Pre Carcoar Marathon & GNW 100 miler

Next Sunday is marathon # 19 for the year and over # 170.

 

On reflection this has been a great year for my running (medical issues are another issue and still continuing - the journey is not over yest but we are coming to a major intersection this Thursday). I have not had an injury all year that has prevented me from training almost daily.

 

I have run three marathons in the 3.30's and that has not happened for 3/4 years although I have not checked. Ran 9 marathons in 8 weeks in July/August and just ran 4 in 4 weeks and sandwiched in between a finish in GH 100 miler.  A very satisfying year so far and as regards running not quite over yet

 

The week after this marathon the GNW 100 miler. I have managed 4 training runs on the course and I have never managed that before. I am as fit as I have been for a long while and while not doing any training on trails i have run a few marathons on trails and have been training on hills and stairs and I have not done that before. So am as prepared as best as I could have over the last 4 months.

 

That means I should better my best at  Carcoar of 4.02 run in 2011. If I don't it will be because of bad race plan on the day not fitness. Anyway whatever happens on the day will happen.

 

Meanwhile still some running to be done this week. Trying to taper for this marathon and balance that with continuing the GNW training although that must have a taper soon as well.

Fitzroy Falls Marathon: 5.03.10

What a wonderful weekend away in the southern highlands, what wonderful weather and the course is always challenging but tempting enough to run the whole way. This was my 11th time running it with it being held 14 times. The only time I have missed it is when I was in Melbourne for that marathon on the Sunday. Over that time it has grown considerably but still maintains the small friendly atmosphere that it started with.

 

I think the first year had about 20 marathoners. This year just over 100. That is great growth and support. The RD is to be congratulated for a smoothly run event.

 

This marathon is always held on Saturday. Maybe next year I will do the double for the challenge of it.

 

This was my 4th in 4 weeks and was the same for my running buddy Karin. For each of us it was not a focus marathon - that is there was not taper for me and Karin had an easier week because of the flu. Still it was always meant to be steady and to run as many of the hills and inclines as we could and we did that.

 

The weather was very cool at the start but within 15 minutes that was not an issue and you were just waiting for it to get hot. It did get warm but manageable. Really I thought the weather was not a factor as it has been in the past.

 

We were a few minutes over the set time but that was totally arbitrary anyway. We have both finished the four marathons perhaps not faster but much stronger which was the main aim of running the marathons. I had Sunday off and was back into this morning with a hard 18k.

 

 

 

Oh yes decided to buy and wear comprerssion socks. I think they worked and are not just a trail fashion statement.

Western Sydney Marathon: 4.06.01

We did not get the 3.59 but Karin gave it her all in the last lap and a half but we just lost that 6 minutes over the last 10/12k. The result was fine as she has run 3 marathons in 3 weeks with just one day recovery and then back into hard training and no taper. It was still a 16 minutes seasons best.

I ran steady with her the whole way and was comfortable.

I did not run Sunday but was back into sub 5 minute k's with runs of 19k, 19k and 24k. Nothing is broken at the moment and both the mind and body are holding up well but I am becoming mentally fatigued and find it difficult to run each morning but I know I have to if I am any chance of finishing GNW. I know then pleasure of running along Patonga beach for the finish will not come easy for me at my age. I just have to put in the training that is both quantity and quality. I just hope it all pays of f in a few weeks on a Sunday afternoon.

Pre Western Sydney Marathon

Despite it being a marathon tomorrow I was out this morning. I have been building up over the last few weeks to run my usual loop with double loops for the hills and then the hill reps and stair reps. I was not sure how long it would be but I wanted to do it.

Really bad timing that today was the day that I was ready to run it for the first time. Debated when I was running whether I would complete it or cut it short by not doing one or a couple of the second loops. Being a runner and risk taker I did all that was planned 24k. WTF. That distance was not planned and done at 5 minute pace with little slow down up some testing hills.

St done now and I need to put that behind me as a negative thought for the marathon tomorrow. Pacing a runner for a  3.59 finish - slightly out of her comfort zone and testing for me with heavy the training I have done this week. If it becomes apparent that it will not happen we will ease of for around a 4.15 finish.