Werribee Line. (Part 2). Seaholme to Werribee.
SEAHOLME. 30/6/2018. Run 157. 25.7 km.
Lucky to get a ride with Mary to Seaholme as she was on her way to Torquay to do the surf coast half marathon. Cold morning and drop off point was about 400 m from the station so had a short warm up run. Got my selfie at Seaholme and headed off. Met another runner early in the run and took the rare opportunity to run with someone for about 15 mins. Too early to catch the Westgate punt so had to do the extra distance under the bridge and up to Footscray Rd. From there headed back into the city. Past Telstra Dome and stopped for a drink in Docklands before crossing the Yarra at Charles Grimes Bridge. Started to rain as I got to Fitzroy but it really doesn’t matter that late in a run, took a phone call from my daughter to organise travel for the weekend. Quick call to update Age reporter of my last run before she published her story. Then back to Torquay to watch my wife finish her half marathon.
ALTONA. 2/6/2018. Run 147. 22.1 km.
Can feel that winter is coming as only 4 degrees this morning. More strange looks as I caught train in my running shorts and t-shirt to Flinders and then onto Altona. Nice area for a run with parks and water features making it a enjoyable run - once I was warm. A little bit tricky finding the best spot to cross the rail line but managed at Newport station and from there I headed towards the punt to cross the river. Called in to see a work mate in Williamstown but not home so kept going. No waiting for the punt and using punt saved me a few kilometers (my challenge - my rules. Punt allowed). Westgate Park under the bridge is much more pleasant during daylight hours. Nearly tripped over on the steps in Beacon Cove not concentrating but part from that, easy run back to Elwood.
WESTONA. 3/11/2018. Run 188. 27.6 km.
Picked a shorter weekend run as off to Derby Day with Mary so had a tight turn around. Decided to take Uber straight to Westona to save time and got there by 7:00 am. This meant I would be too early for the weekend punt so had to take th elong way back through Footscray. Decided to take a different way to normal from this side of town so ended up going up Millers Rd then cutting through South Kingsville to get to Melbourne Rd and under th efreeway. From there I reconnected with familiar surroundings and headed into th ecity. Ran with a guy in the city who was training for a 50km run and was off to Lakeside Park to see his son in the high jump. Don’t get to run with like-minded people all that often. Back home for a quick turn around to get back to North Melbourne to meet my wife. Almost had a sensational day when Loads and I all but got a big quaddie - so close and yet so far.
LAVERTON. 7/7/2018. Run 159. 30.5 km.
Haven’t had too many bad weather days but today certainly qualified. Very windy and some waves of rain made me reconsider running at all. Was initially planning a run from Belgrave but because the strong winds were coming from the West I decided to swap to Laverton so I didn’t have to run into that wind. Added to that was a number of train routes that had buses replacing trains and my decision was made. Arrived at Laverton and immediately got belted by wind and rain so had to hide inside station to wait for a small break to start. Initially ran along the Princes Hwy and then onto Federation trial. Nice running trial despite th eweather. Crossed under the Westgate / Rind Rd interchange via a tunnel that goes for about 80 m. Cut back onto Geelong Rd and then onto Buckley St and towards Footscray. Through the city and took the opportunity to try a new way through Middle Park that didn’t really work, but no damage done. By the time I got to Elwood I had been running so long that the weather had improved to the point it was a nice day to start a run.
AIRCRAFT. 18/8/2018. Run 170. 30.5 km.
This is the train station across the road from the RAAF base near Laverton. It was only a kilometre down the road from Laverton station that I had run about 5 weeks earlier so felt like I knew the way. Another ugly day overall but I did get a window of OK weather to complete the run. Uber was again the best way to get into Southern Cross as no trains on Sandringham line. Uber driver was a teacher from Elwood school and was very interested in my challenge - makes for good conversation. Easy run until I got onto the Federation trial. As I emerged from the tunnel noticed that the track was covered in water from all the rain in the last 24 hours. Thought for a minute I would have to backtrack, but in the end I tipped around on higher ground. All good except for the wet feet and the remaining 22 km. Stopped to refuel about half way and same run as Laverton except I avoided the Middle Park mistake and kept to Canterbury Rd. One more stop for a drink and home by 11 am due to the early start. Only 40 more runs to go.
WILLIAMS LANDING. 15/9/2018. Run 174. 31.8 km.
Third run from 4 from out this way and yet another bad weather day. Maybe coincident or maybe it rains everyday in Western Melbourne? Problem is weather is bad all weekend so I guess its was now or never. Got a ride to Elsternwick with Mary and at Williams Landing by 9:50 am. Lost my running glasses in South Africa so borrowed Mary’s spare pair, not ideal fit. Put my phone in a plastic bag to protect from rain but messy due to high winds which made checking directions even harder. Finally got onto Federation Trial near corner of Palmers Rd and Sayers Rd so less need to check directions - one less issue to worry about. Couple of small detours due to construction and still some water covering the trail. Eventually back onto Ballarat Rd and things started to get easier. Dropped one of my water bottles without realizing so had to stop once to buy water and then again in South Melbourne where I got free water from a friends place. Not too much rain so could have been worse - off to daughters hockey Grand Final and then to footy final at the MCG. Go Pies. Big day.
HOPPERS CROSSING. 14/7/2018. Run 161. 35.7 km.
Another New record long run but even then, there are 16 of the last 49 runs that are longer still. Another day of no trains on the Sandringham line resulted in another Uber ride, maybe they should have sponsored this challenge. Another run from the West and this time I linked up with the beginning of the Federation trial (I think). Got onto Old Geelong Rd and it took me a while to find a gap in the fence in order to access the path onto Federation Trial. Initially a dirt path but then turned into proper concrete path then asphalt. About 14 km of following the trail with only 5 major road crossings makes for a easy run. Got back onto Geelong Rd and stopped at Milk Bar for hydration and sugar hit. Weather not too bad but thirty work. Straight forward trip through the city but once I got to Middle Park I took Kerferd Rd down to the beach where I knew there would be plenty of drinking fountains. The last 5 km felt more like 10 as legs were were starting to feel the effects of a long mid week run with only 3 days break. Spacing out the really long runs will be part of the challenge towards the end.
WERRIBEE. 9/12/2018. Run 196. 38 km.
One of the last of the end of line runs and certainly feeling like the finish line is in sight. Logistics of this run a bit simpler as did Sunday run and was able to be dropped at station by wife on the way home from Torquay. Only 21 degrees so picked a good day in summer to do a long run. Forgot headphones so back to manual checking of directions and thought it would be a bit easier than it turned out. Messy route going through Woodville as Warringa Cresent Reserve hard to navigate. Finally got back onto Powell Drive that took me back to Hoppers Crossing. Although it was 5 months since the Hoppers Crossing run, I remembered where the gap in the fence was and from then on it was easy to follow Federation Trial. Got to Doherty’s Rd and turned off to head towards the Sunday afternoon punt. Roadworks made Freeway crossing a bit tricky as had to climb over a few barriers which made it more like a Tough Mudder. Along Blackshaws Rd and into Spotswood to catch the ferry. Made it in plenty of time and the ferry driver even remembered me from a previous crossing. Found yet another way through Westgate Park and back onto the beach. Lots happening beachside on a Sunday as passed dance festival in Catani Gardens and food trucks in Elwood. Some big runs ahead but I’ve got this.