
By Etsuko Yasunaga
ON OUR recent holiday to Wandiligong near Bright, I had two contrasting experiences. One was a bike ride to Harrietville return trip on the Great Valley Trail with Rob and friends, and the other was a solo 10km run in Wandiligong.
Instead of driving I usually bike to the town centre on small errands and regularly ride up to 40km in one go. I like the sense of freedom the bike riding gives me but haven’t ridden a long distance for a while. Wandiligong - Bright - Harrietville return was over 60km, so I was a little apprehensive whether I could comfortably ride the whole distance. The other three riders including Rob were very experienced and had no issue finishing the distance. I didn’t want to slow them down and also didn’t want to be their burden. We came up with a backup plan just in case I couldn’t finish the whole distance, and with that reassurance I felt more comfortable embarking on the ride.
ON OUR recent holiday to Wandiligong near Bright, I had two contrasting experiences. One was a bike ride to Harrietville return trip on the Great Valley Trail with Rob and friends, and the other was a solo 10km run in Wandiligong.
Instead of driving I usually bike to the town centre on small errands and regularly ride up to 40km in one go. I like the sense of freedom the bike riding gives me but haven’t ridden a long distance for a while. Wandiligong - Bright - Harrietville return was over 60km, so I was a little apprehensive whether I could comfortably ride the whole distance. The other three riders including Rob were very experienced and had no issue finishing the distance. I didn’t want to slow them down and also didn’t want to be their burden. We came up with a backup plan just in case I couldn’t finish the whole distance, and with that reassurance I felt more comfortable embarking on the ride.
Oh how refreshing to explore the paths you haven’t ridden before. Once we passed the edge of Bright the scenery along the foot of the Victorian Alps was breathtaking. Tree bark on the ground and the strong smell of mint bush tickled my nostrils every now and again. The path weaved through natural bushland alongside the mighty Ovens River. There are not many places on earth where we can ride along the river to hear the soothing sound of the running water. I was cruising effortlessly. In some sections I rode like the clappers, leaving the three boys behind. I was flying. I felt strong. Nothing could stop me.
We arrived at Harrietville in good time and enjoyed well-earned drinks and food at the local cafe. Our return journey was more relaxing as we knew exactly what was coming, and it was downhill. I got really tired and slow towards the end when we were heading back to Wandiligong uphill. Still, it was an exhilarating four-hour 65km riding experience and I enjoyed every minute of it.
We arrived at Harrietville in good time and enjoyed well-earned drinks and food at the local cafe. Our return journey was more relaxing as we knew exactly what was coming, and it was downhill. I got really tired and slow towards the end when we were heading back to Wandiligong uphill. Still, it was an exhilarating four-hour 65km riding experience and I enjoyed every minute of it.
The area where we stayed felt like miles away from anywhere. Maybe it was due to the many deciduous trees in the environment, I often felt as if we were walking in a laneway somewhere in England. Tall poplar trees reminded me of Hokkaido where I grew up, and Japanese maple trees made me nostalgic for my motherland. We enjoyed lots of outdoor activities, especially soaking and swimming in the fresh river water. The weather was extreme - steaming hot in the afternoon to quite cold in the morning, and wild thunderstorms that ripped powerlines. I missed the salty clear ocean water of Inverloch, and a week away was long enough for us to appreciate where we live.
The second last day of our holiday, I decided to go for a 10km run. Unlike the bike ride to Harrietville, I knew I could complete the distance comfortably. I didn’t have any particular course in mind, just followed my intuition to take me somewhere new. I really enjoy running somewhere on holidays because it’s such a fun way to get to know a new place.
After running past the Wandi Pub and Nightingale Bros on Morses Creek Road, I decided to turn left at Centenary Avenue simply because I hadn’t taken that path before. Shady with trees and quiet, it was one of those delightful country roads which tickled my fancy. After a warm-up of a few kilometres, I was really getting into the rhythm of running. Feeling good, I was picking up the pace, too. Suddenly my right shoe got stuck on the asphalt, I tripped and fell. It was a fraction of a second transition from vertical running position to horizontal flat on the road. I landed heavily on both palms, the left elbow and left knee. There was blood everywhere. “What just happened to me?” I didn’t know whether to cry or laugh at myself. I quietly stood up and assessed the damage. Nothing was broken luckily, but I had badly grazed my palms, elbow and knee. I could feel the bruises as well.
Once the initial shock was gone, I had two choices. Give up my run and walk back to camping ground in misery. Or keep on going and complete my run. As soon as I placed my arms down, the throbbing started quite severely. So I picked my arms up in the running position and the pain was less. The choice was made. I decided to keep on going.
This nasty fall was at around the 4km mark, so I had 6 more to go. I ran along the Diggings Walk Tracks with a view of Growlers Creek most of the time for a soothing effect for my mind. Passer-by walkers were quite alarmed by my bloody appearance and encouraged me to stop and at least wash my wounds in the river water. I thanked them for their concern but kept on going. I really needed to finish the run I aimed to complete and the camping ground where we were staying was my finish line. Slow and steady, off I went on the final uphill. When I reached my destination, I couldn’t hold back a triumphant smile. I couldn’t be more proud.
The second last day of our holiday, I decided to go for a 10km run. Unlike the bike ride to Harrietville, I knew I could complete the distance comfortably. I didn’t have any particular course in mind, just followed my intuition to take me somewhere new. I really enjoy running somewhere on holidays because it’s such a fun way to get to know a new place.
After running past the Wandi Pub and Nightingale Bros on Morses Creek Road, I decided to turn left at Centenary Avenue simply because I hadn’t taken that path before. Shady with trees and quiet, it was one of those delightful country roads which tickled my fancy. After a warm-up of a few kilometres, I was really getting into the rhythm of running. Feeling good, I was picking up the pace, too. Suddenly my right shoe got stuck on the asphalt, I tripped and fell. It was a fraction of a second transition from vertical running position to horizontal flat on the road. I landed heavily on both palms, the left elbow and left knee. There was blood everywhere. “What just happened to me?” I didn’t know whether to cry or laugh at myself. I quietly stood up and assessed the damage. Nothing was broken luckily, but I had badly grazed my palms, elbow and knee. I could feel the bruises as well.
Once the initial shock was gone, I had two choices. Give up my run and walk back to camping ground in misery. Or keep on going and complete my run. As soon as I placed my arms down, the throbbing started quite severely. So I picked my arms up in the running position and the pain was less. The choice was made. I decided to keep on going.
This nasty fall was at around the 4km mark, so I had 6 more to go. I ran along the Diggings Walk Tracks with a view of Growlers Creek most of the time for a soothing effect for my mind. Passer-by walkers were quite alarmed by my bloody appearance and encouraged me to stop and at least wash my wounds in the river water. I thanked them for their concern but kept on going. I really needed to finish the run I aimed to complete and the camping ground where we were staying was my finish line. Slow and steady, off I went on the final uphill. When I reached my destination, I couldn’t hold back a triumphant smile. I couldn’t be more proud.
The following day I ran the Bright parkrun with a bandaged body. The wounds were still raw and I had throbbing pain, but I managed to run the whole 5km. I was rapturous. The apple I received as a gift from the Bright parkrun at the end of my run was utterly crispy and delicious. Right: Etsuko Yasunaga crosses her personal finishing line, bruised and battered but undefeated. |