week and squeeze in a run (or maybe two) somewhere in between.
At the start, the running was a nice change and didn't take too long, but then it began to take on a life of its own. First, I progressed to short fun runs and then to half marathons. If I didn't do at least a 15km run per week, then I'd slacked off. Times mattered too - not that they were anything special.
I ran my fastest half marathon in April 2010, then promptly tore my calf playing netball and four weeks later broke my hand. The injuries recovered but my times never quite did, nor did my motivation.
Whilst I was researching running cliches for the title of this (and probably subsequent running-related posts), I came across the following t-shirt slogan:

Garmin running slogan

Okay, so I don't wear a Garmin, but the same goes for my Nike Sportband. I wanted to know how far and how fast and anything which affected my time was not welcome! And assuming I was running a reasonably familiar course - say, oh...around the Barwon... after the run I could tell from the change in pace on my Sportband roughly where I was at any given point.
The problem with all this was the expectation it created. If I didn't run fast enough, I wasn't happy. So, I decided it was time for a change. But what to change?
Well, I could change my route. That was reasonably easy. I could still incorporate some sections of the river, but also include other trails like the Bellarine Rail Trail, the Waterfront and Eastern Gardens, the linear trail along the old train line from the Fyansford Cement Works to North Geelong, even a couple of laps around good old Kardinia Park. Perhaps one day when they complete the loop I'll even run out to Corio on the Ted Wilson Ring Road Trail and come back via the Waterfront. Incidentally, I've marked most of these routes using Google Maps at this address which is listed under the "riding/walking trails" option in the "links" section of this blog.
Distance? Well, that was another easy change. One long run became a couple of shorter runs each week. Running 5 or 6km to my coffee shop of choice seemed like a reasonable incentive. Running to meet the family for a picnic here and there worked too.

Corio Bay - not a bad view for a run

What else? Well, I had never really run with a group before, so I decided to give it a try. I didn't want a competitive environment, but I figured having a time and a place to start running on a regular basis and someone to do it with might help so I joined Geelong Runners. Once again, it did help. I am now running more, my distances are starting to creep back up and I have found some great new people to run with.
The other thing I could do was to change my pace. Now that was easier said than done and something I am still struggling with. If I was running with the group, if I chose a new route which didn't come with a time to beat then pace wasn't really a problem. But there were still the timed runs with results posted at the end for all to see.

I hate not posting a PB and the above picture sums up most of my problem! A problem I will have to face on Sunday when I run the next half marathon which is being hosted by the Geelong Cross Country Club. I have been advised that I shouldn't worry about my time and that I should feel pleased for the people who out run me - and there will be plenty. Needless to say, this was not a concept which had occurred to me before, but one perhaps with which I will need to become better acquainted on Sunday.

Running riot!

I don't know whether it is the weather, the change of season or any number of other reasons, but there seems to be rather an upsurge in the amount of running happening around town and along the Barwon at the moment. This is a good thing - really!

I have also noticed an increase in the number of people saying that they want to run, but either can't find a suitable group to run with, don't know how to get started or - as in my case - were struggling to find the motivation to get back into some sort of running form. Hopefully this post, whilst not exhaustive will address a few of these issues.



Around the bend at Balyang Sanctuary

Of course there are the running groups which are well established and have been around for a long time, such as the Geelong Cross Country Club which hosts the annual Geelong Half Marathon around the river. The club makes regular use of the river - having its clubrooms just near the Moorabool Street Bridge - and many of the other trails around town, the Bellarine Peninsula and beyond. Their season starts with the half marathon which is held each year on the first Sunday after Easter and continues with a race each Sunday morning until about September.

Geelong Half Marathon 2012

Then there is the Geelong Run Club which meets each Tuesday evening at 5:45pm for a 6pm start at The Running Company, Shop 2/222 Pakington Street, Geelong West. They run from there up and over the Melbourne Road and railway line to Western Beach and then head round to Eastern Beach before returning along the same course, covering a distance of between 5-6km. They advertise a variable pace and an atmosphere of fun and participation and have been around for a few years now.
In addition, there are any number of individuals who find their own routes around town and a variety of private groups who do their own thing. Recently however, there have been some new additions to the running fraternity. First of all, back in July we saw the opening of the Troop Loop. Not a running group, but an improvement on the running facilities available for those wanting to run between Breakwater and Newtown.

Doing a reverse Troop Loop?

At about the same time, I was given a heads up by an old netballing foe about a new running group due to start on a Saturday morning by the river. And thus the Parkrun phenomenon came to Geelong. For the uninitiated, the Parkrun concept evolved from a single race established in England in 2004. Since then, it has grown into a series of timed, 5km runs held weekly in countries around the world. Each Parkrunner registers on-line and receives a unique barcode. At the end of each race, this is scanned and results are posted on individual Parkrun websites. There is no cost to participants as Parkrun is supported by sponsors and administered by volunteers. It is pitched to be accessible to everyone from kids and beginners to experienced athletes.
Geelong's first Parkrun was held on 26th August, 2012 around a course starting by the Barwon at Balyang Sanctuary, heading downriver to the Moorabool Street Bridge, crossing over and heading back upstream to cross again at Princes Bridge before a short dash to the finish line. I completed my first Parkrun yesterday morning (1st September, 2012), finishing 21st out of a mixed field of 69 runners.
For those with time to spare after the run (it is not a race), there is always an invitation to coffee at the nearby Barwon Edge Cafe.

Jogging out of the sunset

In the meantime however, as I waited for Parkrun to arrive, I saw a small article in the newspaper about another running group which was just beginning. Calling themselves Geelong Runners (or more fully, the Geelong Social Running Club), they ran from the BBQ area in the Eastern Gardens at 5:30pm (soon to be 6pm as the days grow longer) on a Wednesday afternoon and 9am on a Saturday morning. They were happy to accept anyone from experienced runners to absolute beginners.

Less intimidating that an established group, covering a relatively short distance, accepting of all levels of ability, free of charge and starting at the reasonably respectable time of 9am on a Saturday. This sounded like just the thing to improve my failing motivation.
So, on a cool morning just over a month ago I joined Geelong Runners and now on most Saturday mornings I pull on my runners and head for the gardens. And yes, it worked! My motivation is back. They are indeed a varied group. Coming from across the globe and with ages spanning about four decades, they range from complete novices to runners with considerable experience and skill. For the quicker runners it is a leisurely workout, but from little things, larger things grow and those of us who are up for it have since been on some longer runs with more in the offing.
Alternatively, for those perhaps with limited time or "commitment issues", there are the one off fun runs which crop up each year. They are often sponsored charity events and open to all ages and fitness levels.
In February, Geelong hosts its own Multi Sport Festival, incorporating a variety of events including 5km and 10km fun runs along the Waterfront in aid of the Give Where You Live charity.

Not a bad place for a run! Looking across Corio Bay at  the Eastern Gardens.

During March, the Australian arm of the international Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team stage a run around a loop course on the Barwon between Princes and Queen's Park Bridges, over 6km, 12km or 18km distances. This can be a handy warm up for the Geelong Half Marathon which is usually only  a few weeks later.
On Mother's Day each year, Geelong stages its own version of the Mother's Day Classic, the largest community fundraiser for breast cancer research in Australia. The Geelong event is a 4km or 8km walk or run around the Eastern Gardens.
However, the biggest annual fun run  is the Cotton On Foundation's Run Geelong, held in November it offers a 6km or a 12km course taking in the sights of the bay, the river, Eastern Gardens and the hallowed turf of Simmonds Stadium - home of the Cats. Established by Lee Troop in 2009, it is a major fundraiser for the Geelong Hospital's Children's Ward.
Possibly one of the longest runs around would have to be the Bellarine Rail Trail Run. This is a return course along the Rail Trail from Queenscliff to Drysdale (17km event) and back (34km event). It is a free training run - not a race - which was originally held along the full length of the track from the Geelong Show Grounds to Queenscliff. It became an out and back event when safety concerns and the logistics of an increasing field size became a problem for the organisers. The total distance remains the same.
And then finally, if you haven't spent enough time running throughout the year, there is one last chance to get a run in before the start of each new year with the Dawnbusters Fun Run, which as the name suggests is run early on the morning (a 7 am start) of 31st December. It is a 5km course around the Waterfront hosted jointly by the Geelong Cross Country Club and Give Where You Live.
The links below will take you to the websites for the particular clubs or events:

 

The Running Company - Geelong

Geelong Runners Club

 

 

Mother's Day Classic