No run : rest

Very wet morning in Sydney - thought that was a good excuse to have a day off and taper for Sunday's marathon.

11k hard : 50:29

Last hard longish run before Gold Coast - same course as I have run a couple of times over the last 10 days. After yesterday felt a little slow and so started off slow but picked the pace up in the second half to come home about 40 seconds faster than last Sunday and about 6 minutes faster than last Wednesday. Just some minor twinge in the right calf but certainly well on the way to full recovery.

Ran freely most of the run. A good confidence boaster.

Mixed bag :

I hope to run the Gold Caost in 3:15 as the best hoped for time and 3:30 as the expected time. A 3:15 marathon is 4:36 k pace so I thought I would do a run at about that pace to get a feel for it and mixed in with a couple of fast ks.

Ran the first 3ks of the Bay run in 13:30 which was just a bit faster than pace. Jog for 1k to the 4k marker and then a firm k to the end - had 4:10 up and back with a rest in between. Joj back to the 3k marker and another 3k this time in 13:22 - I di dwant the second 3k to be faster than the first which was the case.

Not sure with that session what my expected time will be but maybe closer to 3:15 than 3:30. I would like to judge it as close as I can as I want to run even splits or as I suspect I may negative split by running well within my fitness in the first half - unless my injury causes a second half slow down.

No run : rest

My one concession to the taper for Gold Coast - well maybe I will have Friday off as well but I intend to train through this marathon.

Back to the Monday course : 51.08

Back to the same course that I ran on Monday and Thursday- I didn't want a longish run as I am supposed to be in a taper for the Gold Coast marathon but I am not really doing a taper because I have no high ks to taper from!! So I am just doing short runs trying to increase the speed up to something that is respectable.

So pushed very firm for the whole 12ks but always below a near max effort. Managed a 5 minute improvement from Thursday's effort without any apparent increase in effort or adverse affect on the injury. Just on 4:15 k pace which is great but certainly could not hold it for much longer. So my injury has (as expected) reduced my speed and the ability to hold it over a great distance. Pleased with the result as any improvement is gladly welcomed.

5k Challenge : 19.55

No PB attempt this morning. Was going to pace Queen Bee to under 22 but arived just as the 19 minute group was off. Strated with them but never intended to stay with them - that time was just way too fast for me at the moment. Because I was not pacing to a predetermined time I was some what lost as to how to run - so just ran as hard as I could at a pace I thought I could maintain for the whole distance.

Didn't look at my watch until 2k which was 7:46 which I thought I would not be able to maintain so I eased off and ran even 4:03 ks to the end. So so surprised at the sub 20 as I did not tink I was in that shape. Some sorness in the right calf but no damage done.

No run : rest

Same as Monday : 56.21

Same run as Monday but wanted to push it or at least push it relative to my present fitness and recovery from injury. Was pleased with the 56:21 - measured the course and it is 12ks. Felt okay and ran reasonably freely but still some residual tightness in the right calf.

Birthday !!!!!

A usual on my birthday I like to feel alive - at my age just being alive is good - and so I run the Bay. Pushed hard for the same course as Monday with a 55m finish. Felt good all the way and probably could have gone faster but just wanted to enjoy the morning.

Cruise, intervals and hills

A bit of everyting this morning - I suspect more of a social meeting than a run. Easy around part of the Bay then 2 x 1k both in 4:15 which was fine. Then over to Lilyfield Hill for some hills with a number of CR's - haven't done them for a while so it was 4/5 very steady. Then easy 4 k back home.

Serious Stuff :

Firm around the Bay plus some extra's that I have - about 13k in 60 minutes - noting flash but as I said firm.

Lazy Sunday

On this Sunday morining bed was abetter option that a run. So no rest no anything else just decided when the alrm went off at 5.30am that bed was the more enjoyable option and it was. Justification for being lazy : part of the taper plan for Gold Coast.

Easy run

Time was tightthis moring and so after taking my son to soccer I cruised around the inner west of Stanmore for about 45 minutes before returning to watch the game.

No run : rest

Easy cruise

Around the Bay - stopping at Timbrell for just one 1k interval. Calf still tender but on the mend - shoul d be okay in a few days. Other than that no problems and a very quick recovery but then the pace of the marathon was steady and I did not/could not push it.

No run : rest

No run : rest

No run : rest

McLeay River Marathon : 3:35:24

It was an adventure and quite different to any other that I have run. Started off very slow and my brother moved well in front - so much for me pacing him!. By 4k thought I would DNF at any step with the pain and limping. For some reason it eased and I ran relatively freely up to 27k - caught my brother at about 13k and we stayed together until 27k - the pain came back and I slowed and he moved off quickly into the distance.

I went through a very deep black hole between 27 - 32 where I thought I would need to walk the rest of the marathon to finish. But again things came good and I got back onto 5 miniute k pace - caught my brother again at 38k and he was struggling. Stayed with him for about a k and then he urged me to finish my race and he would finish his. He finished in 3:40.

I am amazed that on a copuple of time sin the race the pain was high and I was down to a hobble and then soon after it has reduced enough that I could run relatively freel.

Also enjoyed at about the 19k mark a walk for about 5 mintes with Mountain Man.

At least I finished without what appears to be very little further damage to the calf injury.

Lets see how the injury is !

very slow run of about 8 ks around the Bay and I mean very slow. Surprisingly there was no pain or restriction in the running but it was very slow and it did feel tender. Will I go or will I not - duringthe whole run that was the thought as well as - that was 1k run surely I could do that 42 times - easy.

Well despite expecting to have a DNF I decided to go.

Easy around the Bay : well almost

Thought I would have an easy run arouns the Bay and get some mental thoughts about Sundays marathon. After about 5k the right calf just got an intense pain which made me stop pretty quickly. Did some rubbing and stretching enough to be able to run hobble home. No idean waht caused it. Put ice on it and generally in a bad mood all day because it seemed like I would not go to the marathon. My younger brotgher was looking forward to me pacing him and so I was dissapointed I would not be able to do that.

Put ice on it all during the day with no appearent improvement.

4 x 1k intervals

More speed : started off with 3:59 then ran a couple steady with Karin. Thought I would push the 4th one alone. Went as hard as I could but even - so surprised with a 3:25 - maybe my speed will come back with some specific training.

No run : rest

4 x 1k intervals

Thought it was time that I decreased the distance and had an attempt to increase the speed. Was expecting about 4:30 ks but did 4:12, 4:16, 4:10 and 4:02. Was very surprised and each one felt easier than the one before. The caught up with CR on the Lillyfield hill and back home with them as a cooldown.

10k TT : 47:34

Thought I would do this although I knew it would not be fast. Just wanted a times accurate 10k that was run firm. Time was okay but thought I might get closer to 45. But over the last 4/5 days I have increased the intensity so running a bit slower than expected was on the cards.

10.5 : Medium Long run : 14.75k : 65.32

I have not done this run for a couple of months. It has some difficult hills and so the time is slower than a flat course. Earlier in the year was running it in 61/62 average. So pleased with the time as I pushed but not to the limit. Felt good to be moving freely again.

No run : rest

20K Easy : 102 minutes

Longest run in training for a while - took it easy after yesterday. No problems with the injury.

Bay 12k : 51:53

For the first time in some weeks I ran without any discomfort. I pushed hard on the same run I have been doing fr the last week or so. A week or so ago it was about 60 minutes which felt and was slow - today about 8 minutes faster and felt good. Now that the injury seems to have gone I can now focus on some quality and quantity both of which have been missing over the last month or so.

No run

Would have liked to have 'celebtrated' the first day of winter with a run but had early work commitments.