2 x 3k

Meet up with AK as usual and we were joined by the Professor. Did some easy 3k's but near the end the calf was playing up more than I expected. I is noe giving me cause for concern as it is not improving as I thought it would with the treatment I have been giving it.

Easy around tha Bay

Calf still a minor problem so took it very easy today. The main aim now is to get recovered from this problem sufficiently so that it does not flare up in the marathon. All running and non running will be to achieve this - lucky it fits into the taper theory as well.

No run

Not to plan

Thought I would do 3 x 3k and felt good warming up. Started the first repeat and just di not feel zippy which showed in the 12.15 which was a hard effort. Maybe Sunday took a liitle more out than I realise?? Started on the second and it did just not feel comfortable and there was that ever present twinge in the right calf so pulled the plug on the morning and went home early.

The usual weekly massage this afternoon and I expect no run tomorrow.

Active Recovery

I usually opt for the non run recovery option. But I wanted to stretch out the calves with some very gentle running and some exercises. Around the Bay was just perfect this morning - crisp and coll as it has been for a week or so - with the sun rising just after 6.30 with some wispy very scatered clouds and no breeze.

So easy around the Bay with some extra and some stretching. Certainly the calves felt much better at the end. I think a 3 x 3k effort tomorrow all under 12 if possible.

Suprising Sunday : 3 x 5k

A slight right calf niggle that has been present for a few days seems to have gone with some self treatment and the run yesterday I was not sure exactly what I would do this morning but thought it needed to be faster than my expected marathon pace. At the moment I am thinking 4.30 per k which would be a 3.10 marathon.

I think that would be the very very best that I could expect if all goes perfectly from now until the race and on race day. I however will predict the time will be between 3.10 and maybe on a horow day like last year blow out to 3.30.

So decided that the session Vat has done recently was a good hard session but would not take much out of me - this is the taper time but lets not think that means all easy running. It should mean just that the long distance has gone but the intensity should be up. My thoughts at the moment is that most of my running although short should generally be no slower than planned race pace. The session starts of at race pace and each repeat should get faster - in theory - ran : (with 5 minute rest in between)
22.09 (pace 4.26)
21.21 (pace 4.16)
20.36 (pace 4.07)
The cooldown run home was all smiles for a job well done and better than expected. I expected the last repeat to be slower than the first just because I didn't think I had the endurance/speed to do it.

5k Challenge : 19.06

Thought fitness had me at about 19.35 at best. Started with the 20 group and ran the first k in 3.48 which felt about on my limit for 1 and so I was not sure if the pace would last. I suspected it would fall off quickly. However the next 2 k's went through in similar times and so I was then expecting a BIG drop off for the 11.25 for 3k pace. It remained at 3.48 for the 4th k and I held pace to the end for a pleasant suprise for 19.06. A large drop in time in the last month or so because of the increase in the speed work as Canberra approaches.

Easy 2 x 3k

At the start a wet miserable morning around the Bay. Ran with AK and Truckie - AK decided 2 x 3k was the session at about 4.30 pace - just as we headed off to the 1 k maker it poured. Thankfully it eased for the session. Bythe end it was a cloudy strat to the day and as the rain had stopped everything looked and felt 'clean'. Nice recovery day with great friends - hopefully that will have me more than enough rested for the 5k Challenge tomorrow.

Some days ....

Yes some days we should just not do what we palnned. After a rest day yesterday I fully expected to run well this morning. It was wet and cool when I left the house in the dark and was not looking forward to the session that I had planned.

Was going to do 3 steady laps of the Bay with a 5 minute break in between. The first one went on time in 31.02 but I ached in the calves and generally felt very tired and listless. Did some stretching at teh end of the first lap to try and get the tighness out. Ran most of the second lap and did not feel comfortable at all so eased off and cruised home.

If I didn't have work I may well have gone back to bed and tried to restart the day on a much more positve note. Really 16k of very little but negatives.

No run : recovery

Even more reliable standby : 3 x 3k

Still thrashing out another speed (?) session but thank heavens tomorrow is a rest day with no run at all. A bit wet and coll around the Bay this morning - in fact some heavy rain as I headed out of the house and over Iron Cove bridge. Thankfully it was down to a light drizzle when I got to the start of the 5k challenge course.

Felt okay and though a 3 x 3k session would be tough but do no damage to the preparation for the marathon. Fully expected the times to be in the 12.30 - 12.45 range because of the work done in the last few days. Don't always expect the expected as the times were 11.58, 11.54 and 11.48 - hard but managable and each one got faster.

Still amazed at the drop in time over a few days. It can't happen that fast - I suspect it is just I have recovered from 6ft and are now running times that were always there I had just not run the sessions. Whatever the time are being run and that is what is important.

Bay 30.08

Even after yesterday the chase for more speed continues. Depsite tired legs managed 30.08 for the Bay which is my second fastest for sometime. Felt strong - would have been faster with a rest day before.

Suprising Sunday

Still on the speed sessions so wanted to do 2 x 3k and then 5k with a few minutes rest in between. Thought the 3ks would be at 4.20 pace so 13 minutes - but ran 12.36 and 12.14 !!!

Then thought 22.30 for the 5k would be the best expected result (being 4.30 pace) - managed 20.50 (4.10) pace. How suprising.

I will not even think about a 3 hour marathon at the moment but I have 2/3 weeks of these types of session s before I take a 1/2 week taper. Finished with 10k easy for 22 for the day.

Easy 10k

Took my son to sport next to Centennial Park so managed and easy 10 around it. It was nice to go at cruise pace as the only time I run it is in the Sydney Marathon and it never seems pleasant through that area.

Saw Truckie and Aunty just after their bike tangle. Aunty looked upset and I was probably lucky I didn't come through a bit sooner.

A recovery week of just 38k

The reliable standby : 3 x 2k

The usual Friday witha run with Truckie and Karin with the Professor joining in. We all opted for the great standby session that it not a fast 1k repeat and not a slow run either. So for today for Karin and I each rep in about 9.00 minutes or below was the aim and it was just managed. Truckie and the Professor we somewhat faster.

A bit of a cool nip in the air at 6.00am and a very pleasant cooling breeze around the Bay. A good firm session to wind down the 6ft recovery and start the preparation for Canberra with a few more similar sessions slowing working up the tempo and distance. About 14k for the morning.

Recovery run

A pleasant early morning around the Bay. Probably about 19 degrees but high humidity. Was easy and felt no sorned or stifness. Saw some of the girls from the Western Joggers going in the the opposite direction as usual so turned around and ran with them. The continued and meet up with Springer who pushed the pace from Montagues to the Rowers. Let him go while I had a drink and ran back home over Iron Cove. The usual monthly chiro visit tonight so any back problems should be fixed then some serious Commonwealth Games veiwing.

About 12k for the morning with no problems. Some firm long repeats tomorow with Auntie & Truckie.

No run : recovery

No sorness and no other problems. In fact I feek very good and fresh but I suspect the muscles need a little longer to recover. Could have enjoyed a pleasant cruise around the Bay this morning in overcast but humid conditions. Opted to be conservative and took the day off.

No run : recovery

No run : rest

No run : rest

6ft Track Marathon

Up about 4.30am and left in my car about 5.20. Passengers Blue Dog, Bernie G and Truckie. Karin was not running and so she was driving back. The time waiting at the start went quickly and before I knew it we were off.

After years of resisting the temptation to run this race because it is so close to the Canberra Marathon I finallydecided to runit this year. Having seen the course once ( a huge advantage) I had no real expectations on a finish time except probably between 5 - 6 hours.The run was always going to conservative as Canberra is the main focus.

I knew from looking at the splits from previous races that they were 30% of race time to Cox's River another 30% to the top of Pluvi and 40% to the finish.Got caught in a huge bottle neck at the start of Nellies to climb over a fallen tree. Ran steady and got to Cox'xs after a nasty fall along the technical section in 1.41 - a quich calculation said a 5.30 or so finish. Pushed up Pluvi faster than I thought ( I am not a fast walker) but just kept striding it out (caught up with Mr G and Virtual and others on the way up).Got to the top in 1.38 - so matched the time to Cox's and still on 5.30 pace by the % theory.

Knew the Black Range needed to be run all the way to get home on schedule and manged that although walked some of the short steep hills - had no idea if I was maintaining pace but just pushed on. Seemed to be passing more than were passing me.Feulled up well at Devaition for the push home. As I crossed Caves Road I seemed to gain some energy (no doubt the GU and coke kicking in). Then ran hard (well it seemed that way) to the end passing a lot more runners. Was not looking forward to the last down hill section as I tentatively walked this before but this time managed a passable jog all the way down.

No problems with cramping or other niggles. Great finishing atmosphere and great event. Finish time 5.30. xx - splits 30.1%/29.7%/39.2% - seemed to have run the splits in the classic breakup.Pleased to have participated. Pleased to have participated in the wonderful atmosphere with so many other CR's. Pleased to have finished with no injuries so that the preparation for Canberra can contine. Pleased with the time as being exactly in the middle of the expected range.

3 x 2k

Ran with Karin and truckie this morning. Felt like an easy morning relaxing would be just as good as a sleep in. Ran reps of 3 x 2k in the 8.45 or so pace. Then an easy jog home.

Then packed for 6ft - went to the office for a few hours and about 12.30 headed off for the mountains. Stayed at the Edge for a couple of hours talking to whatever familar face arrived. By about 4.oo headed off to Caves House. Aunty rode her bike the 46k into Caves hourse from the highway. I passed and then stopped at about 30k to make sure she was okay - she glided past with a thumbs up and I went onto Caves house - she seemed at arrive in no time.

Pleasant meal with some CR's and pleasant nights sleep.

5k TT : 19.57 - Yipee!!

After a rest day yesterday I thought a 5kTT was needed. I was hoping for sub 20 but as I have not run ANY speed sessions for 3 weeks and even when I was I had only worked down to 5 x 1k in the 4.02/4.05 range a sub 20 looked unlikely.

Started off in the dark on the 5k challenge course at the Bay. Decided I would run how a felt with odd glance at the watch but being dark the watch was not clear to read (only looked at it at 3k and thought I was just over 4 minute pace. Started off slow and built up speed to finish by sneaking in just under 20. Splits 4.06, 4.02, 4.00, 3.57, 3.52 = 19.57.

Happy with mini taper this week with both this and the Bay lap being the quickest for a long time. All I can do now for the mountain run is to get my race plan set and stick with it on the day. I have already decided on what I would like to do and I will just have to focus on that and see if it works. MPHaz has a race plan (which I suspect is the same as a lot of others) and I would love to be in his shadow at the finish although he maybe too conservative in his present estimate of his finishing time..

No run : rest

Last night was at Parrmatta until late for me son to attend a play for his HSC. The up early to drive my daughter to school for sport training to start at 7.00am. So events worked against me - no sleep in and no run. Expect to put in a slick 5k TT tomorrow moring. Maybe I will sneak in under 20 although I have my doubts.

Bay run x 2

No run yesterday and so somewhat recovered. Wanted a fast lap of the Bay and was hoping to run under 30 minutes for the first time in 8/10 months although I must say that I have only been running timed fast laps of the Bay for the last 6/8 weeks. Didn't look at my watch the whole way - thought it felt fast and was (at least for me) 29.58. A few days ago I managed 30.30. The saw JD and ran another lap with him with lots of talking and still managed 32.20 which a few weeks ago was a gut wrenching effort - todays second time around was a firm cruise.

A good session like today at the right time of preparation is a great mental boast.

No run : rest

20k : 91 minutes

With an eye to Canberra I wanted a good longish run at what at this stage is marathon pace. I tried this a few weeks ago and struggled to get under 5.00 min per k pace. But having unrealistic expectations I thought that 4.30 pace sounded a nice number and maybe was very very remotely possible (ha ha he said to himself as he warmed up). However suprise suprise managed 4.33 pace.

The pace was up at the red line all the way but it felt as if I could have maintained it for a few ks more. So provided recovery from 6ft is short I will give myself about 2 weeks of long tempo and speed stuff which might bring the MP down a little. That improves my chance of a good Canberra time provided fatigue doesn't set in near the end of that marathon due to the residual from 6ft.

Easy - ? Heartbreak Hill

No Striders 10k because of transport duties - took my son to school sports at Scotts College - a private school at Rose Bay. Couldn't resist a run along the flat at Rose Bay and then up Heartbreak Hill to the sharp right hand corner that leads to Bondi and back. Its been a few years since I have run up it - it fely okay but it would be a lot worse if I had of started from Park Street in the city - a pleasant easy run for 9k and a total of 107k for the week. I suppose that is a taper week - it felt a lot shorter than the total.

Still balancing

Dropping the distance but incresing the intensity as 6ft gets closer - at least for today. Decided a very fast Bay run was needed to see how the speed was progressing. Run the Bay often but not as fast a spossible as a time trial. This time last year Silver Fox and I could run 28's and have a concersation but over the last few months I have not managed anything better than the 32's.

Pushed all the way didn't look at my watch at all so I had no idea of the time but new it should be faster than resent past - yipee managed 30.30. Then headed off to 3 x 1k but controlled at 4.05 - managed 4.04, 4.02, 4.00.

No niggles and the balancing act continues and I was pleased with the effort this morining. May rest tomorrow and try 20 or 27 on Sunday proabably 20 because of respect for 6ft.

What rest and recovery does

Was not sure again what to do today - as I am to a degree doing what I feel I can do with quality and not just turning the legs over and it is quite difficult to be trying to balance a bit of a dip for the taper for 6ft but continue the quality and endurance for Canberra. Decided that some short but fastish stuff was needed. Saw Fats and others on the way to Timbrell for 1ks but that seemed a bit short and maybe too much speed.

Finally decided that 2 x3k and 1 x5k was the go and at a pace between 4.05/4.15. Felt very fresh and rested - knew it was agood pace for the whole of the first rep but did not look at the watch until the end as I wanted to run on feel 12.30. Back pushed harder as it felt okay again did not look at the watch for a 12.13. The 5k was not going to be easy and I thought 21.15 would be fine managed 20.44 but did keep and eye on the watch.

I am sure the rest/recovery enable some speed to come back into the session. Thought it probably achieved a benefit for each race.

No run : rest

Last night I had second thoughts about 3 x 3k this morning - thought it might not achieve much but might risk a lot. Then last night my daughter asked to be driven to school early for some sports training - so needing to be out of the house by 6.30am kinda made my mind up for me.