Saturday 12 June 2010 - First Time in the Dark - well for 2010 at least!

"The Crack" - between Brooklyn and Cowan

Seeing as we got through last week so well it was time to up the ante again - this week was a double leg and a significant part of the first leg was done in the pre-dawn darkness. It was an opportunity for AJ to experience an extended walk on the trail in the dark, and an opportunity for the rest of us to refresh their memory. Just to make sure it wasn't too easy we decided to combine the darkness with the first two legs.

Back on the Trail - Cowan to Berowra

 
One of the trail’s many water features and a “fork in the road”


Time to see if the independent training has paid off. After the absolute soaking Sydney has received over the past 3-4 weeks it was with great pleasure we awoke at 0500 this morning to find dry ground and clear skies. So into the cars and off to the trail we went. In a bid to test ourselves on the section that caused us so much grief last time out we decided on the Cowan to Berowra leg again - we also figured this might be one the drier underfoot legs due to the more hilly terrain. 

Independent Training

Well it is hard to believe that it has been over six weeks since our last post. This period has been a bit fractured from a team training perspective with various members distributed around the country and the globe. What it has given us though is the opportunity for some independent training to work on our fitness and getting over those troublesome "niggling" injuries.

With the outside temperatures regularly getting over 45 deg during AJ's trip to Oman it meant lots of indoors training. While the treadmills and cross-trainers around the world got a good workout, the team has also returned to the office stairwell with a vengeance. With 15 floors in the building it is amazing how many stairs there are between the top and bottom. There is nothing like a few snappy circuits to get the blood pounding during a lunch break. While the first few days can be murder on your calves (just ask AJ) there is huge satisfaction in building up your stamina. With some of the team already up to 10 circuits at least every second day we have high hopes for our ability to survive those "bush staircases" on the trail.

Assuming the trail hasn't washed away with all of the rain in Sydney over the past few weeks, we will be back out there again this coming weekend - hope to see you there!

While the gym and stairs help, nothing beats the "great outdoors". These photos shows what the terrain would be like if Oxfam Trailwalk was to be held in Oman!