Run 11 – Alp d’Huez Switchbacks. 6/06/2019
Having highlighted the famous Alp d’Huez in run 9, I decide to replicate the switchback nature of the route. Ran into the city then back out towards Middle Park before starting the “switchback” part of the run. Ran up, and then down, each alternating street between Canterbury Rd and Beaconsfield Pd. This meant crossing over Danks St, in peak hour, about 10 times without the assistance of traffic lights.
Had an easier time of it through the straight section in St Kilda before recommencing the switchback format in Elwood between Ormond Rd and Ormond Esplanade. At one stage running down a skinny alley way that I didn’t even know existed.
Still didn’t test out my new shoes yet as concerned that the multiple switchbacks would wear out the right hand shoe faster than the left and leave me running with a limp. Ran a 1:52:40 which is about right for a Thursday. May be hard to break an hour on a Thursday given it is an inherently slow day.
No selfie this run, just a visual comparison of the run I just completed in Melbourne vs the Alp d’Huez route in France. They are virtually the same. My run was 21.1km whereas Alp d’Huez is 13.8km. Likewise the climb up Alp d’Huez is 1132 m and total climb for my run was 1128 mm, just one small letter m the difference. Classic same, same but different.
My Three learnings
Switchbacks slow you down.
Crossing busy roads without traffic lights can be risky.
Cobblestone alleyways in the dark – you guessed it, slow you down.