Canberra walking marathon: 6.05.08

My wife and I drove down from Sydney on Friday afternoon in light traffic. It only takes an easy 3 hours. At about 8pm the heavens opened up with heaving rain and a strong winds. From the hotel window it did not look pleasant and there was a thought that if it was like this in the morning I was not starting.

However Saturday started still and dry. Although there were some ominous clouds. So it was a start. Only only rained heavy once and really heaving about an hour into he event. I was soaked and thought if it continued then hypothermia was a real issue.

It stopped and blew over and there was from then on a light breeze and sun and the sun increased at the went. I a few hours I was dry. 

It was a walking marathon that was always going to long and a real challenge for a non walker. It was part of a walking festival that are held world wide and there are some very serious (meaning fast) walkers who make it look like a stroll. The rule is no running. As my running friend said as the start - when you have to walk you want to run, when you are in a run event you want to walk. So true !!!

I am not a walker and I do not practice it. I walk with my wife but that is a stroll not a race walk. 

I did run maybe in total 2/3k when I felt I had to engage some running muscles to relax the walking muscles however that did not start  until 24k and then it was only about a 100 metres when I thought I needed the change. Pleased to complete it in 6.05 - I have 'run' some slower than that.

I am easing back into the usual routine with marathons on the next two weekends. 

Clouds and misty at the start and the sunshine later.

One lap of the Bay

I was out really early for various reasons. I just had time for one quick lap of the Bay. I run the Bay daily but rarely one hot lap these days (that another story JD). I wanted to get under 37.

Still smiling with 36.30 @ 5.20. I don't keep good records of my training but from some sketchy notes that would be about a 2 year PB.

Marathon reps 2 x 7k aka 2 laps of the Bay

Over the last three (3) mornings I have run the same 15k loop over hills, hills and hills. A nice progress in pace on each 6.55 per k then 6.40 and 6.15.So this morning I was running on very tired legs. 

Marathons reps - 2 x 7k (2 laps of the Bay with 5 minutes rest in between). The aim both under 40 minutes and the second quicker than the first. I did this couple a weeks ago with just over 40 and just under 39. I was hopeful of a better result this morning but was not hopeful because of the solid three runs in the last three mornings. 

38.58 (5.40 pace) and 37.50 (5.31 pace) - pleased. It was easier than I expected.

Saturday morning update

The last week has been very busy.

A week ago on Friday night I drove t Canberra from Sydney in the afternoon to arrive at the AIS running track about 5.30pm Just in time to collect my race number and start a marathon at 6.00pm. Don't you just hate 102 laps of a 400m running track. Anyway it was all over in 4.50.03 and thank heavens. It is part of a big weekend of track ultra running. So nice to share the track with some running legends. 

The I drive home and was showered an in bed just after 2.00am

I was going to run a marathon on Sunday in Sydney but did not.

Early on Monday morning Helen and I few to Ballina and spent the next 3 days with our son his partner and our granddaughter, Nigella.Words cannot describe of holding your first grandchild for the first time. It is love at first sight. The time went much too quickly. We will not be back until Easter when the whole family will travel north to spend time together and no doubt spoil Nigella.

I was back in the office on Thursday and Friday trying to frantically catch up on office work and my lecturing commitments.

State elections in NSW today. I have done that after a nice 15k run. 

Pa and Nigella

Scenes from the Bay this morning 

Nothing to report

I have nothing  of significance to report as far as training. 

I went on a 5k walk with my wife this morning. I have a marathon in Canberra this evening starting at 6pm. It don't mind supporting the event as it supports prostate cancer but I just hate two things about it 

1. the start time; and 
2. it is 84 laps of and running track that I also hate with a passion  

So I will be very pleased to have this one over at about 10.30 tonight.

Thursday: 5k PB for 2019

It was a full cloud cover this morning. The usual 22 degrees and 80% humidity and no breeze.

After 2 very solid mornings I would not consider I was rested but still thought I had a chance of a good 5k if I was prepared to put in an all our effort as the main session for the morning. 

I do have two marathons on the weekend so I have been easing down on distance this week but using the intensity.  I was determined to run in a pain level of effort that I have not pushed into for a long time. Rewarded with a 26.41 and the best this years being the 27.20 from a few weeks ago.

'Yasso's' - we know about those right and the guide to a marathon time provided you have the endurance. I don't quite have that end of marathon endurance yet. A few weeks ago I did 4 and was around the 4.10 time for the 800m. Today after the 5k I did only 3 but all about 4.03 time.

That sub 4 hour marathon is getting close but not quite yet.

The end part of most of my runs. A nice 500m flat and along the waters edge.

Wednesday: 10k

Another day with about 20 degrees and 80% humidity just after 5.00 am however there was very light breeze and some refreshing light rain that for a short while was quite heavy. The breeze and light rain did cool the running conditions but once started it was still uncomfortable but manageable.

I have just finished reading this book by Roger Robinson:

https://picclick.com.au/When-Running-Made-History-by-Roger-Robinson-English-132628459334.html

The writer is married to Katherine Switzer (Boston Marathon fame) and was/is a world record holder  in some longer distance vets races. He reflected when he was training for a World Masters event that he imagined a Japanese runner who he gave a name to also training for the same event. He imagined his imaginary competitor up early and training hard. This inspired Roger to also get up earlier and train harder.

That image has been in my mind for a week or so since I finished the book. It was having the same imaginary competitor that got me out the front door this morning and I hope will continue to get me out the front door often and to train harder that I might other wise have done. BUT always train wisely as well as hard. 

Following on from yesterday's 3 x 5k I decided that maybe I should keep the intensity up with a hard 10k. A nice result is to run it under your age in minutes. Exactly a month ago I ran a 10k and was pleased with 65.50. That was comfortably under my age. This morning I was really being greedy and secretly hoped for under 60 minutes but realistically thought it would not be achieved with a second 5k fade.

The first was a bit too quick in 28.50 and so I know it would be a real challenge to be under 60. Ran as smooth as I could and balancing not too fact and not too slow. 57.56 !!! Pleased that even on very tired legs I have made significant gains in the last month. 

Could under 55 be a possibility in a month or so ?

Tuesday: A super set of 3 x 5k

I was out a little after 5.00 am in the quiet dark as usual. Not many about at that time today. Temperature was 22 and the humidity 82% so it was going to be another testing morning.

It was a super set today of 3 x 5k with 5 minutes active rest in between. I haven't even thought about do this set for years. It was my go to session when the training was for a sub 3 marathon but then the 5k was run in about 21 minutes.

I expected each to heart and much more as I moved through them. The aim was to be consistent and under 30 minutes for each. I did not expect the last one to make that time and I almost did't do it but I had planned to run 3 so I did with the thought 'All that can happen is I run over 30 minutes'. Really no big deal. 

The third one was hard and I was on 5.50 pace at 2k and almost held that pace to the end. I hope these types of sessions translate into a good marathon by mid next year.

29.05

29.28

29.23

What a glorious morning and I cooled down in a quiet little corner as I usually do each day after my run and enjoy some quiet reflection time before joining the day.

7k & 5k reps for Monday

At 5.00 am it was 22 degrees with 65% humidity but with a cooling breeze. It was pleasant for the light warm up but become more difficult during the two reps with no cooling for the breeze that seemed to have eased.

The 7k is off course a lap of the Bay that is actually 6.9k. The aim is to run the Bay under 40 minutes, then have a short walk break and run 5k under 30 minutes.

Bay in 39.16 @ 5.42
5k in 28.17 @5.40

Happy.

Bridge shapes on the way back home with the sun up but the lights still on.

Saturated Saturday

I was out the house just after 5.00 am and it was already 21 degrees and 93% humidity. The conditions were against a good run but I had set to do 2 laps of the Bay under 80 minutes. The first lap was 40.14 and I thought the sub 80 was gone. Dug deep and tried to run on the par I wanted but as smooth a possible. 

@ laps of the Bay is just under 14k and I had to dig deeeeeep to maintain the pace over the last 3 k and just managed 79.36.

I still feel very drained late this afternoon.

Some views of Iron Cover Bridge. There are 2 the old and new. The old is straight and the new has a pleasant curve. One is under the old bridge with the curved lights on the new one to the left.

Friday and very easy

Just and easy walk with my wife to freshen the legs for a very high intensity (well for me) run tomorrow morning. Wanting to run 2 laps continuous of the bay both under 40 minutes and that means 5.45 pace for a few strides under 14k. Not likely but i might be close - at least under 6 minute pace would be the  just okay result. 

Thursday: Hills and cruising for 16k

The weather was more pleasant this morning. 18 degrees and 65% humidity with a slight breeze. The Bay was a bit choppy and so maybe a little unpleasant for the rowers.

A bit of a recovery morning with plenty of hills in the first 2/3rds to take the freshness out of the legs and then about 5k on the flat to finish and working hard with higher pace and intensity. So 16k @ 6.36 pace.

I was past the swimming pool before it opened. Near the end of my run the rowers were also finishing.

Wonderful Wednesday

At 5.00 am it was 22 degrees and 83% humidity. It was going to be a steam bath conditions for the run. Decided last and firm was needed and longish. Decided that meant 2 laps of the Bay with a warm up before. 

I had not set a pace but just generally wanted to run 'firm' for the distance and to hold the starting pace again for the whole distance. It is running be feel gained by experience and not running by an arbitrary pace determined by some system or wish.

Soon after the start settled into a comfortable 6.15 pace and on the second lap of the Bay felt I could increase it by a tick and finished the 16.25k @ 6.10 pace. Walked the few hundred metres home absolutely dripping.

No one on the Iron Cove Bridge soon after starting.

Recovery Run on Tuesday

I was out well before sunrise with a steamy 21 degrees and 79% humidity. 

It was a recovery run after the marathon on Sunday. It was planned to be steady and slower than marathon pace - clearly any faster would not have been recovery pace. I felt very good and was able to maintain a very firm pace for me at least.

12k at 6.31 pace. Followed but a nice cool down with some stretching by the waters edge at the Bay.

The sunrise was very low key with very subtle colours. But still well worth being out in the early morning peace and quiet.

Orange Marathon 4.26.01

It went better than I expected. I thought closer to 4.45 and I thought that was possible when I was running the second half expecting a massive slow down because I went out as quick as I could but still being conservative - if you know what I mean.

It was still dark at the start and the sun was not up for about 20 minutes. It was pleasantly cool at the start but not cold about 14 degrees. The ideal running conditions remained for about 2 hours and then it got very hot very quickly and by the time I finished at about 11.00 am it was 26 degrees.

There are lots of long inclines with some very short but challenging hills. There is not much flat running for any considerable distance. I know the 'Yasso's' predicted maybe a 4.12 but that was never going to happen because I do not have enough endurance but I am working on that.

An out and back course with halfway in about 2.10 and the second half in 2.14. Please with that considering my current level of endurance fitness and the heat in the second half.

Easy 5k walk this morning and a steady recovery run planned for tomorrow morning.

A week off before a track marathon in Canberra. 

Saturday pre marathon

Beautiful morning in Sydney. So an easy walk down to the water and just watch the passing parade as I did some gentle exercises and stretches. The Little A's were setting up with lots of activity, the usual  'Can Do' group warming up before there run and the masses of walkers, runners and bikers enjoy the path around the Bay.

Thought to blow some cobwebs out I would do some 'Yasso's' as they are called or just plain 800m reps. The reasonably well proven theory is what time you run these in, in minutes and seconds will translate int your marathon time in hours and minutes (one huge note you must have the endurance in the legs for it to really be accurate). I don't have a enough at the moment.

So 4 x 800m and all within the 4.07 - 4.11 range so that should reflect in a possible 4.07 - 4.11 marathon. But off course you have factor in the endurance level of your fitness not just the speed over 800m, the course profile and the weather and others.

A good guide with all the right things in place on the day. That is not going to happen for me on Sunday but it does give me a conservative pacing guide. So I thing if the weather is kind and I pace myself conservatively in the first half and HOLD in the second half I might be around 4.30. Fingers crossed and here's hoping but then again it could be much much worse if I have got the starting pacing horribly wrong.

01.03.19 First day of Spring

This morning air was still full of humidity and the temperature about 21. Sadly daylight saving is coming to an end so the sunrise is not happen until after 6.30 am. At the end of the month of March NSW will revert to normal time and then the sun will start rising an hour earlier. But in the meantime the sunrise will continue to get later until it gets to about 7.00 am.

There was nothing special about the run this morning of 15k. The first half is mostly hills and the second half flat. It was a steady pace with it a bit quicker on the second half.

I am running the Orange Marathon Sunday. I nice challenging out and back course on fairly deserted country roads with a small about of dirt. I have had a large range of results here:

2014                    3.34.56

2015                    4.17.03

2016                    5.40.13

2017                    4.59.31

2018                    4.55.09

2016 was there year I had just got out of hospital and probably should not have run. This year under 5 would be a reasonable expectation for where my fitness is at the moment and that is the general race plan. So a 4.55 finish would get the thumbs up and then focus on the next marathon in a few weeks.

I am back !!!!!

After almost 2 years of no posting I have decided I now have the time and reasons for returning to my Blogg and posting. 

During that period I have continued to run marathons with 59 in the last 2 years. At one stage I was becoming very slow and 6 hours or close to it was almost becoming the normal and I began to look at  the cut off times. Sometimes 'leaning' on a RD for an early start of being allowed to continue after the cut off. That did not happen often but I did not want it to happen at all. 

So the solution was to get quicker. So in 2018 the training distances and intensity both increased. The hard work paid off because by mid year I was hovering around the 5 hour mark. That resulted in early starts and cut offs not being an issue any longer. 

By mid 2018 I decided to be very proactive with the 3/4 kgs that I had gained in the last few years as a side affect to the Lucrin injections I get to keep the cancer under control. Prior to that I just accepted the weight gain. Now I wanted to try and do something about it. Not really a diet (that is not a good word) but a strict eating plan that was very effective and within a few months I was down to just below 65kg and very much my ideal racing weight.

The increased training and reduced wight resulted in some results under 4.30 and for the second half of 2018 that was were they stayed with the best result being Melbourne in October and a 4.04. That sub 4 was within my grasp until the last 7k. I had started a little too aggressively and was about 2 minutes up at halfway and that caused the slow down. Just off even pacing but enough to blow the sub 4.

Sub 4 is back in my sights in 2019 but not for a few months and the right course and conditions. Maybe Gold Coast provided the weather is right.

Why you might ask have I come back. A few reasons. I miss the opportunity to reflect at length as FB does not provide that nor does Coolrunning (yes I still post). Also mid this year I will be 70 and I thought it might be interesting to records my running experiences, hopes and failure as I approach that milestone. 

I already value the health and wellness I have. The gift I have been given to have no age related degeneration of the body - yes the knees are fine, thank you. So if I record my inner thoughts I ask for forgiven in advance. 

Come along the ride and see where the next few months and further take me. 

This morning from around my much loved Bay Run at Drummoyne.

Update

Clearly I have not posted for sometime. I have been running its just sometimes I don't get around to it and then times goes by so quickly.

I did not run the double weekend as I could not get to Canberra a planned. I did travel to Melbourne o the weekend and ran a marathon in Brimbank Park a beautiful spot just out of Melbourne close to the airport. Doesn't sound glamorous but it is quite scenic and the whole marathon stays within the park. Basically 2 laps. 

The real issue was the heat. I started 30 minutes early at 8am and the temperature rose quickly to be 33 degrees when I finished. The last 12k was survival and a firm walk only. Two of my fellow 100 marathon club members with each over 150 marathons had their first ever marathon DNF at this event. It was tough and I suppose I should be pleased with a 6.12 finish.

On the following Saturday it was a marathon from Manly to Watson's Bay hugging the shoreline as much as you can. A tough course up to 24k which is at the Harbour Bridge. It is still not easy after that but that first 24k is tough with the trails continually rising and falling and weaving around the coast line. 

Map for the BUMS Manly to Watson's Bay 

I know I am a rhythm runner to the continual change of pace and stride is a very difficult for me. The weather was warm but not a huge factor. Laugh at 7.07 but consider a month before I did the same event in 8.28 - so the 7.07 was a very pleasing improvement.

No rest the following weekend as I was off to Melbourne again and a marathon at Princess Park. I think 16 laps of the park. I am okay with that but I was just not engaged and so wondered around the course. Perhaps I was reflecting on it being marathon 250 and being engrossed in those thoughts and no the marathon itself. Any way 5.25 is about my not so good time at the moment. I was disappointed with the time but really the time reflected the focus I had on the morning.

Finish at Princess Park and #250 done

Then the next weekend the Canberra Marathon. My 18th at Canberra and I wonder where all those years have gone. 

My children and me at Canberra Marathon #2 in 2000

My 3 children with me for Canberra # 2 and over all Marathon  #12

I gave a lot of thought to being much more mentally positive in the days leading up to the marathon. My training is not very structured when I have a marathon each weekend. I don't run in the week until I feel I have recovered and that is usually Wednesday and then at best I run 3 days with noting long. At best maybe a 7k lap of the Bay fast. That does not build up endurance and stamina.

So in reality I am running weekly marathons where the training is not much more than the marathon the week before. On that basis I have no idea of my fitness level with the last 3 marathons being very different course but at least Canberra in on a road and I can get into my stride and that suits me. 

So with no guide as to my fitness and so therefore no race pace plan I decided that 'go for broke' was as good as any plan. That merely meant starting off at 4.30 pace (yes laugh) and see what I could do. In reality the race plan was to run at that pace until I slowed down with one major blow up fully expected sooner rather than later. Knowing that was a likely outcome I was okay with the possibility. 

Half way in about 2.14 and so for an even paced run I would be very close to a 4.30 finish. I knew it was going to hurt and it did but my mind tried to convince my body to keep the pace. It almost did for a 4.36 finish.

Fastest time in a marathon since October 2015 in Melbourne when I ran 3.23. I had my first Lucrin injection in September 2015 and the effects of it had not kicked in. So I would have to pleased with the run and the time. 

Yes I got slower but what is pleasing is as regards my ranking went down in particular the R/Rank - that is my overall ranking the male race.. If I was slowing down others were slowing down more. The S/Rank is the actual rank as regards runners in that particular split - so on each I was relative to other runners running quicker as the race went on and gain slowing but not as much as other runners. 

Could I hold out an expectation to go quicker. I am not sure if that is realistic. I dream of a marathon under 4 again. I have 4 weeks to my next marathon. That is off road on trails and no sub 4 will happen there. On the 28 May I have the Barrossa and then the following week Traralgon - both on road and both with a chance of at least being slightly quicker that Canberra but under 4 - we will see what a good 3 week training block will do. 

An almost double weekend coming up

Double weekend?

2 marathons on the weekend is usually what it means but not quite that this weekend but close. A marathon on Friday in Canberra and then one in Melbourne on Sunday.

Friday it is at Canberra about 3 hours drive south of Sydney. It is on a track for 105 laps. The marathon is part of an ultra weekend involving many races with different times and distances. The big Daddy being 48 hours on the track and the winner should complete over 1000 laps. Mind blowing time on the track and number of laps.

Me, the short 'sprint' option and I will feel like a fraud finishing in about 6 hours, travelling back to Sydney, having a shortish sleep, fly to Melbourne and by lunchtime those in the 48 hour event are still circulating and only half done. I expect I will be finishing the marathon on Sunday as they are finishing. That is also mind blowing as well.

The event is in support of Prostate Cancer and I feel I must support it.

Canberra Ultra event

Sunday at Brimbank Park just outside of Melbourne near the airport. Sounds like I would be running in an industrial zone. No a wonderful park that once you are in it there is little sign of the surrounding area. Plenty of green space, trees and a river.

It feels like there is no last section and that you are always going up or down. Some a very significant. Along the river section it is flatish with just some gentle short rises and falls but ....

Brimbank Park Marathon

Neither will be raced. Finishing comfortably is the only objective. About 6 hours for Friday and Brimbank Park probably closer to 7 hours.