Hunter Valley Marathon : 3.52.xx

Yes I know a while since any updates.

I trained well after the Gold Coast and that started with restarting the Wednesday laps of the Bay with JD and the Professor. Our first was the first Wednesday after the marathon. I felt okay but for various reasons it was agreed it would be slow and we did that and ran about 37.30. The next week we thought we might go a bit quicker but maybe around 5 minute pace. A 31.50 in about 4.33 was not was agreed but is was a nice run. I plan to run this Wednesday but it will be back for me at least to a 37.30 lap.

Mum died last week and whilst it might sound heartless I did continue to run. It felt okay to do that as she was proud of my running and I am sure she would have wanted me to continue. You can still grieve and run. Even when your mother dies life must go on.

Despite saying that you cannot expect to be unaffected. So whilst I was running my mind was certainly more on the loss than some training session to improve my running. It was being done on auto without much attachment to what I was doing.

The marathon was more of the same. I started, I ran and I finished and not much thought went into anything related to running but my thoughts were on Mum and the loss that our family and friends have suffered. However our family is not unique in that regard must accept what has happened and move on positively with our lives as I know that is what she would have expected.

Not much more can be said about the marathon other than it was run and completed. If there is anything pleasing it seems the hammy issues that have plagued me for the last few months have finally completely recovered and they are no longer an issue or concern.

No marathon next weekend but then a nice double the following weekend with the Bush Capital on Saturday and the M7 on Sunday. The Bush Capital is all off road and tough so well over 4 hours is still a good steady run. The M7 I may just run with Jane and for once run for the pleasure and enjoy the run.

The following weekend another marathon in the bush in Sydney and again close to 6 hours is an okay run.

Gold Coast Marathon : 3.50.15

Lets not go into too much detail and history of what happened after my last post and the marathon other than to say the hammy played up again and I did not run a step in the week before the marathon.

So I was at the start line not knowing whether it would hold up for 42 meters or 42 kilometers or something in between. That is now the 3rd marathon in a row that I have started with a hammy injury and really no training. In fact I have not trained properly since 20 May. The day before that I stormed around the Bay in 28.57.

I decided that I would run steady for as long as I could and see what happened. I was surprised to be running at 5.20 pace and there was not a twinge. I stayed at that steady pace until 30k (through in 2.40.14 @ 5.18). The wheels then started to wobble and I slowed and finished the last 12.2k in 5.48 pace.

Splits 1.52 & 1.58. So about a 6% slow down.

I finished with no twinges and no issues. Pleased with that. The time was okay considering. I just need to have some solid training with no injuries for the second half of the year.

Sunday and Monday after Gold Coast

On the weekend I stayed with a school friend in the hinterland above Byron Bay. It is a pleasant 75 minutes drive to the marathon.

Om Sunday afternoon I was back on his farm and was able to stand in a swimming pool to recover. Well that's what they say and do - so about 30 minutes in a very cool pool up to the waist. After dinner we were having a lovely chat around the open fire when a call came to say that my mother had had a stroke and was in a bad way in hospital. It was too late to catch a plane and anyway Tiger has been stopped from flying and Virgin and Jetstar were fully booked.

I had seen her last weekend for my Birthday and so I stayed.

The next morning she was in a coma but steady. What else could i do but life goes on. So we were down milking the cow, feeding the goats, ducks and sheep. Quite different to a run around the Bay.

We flew back on Monday night and she was still in a coma and the medical advice was there was nothing that could be done for her and it was just a matter a a short time and she pass away. I accept that. That may seem lacking feeling but over the last 6 months my mother has deteriorated significantly and her quality of life was very low. Lets not dwell on that not that I don't care but there is nothing I can do to change what will happen.