Camel impressions at the Vaucluse Variation

The Vaucluse Variation this morning, a bloody hard hitout with lots of hills.

The idea was to get out with the 6.00am group this morning to get in an extra 20 minutes. As luck would have it we just missed the 6.00am group & took off with the 6.10ers for 10 minutes out and back. Not only was the run tough we were dragged along at a good clip by a host of good runners. - Springer, Fats, DB, The Truscotts, Cam Arnold, 26 - bloody nora it was going to be hard going this morning.

2 drink stops for the entire way. First 1 after 60 minutes, the second at Bronte and that was it until we got back to Vaucluse. Highlights were endeavouring to hang onto the group out of Bondi up the hill. Springer passed me on the hill and made ground on the front group. I luckily stopped the rot and kept the main froup in sight to the top of Dover Heights.On the cliffs heading towards Watsons Bay we ran across a footy oval and I could guage that the main pack was about 90 metres in front and Jerry about half that. Springer then took a wrong turn and thankfully (for me) this gave me someone to run with. The 90 metre gap soon became much greater as they attacked the undulating boardwalk section leading into Christison Park and before I knew it they were out of sight. Coming down into Watsons Bay we saw them heading up a headland and they had about 500 meteres into us. We followed them up this section before quickly realising they had missed a turn off.

By the time we backed out and got back on track we soon joined by tham as they took the long road. A firm pace back to the start, a quick drink(it had been 15kms since the last one) and back out for another 5 or 6 minutes, giving a run of 2.33 for just over 33kms. Lots of hills, lots of steps and a solid clip in particular the last 15kms. No eating still all these runs on water alone.

Most impressive though was 26 who was matching it with all the big boys, very impressive. Harping on about Steve will be a common theme over the next few weeks, the guy is on fire at the momemnt, courtesy of a lot of hard work, consistency and persistance over the last 6 months. His love of running is infectuous but just as impressive is his handle on it all, very humble - a great story.