Update

End of the month today. Tomorrow is the start of summer although in Sydney today and yesterday you would not know it. The weather is gret skies, overcast and drizzle on an off most of the time.

The start of my early morning run was cool with a liitle bit of humidity. So unusual conditions. Halfway through some heavy rain. It was rather pleasant in the circumstances.

What have I done in the last few weeks you might ask??

Well not much except trying to get over the hammy issue and that seems to have recovered well. Although I am only running at a very modest 6.30 minutes per k and no more the 14k at a time. But that is what recovery is all about.

I planned to run a marathon on Saturday but decided against it. With C2K starting in 10 days I just could not see any benefit in the run and a whole lot of risks. So it was very difficult to not run a marathon about an hours drive away but I did. I do hope that means the running gods will smile on me and give me a good C2K race.

I am as ready as I can be for this monster 240k run. Originally the distance intimidated me, now I am comfortabe with it. It helps that by the time I have run 100 miles I am on a road I have run a number of Jindabyne Marathon on and Idrive each year when we are skiiing.

I have accepted that it is the longest run I have done but it is also all on roads and so it eliminates trails and technical running which I just cannot do well. My crew is ready I am ready all I am doing is going through the motions of training each morning and getting all the gear ready.

Update

I did not start the GNW as I decided that if I injured myself in that I might be in the same position as last year and then need to pull out of C2K. Then nothing is achieved except being disappointed on two fronts. So by not starting GNW I know I will get to the start of C2K.

I have a great crew for C2K and we have already made travel plans for the two from Qld.

The hammy is just about 100% recovered. So it is just some nice easy early morning cruising around the Bay. I am not sure how you train for a 240k race other than get you mind in the right space. I know it will be tough and long and I need to accept that and just be patient on the day. Also I have never run in a race where the crew is on the road with you with supplies available every few k's.

Just one more marathon to go to end the year with 14. It is close to Sydney in the bush and will be now more than a walk to finish under 5 hours.

Sad update ; injured !!!

I last posted after a great run on Tuesday 26th about 10 days ago.

After being injury free all year (the Achilles is not an injury just a problem that I need to live with) on Wednesday last week I pulled a hamstring while running the usual Bay with JD. Proff pulled up lame the week before. JD is wearing down and out his running buddies.

It could have been more serious but still serious enough to stop me from running since. It seems to be on the improve but I don't want to try it before time and go backwards by doing more harm than good. It could not have come at a worse time with the preparation for GNW thrown out. In fact I know I should not be running it but I need to at least keep my streak up of getting to the starting low however it will probably result in an early DNF and a 3/3 score line with me and the course.

I have now in desperation decided to use walking poles having never used them before. Even though I have not run I have had a couple of walks with them and think they may assist me although I am not fully used to them.

If I have any significant news before next weekend I will post again. But the next week is all about nursing along the recovery and hope it is almost fully recovered by then but the again 175k is a long way on a dodgy hammy. Fingers crossed!!!

2 steady loops

A beautiful sunrise around the Bay this morning. Yesterday the Bay was cold, grey and angry. This morning it was crisp, bright and happy and made early morning running such a pleasure. I managed to take this as the sun was rising over the city skyline. It was just a perfect setting.

In a few weeks the sun will rise further to the right of the picture as the longer summer days come and the city will not have the wonderful colourful backdrop.

Two of the usual hilly loops but much slower than usual with 55/57 minute loops. Really a month or so ago they would have been good single lap times but you get spoilt when you run closer to 52 for the single loop more often than not.

The times were okay considering what I am trying to do at the moment is just put distance, distance and more distance in my legs with speed being not that important. But 22k in about 5.25 pace is still okay considering I have not had a rest day in almost 2 weeks.

A recovery run of 18k

More wet and cold conditions this morning. The Bay was choppy and looking ugly as did the sky. It was raining when I started, wet while I was running and wet as I finished. Just the usual hilly loop of about 10.5k and then back doing all the hills again in a nice little loop of about 7.5k. It was never going to be quick but solid at about 5.50 pace.

SMC : Half 99.30ish

First of the 2010/11 Series.

I have not run a half for a long while and I was not sure if I could still get under 100. It was wet and cool and really ideal running weather. I started off with getting below 100 but was not sure how long I could hold it. Ran the first 10k in about 46.30 and the the second half hills started and did the next 10k in 48.10 and a hard push over the last bit to just sneak under.

Then cooled down ? with another 7k. A nice solid hit out in pace and distance.

Week in review

A brief overview of the week.

Spent the later half in Canberra at a conference.

On Wednesday the usual run with JD and Proff. Quickest for a while in 30.45 with JD well under 31 and both of us looking at a sub 30 maybe before the end of the year. Unfortunately Proff pulled up lame with a hammy issue. Lets hope it is not too serious.

On Thursday and Friday mornings I had a run around some bush runs behind the War Memorial. Part of the Bush Capital Marathon course. Thursday was foggy with lots of Kangaroos out. Friday was clear and sunny and still a lot of Kangaroos out again. Nice 22k loop with lots of hills.

Saturday and quick loop in 50.50 which again is the quickest for a few weeks.

Just putting in as many k's as possible. Good week of about 127k's. First time I have had time to run enough to get over 100.

No run: ? too busy at the College

Usual Wednesday: theBay with JD & Proff: 31.45

As usual the run over Iron Cove Bridge was slow and the conclusion was that 6 minutes k's would be a struggle. However that is the feeling each Wednesday and we run much faster. It just seems the mind and body are in different spaces.

JD was there as usual and Proff arrived just on 6am. No discussion about a pace as it is never occurs. I just said 'I will hang on as long as I can.' Not long after the start I took up the back marker positions and stayed that way until the end.

I was again surprised to run a 31.45 for about 4.32 pace. Not quite as quick as last week but under 32 in very fine by me.

Melbourne Marathon: 3.39.00

I said I would be happy to sneak under 4 so I was more than a little surprised to run 3.39 even. Particularly as I had run 3.57 the week before on a flat course and in the rain.

That was my 13th marathon since Hobart on January and one a the quicker times. This year has really been all about:

• getting on top of the Achilles issues and they are much better;
• apart from the Achilles staying injury free and that has been the case; and
• keeping up the k's in training so that I have a big base for GNW in November and that has almost occur ed but when I run so many marathons the training is in recovery/training swings.

I went out conservatively but without being driven by a Garmin and pace so I wore a watch that just had time/splits but no GPS pace etc. I could keep a track of my pace but only on 5k blocks. They were pretty steady and I git to hallway in about 1.48 which was bit faster than 'just sneaking under 4 hours' but I felt okay.

I had a GU. I don't usually have any but thought I might need it. Because I rarely use them its affect was almost immediate and quite dramatic. I felt my energy levels rise and I started to run strong and was passing a lot of runners. I was not getting faster they were going slower. Anyway that feeling of strength stayed until the 35k and a bit of a slump to 38k and then I could sense the end and picked up the pace again.

Ran the second half in about 1.51. I was in about 1800th place at halfway and was about 1400th over the finish line. Not my quickest but again a very pleasing run because of the even splits and the strength I felt in the second half.

It finishes with about 3/4 lap around the MCG. Whenever I run that finish I always recall the finish of Kerryn MaCann in the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Its quite a strange feeling to finish a marathon running in the same space she did .

A few weeks off until the next one.

The usual Wednesday Bay run with JD

Last week I said to JD I would run with this morning to try and resume of usual Wednesday firm lap of the Bay. I have recovered well from the marathon but I had my doubts if it would be other than something to gently stretch the muscles.

That plan was confirmed as I ran across Iron Cove Bridge to our meeting spot feeling less that fluid. We were joined by the Professor who is making a welcome comeback. But his presence meant that easy was going to be more than likely quickish and rather painful. There was the usual '... yeah we will take it maybe 5.30's will be fine...' get the drift. I am not sure if any of us believed a word being said.

We started off with all being hesitant to set a pace but soon the Proff eased in front and seemed to be keeping a realistic and steady pace. I glanced at the Garmin and couple of times and thought it was telling we were at about 4.30 pace. I was just waiting for the other 2 to cruise off into the distance.

Surprisingly a 31.30 lap for about 4.30 pace and 30 seconds faster than last week.

I am off to Melbourne later today for some work and the marathon on Sunday. Again this is not a focus run by any means. I will just train through and will aim to finish just under 4 hours with even splits.

Penrith Lakes Marathon : 3.57.32

It was wet wet and wet for almost the whole run. It is one of the few times I have started a marathon off in solid rain that kept up for more than half the race. But then again it was interesting and thankfully at no time did it get so cold with being wet that, that became an issue.

It was 8, yes 8 mind numbing laps around what was to Sydney Olympics rowing course. Having said that 42k is 42k whether it is in small laps or in some other set up. It was the first time the event was held and is about a 45 minute drive from my place, so I supported it. I would do it again despite the many laps.

I did not take splits for some reason. I just didn't do it so despite having a Garmin I really had no idea of pace as I decided to run on feel and not be a slave to pace on this one. However i did have a peak with about a lap and a bit to go which I thought was about 6k and I was at 3.25 and it was a very hard push to get under 4.

It will be an easy week this week for recovery as I have the Melbourne Marathon next Sunday. I will be in Melbourne from Wednesday for work and so training is always disrupted.

Pre Marathon run

Okay so it is Saturday and the day before the marathon!!!

I decided that a run would be better than 2 rests days in a row. Also I wanted to have a 100k+ week for the first time in months. So one loop early in 51.15 - not the fastest but solid.

1 October already !!!

No run today. The taper for the marathon on Sunday. The marathon is really a training run. By that I mean I have not tapered but on the day I will run it as hard as I can. That should get me easily under 4 hours provided the weather does not warm up too much out west.

September was 447k of running and it was good to get back into a solid month of k's although there were some very light weeks in between.

One lap in 50.39

My quickest is 50.25 so in less than a week to get back close to it I was very pleased. I was also surprised how quick I was able to return to running close to a PB on the one loop and an PB on the double loop after not much training in the last few weeks.

Lap of the Bay +

It was a very cool and ugly grey around the Bay this morning. Full cloud cover and an icy wind. Maybe the tail end of the weather from Hobart where they are suppoed to reach no more than 10c and snow high up. The water was very choppy and I guess it would have been unpleasant for the rowers out training. I say that having never been rowing.

This morning JD and I ran together for the first time in 4/5 months. Things just got in the way of our regular Wednesday morning 'hot lap' of the Bay. Whey is is that when I run across Iron Cove Bridge to meet up 6 minute k's seem almost impossible. I arrive we have the usual chat I say look 'I had a tough session yesterday so lets say 5.00/5.15k's for the 7 k lap'. That agreed then we push out a 4.10 first k and then freak out, ease pack to 4.30's and finish just under 32.00. That seems to happen all the time.

Anyway we both agree we run a faster lap running together compared to alone. It always to good middle of the week session. I then did some stretching at the waters edge and then a 25 minute hard push over all the hills to home.

A tiring 18k or so and I feel it now.

2 loops and a PB: 1.48.16

I felt good this morning and was out early. Well I felt recovered but I have a bit of a head cold that is annoying more than anything else. I hope it goes away and does not get worse.

I really wanted a good hard session today and pushed hard on the first loop without holding back for the second. I thought the second will just have to take care of itself. I got through the first loop in 53.45 which was faster than yesterdays single loop - so I know the second loop would be tough all the way and it was - I just wanted to find a reason to stop but knew I couldn't do that and feel positive at the end of the session.

Also with a good time on the first loop the PB of 1.50.55 looked like it was under threat if I could hold on. I did hold on well for 54.31 on the second. A comfortable PB.I really thought it would take much longer to get back close to were I was at the start of the month. A sub 1.45 is now the aim before GNW.

One loop: 53.50

A beautiful morning around the Bay. It is now light at 5.30am and so pleasant to be up and around early. There was no wind and the water was mirror smooth with just a hint of a ripple in places caused by the rowers.

It was a matter of not holding back and seeing what could be done on the back of the double loop yesterday. A good firm effort but not spectacular.

Back into training: 2 x loops 1.59.27

It was around this time last year that I kind of lost the plot as regards training. I eased off and suffered being time out at GNW in November. At the time I thought I was training well and appropriately but looking back I just did not push in training. I will not do that this year.

I still have a few more marathons to run before GNW but as much as I can I need to up the training distance and intensity. I cannot fall into the trap of thinking 'recovery' and do an easy run. Most training runs have to be to the max - at this stage with only about 7 weeks to go the hard/easy theory just will not cut it. I have been injury free (apart from the continuing Achilles issues but they are gradually becoming less of an issue) and have accordingly built up a good base so it is time to consolidate on that with the training form now to GNW.

Having not trained much in two weeks it was back into 2 loops totally about 21k. Each loop was about the same time and I just got in under 2 hours. About 9 minutes slower than the PB run on 3 September.

5k Challenge

I have not been to one of these for ages.I went with very low expectations in regard to time. I have not run much in the last 2 weeks other than 2 long races. I have not done any speed work in months.I thought I could get under 25 but not by much however I was prepared to focus on 23 minutes. I started of with the 22 minute group and was just hoping to hold on for a long as I could.

By about 2k it was stretched and I just kept trying to click over 4.20k's it was hard as i have not been running anywhere near that pace in months. Well I just kept holding it and managed a very pleasing 21.30.