It's all happening !!!!

Despite my plans I did not run on Thursday. I thought a rest day would be better than squeezing in another session. Friday a sharp 2k and then easy around the rest of the Bay. It was not as cold this morning as compared to the last few weeks.

It was a beautiful pink/orange sunrise filtering through scattered clouds. Soon after the clouds filled in for what started looking like it would be a pleasant sunny day that is now overcast and grey.

Yesterday at 9.09am in Sydney it was officially the time that the sun started its journey back closer to the southern hemisphere. Does that mean summer is now on the way.

Also my Birthday today and I am always thankful to be healthy and fit.

Wednesday'slap of the Bay @ 4.34

None of the usual's present so a solo run. Held it firm for the last long run before Saturday.

I have high hopes of going 64k+ and my real aim is 70k. It will be start out hard and continue for a long as I can. I will not be left wondering. I will either reach the target or blow up in the attempt. If a blow up happens I will be disappointed but not shattered. It's a huge effort of just over 5 minute k's for 6 hours. I don't think I should focus on that number too much as it intimidates me.

However I am reading the just published book by Scott Jurek winner of Western States 7 times in a row. A great read an just what I need at the moment. I cannot do any more training that will help but I need all the mental power I can muster. He writes a lot about that aspect of running. 

Update

There was no run on Saturday because it was just so so wet. Anyway I rationalised that an extra rest day was good. 

Since Saturday I have limited my training to just one hard lap of the Bay of 7k. I am just working on sharpening for a 6 hour race. Anything longer and I would go slower and my pace in the race is as close to 5 minute k's for as long as I can hold it. So no use training slower than that and 1k reps would be too quick with the increased risk of injury so I have settled on the old reliable lap. 

Pace has been held by me at about 4.45 per k with a bit of a blast this morning at 4.30 pace. The usual lap with JD tomorrow and then a couple of days taper but still some running. I think 4k on Thursday and 2k on Friday.

Eating and drinking plan for Saturday set. Crew for the 6 hours set (read the lovely wife). She says it will be a change from waving goodbye and coming back 3 odd hours later to see the last 50 meters. 

Friday: No run

I decided that to have another quick lap of the Bay was risking injury when in reality there is not much I can do in regard to training/running to get me in better shape for the track race. By continuing to push hard I risk and injury for no real gain. In fact my best preparation might just be some rest days. I have to be strong and resist the temptation to have that pre-dawn run that I love so much.

The best way to resist temptation is not to be tempted. So I didn't run.

Thursday Bay : 32.24 @ 4.41

Pushed hard same pace as yesterday although I pushed just as if not harder. Too much too soon after the hard marathon on Sunday. I need to think seriously about the training over the next week. And not just run hard each day and expect to get quicker and stay injury free.

It must be Wednesday: Usual lap of the Bay

Despite the marathon on Sunday I decided to join JD for the usual run. Jo, Rach and the Professor were alo there. Each of us ran according to where we were at and so it was not long before there was a huge gap between us. Jo way out in front running for a sub 30 lap.

About 5k in I see the Professor stopped and saying 'its just a niggle'. That maybe enough to put him off coming back and so stay niggle free. 

I was pleased with a 32.16 @ 4.41. Something to build on over the next 7 days. Next Wednesday could be a good lap panting at Jo's heels. I just hope nothing breaks between now and the track event. A fine balance between recovery and some sharpening. 

Mcleay River Marathon : 3.34.50

A great morning for running at South West Rocks on Sunday morning for the start of the marathon. 

Heavy cloud cover that stayed for the whole run. No rain and no breeze. 

I was not sure what time I could or would run. I got to halfway in about 1.46 and that was very firm so I thought the seconds half meltdown was not far off. However the k's just kept clicking over at just about 5.05 pace and the further I went the harder it was to maintain the pace but I was also get closer to the finish.

Second half was about 1.49 so I held on okay. The hammy gave no problems. I have not been down to that time for a while and so am pleased as I have done no training over 21k's for months. Age win by about 40  minutes.

That time gives me some confidence for the 6 hour track. Some short quick stuff between no an then should get me sharpened. I don't think any other type of training in the next 10 days will help. 

Glow Worm Marathon : 7.20. xx

Yes folks a 7+ hour marathon. 

The Glow Worm marathon is held at Newnes about a 4 hour drive west of Sydney deep in the mountains. I drove up Saturday afternoon with Jane in the rain and as we drove up the Newnes valley into the late afternoon fog and mist. The RD had set up well and dinner was provided.

Jane slept in a tent. Put down the seats in the 4 wheel and had comfortable and warm night's sleep. The 8.00am start was very leisurely. The first half was pleasant rolling inclines with nothing too steep and all runable. It in part follows a disused rail track which is from the time Newnes was a booming mining town for shale/oil. 

The name of the marathon comes from the fact that about 11k into run you walk through a railway tunnel about 800m long that has glow worms on the tunnel. It was a comfortable but still run firm half marathon completed in 2.45. There were lost of guesses about the second half and none were anywhere accurate. Some parts were just simply climbing up the side of a mountain on all fours on a track that had been in shade since I am sure the world was created. It was damp and slippery. Coming back down was just as much 'fun'. Impossible to describe in words how tough.

Just say my 5k splits were about 60 minutes until the 30/35k out and back that took 2 hours of moving forward at all times as quick at possible. The second half took just over 4.30 and it went so quickly. Having said all that it was great challenging course in a beautiful and remote area. 

It was my slowest ever marathon but was pleased as I knew I pushed as hard as I could while saving something for the Kempsey Marathon this weekend.

The week

I was back running on Wednesday and felt good. Despite the length of the run in time and the massive amount of rise and fall I felt good. I have been out each day since Wednesday doing just a quick lap of the Bay as really a sharpener. I managed to get down to 4.30 pace this morning for the 7k.

Kempsey marathon

On Saturday a nice 5 hour drive up he north coast to Kempsey for the marathon. Really it starts and finished as South West Rocks on the coast about 30 minutes from Kempsey. This is the 9th time I have run this and it a great event. Flat, on the road along the river.

I hope to go well and be close to 3.45.

That will give me a good idea of how I will run the 6 hour track event on the 23 June. If the marathon time is comfortably under 4 hours then I will give the Australian Record a go. Have to run more that 63.6k. I will decide how I will run that event after I have run this weeks marathon and then recovered and done some further sharpening.

Start of winter : start of blogging again

Yep I have been missing for a while. Various reasons like, I needed a break from blogging, and injury when I stopped blogging, very busy at work (being a lawyer) and at the College of Law (teaching others how to become better family lawyers) and ..... lets leave it there.

However I have still been training and running but no races since the Canberra Marathon in April. I started it off with an injured hammy and made it to 30k feeling bullet proof and then had to use a lot of experience to finish. Needles to say that made the injury much worse and took longer to recover. But that is all history now.

Tomorrow I am off the run a marathon in the bush about a 4 hour drive west of Sydney in the deep bush. It is the first time the event has been held. There are some wild guesses at the time it will take to finish. My guess something between 5/6 hours. The scenery is said to be stunning so I will be going slow enough to enjoy it.

It is so remote that we need to camp at the start in what is expected to be very cold overnight. So some tenting and a real opportunity to bond with nature.

I sit here after a steady day in the office it is cold and dark in Sydney as we are just 3 weeks off the shortest day. I am not sure if I am looking forward to a night in the bush and then a marathon. I guess I should harden up and embrace the experience. I will report back on Monday.