28.07.19: M7 Marathon: 4.15.10

It was perfect running conditions for the marathon. Cool and no wind. 6 degrees at the start and rising to about 16 by the end.

I was hoping to beat last years time of 4.20 but knew this might be difficult - a year older and the course is very challenging with almost a never ending his and fall. Not really a steep hills but long testing inclines and on the retain leg they just sap the power from your legs and the down hills turn into a recovery wobble.

I ran the half in about 2.03 to give myself a good chance of getting close to 4 hours however that was a never to be achieved time on this course but it was good to run hard for the half.

The return half was slower as expected for a 4.15 finish.

I am pleased with that after the last two M7's were 4.26 and 4.20 finishes.

Thoughts about M7 marathon

On Sunday I am running the M7 marathon. This is the old Blacktown Marathon although nothing remains of that event except in ends in Blacktown but not in the same place. That marathon started outside the Town Hall at George Street and we ran along Parramatta Road to Parramatta and then along the Great Western Highway to an oval at Blacktown.

Those were the days !!! Just run along the road side as much as you could. Run through the lights when they were green for you and on occasions you might see a policeman on his bike monitoring the race. No issue with them at all. BUT those days are lone gone. 

Now traffic management plans need to be in place and sometimes they cause the death of an event. Anyways these days it is on the cycle path next to the M7 motor way. Starts and finishes at running track at Blacktown. A great event with a partnership between the council and M7 people. 

It would be nice to be close to 4.16 finish like Gold Coast. Thats a wish not based on any scientific calculations.

Night lights on the Bay this morning that caught my eye.

20.07.19 Moon Marathon (Hunter Valley): 4.45

I ran the Moon Marathon last evening at the Hunter Vally. Celebrating the landing on the moon 50 years ago. It started at 4.30pm with 4 x 10k and a bit laps mostly on a bike path wandering around the golf course. I have not run with a headlamp for many years so thought that was going to be a long forgotten skill - not really it all came back with within a few steps.

Hills and inclines and more hills and more inclines in parts. Much more than I expected. For that reason it was challenging as the laps went by. Perhaps slower than I expected but the undulating course and running at night contributed. First in age, oldest runner and not the last to finish. 

Enjoyed the course and running in the night was quite pleasant.

A week to recover before the M7 next Sunday. Should be about 4.30 if all goes well. It also has some long testing inclines.

Yes that's the moon on the horizon.

18.07.19 Short update

After 2 mornings of firm 15k runs it was time to put the foot down a bit. So it was a lap of the Bay with the hope I would get a PB for 2019. 

It was 36.43 now 36.12 - so very happy with the slight improvement over the just under 7k's.

Then it was some Yasso's - 800m and with all other fitness being done for the marathon the 800 time should be about your marathon time when minutes and seconds are simply converted to hours and minutes. 5 done with a 200 metre walk rest in between. All between 3.56 - 3.59. I will not take that as I am in sub 4 shape but I am getting there whether I actually run a sub for later in the year is the big unknown. 

The morning both before and after sunrise have been spectacular for the moon sightings. 

Delete comment: Please read my comments. If you have any queries please contact me. It was very good work. Most of the group that I have considered have been incorrect (to a degree) in a majority of their answers - you have the majority correct.

14.07.19 Half marathon: 1.54.12

My first half marathon in about 5 years with the Sri Chimnoy people on the shores of Botany Bay. Wonderful clear morning but a chilly 8 degrees. I was hoping to get under 2 hours and thought it was possible but not certain. Started out aggressively - for an old bloke - trying to stay at 5.25 pace for a long as I could and hope that was a balance between not being too fast and not too slow.

Ran through halfway spot on 5.25 pace and then I knew it would be just a matter of time before the slow down came. And I waited ... and wait .... and waited with 4 k to go it was so marginal to then and thought with just 4k to go it might huge but at least only brief.

It didn't really come. Finished with a 1.54.12 and over all 5.27 pace so I only lost and 20 - 30 seconds on the second half. Pleased with the result.

Gold Coast Marathon : 4.16.55

At the GC marathon on Sunday I managed 4.16 that was my quickest since Melbourne in October last year when I ran 4.04. I was pleased. I was probably fit enough to run 4.10 at best but clearly f=did not give myself a chance because of the marathon on Friday  

I expected huge slow down on Sunday because of the marathon on Friday but it was much less than I expected with splits of 2.02/2.14.

Two weeks for the next marathon at the Hunter Winery Marathon. It will not be fast as it starts at 4.30pm on Saturday night !!!!! The one after that might be close to 4.10 at the M7 although it does have some testing hills that will probably push it to the 4.25 - 4.30 finishing time.

Friday's Marathon at the Bay

I couldn't resist running a marathon on the Bay this morning. Part of the Bravehearts 7 marathons, 7 days, 7 states. This was #5 in 5 days for some. 

Overnight and the forecast was for rain during the event. However it was cloudy and only a few drops   on the first lap of 6 around the Bay. Cloud cover in the morning with them scattering at time but no sunshine. Temperature got to about 15 with no wind so very pleasant running conditions. 

The aim was to run controlled and well below my limits. Not sure if a 4.31 did that although I always felt I could push the pace a bit more than I did.

We fly to Ballina in the morning and will spend most of the day with my son, his partner and our granddaughter before driving to the Gold Coast to collect my race number and stay there overnight. After the marathon we drive back and spend a couple of days with my son etc before flying back on Tuesday night. 

I am not sure what time I will run on Sunday but I will be starting out at 4.15 pace and see how long that lasts. Not long I expect but it will be fun having a go.

02.07.19 Update pre Gold Coast Marathon

I have had few weeks of running a marathon but at least by my standards I have had good block of training. Focused on shorter sessions but much higher intensity. 

So for instance in the last 3 weeks my 5k time has come down from the high 29's to the low 26's and even one in just over 25. That gets me down to about 5.15 pace on average and I can manage that but not much quicker at the moment. 

Today I had a solid session in the taper for a marathon on Friday and Sunday. I really should not run the marathon on Friday but it around the Bay my daily run a few hundred metres from home. It will be as gentle as a marathon can be trying not to do too much damage for Sunday. 

The lap of the Bay at 5.19 per k pace and quickest in many months. 

Then a set of 3 Yassos (run 800m and the time indicates the marathon time - just call the minutes/seconds to hours/minutes) BUT you must have all of the endurance training etc. In my experience provided all the base training has been done it is an accurate predictor. But you also need to run a a correctly paces marathon.

Each were indicating the best marathon time i could run is 4.05. That probably means I might scrape in with about 4.15. The prediction is there so lets see what happens with a lot depending on how much damage I do to Sunday's marathon at the Gold Coast.