Port Melbourne to Sandridge SLC

The run from Port Melbourne to Sandridge Surf Lifesaving Club takes in the more 'ugly' side of Port Melbourne.  

A more industrial - less traveled path where you feel like you could easily run to Williamstown in about ten minutes (that is if you could walk on water).  In reality I will never run to Williamstown.

I like its lack of tourists, slow (to no) walkers and contrasting scenery from highrises at the beginning to parkland near the club.  

On some occasions you feel like its just you, twenty seagulls, a couple of fishermen and massive container ships steamrolling into the Port. This is the working side of Hobson's bay.  The water can smell and as you pass the newly rebuilt princes pier I often contemplate just hiding out there for my run and turning it into a circuit.  

This is where I normally pick out a container ship on its way into the Port of Melbourne and see if I can beat it to the mouth of the Yarra.  Ultimately in most cases NO... Infact probably two or three boats could pass me.  

RUN STATS: 

Name: Beacon Cove (Port Melbourne) to Sandridge Surf Lifesaving Club return
Distance: 3ks approx
Path: designated footpath
Calories burnt: approximately 250 - 300

My husband is not a weatherman

To be blunt my husband is not a weatherman!

Ideally I like to get my runs out of the way early.  Otherwise I have several conversations with myself as to why I shouldn't run or don't need to.  

On this occasion I'd left it to the last minute to squeeze a run in because the weather had been crazy and was meant to 'clear' in the afternoon.  Sure I have two fingers and know how to use bom (an Australian weather site) but trusting my husbands capabilities on reading a radar map I decided to hit the pavement.  

I probably had less than 30 minutes before I needed to start the kids baths and get something resembling dinner on the stove.  The 3k run to Sandridge Surf Lifesaving club and back was probably all I had time for.   

The first ten minutes or so where fine but as I reached the more parkland component of the run (ie the part with no structures) it decided to hail!!!!!  Yep hail.  Surely this would have appeared on the website?   As I crouched under a tree my thoughts of what hail would look like on a radar map were running through my head. 

Thankfully the hail didn't last too long so I decided turn back towards home. As I made it to a children's playground the hail came again.  

Whilst adopting the Crouching Dragon Hidden Tiger move I snapped the following shot to prove to my husband exactly what he had sent me out in.   Bad decision!  The water got into the battery charging socket and stuffed my phone for a good week!  

Next time.. I'll just read radar maps myself. 

(Saturated on a Sunday)

RUN STATS: 

Name: Beacon Cove (Port Melbourne) to Sandridge (Surf Lifesaving Club) return
Distance: 3ks approx
Path: designated footpath
Calories burnt: approximately 250 - 300

Faithful: Port Melb - Kerford Rd Return

I live in an amazing place!  

Port Melbourne is beautiful... Sure a cruddy beach but a beautiful esplanade with running paths to dream of.  

As you run you've got the majestic Pacific ocean at your doorstep.  Your mind can wonder to so many things.

I love watching the hundreds of tourists get ready to depart on the Spirit.  Or the thousands of tourists who arrive on the cruise ships in the summer trying to understand how the trams work and where to exchange money. You encounter the odd homeless person sleeping on the park-benches or on a hot day think about those girls prancing in bikini's they probably shouldn't be wearing. 

You can run for kilometers down the Esplanade to St Kilda and beyond.  Watch the container ships navigate the bay before coming into the Port.  Or watch the normally still bay turn into waves in the wild weather.  

The Port Melbourne to Kerford Road pier run is my 'at home' faithful.  In thirty minutes I can be there and back ensuring I've exercised for the day, got some sanity and enjoyed some beautiful scenery.  

In my head it is really broken up into several stages (you'll laugh because each stage is only like 500m but unfortunately that is how my brain works).

• Beacon Cove to Bay Street
• Bay Street to Port Melbourne Life Saving Club
• Port Melbourne to South Melbourne Life Saving Club
• South Melbourne Life Saving Club to the Playground (awesome playground at that)
• South Melbourne Playground to Kerford Rd (and return)

To be honest it is probably smaller than this again but I wont spare you the finer details.  

The run is different depending on the time of day you go.  In the morning you get to watch the street turn from empty to full.  Watch the balloons appear over head or the Spirit or cruise ships come in for the day.  By evening you get the amazing view of the Westgate bridge sparkling in the night with the traffic heading home from a long day. 
   

RUN STATS: 

Name: Beacon Cove (Port Melbourne) to Kerford Road (Albert Park) return
Distance: 4ks
Path: designated footpath
Calories burnt: approximately 300 - 400

Life for me is about living it LARGE.

Life for me is about living it LARGE.    

I need to get the most out of the precious time I have and have a good time whilst doing it.  I’m one of those people who are always planning the next adventure before the last one has ended. 

Running is an adventure for me.  Not one I love being on but one that I know gets me moving.  It can take me places I wouldn’t normally go, or see things that I wouldn’t have seen from my armchair.

 

In 2010, I decided to get my butt of the couch and go for a run.  My husband was training for a marathon and I could barely run 100 meters.  I thought I was fit BUT the thought of moving my legs at a fast pace to what many may call a run was incomprehensible to me.  That was until I saw the treadmill classified a jog as 6k’s per hour.  I was walking at 5.7 so I could do 6... I would do 6! 

I remember my first kilometer on the treadmill... willing the meters to pass as I would held onto the side rails. I kept rationalizing it in my head that if my husband could run 42 I can run one. Within three months I was running 6ks at the Ben Donohoe Fun Run in Canberra.  It was bloody hard work getting there and when I did I wouldn't say it was the most graceful sight. 

Now I know I can do 4ks no problem.  6ks is fine.  I’ve done eight and even ten on my own free will.  I’ve run around the TAN (Botanic Gardens), along the parade, through the zoo, along Flinders street and to the base of the Bolte bridge. 

As a runner I feel like I’m trapped in a Zebras body. I’m not even sure what that means! 

I have short, stumpy legs and not overly graceful when I run. When I run in a group I feel like I’m the one that is standing out for looking awkward (like everyone else is in black shirts and mine is a stripe).  If the jungle has running race we all know the zebra wouldn’t win the race but would give it a good try and probably not finish last.  He’d be the one to stopped at the waterhole or smelling the roses to catch a sneaky breath!

I am LARGE 

Of the LARGER variety

Big boned

Been blessed with my fathers genetics.

 

Perhaps this is why I always feel ‘odd’ running as I do not have a runners build.  You wont see me prancing around in short shorts and a crop top or skins. I doubt I will ever float through the air, gracefully glide or even finish anywhere near the front of the pack in a race.  That wont stop me getting out there and giving it a go.

This blog is essentially what motivates me.

Some of the sites I see are pretty amazing but I need to see them to push myself to keep going.  I am far from a motivated runner.   I pick unusual paths or run on days when I know it is going to be different.  I’ll purposely go and run in the rain because it is a good distraction or constantly update my ‘play list’ to keep me guessing.  I’ll get my husband to come and pick me up because the thought of a return trip is not my idea of fun.

 

It is about running life being large.