Training hike: Cecilia Forest
Karin doing some speedwork on the jeep track!
Nov 16 2009
I seldom feel more alive than when I'm on the mountain. After a pretty lousy start to today (it's Monday), I decided to take a break from my laptop and go for a quick walk in Cecilia Forest. My excuse - the dog needed a walk and dad is out of town this week ( he usually walks her at night in addition to any bonus hiking or running she gets from me).
So I decided on what I call my 'training hike' in Cecilia Forest. It follows the jeep track up from the car park then sharp left upwards and endlessly upwards to a little clearing (if you turned right and further upwards it would take you to the top of the mountain via Ceclia Ridge). But at this point there are great views and it makes a nice rest and halfway point. When I first dubbed this my training hike several years ago when I was half-heartedly trying to get fit by occasionally just hiking (ha, ha, ha) it used to take me around 45 minutes to get to the top or the halfway mark. I'd usually rest quite a bit plus several water breaks. More recently, since I'd started running and training more regularly, it took me 37 minutes. Today I was surprised to get to the top in a record 33 minutes. Nice. Took a few sips from the camelbak on the way up and stopped briefly at each of the (3) fast flowing streams so that Karin (the dog) could take a drink.
A record time for me but did make me realise that I need to put a lot more work in on the trails before the Cape Summer Trail Series (www.trailseries.co.za). I was walking up the kind of terrain that most trail runners casually jog up! To make up for my feelings of inadequacy (joke) I jogged most of the way down. Exhilarating!
I was surprised by how many other people, dogs and horses I encountered today. I usually have this section of the mountain to myself. And it's gotta be the first time I've seen horses here! Bashed my knee jumping over some trees across the path probably brought down by last week's hectic rain. Ouch.
Wish I had the time (and energy:-) to get out there for this particular walk every day!
I seldom feel more alive than when I'm on the mountain. After a pretty lousy start to today (it's Monday), I decided to take a break from my laptop and go for a quick walk in Cecilia Forest. My excuse - the dog needed a walk and dad is out of town this week ( he usually walks her at night in addition to any bonus hiking or running she gets from me).
So I decided on what I call my 'training hike' in Cecilia Forest. It follows the jeep track up from the car park then sharp left upwards and endlessly upwards to a little clearing (if you turned right and further upwards it would take you to the top of the mountain via Ceclia Ridge). But at this point there are great views and it makes a nice rest and halfway point. When I first dubbed this my training hike several years ago when I was half-heartedly trying to get fit by occasionally just hiking (ha, ha, ha) it used to take me around 45 minutes to get to the top or the halfway mark. I'd usually rest quite a bit plus several water breaks. More recently, since I'd started running and training more regularly, it took me 37 minutes. Today I was surprised to get to the top in a record 33 minutes. Nice. Took a few sips from the camelbak on the way up and stopped briefly at each of the (3) fast flowing streams so that Karin (the dog) could take a drink.
A record time for me but did make me realise that I need to put a lot more work in on the trails before the Cape Summer Trail Series (www.trailseries.co.za). I was walking up the kind of terrain that most trail runners casually jog up! To make up for my feelings of inadequacy (joke) I jogged most of the way down. Exhilarating!
I was surprised by how many other people, dogs and horses I encountered today. I usually have this section of the mountain to myself. And it's gotta be the first time I've seen horses here! Bashed my knee jumping over some trees across the path probably brought down by last week's hectic rain. Ouch.
Wish I had the time (and energy:-) to get out there for this particular walk every day!
