.....follows 15. A big April to set up the winter season
Monday 13th April to Saturday 18th April
After running 226 km in the previous 15 days (thats an average of 15 km per day!) I took the day off from running.
I was back into it bright and early on Tuesday morning and the emphasis this week is to build some speed. I ran to the school aths track and practised a bit of circular running. I started with 3 lots of 100m efforts with a 100m job in between. Then a 200m effort, jogging, a 400m effort, walk then jog and a 600m effort followed by more jogging. I finished the set with another 3 lots of 100m effort. In the early efforts I reached speeds in the very low 3 minutes per km. I hit 2:58 and the 400m effort but was just a little slower for the 600m and the final 3 efforts. I then ran home and put in a 2000m effort with an average speed of 3:54 for the 10th and 11th kilometres. I ran 11.5 km and averaged 4:31 pace.
On Wednesday I spept in and had a run after work. I ran my old 6 km course and kept building the speed right through the run. Early on my legs were a bit heavy and I was running in the high 4:50s. I broke 4:30 for the third kilometre and was in the low 4s for the fourth. I ran the fifth averaging 3:58 pace and finished with some 3:52 pace. I averaged 4:22 pace for the 6 km run.
I was back on the road early on Thursday morning. I ran a 4:1 interval run into town and back. I was able to fit six intervals into the 8.1 km run. I ran at 3:45 pace or better in each of the intervals with my pace peaking at 3:26 pace in the fifth interval. I completed the run in 37:45 and averaged 4:38 pace with some easy running between the intervals.
For my run on Friday morning I just decided to go easy and let my body dictate the pace. I took a few kilometres to warm up and then settled into a pace around the mid 4:40s. I ran the front nine of the golf course and never saw many kangaroos out. From there I ran into town and then back home, covering 11.2 km in 54:35. I eased at the end and my overall average pace was 4:51 per kilometre.
It was cool and grey on Saturday morning at parkrun. I pushed off for a real fast start and momentarily hit sub 3 minute pace. I found myself a fair way in the lead and just had to push myself to get some pace. I decided to go hard for 3 km and then ease back. I ran the first kilometre in 3:40 but it was hard to maintain speed. I dropped to 3:43 for the second and then 3:44 for the third - to complete the 3000m in 11:07. That is 16 seconds better than my VMA 3000m time for last year but I hope to cut another 30 seconds off tomorrow. I cruised for the last 2 km, running at just under 4 minute pace. I ran the 5 km in 19:03, finishing in 1st place for the 11th time at Inverloch.
VMA 3000m Championships - Sunday April 19th
We drove to Murumbeena in cold and wet conditions but when we arrived at Duncan McKinnon Reserve the rain had cleared. The track, particularly the far end, was very wet.
After checking in I went for a warm-up, running and stretching. I ran the warm-up in stages but covered 4.3 km (average of 4:46 pace).
I knew that there were some fast runners in the field but the pace was on right from the start. I stuck with the leaders for the first 200m but then just slowly started to lose touch of the four who broke away. At the same time the runners behind me were losing touch with me and the effect was that I ended up running alone in the middle. One of the four dropped out after two laps and I was in fourth place. I ran the first kilometre in just under 3:30 (on the time clock) but my pace dropped off in the second. I was running comfortably but, with the main group pulling slowly way and nobody pushing me from behind, it was hard to maintain speed. I got it back together for the last 1000. On the second last time in the home straight I had some massive gusts blowing into my face but pushed hard through them. I hit the finish line in 10:46, a new PB for the 3000m and about 40 seconds quicker than last year. The average speed was 3:35 pace. I would have liked to be closer to 3:30 pace but I have to be happy with the improvement.
Given my light weekend I ran an 11.3 km recovery run when I got home. I ran for 55 minutes at an average of 4:50 pace.
Monday 20th April to Monday 27th April
I slept in on Monday morning but that definitely didn't mean a light running day. I ran at lunchtime in the lunch running club at school. We averaged 4:59 pace over 4.5 km but the last kilometre and a bit was run at 4:30 pace. I wasn't setting the pace!
I went for another longer run after work, setting out on my 13.3 km course. I decided to run a fartlek. It was hard work but I pushed through. My pace was very much up and down, running for almost 64 minutes. I averaged 4:46 pace. This run pushed me to 36 km in five runs over two days.
I was up and at it again on Tuesday morning. I started feeling sore and running quite slowly. As I progressed I found my pace steadily increasing. I ran the back nine of the golf course and really started to run well, and comfortably on the turf. I hit 4:30 pace in the 9th kilometre and ran the tenth in 4:11, finishing the 10.2 km run very strongly. I averaged 4:48 pace in the 49 minute run.
My hands were very cold on Tuesdays run so I work gloves in the early morning run on Wednesday. They worked a treat, keeping my whole body warm. I ran another progression run breaking 4:30 pace in the 4th kilometre. I ran through the town and back and was running really strongly. I hit 4:12 pace in the eighth kilometre, ran the ninth in 4:09 and finished strongly with a 3:47 tenth kilometre. I eased up the hill and ran the 10.6 km run in just over 47 minutes, averaging 4:28 pace.
I had Thursday off and had contemplated a two day break. I decided that my body was going well and decided to run again on Friday morning. I ran the 18 holes of the golf course. The plan for today's run was for a comfortable run. I hit some nice form on the softer turf of the golf course getting to sub 4:30 pace and holding it while on the course. I eased a little when I got back onto the hard surface. I held around 4:30 pace on the run home and completed the 12.3 km run in 57 minutes. My average pace was 4:38.
With it being ANZAC Day all parkruns across Australia were cancelled. About 15 of us met at the stump for a freedom run. I had a bit of an easier start running the first kilometre in 4:10. From there I worked up speed and settled at about 3:50 pace - just a bit slower than what I'm after on Tuesday. I ran 5 km in 19:35 and kept moving. I covered 8 km in just under 32 minutes and finished after 8.3 km, run in 33:28. I pulled up with a bit of soreness in the right achilles. I spent a lot of time stretching it.
The footy on Saturday was in Maffra on Saturday night. Heather and I stayed in Sale overnight and had a run around the new parkrun course this morning. I ran to the lake and then had a run on the course. My achilles was very stiff at the start but was better when warmed up. There was some level of pain right through the run. I covered the course in 20:23 and kept going to get in a lap of the lake. I spent a lot of time running in the lowish 4s, covering 11.5 km in 52:16. I averaged 4:31 pace. Again I stretched a lot after the run.
I treated my ankle with ice and heat on Sunday afternoon. I also developed a sore spot in my right hip after the long drive home. At night I had a hot bath. I woke up feeling just a little stiff on Monday morning and set off on a very slow run. I was determined not to pick up speed, slowing down when one kilometre dipped under 5 minutes. I ran the soft golf course, covering 9 km in 46:44, averaging 5:11 pace. I've iced the ankle straight after the run. I'm not 100% sure that I will run tomorrow night, it all depends on how I pull up this afternoon.
Monday afternoon the ankle felt really good and I had no pain at all at work during Tuesday. As such I decided to go ahead with the VMA 10,000 championships.
VMA 10,000m Championships - Tuesday April 28th
After work we set off for the two hour drive in the car to the Collingwood athletics track. My ankle felt quite stiff. I started out on my warm up with a very slow jog and the ankle felt fine. Unfortunately as I warmed up it started to hurt a little. I jogged around 4 km in warm up with quite a few stops to stretch.
I started to race with my ankle a bit sore but not in a debilitating way. Into the run though it became evident that all was not right. I ran the first lap in 84 seconds then slowed to 89 seconds for the second. I was running well but could not keep up with the group in front. We had pulled well away from the runners behind so, again, I found myself running solo. The third lap was my goal time of 90 seconds and I ran the fourth in 88 seconds, putting my time 9 seconds up on my goal. I lost 2 seconds in each of the fifth and sixth laps and, at this time, my ankle was starting to affect my running.
The seventh and eighth laps were run in 95 seconds each followed by laps of 97 and 98 seconds. At this point I decided that it was best to pull out. I wanted to get through to, 5,000m though and was able to put in another two 96 second laps and finished with a 97 second one. In all I ran 5,200 in 20:09, averaging 3:53 pace. I was running fourth in my age group (and 6th overall) when I pulled out, but I had been lapped by the leader.
It was a very disappointing result but I don't want to damage the ankle any more than I already have. It was a very painful drive home.
Wednesday April 29th to Saturday May 2nd
No running on Wednesday. My ankle was very stiff when I woke. I limped around at work all day. When I got home I noticed that the whole ankle is swollen so I am applying ice to get the swelling down. The pain is either very high on the achilles or at the very bottom of the calf (or in between).
I limped around on Wednesday and noticed swelling when I got home from work. I iced it up all through Wednesday night and it was a lot better on Thursday morning. I mixed up the ice and the heat treatment on Thursday.
I got up on Friday morning and it felt reasonable so I went out for a very slow run to the golf course and around the front nine. My first kilometre was run at 5:51 pace and I slowly improved from there. I was running in the 5:20s on the golf course. The ankle was sore but not a really strong pain. I picked up speed on the way home and ran the ninth kilometre in 5:03. The 9 km run was completed in 48:40 - an average pace of 5:24.
I continued the ice and heat treatment through Friday night but the achilles was sore on Friday night, especially when going up stairs. I headed out to parkrun on Saturday and set off early around the beach road. I ran to the Life Saving club and back, running 4.2 km before parkrun started. I was running at 4:50 pace late in that part of the run. I started the parkrun at about the same pace and got down to low 4:40s pace as my ankle really warmed up. I had put rock tape on the achilles and calf before running. I slowed a little in the middle of parkrun but finished with a 4:38 kilometre, finishing in 6th place. The parkrun would have been run in about 23:45. In all I covered 9.2 km averaging 4:52 pace. It felt good when I finished. I went down and stood in the inlet for ten minutes to cool it down and have applied heat back at home.
Tomorrow wont be fast - the 52 minute goal will have to wait. I will have a scenic run at the pace that my body can cope with.
34th Great Train Race - Sunday May 3rd
We left at 7am for Belgrave and got there at about 8:30. I had a very limited warm up - stretching but not much running. The plan was to ease into the run and save my ankle. It was so frustrating as I was in the Red group and could have started right on the line.
I put myself at the back of the group and started at a slower pace than normal however, I ran the first kilometre in 4:05 - much faster than I was planning. My achilles was sore from the start and my pace up and down. I ran the 5th kilometre in 4:04 then set myself for the climb. I think that I actually ran the hill more quickly than last year, but I did slow a bit on the second half of it. The hill starts at the 5 km mark and runs for 2.3 km - all up hill.
After the hill I was struggling big time. I did speed up a little after running the 7th kilometre in 5:04 but then hit the second hill - a 1 km climb between 9 and 10 kilometres. The train was faster this year and I had had to wait at the first crossing. Matt just beat it running in 51 seconds and had to wait for it at the last crossing.
I pushed to the end but could not break 60 minutes. My Strava time was 1:01:18 but the time clock at the finish line said I ran under 61 minutes. Even with a sore achilles I was able to have an average pace of 4:32.
Upon completing I was quite lame. I lined up and had a leg massage but now have some more recovery ahead of me. I visited the beach for some cool down in the ocean this afternoon.
Officially I came in in 480th place in a time of 1:01:17. Matt came in in 39th place in 51:07.
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