Pretty Perfect

Early start yesterday morning to drive up to ferny with JB and Sam. Fairly cloudy but the temperature was amazing for running. I'll give the in depth analysis of the usual long run course as I haven't done so for a while.

Starts at the Ferny Creek car park before we head out in the direction of Grants picnic ground. Bit the first 3km is mainly downhill with lots of mud and a reasonable amount of flat. We then hit the bottom, after descending the joke of a hill I used to run up when I came to ferny with Cheyne. It's pretty slippery all the way down so around once a month someone takes a tumble, so I'll attempt to avoid it for as long as I can.

We then reach the road hill which is the first one, about 500m long it's a bit of relief from the mud but it's tough enough to get the lactic flowing. I was with Sam and Simon at this point and hung on until the summit. Then a short bit of downhill before getting back onto a trail and another hill which doesn't have a name. It's usually referred to as the second hill which makes sense.

It's just over a km I'd say in length and not as steep but it's tough right after the road hill. I stayed with Sam and Simon and caught some early starters up here. We then reached Grants picnic ground, just under 8km in and grabbed a drink before doing the potato patch loop.

Even after some investigation, nobody is sure why it's called potato patch but all we know is there is about an acre of empty grass right next to the trail for a bit which may or may not have yielded potatoes during the course of its existence. Anyway before this so called potato patch, the third hill makes it's appearance. Steepest hill yet and at around 400m it's pretty tough this far in. I let Sam go here partly because he's fitter than me and partly because I had the excuse of first long run in 2 weeks so I was nervous about dying in the final k's.

Continued on after catching Sam on the flat, ups and downs everywhere before a long downhill section leading into a shorter up hill bit before reaching Grants picnic ground again. Here we stopped for the toilet and JB, Cassy and Matt caught up.

Continued on, through the small number of Ferny Creek shops and back onto the trail. Before reaching another road hill which climbs for about a k but isn't too steep. Then reached the large house, surrounding gardens and lake at which the largest adversary awaits. About 800m long and steep this needs conquering to make it back to the car park. Let Sam go again and got it done. Real killer that one although hopefully I'll get better at it soon.

Finished off with a 15 minute loop with another hill which surprised me and hurt a lot but finished 19.3km in 1:36:21. 69.9 km for the week. Great run.