I am enjoying my two weeks off...but I do get a little anxie when I dont walk. The club run/walk this week is one of my favorites. Its almost 10km and it goes out along the road, then onto gravel road, grass path and lastly down onto the beach. So you always dig out your oldest pair of shoes as you know they are going to get wet and sandy.
I was planning on just taking it easy but I just couldnt get my style going at the pace the other walkers were going so I picked it up to catch up with my friend who was jogging ahead. When I caught her she flitted between me and the walker behind so it was good company. I was also trying out a hydration belt that she had loaned me. I am a stickler for not taking water with me for longer walks and I was not sure if I would like something on my hips. I am pleased to say that I hardly noticed it and will certainly be buying one for myself.
When we came off the road (about 4km) we headed out around the Airport and onto the gravel road. Its nice around here and you get to watch planes coming and going. We carried along til the path turns on to the grass pathway......more like a sheeps trail and its a little hard under foot for racewalking...but it makes for an interesting walk. At the 7km mark we turn off from the path and head down onto the beach. The tide was out which was good as the river would have been rather deep to cross, it was still ankle deep and about 50m to paddle across. You had places you could jump between but you already had old shoes on so best to just splash on through. Once you get through the wee river crossing you move on to the beach front. Today the sand was really soft and boggy (you sank up to your shoe tops as you plow through) so there was a lot of zig zagging along the beach to find the hard sand. This really gets your heart rate pumping as you try to keep your pace up. Plus as you round to the front beach you have to pick your way though people sun bathing and family's out playing. I think most of them were more amused at us as there was lots of pointing and giggling at our walk styles......and many kids mimicking us as we went past. I think many of the men runners/walkers struggled to get past the last 100m on the beach due to a group of attractive sunbathers that diverted their attentions...hahaha.....
Once you reach the end of the beach you pop back up onto the main road, race down behind the little library and on to where to we all started.
My time was 1:03:05 and for that course I was happy with that. Then it was pack up and head for home as my granddaughter was coming for the night. A great day all round.
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