The Back Posse

Can I just say, I love my fellow back posse runners! We may not be the fastest bunch but we have lots of fun.

Today we ran the Mt Coot-tha circuit. This circuit starts at Regatta, goes up through Bardon to The Gap, and then to the top of Mt Coot-tha and back. I did this one back in May as a 16k. I thought I was going to die! The route is flat for the first 2k and after that you are either running uphill or downhill. And when I say uphill I don't mean any little road lumps, either! It's the kind of uphill where just when you think you can't do anymore you get to the top...only to turn the corner and realize you're only halfway there.

I was quite worried I'd fall behind and lose the group. My strength is the downhill, so I continued to power down those to gain some speed and ensure I didn't fall behind the group. Although we stuck somewhat together, we splintered off into 3 mini-groups: front runners, middle runners, and "the back posse". After 5k the middle runners (where I was at) combined forces with the back posse as the front runners peeled away.

We hit the bp station that was the turnaround point from last time. And I was cautiously full of energy (cautiously, because Mt Coot-tha would be coming in at the 16k mark and we were only at the 8k). And the hills through Bardon felt a lot more manageable than last time. Or maybe last time the pace was extra fast? ... Whatever the difference, I am absolutely floored by my improvement since last time. Is this what “fit” feels like? Hmm. I guess it’s all relative.

The run was slow and easy-going along the gently rolling hills of the middle k's. Then we got to Mt Coot-tha and ran up a steep side trail to the top (well, when I say “run”…)

But we made it to the top with much elation, as there were only a few little hills to go after that! For those in the know, this is the same hill that was on my first hill session.

Around through the back of Mt Coot-tha as that way was longer and down the long windy road to the bottom. I couldn’t get over how long that downhill was! I’ve run up it a couple of times when it seems to go forever…but it’s the same feeling when I run down it, too! You keep turning a corner thinking, “it’s gotta end soon!”. Naturally, we all picked up a fair bit of speed at this part and regrouped at the bottom.

From there it was just 3.5k back to the car lot. My first run in over a month that hasn’t aggravated my ITB! Hooray! And I ran with my water carrier, which despite the scare I had last time I carried it, ended up just fine and – I’m happy to say – pain free. I even got to foister it off on others throughout the run who wanted to see what it felt like to run with. Heh heh heh.

Approximate total distance: 21.7k

Approximate total time: 2.23.05 (not counting our re-group stops where the 8 of us in the back posse did a well-being check on everyone…and a head count to make sure we hadn’t lost any.)

And you know how I felt after that gruelling 21.7k hill circuit? I felt that I could have kept going…