Another KL: 75.09 : 16K @ 4.41

Felt fine for the first 10k but no doubt yesterdays effort kicked in after that and a 4.35 pace slipped away as the k's laboured along to the finish. Still the program has the pace between 4.40 - 4.50 and yesterday's session was not in the program.

3 x 5k : 19.58 : 20.19 : 19.51

Overcast around the Bay this morning. After I got back I heard on the radio it was 20 degrees and 95% !!! humidity in Sydney. No wonder I was drenched in sweat before the end of the first 5k.

Felt a bit heavy in the legs from Sunday so all around 21 would have been fine.

Eased off on the second as I would have been happy with a MP time of 21.15. Thought the third would certainly drift out to that time but not so.

Will I get 3 under 20 before Canberra???

Long Run : 34k @ 5.03 pace

Went out with JD, Tess and Clairie on a Striders course around Concord. Very well led and paced by JD.

We went steady all the way and enjoyed the change in the weather about halfway through when a cooling breeze came up and some light rain. Just on 34k at about 5.03 pace. A good solid hit out to start the last serious 3 weeks of training before the taper.

5k Challenge : 18.35

Last month 19.23 and then I think I had said if my fitness continued to improve I might get down to 18.45 - so pleased with the effort. The splits were a bit eratic but I had decided to go out reasonably hard and also there may have been a little of Thursday's effort still in the legs.

Splits 3.37, 3.43, 3.39, 3.44, 3.50.

Lest hope for some continued improvement until the next challenge and the last one before Canberra. Maybe if the planets are all aligned I might be able to give the 18.14 PB a threat.

Easy around Bay

3 x 3k : New level 11.30 : 11.35 : 11.36

Out early in the dark but not cool. I was not sure what session to do as I wanted to be fresh for the 5k Challenge on Saturday but I also wanted a hard session.

Decided this session would push me but I may also have something on Saturday. I did this session on the 9th February when I got all 3 under 12 minutes. I wasn't sure what would happen today. The first one was run in the dark so I had no idea of the pace I just kept pushing it knowing I had 2 more to do. Amazed at the time. Went backwards from there but not by much.

Strength/speed seem to be moving along in the right direction as the training for the Canberra moves into the serious last part.

AK run : 16k : 73 minutes @ 4.33 pace

Very fatigued so I thought a huge crash and burn or maybe a DNF for the session.

At the moment if you are out of the house at 5.30am it is dark but certainly not cool yet. The humidity is there and then starts to rise quickly as the sun starts to rise. It was no different today and no breeze.

I tried to ignore the fatigue and just pressed on and on and on. Managed to finish the run in a reasonable time. Felt like I had just had a shower at the end the sweat was just dripping and dripping. Cooled down with same stretching which felt great or perhaps it just felt great to stop.

2 X 5k : 20.20 + 20.45

I still felt fatigued from Sunday. Wanted a session that was a bit faster than MP and one which was a longish run that just got slower. So 2 x 5k seemed ideal.

The weather around the Bay was warm and brutally humid. It was energy sapping with no breeze. The weather conditions were reflected in the struggle on the second rep.

Easy around the Bay

Easy in the morning. Out again in the late afternoon helping my daughter prepare for her school cross country. We have been at it steady for a few weeks. Our first 3k TT 3 weeks ago was 18.16 today down to a comfortable 16.40 so she was very pleased. 5 weeks to go for her.

SMC : 25k : 1.52.21 @ 4.30 pace

Warm not hot and some humidity to start with. Then near the end it was hot.

The weather is always a factor in this longish February run. Generally the time is slower than what you would expect to run in better conditions. The question is always just how much slower is it? Is my training going well or do I have to increase it to keep on track for the Canberra Marathon and the planned time?

As usual this run and time did nothing to answer those questions in a definite way.

I would have been very pleased to have just slipped under 1.50 but I didn't. Only positive that I take away is that the 5k splits were all below 22 except for the 2 between 10 - 20 which has some long energy sapping hills and they drifted out to 23.30+. The last 5k split was the fastest of the day so I finished strong. Maybe an indicator of endurance

Rest and no run

Easy around the Bay with AK

Meet up with Auntie K and cruised around chatting about her IM preparation.

Taper working

Same session as Tuesday to see if the taper was kicking in yet. I think it has!!

Session : 2k, 1k, 1k and 2k
Splits : 7.22, 3.29, 3.28 and 7.21.

I haven't been in those time zone since 2002/2003. Lets hope the progress continues.

Bay Run

Started off for a full lap of the Bay in planned pace of just over 4 minute per k and got to 4 k at that pace. Then caught up with the Professor and so slowed to about 4.15's and ran the rest of the lap with him and he continued on to finish at the Rowers. Then did some stretching.

Taper/sharpening

A mini taper for the SMC 25k on Sunday.

2k, 1k, 1k and 2k :
7.47, 3.48, 3.42 & 7.37

I was very slow to get started and so some slowish times to commence and it was very wet and raining for the first 2. It then cleared. When I finished I felt another couple of sets could have produced to some better times - probably a good feeling for the taper.

No run : recovery

Long : 32k : 2.39 @ 5 min per k pace

Twice around KL. First lap in 78.30 and second in 80.05. Would have liked them a bit faster and more even but on 4 hours sleep and warm weather on the second lap I suppose it was okay.

A mini taper week coming up in preparation for 25 k at SMC next Sunday. No firm predictions as to time as the heat and humidity can be a huge factor but would hope if the conditions are kind to run about 4.24 pace for a 1.50 finish.

Recovery : No run

Tempo : 3 x 3k : 11.48, 11.45, 11.45

Overcast with slight breeze around the Bay. At the end of the second run a beautiul light cooling shower - just enough to cool you down.

Mission: to have the 3 comfortably under 12 minutes
Accomplished

In the afternoon joined the Summer Series organised by Colin. Had a very confused race plan and finished up with 20.04 for 5k and an easy jog back to the start.

No run : recovery

KL : 73..31 (16k @ 4.35)

Not my fastest and not my slowest - firm all the way - just a bit faster than the program. No injuries so can't complain.

VO2 Max day again

Bay 29.23 : 4 x 800 (3.00 - 3.02) : 4 x 200 (40 - 41) : 4 x 100 (18's)

Very very humid around the Bay with a lot of cloud cover and very little breeze so it was uncomfortable. Bay time just okay - still looking to get under 29 regularly. Thought the 800's would be at 2.55's. The others were about where I expected.

Recovery run

Easy around the Bay. Some stretches and 5 x 100 in 18's for some fun.

Bridges Run : 22k : 1.55 + Bay 30.30

Same session as I did on 14 January and similar times. Felt flat for the whole of the 22k and so was a few minutes slower than the last few. Then a lap of the Bay as quick as possible in the rising heat and humidity. Ran at 4.24 per k pace would have liked something closer to 4.15 pace.

All up 32 solid ks for the morning.

No run

VO2 Max Intervals : 6 x 1k

Yesterday in the program was a day off but I ran. Today was 5 x 1k at between 3.45 - 3.50.

I had 2 problems - first I ran yesterday and second I have not run a session like this for about 10 months so I was in very new territory. Also I had no idea what speed I was at so I knew it would be interesting. In December I did some 200, 400 and 800 sessions but they were all at 4.15 - 4.30 pace.

Ran the first steady - didn't watch the time and kept a steady pace through the finish to a 3.41. Without going into detail the whole 6 were in the 3.38 - 3.41 range. The were very firm with maybe just a touch more in each. Gotta be pleased.

Another session like this for Tuesday in an attempt to increase speed and get down to an 18.45 for 5k at the end of the month.

KL : 16k : 73.51

I was going to run longer and slower but I needed to be out of the house early so opted for this.

I was recovered from yesterday well as regards feeling okay but I was not sure how the legs would go when put under the strain of a firm pace. Fully expected to blow out to something closer to 80 than 75. At about half was I was heading for about 75 and felt comfortable.

Pushed on in the second half and the legs responded and managed to get back a bit of time. A good solid session on the back of the last few days.