Ten Bridges STaR

After waking up with a rather crook neck, strained muscle/nerve, I decided to forego Quarry Track, figuring the STaR would be less jarring on the body.
I wanted to go longer than the 29kms that was the STaR so arrived there at 5:20 am and clocked up a 6km warm up. It was bloody cold too, -2C at Richmond and about 6C in the city.
I ran with headlamp around the oval at Longueville peninsula, getting some funny looks from the garbos on their early morning shift.
The plan was to hook up with Virtual and the 6am group for an easy 30km. Turned out Virtual was late turning up so I set off with Blue Dog and a packed 6am group. The pace was easy to begin with but as soon as we crossed the Harbour Bridge it was on. Having not ran with the 6am group for a long time I was fully expecting a relaxed morning, fact was the pace hovered around sub 5min pace for a long time through Balmain and beyond. I was happy to be pulled along however, and never struggled to stay on pace. The ibuprofen I had popped earlier was doing its job and although in a mild state of discomfort (read pain) I was happy to be running at all.

The pace stayed honest up and over the Gladesville bridge and into Hunters Hill, I wasn't surprised not seeing the 6:10 group at all. Blue Dog was good company here and we stayed together to the end. A good climb through familiar territiory from my lunchtime runs and a last section through the bush and we were home.
With the garmin registering 35km, I quickly grabbed some fruit from the hosts and headed off for another 5km around the peninsula.

A good mornings run and where I felt strong the whole time, certainly not the bashing I would of been subjected to, had I ran Quarry Track.

Lots of ultra talk and sledging afterwards with the usual suspects and good to see Paul Every joining us for a long run.

40.3km-3.32