Running Home!

Growing up in Mooroopna I spent a fair bit of time in the bush and hanging out on the banks of the Goulburn River. Whislt I hadn't started doing much running when I first moved away from there, years later when I returned It became my favourite place to run. Back then there was as sealed bike path from Mooroopna to Shepparton through the bush. As a person who liked the solitude when running I can remember being a little disappointed as more and more sealed bike paths went in around the bushland.

Despite seeing more people whilst out bush it is still is a great place to run and of course there are still many dirt tracks to get into it. My favourite run had to be leaving near Princess Park in Shepparton and straigh across the bridge where you duck under the bridge and head off along the river towards Gemmill Swamp. Eventually you end up at the back of the Mooroopna Golf Club. If your feeling brave you can duck through the golf course and end up at the old Mooroopna Hospital. From here it is back on the bike path to Shepparton.

(Map says 11.3 but it is a bit further as I couldn't get it to show the path under the bridge)

As my parents have now moved to a different part of Shepparton I now get out on the tracks behind the Shepparton Golf Club. On a recent run there I had forgotten about the recent rain and found a billabong full and being short on time it was going to be quicker to cross it rather than back track. It made for an interesting last few KMs with wet shoes.

One thing I love about the bush tracks in Mooroopna/Shepparton is that they aren't as rocky as the ones around Bendigo and just feel a bit softer under foot.

Mt Tarrengower Maldon

It’s become a bit of a tradition at our Grade 3 camp at Maldon to run up to the lookout on top of Mt Tarrengower. The whole run from the camp is a 9km return run. Mt Tarrengower is quite well known for the Mt Tarrengower Historic Hill Climb. The climb itself is listed as a 2km climb with an average gradient of 9.8%. Of course getting to the start of the climb is nearly all uphill from the Bluelight Camp where we stay.

Each year the plan is to get to the top ready for sunrise (and then to get back down before the kids wake up). In the past I have forgotten to take my phone with me to capture the beautiful sunrise that comes up over Mt Alexander. This year I remembered and I made it to the top just after the sun had come up. Maybe I left a few minutes later than in the past, or more likely I am just slowing down.

The lookout tower provides some great 360 degree views. Pity I don’t have the time to stay there and really take in the views before the quad smashing descent. The worst thing about the way down is that when you reach the bottom of the climb you have to run up a short sharp hill that brings you back to Maldon-Bridgewater rd. Your legs are gone and you feel uncoordinated running back up the hill.