Poo, poles and people on the Peninsula

In case you missed my last blog post, I've signed up for my first ultramarathon. This means I'm running a fair bit.

Last weekend's long run was 29ks, a distance I've done in training a handful of times before. But this time it felt different. It hurt a bit more than usual. (I suspect it hurt more because I had a massage on Friday. That's a whole other story. Note to self: write blog post about Friday's massage.)

So I preoccupied myself however I could on my run from Sandgate to the Redcliffe Peninsula and back.

I didn't feel great when I left my car even though the sun coming up over the bay was a pretty nice thing to look at.

I stopped and stretched a couple of times on the foreshore, and more seriously when I got a twinge in my glute when running across the Ted Smout Bridge.

There's a whole lot of bridge right there... I could have counted light poles to keep me occupied for over 3ks worth of run.

I didn't count light poles because by the time I got to the bridge I'd noticed a lot of dog poo and I was keeping tabs on that. This one, scattered along a few metres of the path, was the tenth poo in around 10ks.

Doesn't anyone pick up their dog's poo around here?

Before long I was at the turnaround up near the Redcliffe SLSC. Finally I felt good. From there I ran strongly and got a bit more of a sense of humour.

At the 20k mark I ran passed a couple of blokes walking a small dog.
Me:  "Morning!"
Them: "How you going?"
Me:  "Umm.." Pulled this face :-/ and shrugged. Then laughed.
Them:  They laughed too.

Then on the way back over the Ted Smout Bridge, an aging rockstar type dude on an equally aging pushy pulled up beside me.
ARSTDOEAP: "Nice to see someone without ear plugs in!"
Me:  "I never wear ear plugs when I run. I like to be aware of my surroundings."
ARSTDOEAP: "I couldn't agree more."
(pause)
ARSTDOEAP: "Where did you run from this morning."
Me: "Sandgate"
ARSTDOEAP: "I live near 14th Ave. I just rode up to the lagoon for a swim."
Me: "Nice way to spend Sunday morning."
ARSTDOEAP: "I like to do it most mornings. Except when I have to work. I don't have to work today."

I wondered whether he was going to share his whole life story with me. He didn't (and I was glad for that). He bid me adieu and rolled away.

Tomorrow's long run is 32ks. I wonder what adventure awaits.