The Tan

Last Wednesday I did my usual lunch time run... jog to The Tan (Botanical Gardens in Melb), then set my watch for a Fartlek lap. Basically this means that I run some fast bits, then some regular speed bits, then more fast bits. Usually I aim for things like a fast sprint to the next driveway, or park bench. The objective is to eventually be doing more fast running and less of the slower running.


My pb for the Tan is 17:45. Wednesday I got 17:55.

According to Wiki, the current record is 10:08 by Craig Mottram in 2004.

The Tan is 3.82km long. The traditional starting place (which lines up with the distance markers around the track) is at the 'Pillars of Wisdom'. These are a set of small pillars around in a semi circle. This is a great spot to do stretches and have a drink at the drinking fountain.


Most people run clockwise around the Tan, and this is the way the distance markers go. For a change I have tried running around the opposite direction. It feels a bit strange, and like you are going against the tide. I like going clockwise because you get the Anderson st near the start of the run, then it is mostly downhill or flat for the rest of the run.


I also tried to recalibrate my Nike+. This is a little chip that I have that attaches to an iPod, with the other part in the shoe. It tracks how far and how fast you are running. I love my Nike+ but I noticed that it wasn't quite as accurate compared to Carli's Polar watch and footpod. After one run mine said we had run 19km while hers said 17km. When I checked at the sign posts around the Tan it seemed to be off by about 100m each km... which doesn't sound like much, but when you start running 20km it makes a big difference! I did the calibration at 500m using the Tan markers... and it seemed to work, but when I tested it by running back to the start it said .51km!!! So it is still not right!