Tuesday 30 November : No run

Monday 29 November : Medium Long run : 59.44

Lat ran this on the 16 Novemeber in the taper to Thredbo - then ran it in 59.39 - so suspect I have recovered and now holding a peak for Central Coast Half and SMC half. Training mostly shortist runs but high intensity.

Sunday 28 November : No run

Saturday 27 November : 5km Challenge : 18.39

was sure how I would run becuase of the marathon 6 days before. Decided to run how I felt as the run progressed but thought even if the recovery was progressing well I would not go much under 20 minutes. Started off with the 20 minute group and soon feel in behind the lead runner - the first k felt firm but not flat out so was surprised to see it run in 3.35 then eased off but the front runner fell behind. kept it for but with a reduced paced for the next 2 km without looking atthe split until 3km which was at 11.05. Thought the last 2 k would fall away by driftingover 4 minute ks - did not chectthe watch again until the finish in a very very surprising 18.39. Can't recall the last time I ran a 5 km that fast so I will treat it as a PB.

Running the Central Coast Half Marathon next Sunday - so I want to maintain this peak with some short sharp work during the week - enough to keep fresh.

Pleased with the even splits at 3.35, 3.45, 3.45, 3.47 & 3.46.

Friday 26 November : No run

Only one run since Thredbo - that was Wednesday afternoon with the Striders Marathon Group - once around the Bay with 5 x 1km repeats in the middle - managed the 5 all in about 4.04 which was firm and steady. Feel I have given myself a good rest but know the muscles would not have recovered fully yet. Will see how the recovery is going with the 5km Challenge on Saturday morning around the Bay - not sure what a hard effort will produce - expect I might just sneak in under 20.

Thursday 25 November : No run

Wednesday 24 November : No run

No run - no alarm but still wake up at 5.15 ! Habits just don't change. Will again join the Striders Marathon Group this afternoon around the Bay - will be light an easy.

Tuesday 23 November : No run

Sunday 21 November : Thredbo Marathon :3.19.59

Pleased with the result. Had splits of 1.37 + 1.43 - about 6% increase. The usually accepted increase is 10%. Using my recent training times on a flat course about 3.03 was predicted. I thought the course would be about 20 minutes slower so the end time was a bit faster than guessed. More pleased with the increase of 6% over a hilly course.

The course - 2 laps of the village (flat) - run up and out of the village (shortist steep hill) - about 8 km down the road then back UP the hill - down into the Village anothe rlap then do it all again. The second uphill 8 km was very tiring with at least 6km up hill and the rest flatish. So withthat configration I though the second half would be much slower.

Finished with no injuries but will take the rest of the week off except for the Striders Marathon Group on Wednesday and off course the 5km Challenge on Saturday.

The following week some speed work to sharpen up for the Central Coast Half on the 5th.

Friday 19 November : 5km : 19.23

Undecided whether I should run as my legs have felt heavy after Tuesday's 15km. I am tapering for the marathon on Sunday but not a serious taper - I want to kind of 'train through' this marathon and then have a 10 day recovery so that I can start a 18 week program for Canberra at the start of Decemeber.

Decided to run - knew it would not be super fast so aimed for a firm pace with splits as even as I could 'feel' them - that is I did not look at my watch during the run just pressed at the km marks - my legs felt heavy so Sunday will be a hard push near the end but I know that because I have trained through the taper.

Splits : 3.52, 3.50,3.51,3.54 & 3.54. Those splits are the way to run the correct tempo session -the even splits provide the maximum benefit from the sustained effort through the whole of the run.

Thursday 18 November : Rest/recovery : No run

Wednesday 17 November : Rest/recovery

No run this morning. Will run an easy 15 km this afternoon with the Striders Marathon Group around the Bay.

Tuesday 16 November : Meduim long run : 59.39

Same run as I usually do - a PB by almost a minute. In the last 10 days I have run it three times with the times coming down fom 60.51, 60.34 and now 59.39 (the distance 14km over some very tough hills around the Bay Run) and I thought the run on 29 October at 62.27 was about as good as it was going to get. The continual lower times over the last 4 runs shows that the taper for the marathon on Sunday is working well and I am peaking just at the right time. Some easy recovery runs and then a final 5km later in the week will finish the taper.

Monday 15 November : Rest

Sunday 14 November : Fishers Ghost 10k : 39.06

Ran well - only took split at about halfway and did not look at watch throughout the run. Wanted to see if my pacing 'feel' was right and if I could even split. Ran 19.30 and 19.36 - no prolems with with pacing or splits. Best time previously in three runs 40.54 - so almost 2 minutes under last year was pleasing and training times over the last few weeks indicated it should be a good time. Looking good for Thredbo marathon but new course so expected time unknown.

Saturday 13 November : Rest

No run at all - total recovery for Fisher's Ghost 10km tomorrow - with a little luck should go under 40 minutes - stayed tuned.

Friday 12 November : 5km : 18.55

Yes I did it ! Under 19 minutes for 5km for the first time for a long long time. The best this year was 19.06 just before a 3.03 Canberra. I said yesterday that I would do some time trials during the lead up to the Thredbo marathon and I was expecting them to produce some good times - I felt this because the lead up training since Fitzroy Falls marathon has been just perfect.

Very even splits at 3.44,3.51,3.49,3.48 & 3.42. - even more pleased that after the 1st k they then went down for each k.

Recovery run Saturday morning and Fishers Ghost 10k on Sunday.

Thursday 11 November : Rest

Ran with the Striders Marathon Training group last night (as well as a tempo run in the morning) - was an easy outing around the Bay with some Lilyfield Hills as well. Rest day today. Plan to do a 5km time trial tomorrow and expect it to be the fastest or very close to it for the year - this should be the case in the taper before the marathon. A 10km race on Sunday should also produce a good result for the same reason.

Wednesday ; Tempo 2 x 3km

A tempo session - really long speed - best suited to the longer distance runner. A hard day yesterday so was not expecting good time but was rather hoping they they would occur.

The goal was to be under 4 minute per km pace for each run. Managed 11.58 and then (with 6 minute rest) 11.40 which was a pleasant suprise to come back faster. Plus the second run had 3.52, 3.56 and 3.52 splits - shows steady pace and not a flat our sprint at the end just to get a time. That type of running really defeats the purpose of the tempo run training - that is to hold a steady pace not to run a time by uneven splits particulalry as I said with an all out sprint at the end.

Tuesday Medium Long Run : 60.33

Same run as last Tuesday and Thursday. The times are moving in the right direction - a 20 second improvement from Thursday. Pleased with the result for just 10 days out from the marathon. Need to just hold the build up now and go into a slight taper. From now on for the taper all shoter distances but with more speed however I maybe tempted to run this again next Tuesday to see if I can go under 60 minutes before the marathon.

Monday 7 November : Rest

What more can I say - no run - recovery from yesterday and taper for Thredbo.

Tomorrow will be a fast 1 hour - at the moment no injuries and feeling confident of a good time but as it is a new course it is impossible to predict a time.

Sunday - Longish Run : 2.02.23

Same run as last Sunday - the same time as last week (well 10 seconds faster) but felt more comfortable this week. So a good marathon is based on reaching 30km and feeling comfortable - so at this time today was okay although I was expecting to go under 2 hours. Also it is only 2 weeks to Thredbo marathon so a good solid run was all that was needed today.

Sunday - Longish Run

Saturday's 5km time trial : 19.09

Should have felt fresh after no run on Friday but felt anything but as I warmed up for a Bay Run solo time trial. Wanted to keep it firm and steady with even splits - surprisingly my time was the second fastest of the year and just 3 seconds from the fastest. I was surprised at the time considering my feeling at the start. As is usual I do not look at my splits s I run as I try to 'feel' my pace hence no flat out sprint at the end for the PB.

1 km splits;
3.57
3.49
3.49
3.49
3.43

As for even splits and not starting out too fast - both achieved. Maybe could have been faster if I had someone to chase. Also 35 seconds faster that last Saturday and both felt the same effort.

Saturday's 5km time trial

Rest Day

Rain + fatigued + taper for Thredbo marathon = rest day!! and what a pleasuer it was to sleep in until 6.30am and hear the rain falling - Bliss!

One hour Tempo : 60.51

Same course as last Friday and Tuesday of this week. Today, after a hardish session last night, I ran this course in a PB by about 25 seconds but that puts my present condition back to where it was the week before Canberra this year. That was the best condition I was this year so I appear to be now back to where I was at that time.

I now need to manage my training wisely over the next few months to maintain the present fitness and speed which would then give me a great base to start the serious preparation for Canberra 2005.

Striders Marathon Training Group

Joined the group fr the second week in a row - how pleasant to be running around the Bay Run in late afternoon in the first week of daylight saving. The weather was just so pleasant - the group is large, mostly woman but with more men appearing each week. Jim led with a gentle run to Timbrell and then 1km repeats at whatever pace you wanted annnd how many you wanted.

5 was my plan and was surprised at time and consistancy - I haven't run repeats as well for the most part of the year. Started off with a 3.36 (thought I had blown it at that pace) but managed to run the next four at 3.44. Usually what happens now is that I overtrain and become injured so I will watch that problem.

Then a jog back to the start past the pool and on Iron Cove Bridge. A pleasant time and worth the effort to attend but most of the runners a not quick so you have to take it for what it is - an easy session for the faster runner but an excellent hard workout for the 4 hour marathoner.

Rest Day

Woke up a little fatigued after yesterday's hard run. So with a conservayive approach I decided to have a rest/recovery instrad of a light run. Also I have one thought towrds a small taper for Thredbo and I do not at this time of the year to have an over use injury. However will cruise with the Striders Marathon Training group tonight around the Bay.

1 Hour Tempo : 62.33

Rest on Monday.

Today is the same course as last Friday. It has some good hills atthe start then some flat, then a couple of hard hills around Leichhardt swimming pools and for those who know the area up Shores to finish. About 14.5kms. On the reaod at 5.30am with the weather a little strange - cool but with a warm breeze. Pushed hard all the way - about half way through it rained very heavily for about 10 minutes - waht a pleasant change.

The splits were almost identical with Friday and finished 10 seconds slower which is of no consequence.

The base of strength training is progessing well with consistant solid times.