Decided to have a rest day - no run

18k @ 5.26 in 1.36.12

Again warm and humid but probably no different than what our Queensland friends go through fora much longer. I felt okay - dare I mention the Achilles - its still an issue daily particularly post run but during the run is less of an issue that it was some months ago.

Anyway back to Sunday. I ran very firm and managed to hold a good pace all the way. Best time and a huge improvement on the 1.40 from Wednesday. The fitness level seems to be on the rapid improvement by the steady running. But this improvement has not yest got me back to where I was some months ago but still I am improving.

5k Challenge : 22.09

I have not managed to attend one of these for a while. I have no speed at the moment so I was not sure what I should try to run and what I could actually run. I thought they would be widely apart.

I was there just as the 34 minute group went. So I had no choice I went with them. The Professor was leading and I stayed with him for the first k in 4.45 or so and it felt a little slow so I moved forward and thought this pace won't last long but I would enjoy it while it lasted. It lasted longer than I expected and finished in 22.09.

18k @ 5.46 in 1.41.29

The 'sauna' morning conditions. Humidity up around 75% but I suppose it could be much worse. I felt strong and ran well but a bit slower than a few days ago. No problems with that considering I am not having any easy days at the moment.

14k @ 5.27 in 72.32

Still 'sauna conditions. Despite yesterday being a longer run I felt fresh and strong this morning. This was reflected by a very quick time. I ran the same course on Tuesday in 77.34 - so a massive improvement. That will not continue however it was nice to run at that pace.

Australia Day : 18k @ 5.45 pace : 1.40.09

Despite it being a public holiday I was still out early in the 'sauna' type conditions that exist at the moment. I am still just content to build a base by some steady but solid running. That is pushing hard for the whole run but also trying to maintain the same pace over the whole run.

To run the same total time but have it very quick at the start and very slow at the end does not achieve the same result as steady all the way at a 'firm' pace. That is a pace that is a quick as you can go but is able to be maintained for the whole run.

Over time this pace will get faster as the body adapts. Maybe that is shown to be correct as I ran the same course on Monday in 1.44.37. However if there are no easy days in between there may not be a steady improvement like that over a day or so. At the moment I am in total overload. That is each day is run as hard as I can and I believe I can do that for the moment with the years of running I have in my legs. As the speed gets quicker I will have to incorporate some easy days so the hard days are higher quality.

At the moment it is just about increasing the distance with a firm pace daily.

Same as Sunday: 14k @ 5.48 and a bit quicker

Another very humid day around the Bay despite being out early and a blanket of cloud cover. The humidity made the whole run testing but I was happy to run quicker than Sunday. Being patient should lead to some quick improvement over the next few weeks before the inevitable plateau occurs.

I agree JD Lydiard has always worked in the base building phase.

18k @ 5.59

Added another 4k and managed to keep the pace the same. Got to be pleased but it was a draining effort because of the backup from yesterday and it was humid in Sydney this morning. Usually it would not be so tough but with the lack of base it is. However if yo believe in Lydiard then a few weeks of this and things should start to improve. Lets hope so.

Sunday: Easy 14k and the start of some base building

I have been in Hong Kong for a week and did no running but a lot of walking.

Today was just a very steady 14k at just below 6 minute k's. I know not very quick but this is all about slowly building a solid base for he rest of the year. But I know that in a week or so the pace will be much closer to 5 minute per k. It just takes this old body a while to get moving.

I hope to slowly increase the distance and the pace. Also I would like to try and run daily with the rest days being active rest - a solid distance but at a slower pace.

I was going to travel to Brisbane on Wednesday to run a marathon but I am just not ready to do one and not put my training back. It could be done but at a price in the time taken to recover and get back into solid training. I have decided to respect my body and not start.

2011

Yes I have been very quiet for a long time. Lets not go into the DNF at 148k at C2K. I need to move on.

I have already run a marathon for 2011 at Hobart last weekend. On really no training I was expecting something of a struggle and over 4 hours. I therefore went out very easy with the hope of getting under 4 hours with even splits. I was through halfway in about 1.56 and knew that was about as close to plan as possible. It was then a matter of pushing hard but always with the thought of making it to the finish line without bleeding time over the last bit. The second half was about 1.57 for a 3.53 finish. I was happy with that as a good result for my fitness at the moment.

I was back in Sydney late on Monday. I thought I would test the legs on Tuesday morning as I thought I had recovered well. A easy lap of the Bay in about 5.30 pace and it felt all too easy. I was out again today and averaged about 5.20 and felt good.

I have been doing some thinking about what has gone wrong in the last part of the year. That is I run well during the busy time between July/September and including the Melbourne Marathon in early October and then cannot hold the base for the end of year ultra's. I have decided maybe it is core strength that needs to have a base consistently during the year so that I can end the year using the base that has been built up and not becoming injured and fatigued.

So some research and reading to set up a program of exercises and weights to get some strength. I did that at the start of last year and ran my quickest marathon at Canberra. I then stopped that and my times drifted off.

Anyway I am off to Hong Kong later today and will start serious and structured training when I get back. .... and post daily.

Hobart was marathon #122. Goal for the year is to run at least 15 marathons plus a couple of selected ultra's. Other goal wold be to get my 5k time down close to 21 minutes.