Run 5 – Two Bridges (Bolte and Westgate) 15/05/2019
Great opportunity to test the impact of different days, so this week I ran a Wednesday. I didn’t fall over this time but my watch did. Forgetting to charge modern technology is a rookie error and it saw me take off on the run with only 15% battery.
Into the city to start and confirmation that on a Wednesday the Montague St monster intersection still has 7 sets of lights to negotiate. Once I got to the city, I changed my mind and headed back out and along Lorimer St. This took me under the Bolte and then into Westgate park and under the Westgate bridge. Kept running and went under another big bridge which turned out to be the Westgate bridge (again).
Came out at Todd Rd and then headed to Port Melbourne and onto Station Pier. Checked my watch and still hanging in there. Picked up speed along Beaconsfield Parade as no traffic lights until Catani Gardens. Took the scenic beach path through St Kilda but that takes you past the restaurants which is not good when you are hungry. Stopped to get selfie beside the ferris wheel, so many lights that I didn’t need the flash, and onwards toward Elwood when my watch finally gave out. 18.55km out of the full 21.1. Luckily I wasn’t on record pace as I had now lost my Garmin based verification.
I still knew enough about the area to finish the full distance of 21.1km and simple maths tells me I ran about 1:53:21. Took two phone calls whilst running, sounds efficient, but probably meant I wasn’t concentrating on the running.
My three learnings
Charge your watch before you run.
Changing your mind on the course as you go increases the chance you will get lost.
Taking phone calls whilst running causes a loss of focus.