Rest, recovery & taper

Yep all done by no running this morning although I was tempted. I have to respect the marathon and despite having no training to taper from I still need to be fresh.

Sunday recovery

Just an easy 13k in 5.09. Then some stretching for 30 minutes. The 3 x 500m in about 2.20 and finished off with 1k in 4.30. A good solid little session a week before the Marathon with just a hint of a little speed session just to add a bit of sharpness.

CR 5k Challenge

I haven't pushed a 5k since I ran this in 19.35 or so at the end of April. So I really thought on present training paces that around 24 would be the mark.

I arrived just in time to see the 23 minute group off. Oh well I would start with the 22 group and just let them glide off into the distance. The Garmin was not on to GPS so I had no idea of the pacing. Ran next to Warren my mate from the Summer Series. The first k always feels tough because it is always run too fast - it felt tough but a 4.15 was insane.

I eased off in effort and just relaxed and wanted to glide along using a little effort as possible and without losing too much pace. 2k in 8.30 was a sup rise. It started to get tough and it was necessary to concentrate on effort and relation. 3k in 12.40 - I was now starting to doubt the accuracy of the watch as the pace was too quick and the bear would soon jump on my back and I would be reduced to jelly.

I pushed much harder through that very difficult 4th k and arrived at the marker in 16.55. A quick calculation - well nothing come from it it was hurting too much and the only thought was to get this over as quick as possible and with as little pain as possible. That meant no insane sprint just a controlled sustained effort.

Relief with the finish and a very very much out of the box 20.55. Just goes to show sometimes it is impossible to predict a race outcome.

I now have a sniff of a 3.30 at GC. And my thinking now is start off just behind that group and see if I can hold it or crash and burn as the 3.45 and maybe 4.00 groups gobble me up and spit me out in the last 10 k.

Improve pace : 13k @ 4.52

Where did that one come from !!!!

One days rest would not have been enough to take over 3 minutes off in one go. Maybe the steady training is paying off. No training run for months has approached that pace. I will not get too excited however as it is a long short of the marathon distance.

Rest

I was needed very early at work. I could have squeezed a very quick hours training but thought I would have a rest. With the marathon less that 2 weeks away I need to move into taper mode and for this one it will be reducing the runs to just the 13k loop but as quick as I can. The classic reduce the distance but increase the intensity.

Improve run : 13k @ 5.04

I needed to HTFU and so it was the usual loop pushed all the way. It really was not as bad as I thought but I think I could not have gone faster. But is that the mind telling the body to take the soft option.

It was a glorious still and quiet morning around the Bay. The weather is cool but with gloves and a beanie to start with is fine but a few k's into the run they have to be removed to avoid really over heating. I am glad the day are now getting longer and am looking forward to running more in the light of dawn then the darkness.

Recovery Run: arn't they all at this age

A steady 22k in about 5.40. Well really a loop of 13k @ 5.45 and then a flat 9k @ 5.29. The 13k has plenty of testing hills in the last 5k that can really blow out the average pace.

Thank you all for the well wishes they are all greatly appreciated.

SpeedyGeoff: yes it should get easier in the 60+ age group as more of us die or give up. At the moment I am in neither group.

Monday 19k @ something close to 5.40 & Happy 60th

Just could not get going this morning as it was light depressing drizzle but not cold. Felt heavy and slow. I just clunked along for the whole morning. I though I would feel light and quick.

Also happy 60th Birthday for today.

Nothing special happening just the usual Monday night Pilate's class with my wife and daughter. Sounds boring but when you are 60 you have to do everthing and anything you can to stay healthy. There was a family meal on last Saturday night and will have another meal with friends next Sunday.

Sunday sleep in !!

Had plans to run the 30k at SMC but I was out very late on Saturday. I decided that if I woke up in time I would go if I did not the one run of 30k was not going to be a serious issue. Woke up too late to go and enjoyed the sleep in.

Friday Recovery

A steady Recovery run of 19k or so @5.25.

A very steady week of about 130k where I did not feel there was any improvement but I just have to be patient and believe that the steady run and solid distances will eventually have an effect but definitely not for GC. I still think about 3.40 finish time is about right but I suspect I will push the fitness level beyond what it is and have ago at 3.30.

A day off is fine

Did not run on Wednesday. I will recall it a planned passive recovery day. Others could call it a wimp out as it was raining heaving when I woke up - so instead of running I went to work early.

So today I was rested and although I felt slow and that I was struggling the time were an improvement on the recent one for the same loops. In fact I did the same as Tuesday and improved the 13k from 5.14 to 5.04 pace. The shorter 5.5k of hills improved from 5.35 to 5.14 pace. At this stage I will take any improvement I can and use it to inspire me to push harder on those days that I need to do that.

Question is have much improvement can I achieve before Gold Coast marathon. Who knows but I think it will be between 3.40 - 3.45 but I do hope to be able to just squeeze under 3.30.

Dare I say Improve pace for 13k @ 5.14

A few months ago this pace was a recovery session but with a lack of all things it now counts as a hard session to improve the pace. How things change when you do very little fora couple of months. I suppose I should be pleased as it was quicker that the last few days and I have certainly significantly increased the distances being run daily in the last week.

Finished off with 6k of hills.

Recovery run 21k @ 5.28

A recovery in the sense that it was shorter than yesterday but not slower. The legs felt okay and I also felt fresh like the about 9 degrees Celsius temp at 5.30am. I know doing this will fatigue me but I also know that whilst I am injury/niggle free I need to put as many k's in my legs as I can at a good firm pace. Well as firm as I cam manage in a very unfit state.

Steady 26k @ 5.28

I think my longest run since Canberra. It was really just a recovery run pace - that is a pace that is building aerobic capacity and not hard enough that I will need to ease off tomorrow. It was firm with 2 loops: the first @ 5.33 and then as I like to do push harder on the second @ 5.25. I need to build aerobic capacity quickly before Gold Coast so it will be a combination of running as long as I can and at a firm pace each time with the aim to be able to do the runs each day without the usual hard/easy days.

Each day will by hard/easy but the difference between them will not be a great as is usually the case. This is about building that capacity as quickly as I can. I will start using the HR to assess how I am going. I should be able to run the same pace but see the HR drop. If that happens the mt aerobic capacity is improving.

Steady Saturday: 15.5k @5.02

As usual for a Saturday morning I did the fruit and veg shopping at Paddy's Market at Haymarket. I have been doing that for years. My daughters basekball was at her school at 9.00am.

So I had time to get home and run to her school with a lap of the Bay thrown in. It was a solid time and a reasonable distance. All just base building so that I can do a reasonable impression of a marathon runner at the Gold Coast. As the clock says just 21 days to go. There will be no taper as I have not build up any distance to taper from.

Recovery : 21k @ 5.18 and some thoughts

I suppose all journey's start sometime and somewhere. I hope today was the start of some steady training for the second half of the years running. As I have said the big goals I had for Gold Coast Marathon will not happen but on the long term I have to start preparation for other running events in the next 6 months.

If I am lucky I will fit in 7 more marathons. I will miss Melbourne as it is on when the Masters events are on in Sydney and I have entered all of the long running events. So I will focus on getting in shape for thise although they are on after all of the marathons. Off course the Glasshouse 100 miler in September is on as well as the GNW 100 miler in November.

So I must think about the preparation for those and not dwell on the missed opportunity at Gold Coast.

So for today a steady but firm recovery run of 21k in 5.18 pace. It was really 3 sets of 7k although not repeated loops. The pace for each 7k got quicker being 5.30, 5.21 & 5.05 for the 5.18 average.

Thursday 11 June

Bula!!!

Thank you to all my friends who made the effort to make comment. It is very nice to know others have an interest in what I do and say. Some I have not ever meet. Thank you to each of you and I suppose there are others who read and don't make a comment.

Fiji has been and gone. It was a wonderful trip although I was working most of the time. The was great weather with the temperature range between 18 - 28 Celsius - just perfect running and beach weather. I did run each day but only around 15k. Not sure if the mojo is back but most of the niggles have gone - thank heavens.

It was a reality check this morning with a pre dawn run around the Bay and it was freezing compared to the last few days. Just on 13k @ 5.02 which was fine as I was just cruising and enjoying it.

Just some steady running in the lead up to Gold Coast with an increase in the k's run each morning.

Monday 1 June

This brings back some very pleasant memories and I wish to than all those that supported me on the weekend

I have not posted for a while for various reasons. For the first time in along while I went very flat after Canberra. I was strong for a a few weeks and then a deep fatigue set in.

I was busy with teaching and doing a lot of interstate travelling and days on end teaching. It was relentless and I don't think I relised how much it was draining me. I then started to get on top of it and a minor hamstring injury on the Friday before the Herald Half set the positive progrees back.

It was depressing to be injured and also to realise that my long held plans for the Gold Coast marathon had disappeared. For the last few weeks I have had great difficulty in being focused on training & running in general. I did set the I st of the month as a point to start to rebuild the mind and body.

In early May I was doing a 13.5k loop and had managed to get it down from 69 minutes to 59 and then the hammy injury. I then ran it on Monday after about 2 and a bit weeks off. It was wellinto the 70's and was a slow painful plod. Tuedsay got it down a few minutes to 73. Wednesday was off and today it was 66 so some good progress was being made but that still is over 5 minutes a k and is not easy.

Tomorrow I am off to Fiji for 6 days for a conference and so I am not sure what will happen with training.

Anyway I have entered the Gold Coast Marathon and have no expectations other than a hope not to go slower than 4 hours plus.

6 days to go and the TAPER

The last week of 20 since I started back at the end of November. I know I could not have done much more but the overwhelming feeling is that I should have squeezed a bit more but I know that would have not been possible and not risk injury for a rather minor gain if any. Apart from 4 taper days I have missed just 5 other days out of the 135 days to date and I have averaged almost 135k a week over that period. I know I could just not have done anymore.

The running plans for this week are:

S: Easy 45 minutes

M : Hard 7k, easy 5k & 10 hils

T: Easy 60 minutes

W: Maybe 5kTT or just 3kTT

T: Either easy or 3 x 1k at Timbrell

F: Rest

S: Easy 30 minutes and some quiet time to reflect

6 days: Sunday 12 April: Very easy around the Bay

I really was not concerned if I ran or rested. So no alarm and no stress to run. Eventually decided to run and out about 7.45. It was no more than an amble accross Iron Cove Bridge when I ran into Blue Dog and we chatted for a while. Then continued and completed with 3k @4.00.

5 days: Monday 13 April

Firm 7k @ 4.18 then easy for 5k. Hill strides of about 250 up and then back. Concentrating on knee lift and strong ankle push off. Just on 4 minutesa loop.

4 days: Tuesday 14 April: Easy 60 minutes

Really no concern about the pace but I was interested to see what pace resulted from a 80% of MHR effort. Over 3 k's that was 4.21 pace so with a bit more of a taper I might have 80% at 3 hour pace.

3 days: Wednesday 15 April: 5kTT in 19.40 @ 3.56
Pleased to get under 20 again with a firm effort but perhaps just holding back a little so that no strain happens. Some months ago I though getting under 20 would never happen again as it just seemed at that time too fast and just too hard. Its nice to be able to to run them seemingly at will or at least 3 time in the taper.

It would be nice to hold that fitness or lose it and gain it again so I could go under when I am 60 in June. I might just sneak that in just before the Gold Coast marathon or I should be positive and believe that I will just hold that pace for the next few months. I like that idea better.

13 days to go: More Sharpening

More sharpening this week with the k's coming down but the intensity still up and increasing as I try to find some last minute speed. My planned sessions for the week although they could be moved around a bit (Friday I am tempted to have one quick lap of the Bay).

M: 3k TT and 10 x uphill runs

T: 45 minutes easy
W: 10K TT
T: 60 minutes easy
F: Rest
S: 12 x 1 minute relaxed strides
S: 90 minutes easy

13 days to go: Sunday 5 April
12k on hills @ 4.29 and then a recovery of 7k @ 4.40
A good solid 12k as quick as I could go over some very testing hills with the flat speed under 4.15.

12 days to go: Monday 6 April: 3k TT in 11.55 @ 3.59
I could not have gone quicker in the TT. Some up hills slow with a firm push off and flexible ankles for about 100 seconds and a float down. Just an idea I had - nothing to do with strength but with some increased flexibility in the ankle for increased push off when running at speed.

11 days to go: Tuesday 7 April and the roller coaster continues: 3kTT in 11.36 @ 3.52
It was supposed to be 45 minutes easy but I thought I would throw in another 3kTT before. I expected to struggle to go under 12 after the 45 minute hill session yesterday. A totally unexpected result. Although mentally I was prepared to give it all all the way (nothing like reading an inspirational book that motives you mentally).

It was not expected but maybe Lydiard does only have you peaking on the day and not before.

Then finished off with an easy 45 minutes around the Bay that allowed me for once to take in all the sights and sounds. I am feeling very relaxed and strong. Injury and niggle free.

Rob asked in a comment:

After all the marathons you have run, do you still have a sense of anticipation and excitement about the next marathon?

To use that over used word; absolutely. I get very excited with butterflies in the stomach as I have now because I am taking the time to think about it. No marathon preparation is the same and no marathon is the same so it does not matter how many you have done each one is new, exciting and different. I like the discipline of the training (it somehow suits my weird personality and I suppose I have a bit of the baggage from the past and while I am recovered from those problems it still happened and I can't forget that). I am sure that deep down it drives me for some reason.

Apart from that probable subconscious element I thrive on the challenge of just seeing where the limit is. That doesn't mean you must always get faster just not slow down too fast. That makes me recall that 10 years when Canberra was my 5th marathon and second after detox I ran 3.16.xx it would be nice 10 years later to run 10 minutes faster.

So Rob I just love all that is related to running but really the marathon has a special place for me although I have a growing passion for ultra's. I am not sure why perhaps it just a long way to try and run as fast as you can (ultra's don't really have that element - more like seeing if you can survive and keep moving for 24+ hours).

I doubt if the attraction will ever go away. I still get a huge sense of achievement and buzz as I see the finishing line. That feeling repays with interst all of the months of effort put into the preparation and training. Sometimes the run or the time is not as expected and there is disappointment but that usually occurs sometime earlier and by the time you reach the finish line that feeling seems to be left behind and you have accepted what will be and depite the result (good or bad) there is just a great relief and exhilaration at finishing another 42.195 journey with other like minded runners.

10 days to go: Wednesday 8 April: 5k TT 19.40 !!!!!

I would not suggest 3 TT's on consecutive days unless you are perhaps coming off a large base. I just felt very good on the warm up run across iron Cove Bridge. I still went although JD was not running. I needed a warm up run as it was the first real cold day. It was clear and fresh, no wind or clouds and just the perfect morning to be out running.

I had planned a 10k TT but knew that would be a struggle in the second 5 and so I will save that for Friday. I however thought I was strong enough to give 5k a good hit out and thought that if I was going to go under 20 minutes today might be the last chance for a while.

Had a peak at the watch during the run and was holding just under 4 minute pace to 3k and I knew the next would be tough but I did so much want the mental lift from going under 20 at this stage of the preparation. After 3k I went as hard as I could and was not game to look at the watch as it was irrelevant because I could not go any quicker.

Great result and it is the first time I have been under 20 minutes since February 2007. But lest put that into perspective I have not been in a position to do it or have not tried for various reasons

9 days to go: Thursday 9 April: 60 minutes easy

Out running at 5.30am and a beautiful crisp morning. As I was running across the Iron Cove Bridge there was a slight greying of the eastern skyline and then a wonderful orange. Then on past the rowers and getting closer to the water it was glass flat and shimmering with the new light of the day.

Clearly the run was as planned easy enough for me to have not a care in the world about the pace and just r'ubber necked' my way around the Bay and some detours for a very pleasant 60 odd minutes.

8 days to go: Good Friday 10 April : Rest and no run

7 days to go: Saturday 11 April: 5k TT in 19.30 @ 3.54
Not the program but I thought it would be okay and I wanted to see if Wednesday was a one off. Second time says it was not a fluke. Pleased to hold a firm pace all the way and it was certain aftera few k I would go under 20 but just a matter of how far. Managed a good 4th k which is often the black hole.

In the afternoon I went to the MetWest 8k run at Concord. I thought 34 @ 4.15 would be good but even though I run the first 4k steady I had no push for home and got neither faster or slower for the second 4k and finished in 34.30 @ 4.18. Almost a minute slower than last year,

Some thoughts about the journey so far:

With a week or so to go before the marathon I started to think about where this journey began and it was Canberra in 1998. Although I did in July the year before run the Cities Marathon after geeting out of detox in February but Canberra was where I really started to be attrached back to running and in particular marathons. I have no clear memory of the actual marathon but I do recall it was a different course to now. This is a photo after the finish with me thre children. Two will be in Canberra the other has work committments.