I am in the third, and last, week of a break from swim coaching. This has meant free Thursday afternoons and “good” ideas. Last week I came up the two hour challenge. I have still to do the two hour run and the two hour swim .. but I will. This week I looked up different trail maps around Darwin. There are three areas I can explore. My plan is to pick a trail area; explore it by mountain bike then back up with a run in the area. I began with the Lee Point area which I am reasonably familiar with.

The ride was pleasant, and the run began that way also.

Afternoon views: Lee Point and Buffalo Creek

However the date should have warned me (if I was of superstitious bent). I stumbled late in the run, just as the light was fading and just near this abandoned defence installation – an omen?

Abandoned defence installation: Lee Point

As a result of the fall I lost my glasses which I discovered 200m or so on in the trail. I went back to find them but the fading light defeated me. This lead me to finishing my run in the dark. I made my way cautiously in poor light to the spot I locked up my bike, BUT there the true challenge began for the older would be athlete; without glasses I could not see the numbers on my combination lock to unlock it. Several minutes of fumbling with my phone and fiddling with the lock proved futile so I put away my embarrassment and walked over to a family bbq-ing in the adjacent nature park and asked for a torch … and a pair of eyes.  Both were provided with a smile and I rode home to plan out another day.