Friday, August 25, 2006

August 24 - Yarra Boulevard

Today's run was from work to Victoria Gardens where I was meeting my other half, so instead of running the direct route I decided to add a few extra kilometre's to start pushing my runs out a bit.

Anyway I headed down the usual path of Heidelberg Road to Chandler Highway, running in a constant drizzle the whole way. I wore the Brooks tights again, however it was my hands that were quite cold and I neglected any gloves. The mild weather from last week had definitely left me unprepared.

From Chandler Highway I went into Yarra Boulevard, which for those from interstate or os is an undulating road that follows the Yarra River with lots of twists and turns through Kew, Hawthorn and Abbotsford. During good weather this is a great trail run on dirt trails along the waters edge, through trees and on the other side of the river is a golf course, Collingwood Children's Farm and then finally the CUB Brewery.

Unfortunately the weather was a constant drizzle, with some heavier patches of rain, so I stayed off the trail and ran along the footpath. It's not a busy road at all, so it's about as close to fresh air as you can get in the inner 'burbs. I didn't mind the rain at all, and it felt good to be able to get a few extra kilometres under my belt.

All up it was a 10.5km run which I completed in 58 minutes flat, so a nice pace held throughout.

It definitely made the $10 steak at the Royston Hotel taste that much better, and washed down with a nice Cab Merlot!