The Weekend

What a wonderful weekend but hectic to say the least.

I was in Brisbane teaching Family Law all day and arrived back in Sydney about 8.30pm having left on the 7.00 am flight. I was tired and the day was not good for eating hydrating or resting. It was a full on day on my feet teaching and I was exhausted by the time I arrived home about 9.30. I really did not feel like getting up early and driving to Canberra.

Bush Capital Marathon : 3.38
However I was out of the house at 4.30am and just settled into a steady drive with some of my favourite 60's music blaring out. Probably good I was alone. Arrived in Canberra in time to do all the prerace things calmly and I suppose by that time I felt ready to run ... just.

I ran this 2 years ago in 4.02 and struggled over the last 15ks. Its a course with very changing terrain and so it is almost impossible to get into rhythm. So I just pushed firm but steady and was very conscious of my breathing as a guide to the effort.

As I said before I would have been happy with just under 4 hours.

Finished in 3.38 - with 1.51/1.47 splits. However it is not exactly out and back. It just seemed that I was able to maintain a steady pace all the way. As is usal lately no special drinks and just one GU.

Cities Marathon : 3.25.46 (103.25/102.19)
After a marathon on Saturday and much faster that I planned or expected I thought I would wake up on Sunday still and sore but I wasn't.

All I wanted to do was run steady and even and with that in mind I started off planning to run the first 5k how I felt and take it from there. I went through that in 24.18 and it felt just a little to fast and so I eased off a touch. Just kept rolling along with the 5k splits just under 25 minutes.
Reached halfway in 103.25 and thought I might hold on for 3.35/3.45 with a slow down in the second half. Again the 5k slits just kept rolling along and the splits con tined just under 25 minutes but it was getting more difficult to maintain the pace. Got home on 3.25.46 for a second half negative at 102.19. Was surprised and pleased.

Again no special drinks and no GU's at all - no jelly beans or snakes - I did not want any sugar in my system as an experiment and I found that my energy level was not problem. All comes back to that book SLOW BURN and I am convinced if you adapt your body for week or so before the race you can run very well on little fuel on the day. An long ultra you would need more fuel but not a much as some runners seem to assume they need.

The plan for the weekend was easily achieved and that should give me a good platform for some solid training for Glasshouse 100 miler in September - oh with the Mudgee marathon late in August.

So a few days to recover fully and then back into the Lydiard base building of some large weeks at 4.30/5.00 pace. I have talked to a lot of runners about the Glasshouse course and understand that the last 60k is 'runnable' so I want to get to 100k very comfortable and then have enough endurance to be able to run steady and even pace to the end. What that translates into time I have no idea but that is the race plan at the moment.

The week

Monday and Tuesday no run. Each morning when I got up I felt fresh and that I could have run but nothing positive physically would have been achieved by running. However emotionally and spiritually I value to peace and calm created in my life by running in the morning and in particular on the easy day where you can just enjoy the simple things of being up as the sun come up and running and an easy pace.

Wednesday and Thursday easy days of 2 laps around the Bay each day. The days just don't start any better. On Thursday it was just so still and quite and the water on the Bay was just glass smooth.

Friday - yes it not that yet but I will be in up and back to Brisbane for work so no running.

The weekend - a marathon on Saturday in Canberra on a trail so it would not be fast anyway. I ran it 2 years ago. Sunday another marathon in Sydney's west along a cycleway that I don't know.

The reason for doing it : a challenge.

The aim: to finish both.

The expectation : Provided I can meet my aim and finish both - under 4 hours for each would be a good result.

As I said to someone - its not running the 2 marathons that is the problems it having to stop and sleep in the middle of them.

HUNTER VALLEY MARATHON : 3.18.xx

The result was just a bit slower than I expected but I am not sure it is wise to predict a finishing time when you don't know the course.

It didn't take long to find out what devils the course had. Between 4/5 k there was a very steep hill probably about 600 meters long and enough to take a lot of the speed out of the legs early on. I got through the first 5k in just under 23 minutes and thought then it maybe a long day knowing the same hill would still be there 21k later.

I was running alone along a mixture of tar, dirt gravel and a small bit a rough grass along the edge of the road. It meant you needed to watch the road just in front to make sure you would not trip or where to place your foot. As best as I could I settled into a steady pace but not enough to get back under 3 pace. There were some long steady inclines that just drained the speed from the legs as well with no hope of of making up the lost speed on the down hills on the other side.

If you watched you footing you didn't look into the distance and when you did you realised that you had been on a steady rise for some k's. It was funny on the way back the downhills seemed to have flatened out compared with the same stretch on the up hill. Ever find that?

Went through the half in about 96 and thought 3.15 would be the best finish. Then had the pleasure of running part of the second half with ex Knights Robbie O'Davis who was running his first marathon. From 25 - 40 it was just a matter of grinding out k's alone along the long inclines with few runners to be seen.

It was a challenging course with some great scenery from the hills. Overall I thought the course was good, much slower than a straight road marathon because of the change in surfaces and the hills. It was also difficult on the dirt road sections to find a flat section and avoid the significant camber.

It will be an iteresting week to manage a very short recovery and to get back out ASAP for a couple of easy runs before the double header next weekend. The hope is both will be under 4 hours and I have no injury. It should be a good challenge.

Easy around Bay

I usually have an easy run around the Bay the day before a marathon as I like to reflect on the past training and focus on the race the next day. Today was no different and I always enjoy the morning. It is not meant to be physical training but a mental thing.

Tomorrow - the thoughts. Well I know I can run under 3 - before the Gold Coast I was just hoping. Can I do it tom morrow? I will give it a try but I doubt it - I have no idea about the course and while I have been running since the Gold Coast it has been nothing near enough to have maintained the peak from Gold Coast. There was neither enough intensity or distance so I suspect somewhere faster than 3.15 but not by much.

Having said that I will have a go at getting through the half between 88 - 88.30 and if I do that then I will give it all. There will be no holding back for a good time of just over 3 - I will go for the sub 3 and either make it or blow up in the attempt. In 12 hours I will be just getting to the 10k of the race and I should have an idea by then how things will go.

Lets hope if I do blow up it is not tooooooo embarrassing

Taper +

A brisk morning around the Bay. Warmed up going over Iron Cove Bridge and then a solid 5k in 21.40 that was very comfortable. Continued around the Bay and did some more stretching.

Taper

Decided no run was better than a slow run for the taper. Even with no alarm I was still up at the same ungodly hour so I was in at the College very early.

Just crusin' the Bay in the cold

Another cold morning around the Bay as Sydney had its coldest morning yesterday for 22 years. I dressed better today and was very comfortable. As I was rolling over the Iron Cove Bridge and the sky was just turning pink I though a 5k TT at about 3 hour marathon pace would be just fine. That is 5k in about 21.20.

Managed 21.35 which is fine. Eased off after the TT and then did some stretching.

Skiing was just fine

Lunching in the sun at - 2 degrees





The weather was blue cloudless sky and no wind with plenty of snow for the 4 days of skiing. Sunday morning was - 9 as we started to ski and then 'warmed' up to - 2. We left yesterday. Today it was - 5.5 with a 50k wind making it - 26 degrees with the wind chill factor. We just were so lucky with the weather and conditions.

I have not really set my mind on preparing well for the Hunter Valley Marathon which seems to be slipping under the radar.

I guess a few cruisy laps of the Bay and perhaps one quick LKL on Thursday should just about wrap up the intensive taper for this one.

2 x LKL : 64.41 @ 4.58 + 59.36 @ 4.35

Last serious long hit out before the Hunter Marathon in just over a week. I thought I would cruise and maybe struggle to g=have each lap at 65 minutes. The first one was right on target and then just pushed to the areobic limit on the second lap.

These times are much better than the ones going into the Gold Coast and McLeay. I feel stronger on the second laps but not faster.

Off to ski for a few days which will be no running and so it might help the taper.Back early next week. And yes the ski conditions are just great.

2 x Bay : 33.25 @ 4.46 + 31.58 @ 4.34

I felt quite fresh after yesterday. This was an 'easy' day being just 14k but the pace was going to be up a little on yesterday because it was short. Managed the usual theory - that is to run firm on the first lap but have a little in reserve and run faster on the second when the most benefit will be obtained from the effort. Each lap was in the fast end of the range I am running these sessions at.

2 x LKL : 65.33 @ 5.01 + 62.13 @ 4.46

I believe the body does have energy cycles and yesterday mine was low.
I pushed as hard as I could aerobically and struggled with my pace.
Today after a late night out I ran a good steady first lap and then
when I wanted to put the foot down the body responded with very little
complaint.

As I have said the aim is running between 4.30/5.00 pace day in
and day out. Some days I will push down to the 4.30 but the aim is not
in training to get faster but to get stronger. That is to be able to
run highk's at the desired pace with the effort becoming less to maintain the pace. The result will be that the times will come down but no because of any speed work but because of the build up in endurance base.

Well that is how I see Lydiard
at the moment and it is the basis of the training at the moment.I would
like to get back to 140k a week but with the number of races coming up
in the next few months I think thatwill be difficult when also trying to fit in taper/recovery.

LKL 69.53 @ 5.22 + Bay 34.26 @ 4.55

It was very wet for the whole run. In fact at time it teamed down - I wonder why I didn't see anyone elso out around the Bay. I just seemed to be distracted by that and never really got my mind into running - it was elsewhere so I just kind of drifted along. The LKL was slower than I would have liked but it was okay. I suppose there was some residual left from yesterday. I have peaked so it is now a matter of maintaining the fitness for the moment and as long as I can.

2 x LKL : 71.29 + 57.48

It was time to push back into some hard training for a week. I went very easy on the first lap but it felt very firm and not easy. It was cold out and so I had a beenie and gloves but I soon warmed up so and I was a little uncomfortable.

At the start of the second lap I discarded the extra layers - I felt much freer and I needed to push very hard for a slick lap. Just pushed and pushed the whole way at almost maximum areobic capacity and did the second almost 14 minutes faster than the first.

The second lap felt good to be pushing up near the limit and feeling like the body was just asking for more and for the run to continue. I really felt as if I could have just gone on for much longer at the same pace. I will leave that for the Hunter Valley marathon in 2 weeks.

I guess the theory for the next few days will be medium long runs (13 - 20k) with most as close to the 4.30/4.45 pace.

Next weekend I am having 4 days skiing with the family and the conditions seem like they will be just right. Skiiing will be a good break from running then a few days of taper being a day on day off routine with the running days probably a 13k @ 4.45 pace ..... the Hunter marathon .. well I have no idea of the course except it is 2 laps. I suspect it will be flat out. This may well be the last marathon of the year that I will be able to do that apart from Mudgee in late August.

No run - recovery but note the date 07.07.07

LKL : 13k in 78 @ 6.00 per k

Slow but fine as it was about what was planned. I was at the 3k maker on the Bay run at just after 6.00 am and the orange sunrise was just starting to light up Iron Cove Bridge and a short while later it was light enough to se where you were running. Bring on the longer days I say!!!! However it will still tale a while until it is pleasant temperature wise,

Easy around Bay

A bit stiff and more than I expected. Enjoyed a no timed cruise around the Bay. Stopped and chatted to the Timbrell boys doing some repeats on the way around.

No run - recovery

No run - recovery

No run

GOLD COAST MARATHON : 2.59.40

This maybe a longer post than usual as it has been 5 years since I last ran under 3 for the marathon and I thought I might just reflect a bit.

Off course I am delighted but more surprised because while you never give up the hope of fulfilling a dream on occasions common sense says it will occur. This was my position for some years and even though my mind said common sense was right my heart would not quite let go of the dream.

After GNW in November I looked back over some of my training schedules and decided to follow closely the one I used when I ran under 3 in Canberra in 2002. I followed it almost exactly but if anything cut down on the intensity of the speed session and reduced the distance of the long runs. It gave me a 3.09 that was the best time I had run for many years but it did not fulfil the dream. I ran about 92/97 splits and considered that I had not developed enough endurance base to be able to maintain the pace over the second half. This also resulted in a slower first half than was needed to even go close to

After Canberra I decided to eliminate all speed work. That meant dropping the 3 x 3k etc that had been included in my program for while. I decided to just train day in and ay out with runs of various length but really never shorter than 13k and always aerobic. That meant somewhere between 4.30 – 5.00 minutes per k and for 3 weeks before the Herald half they averaged about 135 per week.

The first test for this training came in the came in May in the Herald Half that I think was around 89.30. This was a pace of 4.14 although no training had been done at this pace.

After the Herald Half there were another two weeks of 142 and 141. Again all the runs were in the 4.30/5.00 minutes per k range. I had developed a knee problem with a 65k run 10 days before the Macleay River Marathon

Eased of for few days in the week of the marathon and managed 3.03.53 with 91.30/92.23 splits for a 4.21 pace per k. I was not aggressive in pushing the pace that probably resulted in a time slower than what was possible.

The knee continued to cause problems but I could still easily manage 100 a week at the same pace but some were slower because of the pain. I have not done any speed work since before Canberra.

I was not sure of my fitness level going into the Gold Coast Marathon but I was sure of one thing - I was going to push harder than the previous marathon and ensure I got to halfway under 90 and then rely on the endurance I hoped I had built up in the last few months.

With that in mind I started just behind the 3 hour pace group and was watching their pace closely. It was just a bit faster that I would have run but it was comfortable and I went through the half in 88.19 which I was very happy with and I was feeling very comfortable.

But I know in a marathon you can feel that way and in a few steps be reduced to a wobble. It was now a matter of intense concentration on maintaining the pace as the fatigue become greater and greater and the temptation to ease off increased with each stride. Soon after the halfway I let the 3 hour group move away as I wanted to run my pace and not theirs.

It then become critical to maintain the concentration and I was then anxious as the 25/30/35 & 40 k markers came as they would be confirmation that I was either still in front of or was starting to fall behind that imaginary 3 hour pace line. At half way I had 1 minute 41 seconds in the in the bank. I needed to maintain 21.20 for each 5k split.

From 20/25 it was a 21.09 split and I had picked up a precious 11 seconds.

From 25/30 it was a 21.16 split and I had again kept ahead of the line by just 4 seconds. But the marathons starts at 30k and all I had done so far was get there on time as feeling as comfortable as I could have expected. The next 5k split is the hardest mentally on the course because it takes you to the turnaround at about 34k and it is so difficult at that stage to be running away from the finish and their seems a huge sense of relief as you make the turn and head for home.

Also you get to see the runners coming the other way and it seemed like the s hour group was a long way ahead and I thought I might have lost too much time. As I passed the 35k mark I was reluctant to look at my watch because my dream would either be shattered right there or it might be still possible. I ran past it clicked the watch and hesitated – the split 22.08 and I had lost a precious 48 seconds and was now eating into the time I had at halfway but I still had 1 minute and 8 seconds in the ‘bank’.

It was really now a matter of what would happen in the next 5k split. This was difficult to maintain the pace I could feel myself giving in to fatigue and then rallying the effort for a few more paces the then slip back and just wanting to slow down just so much. Is not a matter of just watching the runners upfront and staying with them because they could be slowing as well you must just relentlessly drive on. This time I needed the 40k marker to come and I needed to look at the watch as soon as possible because I wanted to get the uncertainty over with it was either possible or impossible depending on the split which was 22.20 and I had lost almost my whole bank and I had just 8 seconds buffer.

I might add that the 5k split times are in my head – I know them down to the second.

And the reaction – oh hell !!! I am in no mans land. I have just 9 minutes 32 seconds to cover the last 2.2 k and I know that to do that the pace must go up to 4.15 per k to cover that distance in 9 minutes 24 seconds. I begin to increase the pace from what has been the case over the last 5 k’s but not by much as I still have 2.2k to cover and I don’t want lactic acid too soon – I want it in the last 200/300 meters.

It took and age to get onto the road to come over the rise and I could see the left turn to the finishing chute. I had no idea of the pace and imagined that time was getting away but I was not sprinting yet too soon. I just wanted to get within sight of the finishing line and the clock over it. It was not use looking at my watch because time and distance were impossible to compute. I was into the finishing chute and expecting the time to have clicked over 3 hours. I then heard Clairie give a yell to say you can do it. That made me think maybe it was still possible.

I then sprinted with all the energy I had and absolutely no style but who cares at that time. The finishing chute has a slight curve and I needed to know the time it was 2.59.25 with about 70 metres to go and I knew I would make it. Then I could see one runner crawling over the line on all fours and another staggering with just meters to go so I though maybe this isn’t over yet. Some how I just focused and sprinted and thank heavens made it. I covers the last 2.2k in 4 minute per k pace. I guess it shows what can be done when it really has to be done.

2.52.51 gun and 2.59.40 chip.

I am now firmly convinced that too many runners include too much speed work in their weekly schedules and do not take the time to develop a strong endurance base – that is the Lydiard ‘marathon training’. Do the speed work but only as a sharpener close to some special event but it shouldn’t clutter up a program in the build up stage. For some like me it seems just plain marathon type training can give me very pleasing results. I am still reading on Lydiard’s theory and will give some detailed thoughts soon.

I have recovered well and the knee is not problem today. A few weeks’ easy marathon training weeks and I plan to run the Hunter Valley Marathon. That maybe fast depending on how I recover and the course. After that I will run some more marathons with a bit of luck I will make 11 for 2007 but they will form the basis of the training for Glasshouse 100 miler in September and off course GNW 100 miler in November.