6.7 : No run

7.1 : 3 x 10k repeats (41:15, 40:10, 41:25)

Yes you read right! 3 x 10k repeats - I only do this 2/3 times a year. Lets say my marathon pace is 21:15 per 5 k (3 hour mrathon) then the aim of this session is to run comfortably under that pace (21:00) for each 5k split with a 5 minute break in between each 10 ks.

With yesterdays fast 5 k I was not sure whether I could run the session as planed. It was a bit boring with the course be the 5K challneg course at the Bay - I wanted it accurate and flat was okay - maintaining an even pace for the 3 reps was the aim as well as the times.

Splits 20:55 + 20:20 (41:15); 20:04 + 20:06 (40:10); 20:42 + 20:43 (41:25). The last rep was hard hard and I really thought the time would blow out to the 22/23 minute range - but held it very steady. May indicate that their is strenght in the legs to maintain a good pace. I don't take much from it but the overall average was 4:05 per k pace which was pleasing as it was at the end of a 105k week

Total for February :445ks.

7.2 : 5k TT : 18.18

Was not sure what I wanted to do - pace the 20 minute group or do something else. In the end thought I would push a fast 3km and then see how much I lost over the last 2 k. Not the way to do it but I was interested in doing a 3k PB which was ordinary and this seemed like a good day.

Was paced by Action ran 10:36 for the 3k which was easily a PB - splits about 3.26, 3.29, 3.41 - sanity then prvailed and finished of with a couple of 3.51's. My recent 5k PB is 18.16 so okay result.

7.3 : Rest

7.4 : Bay run 28:40 + 4 x 800

Felt tired in the legs and was not going to train because I knew it would be more dissapointing then rewarding but went anyway. Ran the Bay run (I think 6.9k) in 4:09 pace would have liked a minutes faster to 4:00 pcae - PB about 5 weeks ago 27:58 - so my PB on my training runs are now slipping back into the past instead of the present. Maybe they will come back in the taper but at the moment the times are giving me hell and causing serious thoughts about if I have got my training right. Hoping they will come back in the taper is fine but if they don't then I will just have to live with the fact that perhaps I got the program.

I need a PB to regain some confidence so that in some way it confirms that what I am doing is moving me to higher levels of fitness not stagnating or worse going backwards.

The did 4 x 800 - each about 2:55 which is in accordance with what I expected - not spectatular but at least all comfortably under the magic 3 minutes.

7.5 : 14K + 2 x 4k

Should have stayed in bed! My time for this run has been under 60 minutes more often than not over the last 3 months - 8 times - today pushed hard for 62:47 - nearly 3 minutes slower than my best run 4 weeks ago. The added 2 x 4k repeats - thought I could manage them in 4:00 pace but blew out to 17:00 for each. A very tiring morning for what felt like no benefit.

7.6 : 2 x 3k & 1 x 5km

Thought I would have a reasonably low k week but push up the intensity as a kind of change from the last few weeks where endurance has been the only focus. Was going to do 3 x 3 but thought I would change it around so that the session incorporates 2 types of stresses on the body.

Each 3k was at 11: 16 + 11:18 - so faster than goal pace. Then thought I would add 2 k but slightly reduce speed to about goal pace and have a tempo run - 5k in 19:53 which was right on 4:00 pace.

A solid morning but just holding the fitness no improvement.

7.7 : Rest

8.1 : SMC 25k : 1:48:30

Great expectations for a 1:42 or just above - had a very disapointing 1:48:30. Reason probably was becasue I miss judged my fitness or I tried a very different early morning pre race drink - I started out at 4.00 minute pace which I thought I would be able to hold for the most of the run but really after the first 5km I knew I was going to have a shocker - thought DFN but I have never done that ever so pressed on.

It was absolute agony the whole way. The result was very depressing and at the moment (I am writing this on Thursday) I am still in a bit of a hole and each days training during the week has been adversly affected.

Splits (5ks) for what they are worth : 20:05, 20:36, 21:25, 23:44 !!!!, 22:30.

8.2 : Rest

8.3 : 3 x 3k : 11:10, 11:00, 11:10

Much bettter than the same session on Tuesday. Just goes to show that sometimes to get faster more running is not needed but a rest. Pushed hard but they all felt 'easy' that is the legs felt light with speed in them.

8.4 : No run

9 hours sleep waking up late at 6.30am !!! I think I needed it.

8.5 : Medium Long Run (26.5k) 2.07.52

Same run as last Wednesday - just over three minutes slower - if you are calculating 2% increase - probabaly caused by the speed session yesterday and other factors ... would have liked to gone faster than last week but so would we all like to go faster each week. Just one of those days were I went through the motions and did not feel like I achieved anything. Maybe becomeing a bit fatigued so will not run tomorrow also mini taper for SMC on Sunday.

8.6 : 3 x 3k and not easy

Back to speed work after very little in the past 5/6 weeks. I thought with all of the endurance work done over the last 5/6 weeks I may have held my speed or perhaps marginally increased it but today showed that was not the case. Splits of 11:21, 11:30 & 11:23 - they were a bit slower than I expected and each one felt very hard. Pleased to have not slowed in the third repeat. One positive is that in 2002 when I did the same session at about the same time of prepartion for the Canberra marathon I was running them in 12:30 which at the time I thought was okay and then I ran a sub 3 and I believe I have better endurance at the moment compared with 2002.

No doubt I have a bit of speed work to do to challeneg eith my 5 or 20k PB's. Will concentrate on speed this week as a taper to SMC 25k on Sunday.

8.7 : Again Monday and glorious rest

Next Sunday is the SMC 25k race therefore this week will have a large decrease in k's with the emphasis on some shorter speed work. Instead of 3 x 5k tomorrow I will do 3 x 3k but with the intensity up. Would like to do each in 11.00 - that is 3:40 pace.

9.1 : Long run : 31.5k : 2:29:52

Same run as last week - finished each within seconds each other. Average pace about 4:42 per k. This week was abit of an up and down week with some days of training to schedule and some a bit less than planned. I look forward to a reduced k week in the lead up to SMC 25k next Sunday. So k's will be reduced but will do some shorter speed work to sharpen up - I have not been doing much of this lately -by plan- and I know that the top speed I had 2 months ago has gone.

Another 125k week. Only 5 weeks to go until the 3 week taper and plan to do and easy week next ; three hard weeks with speed and endurance; taper week for SMC 30k and then the final 3 week taper which includes some quality speed and hopefully during that last week a PB for the 5 & 10k.

9.2 : 2 x 5km

was going to do 10k straight but felt a bit fatigued during the first repeat so changed it to 2 x 5k wit a rest - as I wanted to maintain the highest intesity I could over the session and not fall away atthe end of the straight 10k and so lose the benefit from the session.
Splits 19:13 and each k in the 3:49 - 3:52 - average 3:51
second split 19:39 with the ks around the 3:55 for an average of 3:56
Times slower than wanted - no doubt still fatigued for the bik ks on Wednesday - as well I have been running 125k weekly for 5 weeks without a rest week and so overall fatigue is startting - next week will reduce ks and increase intensity for a rest.

9.3 : 14.5 k : 59:41

My usual 1 hour run around the Bay with some additional hills. A good time is just below 60 minutes so I was pleased with the soild run at about 4:06 per k pace. Would like to get it down to 4:00 pace but unlikely because of the volume being done at the moment. May try a 10k TT again tomorrow morning.

9.4 : Rest day

Ran with Striders Marathon Group last night covering 21ks - so with a total of about 48ks for the day thought a rest today would get me fresh for a strong 15k on Friday morning.

9.5 : Medium Long Run : 2.03.35 (26.5km)

Ran this last wek but GPS showed 25.5 - that day the average pace was 4:52 - on Sunday I ran 31.5k in an average pace of 4:42. Today (ignoring the time) was run in an average pace of 4:41 so the same as Sunday. Irrespective of the distance and time it was a very firm run with the pace being able to be maitained but at the higher level of effort but at a level that could have been maintained.

Was out of the house at 5.00am and it was cool with a breeze although I suspect the humidity was high. Didn't seem to have any of the problems of yesterday but then again to day was about endurance not speed.

9.6 : Not a good day

The session was for 3 x 5k as usual for a Tuesday. Ran the first 5k very hard and as usual do not look at my watch duringthe run and finished in 19.39 but the effort felt like it should have been half a minite faster. Started the second repeat and began to watch the k splits and despite what felt like a maximum effort I was jsut holding 4 minute per k pace and at 4ks in 15.57 pulled the plug on the session.

It was very humid today, or was I dehydrated or still fatigued ffrom laset week were the k's stayed the same but the intensity was increased. Probably a combination of all.

Did some stretching and will see what tomorrows 25k run holds.

9.7 : Monday : Glorious rest day !!!

Was looking for ward to a long and deep sleep but managed a very interupted night of light sleeping but at least there was not run today.

10.1: Long Run : 31.6k : 2.29.07

Same long run as done 2 weeks ago on that wet wet Sunday. Was not sure what to expect this morning in regard to time as this is the 6th day straight training and no recovery runs included (didn't do the Wenesday afternoon Striders Marathon Group 15k on Wednesday) and all of the highest intensity for the type of session being run.

At half way was 3 minutes up on previous time and then finished six and half minutes faster. Average pace down to 4:42 per k per minute - last run 4:54 pace a decrease of 12 seconds per k. I am sure the last time was affected by the heavy run on that morning.

To say the least I was amazed at the time for today and thr reduction in 2 weeks and at the end of the week that was. As well as amazed I am pleased with the current progress of the training but will not get too excited until I do the same run next week and see how the time compares.

Total k's fpr the week right on schedule at 125. This has remained steady for the last five weeks but I have now started to increae the intesity of the sessions as I do not think I need to increase my base k's but do need to start working up the effort and speed in each session. Intend to hold the k's for about another 5 weeks - then slightly decrease them but then significantly increase the intensity with a lot of shorter speed work for 3 weeks and then a 2 week taper which further decreased the k's but continues to increase the intensity of the speed work..

10.2 : 10k TT : 38.29

The intensity of the training is starting to increase as well as holding distance established last month. For February the weekly the k's should be around 125 unless there is an important race on at the end of the week when a short taper is required and so the l's may drop but the intesity of the k's done will increase.

So after a tough week decided to do a 10k TT on tired legs to see what they had in them - yesterday was heavy on speed and so they should have been a bit tired. Ran my usual 5k course but when I got to the end just turned around and came back . Thought I would struggle to hold 4.00 k/m pace so was surprised with splits of 19:12 + 19:17.

I don't run 10k races often and think the last one was in April 2002 when I ran exactly the same time on a tougher course but with a taper. In fact it was the week before I ran 2.58 in the Canberra Marathon - so when I ran it I was 2 weeks into the final taper and much fresher than this morning. So today's time on tired legs gives me a good indication that I maybe in the same (? better condition) as April 2002 and I still have 10 weeks of training to go before the 2005 Canberra Marathon.

10.3 : Bay Run + 5 x 800

After yesterday I was not sure if I would follow my adjusted program - I was going to run the Striders 10k on Saturday but can't. If I was running today would have been an east day but as I am not running decided to do this session which I do not do weekly. Around the Bay - 7ks in 27.58 which is an equal PB - then 5 x 800 all between 2:56 - 2:58 (about 3:40 - 3:42 per k pace). I ran this session about a month ago with a rest day before and ran the same time for the Bay and the repeats were 2/3 seconds faster - the rest would have meant the faster speed also I have not been doing any short fast speed for over a month so the slower speed is expected. Speed sessions will come back into the program in about 4 weeks which should then see the 800's drop below 2:50.

10.4 : Long Run : 25.5k : 2.03.40

What a difference in feeling a goods nights sleep and a cool morning can make. After feeling very flat yesterday I was unsure of today with a planned 25k run. Was on the road at 5.00am and it was cool with low humidity. Felt comfortable all the time - in fact very comfortable - the last feew runs on this course in early January were in the 2.06/2.09 range which was probably caused by a later start and humidity and heat near then end. Today faster by about 3/6 minutes for a 4:50 pace which is right on the training intensity for this run. Overall a positive session for feeling (that is it felt good) and result in that the pace was right as well.

10.5 : Medium Long run : 14.75k : 61.44

Things do no go as planned - today was to be a steady 25 at about 4:45 pace but just as I was getting up at 4.45am the phoned rang the security monitering advised the alarm at the office went and I needed to go and check things out. No problems but the 45 minute round trip put things back so decided to go for a shorter but faster run - bad idea as about half way into it I felt and knew I was very fatigued from yestarday and was going to stop but decided to run to the end as best as I could.

The last time I ran this on 21 Jan I ran a PB but after a days rest - today just under 3 minutes slower and 4:10 pace was hoping for 3:55 pace. A saving aspect was the rain kept it cool.

10.6 : 3 x 5k repeats

Third Tuesday in a row that I have done this session. The times are coming down although this week compared to last week they were similar but this week they got faster although by the slightest of margins. Maybe the last one although the same time as last wek felt a litle easier and really that is the aim of this session - not to get faster but to run at about 3.55 pace and no slower AND for each week to feel easier - that is the pace each week becomes easier to maintain. I feel this is happening - splits 19.25, 19.22, 19.18.