Richard Scutter

Day 28 report ...

Monday 28th Sep

Yesterday was a bit of a KMstone day in that after the walk at Dalmeny I reached my target goal of 200kms for the month with a couple of days remaining. Reporting exercise is now not such an imperative. However, daily exercise is part of my lifestyle and today was a tennis day at Batemans Bay. Tennis is of course a commendable way of keeping fit and one reason for participating in this event was to encourage others to do likewise regardless of sport. After tennis I went to Melville Point at Tomakin with Maureen to view whales. We sat at the back of the van and there were plenty to see.

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The Dalmeny to Narooma shared pathway

Sunday 27th Sep Share

Day 27 details ...

Sunday 27th Sep ... we drove to Dalmeny and then did the walk to Narooma via Kianga ... this is along a wide cycle/walk path about 6.5km each way and you can opt to walk on the adjacent beaches at times ... there were whales galore to see and many were at the lookouts watching their flipping and slapping ... at Narooma we stopped for oysters for lunch before the return to the car ... part of the walk is a memorial to those who lost lives in the first World War ... the facilities along the way and signage is excellent ... and just before the Bridge at Narooma there is a boardwalk ... usually we hear bellbirds in this area but not today. Share

Batemans Bay Park Run ... part of the course ...

Saturday 26th Sep Share

Day 26 ... details ...

Saturday 26th Sep ... it was cold in Canberra this morning and even felt a bit chilly down the coast ... I ran the Batemans Bay not Park Run course which consists of a double 2.5km loop ... a stiff westerly was blowing ... a few other Park Runners were also out and about ... the course runs alongside the waterfront and it is quite scenic ... it also passes the JJs cafe ... you have to go passed it four times ... it was so nice to go in after the run and have breakfast with Maureen ... 5km (a rather slow 5km) Share

Day 25 ... exercise details -

Friday 25th Sep I went jogging and walking from Batehaven, NSW to four local beaches ... Surf Beach, Denhams, Sunshine Cove, and Caseys... of note was a pod of dolphins close in at Denhams ... the image is the beach at Sunshine Cove ... a speical area as at one time we had a Duplex opposite a track that led down to the beach. 10km Share

Along the Bingi Dreamland track

Thursday 24th Sep Share

Day 24 activity report ...

Thursday 24th Sep ... I went with Maureen to the Eurobodalla National Park south of Moruya to walk part of the Bingi Dreamland track ... it runs all along the coast line with sections along beaches ... Maureen was keen to see some whales and she was not disappointed ... we also encountered plenty of kangaroos ... we took our time to cover over 11kms and had lunch sitting in the back of the van with the sea-scape in the background. Share

Day 23 details ...

Wednesday 23rd Sep ... a leisurely walk around Cullendulla Creek, Batemans Bay ... a low lying area with many uprooted trees near the waterfront ... but very pleasant to walk along the boardwalk and see a few water birds ... we were the only visitors and the weather was in the nice low twenties Share

'The Long Run' ... report on Day 22 ...

Tuesday 22nd Sep

… it was an early morning start from Batehaven across George Bass Drive and into the bush and up the private road that leads to the water treatment plant … I wanted to find tracks that I frequented twenty years ago when I was training for the Sydney marathon, the event used to test out the course for the Olympics … I eventually found the tracks ...  the image is the distinctive Pigeon House Mountain seen through the bush. Distance – 12km

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Day 21 details

Monday 21st Sep ... it was a hot day down the coast ... almost summer weather, 29 degrees ... after playing tennis in the morning ... I walked into the town from Batehaven via Corrigans Beach (see an image from yesterday) ... and then back to the library where Maureen picked me up - distance of 7km Share

Day 20 ...

Sunday 20th Sep Well it was lovely to get early morning rain but it did inhibit getting out early for exercise but our garden is loving it! Share

... and another Day 19 image ...

Saturday 19th Sep ... the first lady coming through the finish line at the not Park Run at Lake Ginninderra ... (and I must add that due to a kind anonymous donation I have beaten my goal of $1000 - thanks supporters) Share

Day 19 details

Saturday 19th Sep ... again a Saturday morning for a not Park Run at Lake Ginninderra, Belconnen ... although I heard Darwin Park Run is about to start again ... quite a few other runners and walkers went out on the course and it was nice to have company and share coffee afterwards with some friends at the local cafe (Birragai) ... in particular it was nice to get offered an individual birthday cake ... Maria was celebrating - one always feel likes celebrating after a good run - and of course that was very appropriate and I couldn't say no! And for something different I have added an image of the treat (and yes it is part of a bars bar on the top) ... Share

Report on Day 18

Friday 18th Sep … well something a little different today … exploring a new suburb close at hand … I went from Lake Ginninderra across Ginninderra Drive and up into the suburb of Lawson named after Henry Lawson a poet and a master of the short story. I then went to the top of Reservoir Hill which is the centre-piece with good views over Belconnen. The suburb is close to a new ‘training’ hospital and Canberra University. The way back was easy going down a street with a long nice running slope and adorned with crab-apples in spring bloom. Distance 6km. Share

Information for overseas readers

Thursday 17th Sep

We live in the ACT (Australian Capital Territory) a self-administered jurisdiction about the size of the county Dorset in England. The population is approaching half a million. It centres on the city of Canberra the seat of Australian government. There are four urban towns that radiated towards the centre. These are Gungahlin, Belconnen, Woden and Tuggerranong. We live in a Belconnen suburb only 5km from the city. It is of course the best of all these satellite towns!

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'The Long Run Report' - Day 17

Thursday 17th Sep ... Well it was time to do some exercise on the south side of Canberra rather that concentrate where we live. We drove to Lake Tuggeranong on the expressway through the morning rush, but it didn’t take long to find parking. Maureen was quick to take a photo of the lake circuit map while I focused across the lake to Mt Taylor. After suitable coffee refreshment at ‘Two Before Ten’ we extended our walk by including Isabella Pond with plenty of noise from frogs in the background. A very pleasant excursion - 10km with a swim later in the day. Share

Summary at the halfway mark (15 September)

Wednesday 16th Sep Share

Details for Day 16 ...

Wednesday 16th Sep ... up for early exercise because of commitments ... I went on the Veterans Walk tracks in the bush behind Calvary Hospital which is only a couple of Km from where we live ... a bit misty but the sun soon broke through ... great that there is this extensive area for exercise at the backdoor of the hospital! 6km Share

Report on Day 15 ...

Tuesday 15th Sep   ... Another brilliant spring morning, I went cycling from Black Mountain Peninsula and had coffee at one of my favourite haunts on the Kingston Foreshore (Cafe 38) ... then suitably stimulated back to the Peninsula for jogging/walking with the Masters Athletics in the 'Tuesday Group'. I went out with a few others towards Scrivener Dam and stopped at the rise to look across Lake Burley Griffin to Government House (the home of the current Governor General David Hurley) where I took a photo. Return distance 7km (Image- Government House is the white building) Share

Details for 14 September

Monday 14th Sep

… up early for a jog/walk in Black Mountain reserve with the sun about to breakup plenty of morning mist. In fact at the top of the Cook cycle path visibility was very poor. However, the day had that spring promise for warmth and it was a most enjoyable time going along some of the tracks I had not been on for quite awhile. I came out at the bridge over the expressway and then down the side of Aranda adjacent to Belconnen Way. And back in plenty of time to see Thiem clinch an amazing victory in the US Open Tennis. The images are at the entrance into Black Mountain near the Bindubi underpass. 9km

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Day 13 in the challenge

Sunday 13th Sep ... I went out to Molonglo Gorge with Maureen, a Nature Park on the border of ACT and NSW ... we had not been there for a long time and found the rocky path intimidating as the light covering of rain made the track a bit slippery ... so we finished off my distance by walking along the river at Glebe Park, Queanbeyan. One thing seen and heard at the Gorge was black cockatoos. Distance for the day 7km.
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'The Long Run' - Day 12 details

Saturday 12th Sep ... another Saturday morning for a no-Park-Run and there were quite a few out to do the 5km on an unofficial basis. It was a stunning still spring morning and this attracted more to just come and run/jog/walk the course. The start of the Lake Ginninderra Park Run is at the John Knight Memorial Park as show in the following photo ... a very scenic route with the Lake always in sight. Share

'The Long Run' ... report on Day 11 ...

Friday 11th Sep

Cook and Aranda ovals are only 1km away from home. Aranda has two ovals and has a much larger surrounding recreational area. The photograph was taken from the second oval looking back over the first towards the Jamison Shops. It was nice soft jogging on the grass and a great warm up for tennis later in the day. Distance 5km.

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'The Long Run' ... report on Day 10 ...

Thursday 10th Sep

I walked the 1.5km uphill through the suburb to the entrance to ‘The Pinnacle’ (Canberra Nature Park). We are lucky to have such a variety of hills in walking distance. It is quite an extensive area with views to the Brindabella mountains. I took ‘the boundary walking trail’ and the photograph was taken along the way. It was a leisurely pace day in pleasant clearing weather and by the time I arrived back home I had covered 8km.

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'The Long Run' - report on Day 9

Wednesday 9th Sep … Oh what a miserable day it has been in Canberra … just like English weather … a foreigner… go back to where you came from … I was glad I had exercised early in the morning going over Aranda Oval across the highway bridge and up to Gossan Hill where I took this photograph looking over the white roof of the Canberra International Swimming and Aquatic Centre and then to ‘The Republic’ multi-high-rise development in the heart of Belconnen. I came back to Macquarie after coming down the Canberra University path and along the side of Lake Ginninderra. Distance 6km Share

'The Long Run' report - Day 8

Tuesday 8th Sep ... I went for a return jog from Black Mountain peninsula to the Parliamentary Triangle ... plenty of walkers, cyclists and runners out and about so care is always needed. The photograph shows Commonwealth Avenue Bridge on the left and across the lake the Flag Pole landmark is clearly visible. It was very pleasant going out but the wind picked up on the return. I was back at the Peninsula in time for a cycle and the 'Masters' meeting. Distance 7km Share

Report on Day 7 ...

Monday 7th Sep ... an early morning start up the Cook cycle path about 2 two degrees on a day promising to be twenty and it did occur. This time I took the left-hand trip via the Bindubi underpass and in to the Black Mountain Reserve. There are many tracks to explore but I eventually found the track adjacent to Aranda housing and then up the hill to the intersection with Canberra Nature Park. The photograph is looking back down the path from that point. From here the cycle path is all down hill to Aranda Oval and back to Macquarie on the outskirts of Jamison shops. You do come close to the 'Two Before Ten' coffee house but I resisted! Share

'The Long Run' ... report on Day 6 (Father's Day)

Sunday 6th Sep

We went out to Mulligans Flat the woodlands nature reserve at the back of Forde, Gungahlin. It is an extensive area and on many of the tracks we had path to ourselves, We were not disappointed in seeing wildlife on the walk. The most interesting creatures were two echidnas who took little notice of us. The reserve is quite high up in places and it was a clear spring sunny morning as seen in the photograph looking down on Gungahlin with the new high rise buildings clearly evident. Distance 7km.

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'The Long Run' - report on Day 5

Saturday 5th Sep

 … The Lake Ginninderra Park Run … although it  is not officially in operation quite a few Park Runners frequently get out on a Saturday morning and run/walk the 5km course … the image shows the spring blossom now in evidence all over Canberra … and part of the cycle path at the start of the course … and it was a magic day again to get out for exercise! … and have coffee afterwards at the local Birrigai Café!

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'The Long Run' - report on Day 4

Friday 4th Sep

 … a circular trip from Macquarie involving Mount Painter … we are very lucky to live close by and when you go up the Cook cycle path you have the choice of venturing towards the Black Mountain reserve or the path on the right which leads to the track up Mount Painter. The image shows the final section to the summit and the Trig point. It is very central with sweeping views all around. Distance 5km.

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'The Long Run' - report on Day 3

Thursday 3rd Sep Share

'The Long Run' ... report on Day 2 ...

Wednesday 2nd Sep 'The Long Run' - report on Day 2 ... I had to get my exercise in early and went for a 5km jog at day break ... involving several laps of Cook Oval which is close by ... as you can see from the image there was light frost on the grass - but thankfully no dogs to interfere ... there are plenty of sporting ovals in Canberra so we are very lucky. Share

'The Long Run' ... report on Day 1 ...

Tuesday 1st Sep ... I was up early for a jog/walk from Macquarie around Lake Ginninderra, Canberra ... quite cool but very still here is a view of the High Rise development from John Knight Park ... with the reflections ... plenty of others out on the Lake circuit ... 11km distance Share

I'm in for some spring momentum

Monday 31st Aug

Dear Facebook Followers,

Springing into action as of tomorrow ...

As mentioned, I have entered ‘The Long Run’ event organised by the Australian Prostate Foundation where I am recording my jog/walk exercise each day over September.

Given my personal history I thought it appropriate to support awareness of prostate cancer. For more information here is a link to my Page on ‘The Long Run Site’ where I will be entering exercise detail.

https://www.thelongrun.org.au/fundraisers/richardscutter/the-long-run

Stay fit and healthy whatever!

Cheers Richard

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Recording Watch

Saturday 15th Aug My recording device for the month is my trusty Garmin watch Share