Training Log Archive: markg

Inspired by robw, acejase, and Marty's 10 peaks run earlier this year, I took advantage of being Thredbo for the weekend by doing my own main range run. The plan was to run up on to the range on Australian Alps Walking Track from Dead Horse Gap, then across to the Ram's Head Range, picking up Ram's Head and Ram's Head North, before running back along the Kosciuszko walking track. It didn't quite go to plan but it was a fantastic day anyway.

Despite a planned early start, I got away close to 8am, firstly because I fell back asleep but then after getting up the conditions looked awful. It was grey and there was cloud all around the village - you could barely see across the golf course from the Riverside Cabins where we were staying. So I ummed and ahhed for a while but eventually decided I'd just get going and turn back if it stayed crap. Thankfully after just 10min I cleared the cloud layer and it turned into an amazing sunny day, barely a cloud or a breath of wind the whole time.

Made it to Dead Horse Gap in just under 30min, was feeling okay but not great and was feeling quite intimidated by the climb to come, not half because the first km is about 15% average. I suppressed my fears and just started plodding. I managed to settle into a nice pace that I was able to maintain for more or less the whole climb without killing myself. And before I knew it was up out of the valley and admiring the view.

At the high point on the spur above Eagle's Nest, I took a quick break and then turned left up toward Ram's Head. I'd studied the map a week ago but I hadn't brought one with me so I just kept climbing up to the NW. The going was tough in places - thick spongy vegetation and pockets of snow - but fantastic in others - bouncy alpine grass. I deviated briefly to climb a rocky outcrop looking back over Thredbo - nice view - then kept climbing. Unfortunately, when I got up there I couldn't work out which bump was Ram's Head! I climbed one at 85 min which I figured was close and my watch said was 2200m altitude - clearly wrong but hopefully meant I was close to the target of 2190m. I decided this was it and kept going but it turns out that I was about 200m north of the real peak. Oh well!

I subsequently decided to skip Ram's Head North, which is quite the rocky little peak, to save time and ran further north past it until the end of the range looking over a small valley toward Kosciuszko. Beautiful running along here, so springy and soft. Then I made a quick descent to the Kosciuszko walking track and hoofed it back to Eagle's Nest.

Very fun morning out. It was my first time running up in the alps and loved it. Amusing that I didn't hit either planned peak :)

Recovery run. Started hungry and felt tired and flat throughout. Did Suunto sleeping recovery test over night and it said I was only 37% recovered. Sounds like it was right.

A muddy run with Nick from Megan's work, who is my 6ft buddy. Wasn't sure what to expect as Nick hasn't done that much running but he took off fast, faster than I do these days. We kept up a solid pace the whole way; I actually tried to slow the pace a bit, didn't want to burn out a running partner at run number 1. He tired at the end but he seemed to cope pretty well. I reckon he'll do fine if he puts the kms in.