Saturday 19 May 2012

Day 54.............. Best Day to Date!

Day 54.............. Best Day to Date!

After running over 1300km the title is a huge call. I haven’t figured out if it was a great day due to the amazing weather and the spectacular scenery, or the fact that I actual ran today!
It must be the latter, because there hasn’t been a time throughout this run when the scenery has really let me down, or as freak as the weather can be, with its cold days and snow storms, it all seems to build my character and adds to the adventure of it all.

Today however, I had to pinch myself, were the dramatic cliffs before me just simply amazing? Or was it that I was approaching them on the run, a run that I haven’t done for just over a week? The answer, both of course. But, there is something about running, and running long distances in particular that just makes everything better.

I couldn’t get the smile off my face as I ran through a gorge lined with ferns, sun shining through the cracks in its rocky walls, and that fresh smell of bush air. It felt good to be on the move again, really on the move, and I giggled to myself as I almost skipped my way through.

The start of todays run was in the car park of the Colonial Coal Company. A bit of s sight in this beautiful area and the trucks going in and out of its entrance wrecked the peaceful silence and clogged up the air with their fumes.

I went through my strength and stretching routine in the sunshine, both nervous and excited to see how the day was going to shape up with my niggling glute.

The first 3km were on the road, so Vickie made me a cup of tea which I took with me as I would be walking this first bit before leaving Vickie and the road and heading into Wollemi National Park.

It started with a climb, just short and sharp to get me up on the top of the Wolgan Valley, apparently the longest valley in the world. Longest or not it was spectacular none the less and I got intermittent views through the tree line as I crossed the top of its western side.



I hobbled a fair bit, this glute problem is getting better, but it was still there. It wasn’t until I reached the far side of the BNT trail that crossed over the top that there was a shift, I had to jog a little as the decent was so steep that I was unable not to. This is where I found I had no problems as such, so as I reached the bottom I just kept on going. Then feeling was amazing, I had missed it so much. It was then that I came across the gorge and the day just got better.

The trail ended up in the valley floor, winding its way through the trees following the creek. I had that feeling that no one had been through here for a while, at least not on foot anyway. It’s a great feeling that, and I imagined what it must have been like when the first western man ventured through the land.

My day dreaming came to a halt when I startled a herd of wild goats; well they startled me more like it. I just seem to be coming across everything wild while in the wild…..funny that!

I left the tree coverage and was now into pastures, still in the valley, and now the land was free from obstructions I could see the dramatic cliffs that make this place so special.

With 1km left to go I came across Crown Station. I approached with caution, like I always do, your never quite sure what sort of response you are going to get if there is anyone around, or if there’s a farmers dog or dogs.

I saw the farmer and yelled “G’day” with a “G’day” back I felt safe that his two dogs would be kept under control.

He was an Italian goat farmer not sure if he liked me being there or not, but whatever he was talking about, the pitch sounded friendly and I made my way to the finish for the day.



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