Run 14 – Route 1 Tram Race. 15/06/2019.
Time to run another of the tram routes, this time the apparently lovely route 1 from Coburg to Lygon St, through the city and finally to South Melbourne Beach. Should have been beautiful but so much construction along the way.
Caught the tram at the South Melbourne end and got off at Melbourne Uni to start the run. Ran to the other end of the track in Coburg. Took a selfie and spoke to the tram driver of the 11:24 am tram into the city who told me travel time to South Melbourne Beach was about an hour. The race was on.
I took off with a 3 minutes head start and was still even by the time we got to Moreland Rd. I was able to keep within sight for the next few kilometers but a lack of peak hour traffic on a Saturday morning meant I eventually lost tram #1.
Nice downhill run through Carlton and past the cemetery and Melbourne Uni, but the early tram chase had flattened me a bit and by the time I got into the city it was starting to hurt.
Saw the same number 1 tram about 2km from the end, as it was heading back towards the city, and the tram driver recognised me – ringing his bell and waving at me – not sure if he was cheering me on, or rubbing my nose in his win. Either way, nice gesture.
In the end the tram spurred me on to a new record of 1:43:27. Slight downhill and GPS advantage of running through the CBD – but I will take it.
My Three Learnings
Chasing trams is not a good race strategy.
Fast at the start does not result in fast at the end.
Saturdays and downhill definitely a fast combination.