Lets face it. You either love running or your hate it! Some people spring away from bed every morning for a solid 10km run while others imagine the words FUN and RUN don’t belong in the identical sentence! The query is; are you able to learn to find it irresistible? I believe the reply is yes.
I didn’t all the time enjoy running. Over the years I blamed asthma, shin splints and the undeniable fact that I “just wasn’t a runner”. The more I give it some thought I realise that, I just didn’t give it a shot mainly since it bored me to tears. In my mid twenties I used to be on a secondment for an old job over in Sydney and decided to go for a jog and ended up on the pavement from Bondi Beach to Bronte. It was a game changer for me. The surroundings, the fresh air , the view literally modified my life. Prior to the run along those cliffs in New South Wales all of my runs had been done on a treadmill, around a footy oval or trudging through the old neighbourhood along uninspiring footpaths through “Truman Show” style neighbourhoods. Not exactly inspiring stuff!
I find it funny how a visit to Sydney set off a journey of discovery of running tracks through Perth and just quietly… I reckon we now have those Sydneysiders covered. Below are my top 4 running, mountaineering or walking tracks around Perth.
South Fremantle
I’ve been a South Freo local for just a few years now and after I moved into the realm I used to be shocked to find just how good the running tracks between Woodman’s point and Fremantle are. There is a single, uninterrupted pathway all the way in which from Woodman’s Point which follows the coastline for 9.7km, with a well maintained bitumen pathway that weaves north between the ocean and the sand dunes. As you progress north between the Old Power Station and the South Beach Precinct the smell of the thick vegetation that lines the pathway (weirdly) all the time jogs my memory of Rottnest giving that feeling of being on holiday.
Mentally, I prefer to break all of my runs into three parts and this middle section, with its hill climbs and descents turns a pleasant flat aerobic run right into a quad burner. There is a reward at the highest of those hills though and that’s the views of probably essentially the most underrated beaches in WA. Dotted with 100 12 months old shipwrecks (63 in total) the remnants of that are still on the shore. Evidence of Freo’s history is there in abundance in the form of Cattle Runs where stock were transported from big boats to land. The hills last for about 3km after which we’re back to the long run running past the cafes and newly developed high rise apartments.
There is all the time a little bit of a buzz around this section so there is no such thing as a time to rest because we are able to’t be seen slacking off by the a whole bunch of beach goers! The last couple of kilometres takes us into south Fremantle past the yacht clubs and into the fishing boat harbour. The run ends coincidently smack bang outside of the Little Creature’s Brewery. Not a nasty place to attend for an Uber ride home.
The Bridges
A WA institution, running the “Bridges” is THE BEST run for any city slicker. I don’t know who designed the pavement for the Bridges but they’d to be a runner. It’s 10km on the dot. Traditionally the start line for this run is the flag pole at Wesley College boat shed but let’s be honest.. it’s a circle.. you may start anywhere. When starting out with consistent runs just the considered attempting 10km sounds scary but it surely is more achievable than you’re thinking that.
There is a saying that involves mind: “How do you eat an elephant? One mouthful at a time” I don’t mention this because elephants are high in carbohydrates, I don’t recommend actually attempting it. There are distant markers every 200m across the Bridges and tackling a run like this for the primary time needs to be broken down into manageable chunks. You are your individual competition. Forget what everyone else is doing or how briskly or slow they’re going. Jog until you get drained, walk for 200 metres and recuperate. Challenge yourself to jog the subsequent 200 after that. Piece by piece, chunk by chunk, mouthful by mouthful.
As with all Perth running tracks, earlier within the day is best. Perth lays claim to being the third windiest capital city on the world! Think about this when deciding what time you will attempt an extended run for the primary time and which direction to go when the track is a loop as there’s nothing worse than being super drained coming into the second half of your run, turning a bend and being met with the famous Perth sea breeze head on!
Manning Stairs
Another little run south of the river in town of Cockburn is Manning Park. Manning Park is situated north of Azelia Road at Hamilton Hill. Manning Park is taken into account a part of the larger Beeliar Regional Park that encompasses Manning Lake and the limestone ridge to the west of the wetland. There is plenty of history at this site with a museum positioned on site. I often exercise here since it’s just so versatile with a lake to run around, the steps themselves and the Davilak Heritage trail for those who are feeling adventurous and wish to go off road. Manning Lake itself has a pathway all the way in which around at just just a little over 1.2km. This distance is great for beginners as you’re never too far-off out of your automotive should the dreaded stitch kick in. I prefer to do a few warm up laps across the lake after which hit the steps.
The stairs are tough, there are 192 in total from bottom to top and for my part they’re the very best in WA. I do know what you’re pondering. Jacob’s Ladder in town is the very best but I just get a greater vibe on the Manning Stairs. I trained at Manning Stairs on Wednesday last week and the camaraderie between strangers was awesome. High fives, cheering and conversations were the order of the day. There wasn’t a selfie in sight at Manning unlike its city cousin where there are more check-in’s and photo opportunities than actual exercise!. It was just really cool. There are less stairs than Jacob’s but they’re wider and cater for higher traffic but since it’s a well kept secret the additional space is rarely required. There are also just a few landings and benches on the way in which up if it’s good to take a break.
At the highest of the steps there’s a spiral lookout that shows off views of our pristine coast line. There is something about that view on a relaxed still morning that takes the mind of your burning quads and motivates you to do an additional stair run.
There are two options if you descend from the spiral lookout, you could possibly head back down the steps back toward the lake or get a bit primal hit some hills on a crushed limestone track toward the coast. The hills are tough and the bottom is loose under foot but with look outs dotted throughout it makes for a picturesque run.
Echidna Trail
For me, summer runs are all concerning the coast, but summer bodies are made in winter and there’s just something magical concerning the bush. The Echidna Trail is positioned within the Walyunga National Park. I used to be introduced to the place as a teen when my first martial arts teacher would take us kids on the market for what, on the time, I swore was torture!
Walyunga is positioned within the Darling Ranges. Its major features include the steep hills of the Darling Scarp. Another historical site is “Walyunga” named by the Noongar people meaning “Uncertain”. It is believed that Walyunga was used as a gathering place for Indigenous Australians way back to 5000 years ago. Its importance is important since it is where the Avon River meets the Brockman River creating the centre piece of Perth; the Swan River.
As you pull into the automotive park and get taking place the trail itself it’s marked with black and white foot print signs intermittently so you realize you’re entering into the appropriate direction. Following the banks of the Avon River, home to the Avon Descent the primary of an extended list of picturesque sites is Syd’s Rapids. During the cooler months the water is flowing and is a very good spot to take just a little break for those who are recent to running. This is where the trail kicks up the energy as over the subsequent 2-3km my running app registered that I’d run over 200m in elevation.
The hardest thing a few run like this, especially when it’s the primary time on the trail, is you only don’t know where the hills end. But rest assured what goes up MUST come down and frequently an uphill battle in the beginning of the run normally means the trail ends taking place. I might recommend running or mountaineering this track on a cooler, dry winter’s day because the environment is bursting with wildlife and the rivers are flowing. If it has rained in the times prior to your run, you should definitely do the trail in an anti-clockwise direction to avoid any slippery downhill sections.
On your mark, get set…
So there we now have it, your next 4 running challenges have been set. Perth is an incredible place and its amazing locations are right here under our noses. Sometime we just should “lower our gaze” and take a minute to understand just how lucky we’re to live here.
