13k loop @ 4.26 + Bay @ 4.12

No run yesterday. The preparation is going very well but I am concerned that I have not run any long runs greater than 26k for a couple of months. However the many 26k runs have been at a much better pace than last year and the weekly k's are greater. I wonder if that positive will balance out the negative of the lack of long runs. Will stopping short by 5/6 k every second weekend have a signifcant affect in the last 10k of the marathon.

Update 26 May

Saturday 17 May TNF 100k
19.36 and the less said the better. I was not happy with the time but then again if you do not train on trails you cannot expect to run them well. Also in the back of my mind was to do as little 'damage as possible so that I could resume marathon training as soon as possible.

Was able to start marathon training again on the following Thursday.

Sunday 25 May : SMC 25k @ 4.21 pace

Pleased with the overall pace. I ran at 4.24 pave to 15k and 4.15 for the next 5k and 4.10 for the last 5k.

Monday 26 May : 13k @ 4.30

Tuesday 27 May : 2 x Bay @ 4.14 each

Wednesday: 13k @ 4.28 and Bay @ 4.10

The Mcleay River Marathon is the next race on the 8 June. This week is the start of my type of taper -the distance comes down slightly and the speed is increased. It is all going very well and as planned.

Week ending Sunday 11 May

Just continued in the later part of the week with more loops keeping in the 4.30 - 4.35 pace range for the 26k. I looked at what I was doing this time last year and the pace of the same runs were closer to 4.50 and I thought I was doing well. Also last year I was carrying an injury which had a significant affect on the training pace. No such issue this year.

A couple of Bay runs thrown in at 4.15 pace as MT.

All up a quiet week for distance because of the two days off and the 100k coming up on the weekend. Total for the week only 111k

13k loop @ 4.36 (59.45) + Bay @ 4.14 (29.30)

I just decided to have Tuesday and Wednesday off. Also work was very busy and so there was no sleep in but up at the usual time and then to work. But 2 days of that is enough.

Ran the same session as Monday in about the same times. After I finish the loop I cruise down to the Bay and do some stretching at the park just near Iron Cove Bridge and then do the lap. It was tough all the way around and I was struggling but managed to get under 30 - more pushing the mental side than the heart to make it.

13k loop @ 4.32 + Bay @ 4.15

Adding a shorter run at MP.

2 loops 1.57.18 @ 4.31

Best time yet. It must have been because I did only one loop yesterday as a rest day !!!

A great week of training. Out each day and a total for the week of 167k. Apart from Monday on some big hills and all of the rest was running between 4.37 - 4.28 pace with 5 runs of 26k. No run was greater that that distance but all were run at close to maximun aerobic capacity.

I was surprised to run a 2 loop PB this morning at the end of the high k week. I feel as if I am getting much stronger than I was at this time last year and so I am hoping to continue that base building for the next 4 weeks. I just need to stay injury free and hope the 100k run in a few weeks has little interruption to the training.

Saturday: Usual13k loop @ 4.28

2 loops : 1.58.16 @ 4.34

Managed 58.52 + 59.22 - so each lap comfortably just under 60 and that is the pace I will stay at for the next week. Maybe I will have a few easy days in the taper week before the North Face 100 and give the 2 loops a real push for under 1.55 as a TT.

Reflection on 1st May

My children :

Nick, Gabi and Matt

The farm at Byron and the bottom paddock with orange trees and pecans

The deck for breakfast and reading catching the early morning sun

Isn't it wonderful to be alive, healthy and running early in the morning. As I was running this morning I took sometime to reflect on what I was doing and what was around me.

It was predawn around that Bay, cool but nothing a layer or two couldn't fix and then as you eased into the run a layer came off to remain pleasantly warm. How different to the hot humid weather when you start off with the least possible and that becomes uncomfortable before you are out of the front gate.

I also like to start in the predawn and then have the day awaken as I run. In summer it is just too early to be out before the sun rises.

As I run each morning I feel any residual stress from the day before recede as the run progresses. Then I arrive home absolutely battered each morning (my training at the moment only has 2 types - intense and very intense, then into a hot shower to remove the chill from the extremities, a healthy breakfast and drive to work waiting for those wonderful endorphins to kick in that allow me to float through the day and ward off most of the stresses of the day.

And before I know it the cycle starts again.

Oh I did 1 loop of 13k @ 4.35 and then a lap of the Bay. I thought I would struggle to be under 31.30 for 4.30 pace but managed 29.25 - so there was a heavy flood of endorphins later in the morning and I was just plain happy with life.

2 loops : 1.57.48 !!

Another cool, clear and still morning around the Bay. Still on the relentless base building training.

After a good nights sleep I was refreshed but dreading the expected pain and angony of another hard 2 loops. Ran the first in 59.26 and thought a sub 2 hour run was not going to be possible. Halfway around the second loop I had made up a minute and decided to just guts it out. Second loop in 58.21 for the best time yet.

I think something shorter tomorrow before another double loop in Friday.

Back in Sydney and 2 loops

Arrived back in Sydney late last night to much colder weather than I left a short while before at the Gold Coast airport.

Despite absolutely trashing myself running while away I decided to do my usual 2 loops and see where I was at compared to when I ran it previously. The last time it was run was on 27 March just as the Canberra marathon taper was starting and was a second or two under 2 hours. I expected with the trashed legs I would be slower.

First lap in 59.09 which was promising. I was pushing the second lap but felt I was labouring and thought a 65 lap was likely. Got back in 59.56 for a 1.59.05 and almost a minute faster than my previous best.

A surprising result and that gives me great confidence for being able to hold a good pace in the next 2 marathons. I feel as I am in a better position compared to this time last year and may improve some more with some more solid base building with some more high weekly k's.

Lazy 26k in the Byron Bay Hills

I thought I might resume daily posts but short.

It was a glorious morning in the hills above Byron Bay and I thought I would just cruise for a couple of hours along tracks I have not covered before. Decided the more hills the better and finished up with 26k in just over 5.30 pace.

Post marathon recovery week

A week since the Brisbane Marathon and it seems much longer.

I was back in Sydney for 3 days before flying to the Gold Coast and then driving the hour down to the hills above Byron Bay. On Thursday the morning was just perfect and so I had a little 14k cruise and felt wonderful. 

Each morning has been glorious and so I have run and have managed about 22/25k at a solid pace. Not what I would normally do in the week following a marathon but I just could not resist the perfect weather and the change of scenery to rolling hills in lush green forests. 

All up just under 100k for the week.

The afternoons have been taken up with some farm work - clearing off some unwanted growth, picking macadamia nuts and looking after the goats. All that contributes to a very early and restful sleep. Not sure I am looking forward to returning on the last plane out of the Gold Coast airport on Monday.

Brisbane Marathon : 3.27.33

The week after 3.16.13 in Canberra.

A very comfortable run with 1.43/1.44 splits. It did get tough from 33k or so to 39k but managed to just stay relaxed and steady and got through it. The weather was overcast and cool and so that made the run just that much easier.

No injuries going in and none after.

Next major event the North Face 100k in the Blue Mountains on the 17 May. 5 weeks and plenty of time to get in some more high k weeks - partly for that event but longer term for Gold Coast in July.

I am off to Byron Bay mid week for 6 days on the farm. I plan to start the long runs again while away. Again back to some more Lydiard base building with 4.45/5/00 per k being the slowest pace and the shorter runs up at MP.

Weeks report : 06.04.08

A week to go and about this time next week I hope to be past 30k and pushing on for a strong finish. At the moment I have no idea about about a race plan and the time I will aim for. I believe I am as fit as I was last year so I will just give the race plan some thought.

It was a taper week where the k's dropped back to 93 for the week

I mostly ran a single loop with 2 days off. As should be the case the time of each loop should have been getting quicker as the affects of the taper started to have an affect. In fact that was the case :

Friday : 56.26
Saturday : 56.05
Sunday : 55.31 @ 4.17 pace

Also on Saturday afternoon I ran 8k cross country and a hilly course at 4.07 pace.

Next weeks the k's will come down to about 60 or less with no run over 10k but some shorter stuff to further sharpen the speed end of the preparation.

Wednesday 02.4.08

This week is the first of the two week taper. The distances run are a half to two thirds of last week but the speed is being increased during the week. Next week even shorter distances with a few rest or very easy days but on the one or two hard days the speed will be maximum.

Today enjoyed an early morning run around the Bay with Professor. It was still very dark and cool as we meet outside the rowers. It was to be one fast lap with the Proff leading and me trying to hang on for as long as possible.

Surprised at a 27.54 lap. I can't recall the last time if at all I was under 28. Thanks Proff thoroughly enjoyed the run, company and chat.

Update : Sunday 30.03.08

Well the last big week is finished !!!

I am both happy and sad. I was starting to enjoy the 160k + weeks and so are sad to see them stop. They were getting much easier to run but the time involved becomes a bit of a strain. Each day it is a balance between the time to run and meeting all the other obligations of life both private and work.

Happy because that means I can have a bit of a taper and keep my fingers crossed that two weeks will be enough for the full benefits to flow through.

Some great achievements this week:

* 160k + again
* got the single loop down from 58.xx to 56.42
* got the double loop down by over to minutes to 1.59.xx
* ran the Bay below 30
* ran an 8k cross country run on Saturday afternoon in 31.45


I will ease off the distance this week but push the intensity up and see if I can get some of the above time down a bit. I will be doing it this week as the week before Canberra I will be in Adelaide and so will be running none of my usual courses for TT's.

Update: Tuesday 25.03.08

Another week of consolidation with the following to note :

* The single loop time was down from 59.xx to a PB of 58.31;
* The double loop time was down from 2.06.xx to a PB of 2.02.15;
* Did a 36k run being the only one above 27k for 5 months or so;
* Just above 170k for the week.

Another week of preparation before I will taper. Three week tapers do not work well for me. The k's will be down and the week will include mostly runs between 14 - 21k at MP if possible. I might run the Bay and see if I can go under 30.

Tuesday 18.03.08

As I have said it is not my intention at the moment to give daily updates but....

On Monday I do a lot of hills and stairs in a very early morning 3 hour session and so I do not have much of an expectation for Tuesday morning. As usual it was the double loop this morning and after a longer than usual sleep and I good one I felt refreshed and ready for a full on hit out. I fully expected to fatigue badly in the second half but wanted to give under 2.10 a shot.

First loop 64.08 so well placed to give 2.10 a nudge if only I could hold that pace on the second lap - nailed it in 62.29 for a 2.06.37. A very very happy little runner today.

Now the equation that shouldn't even be thought of:

* 2 weeks more training;
* add 15k to the double loop:
* a taper;
* can 20 seconds per k be found by the second Sunday in April ???

I expect it will be an interesting and very painful challenge.

Update : Monday 17 March

A week of not so much gains but consolidation.

Over 160k again.

Managed to get the single loop down from 62.xx to 59.xx. Didn't push the double loop just happy to keep it at just below 5 minute per k pace.

No rest days and no recovery run days. No injuries. No niggles. Just one happy little runner.