The Rebuild for 2010

Well all journey's start sometime and somewhere. And perhaps the rebuild for 2010 started today.

I have reflected on 2009 and over all is has been a very disappointing year. Serious training started in December 2008 for the Canberra Marathon and what was to be the focus race of the year the Gold Coast Marathon. Each marathon was more disappointing than the one before.

In July/August things did not get better but I ran a lot of marathons in the period but the times were drifting to near 4 hours and there was nothing I was doing in training to get some endurance and stamina to at least give 3.30 a shake. In this period I was just chasing marathons and finishes but I always do that in this period each year however the times are usually been much quicker - I was taking quantity over quality and doing very little training other than a taper/recovery between marathons. I did however have some pleasant weekends away in Canberra, Wagga Wagga and Mudgee and despite the marathon times enjoyed the weekends.

I had great pleasure in running a marathon on Saturday and then being the 4 hour pacer on Sunday at M7. That was a ball of a weekend. Off course running the Sydney marathon was a pleasure even if it was the weekend after the 100mile finish at Glasshouse. That run with Jane was probably the most rewarding run of the year. I was not injured, we worked hard but steady all race and has a respectable time.

That was mid September and I guess since then I would have run 200k in training. If casually turning your legs over a couple of days a week. It was more like pretend training. It was not real and it was doing nothing for fitness. A couple of business trips in September/October for a week at a time interstate didn't help with the training. Also a solid teaching load meant that more often than not the morning training that gives me so much pleasure and starts the day off well had to be missed to get to work early to prepare for the unusually heavy teaching load that I had at that time.

I was a runner pretending to be a runner pretending to be training.

The Worlds in Sydney were a disaster for me. I had not trained for them and I got my present Achilles injury when competing. I would have been much better off to have ignored them.

I went into GNW with very negative thoughts arising from the injury and the lack of any training. I don't think the fitness from Glasshouse in September carried through without being maintained. It was not being maintained because of the injury and lack of training. Despite those thoughts I thought my experience on the course and the race itself would allow me to finish just under the cut off. At no time did I contemplate being timed out at 81k because I was too slow. That realisation come about 10k from the CP when I thought I had to be there by 10pm, made a calculation that I would not make it and started to walk, 90 minutes later I made another calculation realised it was an 11pm cut off and by that time my walking had caused me to the timed out.

Anyway where from here?

Two minds the C2K crew etc are still ready and will go with Jane whether I start of not. I really do want to start but as I continue to hobble around most of the time that seems like a very unwise decision. I really am having difficulty making up my mind what to do. I do have another CR who is prepared to crew for me but that would mean splitting our existing crew of 3 girls and I don't want to do that. They joined the crew to be a crew with each other and I am reluctant to split them just because I want to run and there is a real possibility that I will DNF at some stage.

However if that happens I guess Jane will have more crew.

Anyway it is time to start to rebuild from the ashes of 2009 both mentally and physically. So today was the first run since GNW. There was some Achilles stretching before attempting to run and the stretching was less painful than the week before C2K which maybe a good sign. I suspect most of the discomfort from the stretching came more from lack of running than the injury.

It was then just 3 x 1k at about 6.30 per k and some stretching in between each. It sounds so simple run 1k in about 9 minutes and repeat 240 times - nah don't even think about that as a way of looking at C2K. Anyway that is the start of the rebuild that may or may not be interrupted by a long run. One way of looking at it is if I start and it becomes too much I just hop in the car and become crew for Jane and have a pleasant time away for 4/5 days.

GNW Ultra

Lets get it straight from the opening a DNF!!!!

Went in with an Achilles problem and it was a problem from the first step and that put me in negative frame of mind from the start. Running the flats was manageable anything with a rise and fall was agony.

I started with Seris and Tallgeoff and was hoping to stay with them for a long time. That lasted for about 3 hours when as I got to the top of a hill they had stopped and were waiting for me. I then just said leave me, keep running and don't look back. Jane had tears in her eyes but I insisted it was best for all of us and they did as I said.

From then on I struggled mentally to get motivated although I wanted to. I got into the first CP at about the same time as last year and so was not worried. I thought I pushed as hard as last year in the next section but was an hour slower. I then knew the cut off times for the first time were going to be a concern.

I pushed the next section as the afternoon cooled but it was just so so negative. At some stage I decided I would not make the cut off and eased right off . Then after 90 minutes or so realised I had got my times and calculations wrong and could have made it but could not now because I had eased off too soon. Does that make sense?

It was then time to relax and enjoy the cruise through the quite, still and very warm night run through the forest into CP3 and 81k. It really is the first time in this event in 5 years that I have been able to do that so I just enjoyed those last 2 hours. I must admit at that time my thoughts were that this might well be my last ultra.

Who knows too old and too slow.

After some good running in July and August I have done little serious training, have put and weight and become very slow. An injury that is just so difficult to treat does not help.

I have some serious regrouping to do. Both physically and mentally.

C2K is very doubtful unless I am stupid and forget common sense. Being stupid and forgetting common sense I suspect are inbuilt characteristics of runners so c2K could also happen with a very early DNF. Commonsense says the Achilles will not get better attempting to run 240k

Belated update

Have not Blogged for a while because really there was nothing to Blogg about.

Ran the Masters 5k in 20.29 and I suppose I was okay with that but just could not get under the 20 minutes. Maybe early next year just before the Canberra Marathon. Speaking of Marathons I will run the Hobart Marathon in early January that is combined with a family holiday touring Tasmania for the first time.

Also ran the Master half with a shocker on 1.44. Best forgotten for the time but still remembered as I strained both Achilles on the day and they have not got any better. More precisely it is an Achilles bursitis - that is a bruising of the bursa behind the tendon. It makes running painful and in particular the push off so I am still running rather flat footed in 'training' for the GNW's 100 miler.

That event could see me DNF at any time. Either the injury will get worse or more likely the pain will just increase to a level that causes me to think about pulling out. Yep unless I cannot physically take another step I will continue towards the finish line until the cutoff times pulls me off the course.

Rather foolishly I have also entered the C2K a 240 k run in early December. Rather majestically from the sea to the to[p of the highest mountain. I guess it will all depend on how I finish up after GNW.

Just a few days to go and the excitment is buidling and also the doubt about fitness.

World Masters Games

I had not trained for these events at all. I did some speed work in Brisbane and it was having an affect but I needed another 2 weeks for me to feel I could run well.

On Sunday I lined up for the 10k Road Race and know that I would be well down the list of finishersif I could not get below 40 and I knew that was never going to be possible. So I decided that a very quick 5k would be a good session for the runs later in the week and then hold on. Although I did not want to run the first 5k that I could not run on well to the end. The 5k marker was short but by the Garmin I still made it in about 20.15 and I felt tired but not exhausted.

I held on for a 42.05 finish. That is much shape than I was in this time last year but after these events are over I do not need any speed with GNW 100 miler coming up.

Ran steady on Monday. Did not run on Tuesday. I ran on Wednesday and did a 3k TT to see if I have continued to improve in the last 2 weeks. Yes 12.12 but eased off a little as I have the 5k track on Thursday. I would love to go under 20 for a 60+ PB.

Brisbane Update

The weather was perfect and so I was out each morning and running along the river and in the Botanical Gardens. I did not linkup with Pat's group although I saw them. I decided as I did not know what he was doing I would stay away.

The aim was to do some speed work each day although nothing too much. Did a couple of 1k reps on the first morning ( I have not done these at all this year) and quickly knew how they hurt and how long a k can be when you are in agony. I doubt if I had either under 4.20 but they felt like 3.20's.

The next morning was long and steady and then some 100m stride throughs to get get some leg speed going.

Next day about the same. Each day I also did stretching and enjoyed watching all of the activity going on. One large group in the gardens did the beep test.

Last day and I went out along the road next to the river on the western side where the Brisbane Marathon runs. I wanted a good long section to do 4 x 1k reps. They were all close to 4.00 so a good improvement.

Lydiard will tell you it does not take much to get your speed down and after a few weeks you will not get any quicker no matter how much speed work you do.

Overall a very pleasant 4 days running in Brisvagas but no so good with the work schedule I had to meet each day.

No run today either off to Brisbane

Off to Brisbane for a week to conduct Workshops for some Family Lawyers.

I decided to get some brownie points and did not run, it was wet and daylight saving threw me out and I just decided it was not necessary to run so I didn't. I hope to run with Pat's group during the week and do something in the few days left to be able to run okay at the various Masters events I have entered. I now wish I was running FF Marathon and Melbourne Marathon.

No run today

More speed

After a very long day at work and a meeting yesterday I had my doubts if I would have the energy to get up and run. I did manage to get up and was pleased I did so.

Same 3k TT for 12.35.

Just go to show that it doesn't take much to at least start to make progress. I think I will record my 60+ PB's for som interest. Maybe I should have a plan to get under 20 for the 5k which I think is possible but I have my doubts if under 40 for 10k's is again possible - maybe I should be happy with under 42.

Start of the month

I thought I would use the start of a new month to inspire to start some consistant training. In fact really it was to just get out and run more than twice a week which has been the situation for well over a month.

Also the weather is so pleasant most morning and light compared to those bleak ones in July and August.

I am running some events in the Masters games so I thought I needed a week or so of speed work to try and be able to runs some times that are remotely respectable. I decided that pushing a hard 5k was not the wat to go as the last couple of k's are not productive. So I did a 3k TT along the Bay. Huffed and puffed to 13.20. I have a long way to go in a very short time. Oh well !!

Back from Melbourne

To all who have posted comments - thanks for taking the time.

I must say this has been e very disappointing year for marathons. One or 2 under 3.30 and the rest best forgotten. I just hope that next year with a bit more structure to my training AFTER Canberra that I can get back 20/25 minutes or so and be nudging 3.20 once again and not being concerned of going over 4 hours. I believe I can do it although the body might say something different.

I flew out on Wednesday morning on the 6.00am flight. I guess I was lucky with all the red dust but at the time I did not know what it was. It was so strange after take off to be climbing through orange clouds and then burst into clear blue skies.

It was only when I heard the news in the taxi into Melbourne that I realised what happened in Sydney and that planes were being delay and diverted away from Sydney. Anyway by 9.00 am I was lecturing a bunch of lawyers on Family Law.

I did not take into account that Melbourne would be colder that Sydney has been of late and so it was a bit brisk, overcast and drizzle as I did my 3 laps of the Tan at sunrise. It is such an historic circuit that I would not miss the opportunity to run it. The great runners like Elliott and Landy ran it with Cerutty standing at the top of Anderson Hill urging them up.

I arrived back last night on the last flight out. Just too tired to run this morning although it was a perfect morning to do so.

Maybe the 5k challenge on Satuday morning and a nice bush run in Sunday.

Sydney Marathon :3.50.20

I had no real race plan for this one. It really all depended on how I recovered from the 100 miles the week before.

So All I did was a lap of the Bay on the Friday before at a steady pace. There were no aches or pains however I had finished with quite a strain behind the left knew. That seemed to settle down during the week although part of the way through the run on Friday it showed it was not recovered.

I was very concerned that this would blow up during the marathon and would cause me to be reduced to a hobble. If it was not for that I would have been physically and mentally in good shape. As it was I was in a negative mental state.

As a result I went out very conservatively and went through halfway in about 1.53 and felt I kept needing to slow down compared to how I felt. I then keep thinking it was time to push on harder to the finish but then kept thinking it was a long way to walk if things went wrong. I stopped watching splits after halfway and just ran well within myself and decided I would do that until the West City Link turnaround at about 33/34k.

At that stage I felt good and the issue behind the left knee was not even whimpering in complaint. I then decided to look at my watch and push to the finish. I had not maintained my pace since halfway but that was fine as it was certain I would get back easily under 4.00 hours. As I have only run a handful over 4.00 hours I want to avoid being over that for a along as I can.

At about 36k I could LBP and decided that it would be pleasant to run with her to the finish. Without anything being said we locked into a side by side stride and held it to the end. It was an absolute pleasure to run with one of my favourite CR's.

I will have no more racing for a few weeks before having a laugh at the Masters Games and running in a few events. However the main thoughts are now starting to turn to GNW.

Off to Melbourne for a few days of teaching. I expect I will have a morning run around the Tan.

News at last !!!

GH medal presentation - Seris and I are proud to be standing with some of the other finishers.

Well it has been just over 2 months since I stopped posting. I am not sure what I stopped as I had a lot of interesting things to report. But it wasn't done so we will just move on.

What has happened that is significant ?

Glasshouse 100miles

This event was held on the 12/13 September. I flew up early on the Friday with Seris, Blue Dog and Bernie G. Enjoyed a pleasant day having a look at course from various vantage points, lunch at Woodford local pub and then a quiet afternoon.

It is my 3rd time. The first was a DNF when I became 'navigationally challenged' at about 130k and never found the course again but some 4/5 hours later was able to get back to the finish. Last year it was all about getting around the course which is simple really without getting lost. I managed to finish in about 29.30 just under the cut off.

I was not sure if I was fitter this year but I expected I could go quicker by just being familiar with the course. I agreed to run with Series the whole was it it was her first GH. With no race plan other than to go quicker I did some splits for a 24 hour finish although that was not expected but also I thought Jane and I could keep close to it for 100k or so without really doing any harm to our main aim and that was to finish under the cut off.

We maintained a very steady pace all day and the course or weather did not present any issues. We were on 24 hours pace to the checkpoint at 80k but lost a small amount of time to CP6 at about 90l and then decided that we would then abandon the 24 hour finish which never realistic but it did keep us focused for then first 12/13 hours.

We then just alternated between lots of fast walking and slow jogging for the rest of the race. enjoyed the experience of being out in the pine plantations on a beautiful clear pleasant night. As usual we both had a short bad patch for an hour or so just before sunrise. However having got through that was no incidents we were pleased to see the sky becoming lighter and the return of our energy levels.

We finished in good shape in 27.23 and knew that we could have gone quicker. Next year maybe down in the 25's would be nice. Flew back home early on Monday.

Sunday 20 September: Sydney Marathon 3.50.15

Hunter Valley Marathon :3.42.25 and the week

Well much slower than I expected. Not really sure why - I guess I just cruised along with some regard to the splits but I was really not running according to them but more just how I felt. I did have some 'stomach' issues in the first half that required a long stop in a very well place porta loo at about 16k.

Felt better but not 100%.

The 'inclines' were tougher than I recalled in the second loop but I just plodded up them and was pleased I never gave in and walked. I felt I finished strong although the laps were about 1.46/1.56. I am just not sure how the time just slipped away in the race.

As usual I enjoyed the event and the wonderful atmosphere at the end. Not sure if I felt like I deserved but managed and age win by just 2 minutes. Nice company with Jane and Rach on the drive up and back.

I did not run until Thursday. It was just a cruise around then Bay and then some exercises. Despite Friday being the day before the Bush Capital Marathon I ran again around the Bay and did some stretches.

After last week no predictions however it would be nice if Saturday was under 4 hours just - and Sunday well I am the 4 hour pacer so 3.59.59 is the aim. However I am not feeling confident that I will be able to manage that. I have nightly nightmares of falling off the pace before the first 5k marker. I will be so pleased to finish Sunday and just hope I can do the job.

The week to date

Sunday 12 July : 13k @ 4.58

No long run needed as it is intensity that is needed in between the marathons. So a short very sharp (well sharp for me at the moment) session. Back under 65 minutes - it has been a while but still not down to the 60.50 run on 30 June.

Monday 13 July : Very easy around the Bay with no watch

Tuesday 14 July : 10 TT in 44.55 @ 5.00

I was not expecting it to be quick and that was true. It was more just a feeler for Thursday. Out and back along the 5k Challenge course 22.53/22.02.

Wednesday 15 July : No run

Thursday 16 July : 10k TT in 43.30 @ 4.21

It was a quick as I could go but I clearly left something in reserve on the first lap. 22.06/21.24.

Now for the pace of Sundays marathon. McMillan say 3.24 but with splits of 1.37/1.47 or a 10.3% slow down. Now go back to GC and my 10k TT on the Thursday before had McMillan predicting 3.30 with splits 1.39/1.51 and a 12% slowdown. What did I do? 1.42/1.43 for 3.25 with a about a 1.5% slow down.

So what does that all mean? I think a 1.37/1.47 is not likely as the first half is a bit quick and the slow down is too great. So I think a 1.39/ 1.41 at best for 3.20. Slow down 2%.

See how that prediction goes.

No run - respect the taper or is that the recovery

Steady 13k @ 5.34

A beautiful crisp morning out with some high scattered cloud and still. You can notice it is a bit lighter now than a few weeks ago.

Second run after the marathon so it was going to feel better and it was going to be quicker than yesterday. Keep pushing as hard as felt just beyond comfortable. Everything seems fine - the body and mind seem okay and both are ready to some tough stuff in the next few days.

Recovery & Taper

I didn't run on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday as I need to recover from the last marathon more than I need to train for the next one. So it was an easy swing around the Bay this morning with no regard to time and just enjoyed the predawn sights and sounds.

It was not too cold and so it did not take long to feel comfortable. It has been raining a bit in Sydney and did so just before I was out of the house. It was very misty to start with and reminded me a bit of when I lived in London but as the dawn broke the mist went.

I will continue with some easy runs until Sunday. May have 2/3 hard runs over the next 5 days and then ease off for the marathon on Sunday. I am looking forward to this one and may just be able to get under 3.25. I may do a TT on Thursday again to see where I am at again.

I just love this time of the year when they come every few weeks.

Gold Coast Marathon : 3.25.27

The calculations and the training said I was fit enough for a 3.30 marathon. But as runners we all want to squeeze a bit more out of the body when every thing says it is not there. Even after 100 marathons that thought always arises although common sense says ignore it.

Well I did ignore it and I didn't. On Thursday I said on the GC thread that maybe 3.25 was the very best that I could expect. I thought that over and decided that would be my starting pace. I watch the pacing very carefully and for all of the first half I kept backing off as the pace would just keep creeping up quicker and quicker. However I managed to keep churning out 5k splits around 24.15 and went through halfway in 1.42.15 or so. That was right on pace.

It felt okay then but I knew that the real test would come as we passed the 30/31k mark. It did get more difficult to maintain a steady pace but I pushed harder and harder and was motivated by being able to pass runners most who seemed as if they were running through a thick bog.

I was continuing to maintain the 5k splits around 24.30 from halfway. I was tiring but was able to respond with an increased effort to maintain the pace. I got to 40k in exactly 3.15 and know if I pushed to the end I would have the best time I could have expected.

The second half was a 1.43 split so I was very pleased with the almost even pacing.

A great 4 days away with my family and very pleased with the time but as I have said very disappointed that a long held goal was not achieved by a long way. I am thinking that if I peak well for the Masters games in October if I could find a Marathon soon after I might be able to run my best time for the year ....

10k TT : 44.45

I was not looking forward to this as I knew I would have to push hard and harder than I have done for a while. I did think about opting for 5k but I knew that was a mentally weak option and would really not give me the information I wanted or confirm what I already had worked out.

I took it too conservatively in the first 5k of an out and back. Splits of 22.50 + 21.55.

Put that into Macmillan and would you believe you get a marathon of 3.30.01. Spot on where I thought I would be. No doubt that is the pace I will starting at and holding for as long as I can. I want to squeeze a good time out of this that reflects my current fitness and that looks like a 3.30. In all of the circumstances I will be happy with that but very disappointed that my long term aim of running close to 3 hours will not be meet. But I have to be realistic that things just did not go very well after Canberra and the single obsessive focus on this race was just not there.

The mind wanted to focus but lots of things got in the way of that actually happening on daily high quality training sessions. I just plodded along with no focus no aim and got more and more frustrated with my running and training. Very much a 'Catch 22' and I am hoping a solid run at GC will turn things around for the rest of the year.

Maybe next year I will get a chance to run under 3.10, Just maybe ...

Rest day again

Well it is the taper week!!

Decided I need to do a 10k TT on Thursday - I know this close to the marathon but it will not be flat out but close to it. I want a good idea of my fitness level and so the realistic pace I should run the marathon.

At around the Canberra Marathon I could 5k in 19.40 and 10k in about 42.30. McMillan gives those a 3.11 - 3.20 marathon. I ran badly for 3.17. Lat week I ran 21 for 5k and have not done 10k for a while. McMillan puts the 21 minute 5k to a 3.24 marathon. I will probable run about 46 for the 10k that equates to 3.35 marathon.

My guess for Sunday is a few minutes either side of 3.30 on a best possible result but probably a bad fade for 3.38.