27 February - Trail Training for 2011 Starts

Well almost exactly 6 months after the 2010 event we have begun trail training for 2011.  A group of enthusiastic walkers have been doing 1 hour lunchtime walks around the North Ryde bush tracks for several months, but this is the start of the trail training.

The team from last year are all back again (Tony R, Tony P, Fred and AJ), but with a number of new walkers expressing interest we are hopeful of a larger team pool when it comes time to nominate for Oxfam Trailwalker 2011.



Our first walk on Sunday 27 February was attended by Tony R, AJ and a new comer - Deborah.  Deb is no stranger to arduous physical activity having recent ridden her bike from Sydney to Ceduna and back!  After that the first leg should just be a stroll in the park.

Not wanting to go too hard too early we opted for a more leisurely 0700 start at Brooklyn.  Despite not seeing it for 6 months, the concrete climb at the start of the leg has not got any easier (or is it that I am just not as fit?).  Despite the 6 month break, we made it up the hill without stopping - our first achievement.

With the weather still warm at this time in the morning it didn't take long to get warmed up and we progressed at a steady pace.  A couple of short rest stops were required along the way but we eventually arrived at Cowan Station in just a fraction over 3 hours - off our pace from the Event last year, but still a very credible time.  It will be intereting to see how we go when we tackle the steeper terrain of the second leg in coming weeks.

Sunday 27 February 2011
THE WALKERS:  AJ, Deborah, Tony R


THE STATS
Start – Cp1
Start Time: 6:58am
Duration: 3:01:15
Finish Time: 9:59am
Distance: 13.63km

Average Pace: 13.18 min/km
Average Speed: 4.5 km/h


Total Time: 3.01:15
Total Distance: 13.63km