Sydney Herald Half

Pacing AK - attempted sub 100 and she managed 99.57 - so so pleased we made it and she has cracked the 100 barrier. Some personal issues have arisen and so for the moment no more blogging so over and out.

Cruisy Bay again

Cruisy Bay

Took up the offer of AK and with Truckie we did a very cruisy lap of the Bay and felt so good added the dog canal. Both AK and I have small problems and so the hardest decision will be how to run on Sunday - I suspect very very cruisy and maybe 1.50 or so and so we will really enjoy the atmoshpere OR we could floor it for 99.

Rest

Needed to be at work well before sunrise so no run this morning again. Probably makes me have a taper either for the half on Sunday or just a quiet few days before the final training push for the Kempsey marathon - either way its a good idea. But how thingy do you get with a couple of days off running - for me extremely 'thingy' - feels like running in the morning is an addiction but a good one for me.

Rest

Moved some funiture last night and something just did not feel right this morning in the groin - so no run. No worries I need a taper and a couple of days rest.

3 x 3k + Bay

As usual after a recovery day felt 'heavy' in the warm up. Was hoping for some steady 12.30 for each 3k but planned to run them as I felt with no peeking at the watch until the end. Will not go into details but 12.22, 12.08 & 11.51 - what the heck - I should not have run those times feeling that there was always more speed.

The headed for another lap of the Bay - I have been doing this lately to finish off a session to develop some steady speed and endurance without long slow runs. Hoped I could get under 30 minutes as I have recently achieved that benchmark and it is good to maintain it. Managed 29.42 - yipee!!

No run - recovery

Playing it safe and having a recovery day - I do not want to lose what I have gained through an nover use strain.

3 x 5k + Bay run

Feeling very fresh generally at the moment and NO niggles anywhere. Needed to up the intensity for today and the next few weeks of most sessions. Need to get my tempo and medium long runs back under or at 4.15 per k pace. With that in mind wanted each rep to be under 4.15 (21.15 for 5k) and each to get faster. Ran 20.54/20.34/20.17 so very pleased.

Jogged back to King Georges Park with some heavy legs and seriously thought of not doing the planned fast lap of the Bay but I knew I needed to do it to complete the session. Wanted under 30 minutes and managed 29.33 with a solid effort all the way and no mad sprint at the end which might get the time but does not result is a solid effort for the whole run.

Then back home - collected Helen and walked the Bay on an cold and overcast morning then a mothers day breakfast up the road in Rozelle. Visiting family for the rest of the day.

No run - recovery

2 x 3k + the Bay

Out with Karin and Truckie with just a light drizzle and heavy cloud cover - not as cool as other recent mornings probably because of the clouds. Auntie a slight hamy twinge so a steady morning - planed to run each rep in 4.30/4.35 pace which we did. Thought about a third but played it safe and jogged back.

I went to do some stretches as it was still a little early and with no kids at home I was not needed back as usual. Did some stretches and thought I felt like a quick lap and then a rest on Saturday. Decided I would do it but if there was any hint of over use I would stop. No such problem and floored the whole way for 29.32. About 4.13 pace and things are looking good for the Kempsy Marathon. I have run faster but today brought up 120ks since and including Sunday so pleased with the firm effort in the circumstances.

Fantastic 5's

Out as bit later as the session was to be short and sharp and had a late night. After years of promising to do so Helen and I had a delightful meal at a restaurant at Hunters Hill where our son has been chef for a couple of years. We have not been there before but with our two younger ones away with school activities we took the opportunity presented by a kids free night.

One problem going to as restaurant where you know the chef's is that they don't present you with a menu but simply say 'leave it to us' and so then followed what felt like and endless procession of wonderful small samples of what seemed like was the whole menu. It was wonderful but strange having your son present meals to you that look like they should be on the front of some cooking book - far removed from the days of feeding him his mashed vegatables and playing planes to get it into his mouth.

Any way I digress ...

Thought 2 x 5k would be on order however after yesterdays effort thought I would struggle to post some respectable times - the hope was 4.15 ks or 21.15. Felt wonderful as I left the house and the weather at 6.15 was just perfect and so thought I would not run controlled but flat out on each rep and see what happened - result 20.48 and 20.39 - elated to say the least. I thought they were great times considering where they were in regard to the weeks sessions so far.

3 x Bay run

Thought I would break a 90 minute run into 3 laps of the Bay with a 3 minute break in between. The aim to run each lap at 4.30 pace or 31.11 per lap - remember Action has the Bay measured at 6.928 ks. Laps 30.56, 31.01 and 31.11 - so slowed down but withe some what of an effort on the 3rd got home ontime. Another great morning around the Bay maybe just a bit warmer than yesterday but still a chill in the air until warmed up then very pleasant. The training is going very well and just about on plan.

3 x 2k

Another session with Auntie in the lead up to the SMH half. We just wanted to cconsolidate where we were at on Friday - ran 8.52, 8.44 & 8.44 - a good firm session for Auntie. Wanting to gain some good solid speed as a pace faster than race pace so that on race day being recovered and tapered our race pace should feel very comfortable. Cold and crisp around the Bay with no wind and just a glorious start to the day.

2 X 5k and suprised

Thought I would have tired legs this morning after yesterday. Certainly felt like that on the warm up. Thought a steady 22.30 per 5 k was a reasonable expectation but alsoplaneed to run how I felt which meant if felt tired I would not push it.

The first session was very firm and at upper end of comfortable - 21.52 - very suprised. I always like to do theses sessions with each rep getting faster but did not hold out much hope of that today but though I would see what I could do. Back in 21.25 a 4.18 or so k pace.

Easy joy around the Bay to cooldown. Just go to show that you cannot always predict what will happen in a session.

Undecided

When I left the house I wasn't sure what I would so for this session. The decided for a change I would head into the city and run a lap of the Herald half - ran about 10k in about 50 minutes. Heading back across Anzac Bridge I thought a nice firm lap of the Bay would be an interesting way to finish a 30k session. At best thought 4.30 k's would be likely or it could get ugly with the wheels going square. Managed the Bay in 32.09 about 4.37 pace - felt very hard but maintainable. Between now and the SMH half I expect a lot of long repeats to get some speed going for the pacing duties and then hold it for a solid 25k at SMC the week after.

Rest day

No run - was tempted as I was feeling so great but thought that maybe just the day an over use injury happens.

3 x 2k

Joined AK and Truckie for this session on an absolutely glorious morning at the Bay. We started just as he sky was turning pink, no wind, no clouds and the Bay just shinning like glass. AK wanted a quick 10k tomorrow at Striders so we kept the splits even firm but not fast enough to do any damage and with the aim for each rep to get faster. Worked out just wonderfully with 8.52, 8.47 & 8.36 splits. Easy cruise back home.

Recovery run

Feeling absolutely wonderful after the marathon. No soreness and all the calf niggles seem to have gone. It was a glorious morning around the Bay and enjoyed a cruise enjoying the start to the morning. Saw Prof at Timbrell and ran back to Iron Cove bridge with him - did some stretching and felt so well went back around the swimming pool before reluctantly heading home. Felt like I could have cruised for ever.

No run : recovery

No run

Although up very very early to prepare for a workshop I was asked to present on short notice. And a long day doing a very intensive workshop on meetings.

No run - recovery