Tuesday, April 14, 2009

6 days to go and the TAPER

The last week of 20 since I started back at the end of November. I know I could not have done much more but the overwhelming feeling is that I should have squeezed a bit more but I know that would have not been possible and not risk injury for a rather minor gain if any. Apart from 4 taper days I have missed just 5 other days out of the 135 days to date and I have averaged almost 135k a week over that period. I know I could just not have done anymore.

The running plans for this week are:
S: Easy 45 minutes
M : Hard 7k, easy 5k & 10 hils
T: Easy 60 minutes
W: Maybe 5kTT or just 3kTT
T: Either easy or 3 x 1k at Timbrell
F: Rest
S: Easy 30 minutes and some quiet time to reflect

6 days: Sunday 12 April: Very easy around the Bay
I really was not concerned if I ran or rested. So no alarm and no stress to run. Eventually decided to run and out about 7.45. It was no more than an amble accross Iron Cove Bridge when I ran into Blue Dog and we chatted for a while. Then continued and completed with 3k @4.00.

5 days: Monday 13 April
Firm 7k @ 4.18 then easy for 5k. Hill strides of about 250 up and then back. Concentrating on knee lift and strong ankle push off. Just on 4 minutesa loop.

4 days: Tuesday 14 April: Easy 60 minutes
Really no concern about the pace but I was interested to see what pace resulted from a 80% of MHR effort. Over 3 k's that was 4.21 pace so with a bit more of a taper I might have 80% at 3 hour pace.

3 days: Wednesday 15 April: 5kTT in 19.40 @ 3.56
Pleased to get under 20 again with a firm effort but perhaps just holding back a little so that no strain happens. Some months ago I though getting under 20 would never happen again as it just seemed at that time too fast and just too hard. Its nice to be able to to run them seemingly at will or at least 3 time in the taper.

It would be nice to hold that fitness or lose it and gain it again so I could go under when I am 60 in June. I might just sneak that in just before the Gold Coast marathon or I should be positive and believe that I will just hold that pace for the next few months. I like that idea better.

Monday, April 06, 2009

13 days to go: More Sharpening

More sharpening this week with the k's coming down but the intensity still up and increasing as I try to find some last minute speed. My planned sessions for the week although they could be moved around a bit (Friday I am tempted to have one quick lap of the Bay).

M: 3k TT and 10 x uphill runs
T: 45 minutes easy
W: 10K TT
T: 60 minutes easy
F: Rest
S: 12 x 1 minute relaxed strides
S: 90 minutes easy

13 days to go: Sunday 5 April
12k on hills @ 4.29 and then a recovery of 7k @ 4.40
A good solid 12k as quick as I could go over some very testing hills with the flat speed under 4.15.

12 days to go: Monday 6 April: 3k TT in 11.55 @ 3.59
I could not have gone quicker in the TT. Some up hills slow with a firm push off and flexible ankles for about 100 seconds and a float down. Just an idea I had - nothing to do with strength but with some increased flexibility in the ankle for increased push off when running at speed.

11 days to go: Tuesday 7 April and the roller coaster continues: 3kTT in 11.36 @ 3.52
It was supposed to be 45 minutes easy but I thought I would throw in another 3kTT before. I expected to struggle to go under 12 after the 45 minute hill session yesterday. A totally unexpected result. Although mentally I was prepared to give it all all the way (nothing like reading an inspirational book that motives you mentally).

It was not expected but maybe Lydiard does only have you peaking on the day and not before.

Then finished off with an easy 45 minutes around the Bay that allowed me for once to take in all the sights and sounds. I am feeling very relaxed and strong. Injury and niggle free.

Rob asked in a comment:
After all the marathons you have run, do you still have a sense of anticipation and excitement about the next marathon?

To use that over used word; absolutely. I get very excited with butterflies in the stomach as I have now because I am taking the time to think about it. No marathon preparation is the same and no marathon is the same so it does not matter how many you have done each one is new, exciting and different. I like the discipline of the training (it somehow suits my weird personality and I suppose I have a bit of the baggage from the past and while I am recovered from those problems it still happened and I can't forget that). I am sure that deep down it drives me for some reason.

Apart from that probable subconscious element I thrive on the challenge of just seeing where the limit is. That doesn't mean you must always get faster just not slow down too fast. That makes me recall that 10 years when Canberra was my 5th marathon and second after detox I ran 3.16.xx it would be nice 10 years later to run 10 minutes faster.

So Rob I just love all that is related to running but really the marathon has a special place for me although I have a growing passion for ultra's. I am not sure why perhaps it just a long way to try and run as fast as you can (ultra's don't really have that element - more like seeing if you can survive and keep moving for 24+ hours).

I doubt if the attraction will ever go away. I still get a huge sense of achievement and buzz as I see the finishing line. That feeling repays with interst all of the months of effort put into the preparation and training. Sometimes the run or the time is not as expected and there is disappointment but that usually occurs sometime earlier and by the time you reach the finish line that feeling seems to be left behind and you have accepted what will be and depite the result (good or bad) there is just a great relief and exhilaration at finishing another 42.195 journey with other like minded runners.

10 days to go: Wednesday 8 April: 5k TT 19.40 !!!!!
I would not suggest 3 TT's on consecutive days unless you are perhaps coming off a large base. I just felt very good on the warm up run across iron Cove Bridge. I still went although JD was not running. I needed a warm up run as it was the first real cold day. It was clear and fresh, no wind or clouds and just the perfect morning to be out running.

I had planned a 10k TT but knew that would be a struggle in the second 5 and so I will save that for Friday. I however thought I was strong enough to give 5k a good hit out and thought that if I was going to go under 20 minutes today might be the last chance for a while.

Had a peak at the watch during the run and was holding just under 4 minute pace to 3k and I knew the next would be tough but I did so much want the mental lift from going under 20 at this stage of the preparation. After 3k I went as hard as I could and was not game to look at the watch as it was irrelevant because I could not go any quicker.

Great result and it is the first time I have been under 20 minutes since February 2007. But lest put that into perspective I have not been in a position to do it or have not tried for various reasons

9 days to go: Thursday 9 April: 60 minutes easy
Out running at 5.30am and a beautiful crisp morning. As I was running across the Iron Cove Bridge there was a slight greying of the eastern skyline and then a wonderful orange. Then on past the rowers and getting closer to the water it was glass flat and shimmering with the new light of the day.

Clearly the run was as planned easy enough for me to have not a care in the world about the pace and just r'ubber necked' my way around the Bay and some detours for a very pleasant 60 odd minutes.

8 days to go: Good Friday 10 April : Rest and no run

7 days to go: Saturday 11 April: 5k TT in 19.30
@ 3.54
Not the program but I thought it would be okay and I wanted to see if Wednesday was a one off. Second time says it was not a fluke. Pleased to hold a firm pace all the way and it was certain aftera few k I would go under 20 but just a matter of how far. Managed a good 4th k which is often the black hole.
In the afternoon I went to the MetWest 8k run at Concord. I thought 34 @ 4.15 would be good but even though I run the first 4k steady I had no push for home and got neither faster or slower for the second 4k and finished in 34.30 @ 4.18. Almost a minute slower than last year,

Some thoughts about the journey so far:

With a week or so to go before the marathon I started to think about where this journey began and it was Canberra in 1998. Although I did in July the year before run the Cities Marathon after geeting out of detox in February but Canberra was where I really started to be attrached back to running and in particular marathons. I have no clear memory of the actual marathon but I do recall it was a different course to now. This is a photo after the finish with me thre children. Two will be in Canberra the other has work committments.