Run 29 – Exploring Torquay. 11/08/2019
Torquay is a beautiful beachside town during the majority of the year. But during a polar vortex blast it is uncomfortably close to the South Pole. Saturday was a disaster weatherwise and whilst Sunday was only marginally better, it was my last opportunity for a weekend run.
I normally warm up after a couple of kilometers but today it was only a few minutes before my feet were wet and starting to go numb. I was pushing into a 50 km/hr wind (approx only) and this was making things worse. 3 km in I noticed that my heart rate had hit 176 which was a new record – not in a good way. Either my garmin was struggling to take accurate readings in the weather or my heart was struggling. I hoped it was the Garmin.
Got away from the shoreline and got a bit of cover from the wind gusts and finally was able to target a steady pace. Past the front beach and then meandered around the city and finally ran back past the quintessential surf shops that make Torquay. Had to wait a minute or two for the rain to stop to get my selfie. Headed back towards the beach and onto a dirt road that headed to Brimlee, but the further I went the thicker the mud got. Gave up and turned around and headed home – still roughly adhering to my steady 5:30 pace.
Think this now rates as the worst weather of the challenge. Sometimes just surviving a run is a victory in itself. Ran a 1:53:46 but just glad it was over.
My Three Learnings
Hypothermia seriously limits your speed.
Strong headwinds slow you up more than strong tailwinds speed you up.
Thick mud – good for wrestling, bad for running.