Monday July 27th to Sunday August 2nd
My lower legs were stiff and sore after Run Melbourne so I got up on Monday morning, stretched and set off on a light recovery jog. A shower came across during my stretches and it was nearly enough to get me to pull out. My pace quickened slightly as I warmed up and the running became much more comfortable - but my pace was will into the 5s. I ran quite freely near the end and ran the ninth kilometre in 5:03. I covered just on 10 km in 53:29, averaging 5:21 pace. My average weekly running for the past 4 weeks is now 83 km so I have been getting in a good workload recently.
I have to be at work early now on Tuesdays and Thursdays so I probably won't run morning runs on those days too often. So I ran after work on Tuesday. It is always harder after work after having been on my feet all day and this was as bad as it gets. I just couldn't find any pace and my legs were very weary. I dropped under 5 minute pace, just, for some kilometres but couldn't get any more speed. I ran 12.7 km in under 65 minutes, averaging 5:04 pace. I had planned to follow up with my next run on Wednesday morning but decided that my legs were calling for a two day rest.
I was home early on Wednesday and got in a nice cycle. It was only my second bike ride for the month. Thursday was a complete day off.
I hadn't had a two day break since the 2nd & 3rd of July so it was good to freshen up. I hit the 300 km mark for the month at the end of Tuesdays run so the load has been quite big.
I set off for a longer 15 km run on Friday morning. The warm up was quite slow after the 2 day break but I was under 5 minute pace in the third kilometre. As I warmed up my body felt pretty good and I was able to slowly increase my speed right through the run. I was down to 4:32 pace for the tenth kilometre and stayed down at that level through to the end. I was able to get my average pace down to 4:52, covering the 15 km in just over 73 minutes. I felt good at the end of the run but stiffened up, mainly in the lower back, while standing at work all day.
With no footy and my being Run Director at parkrun I planned to fit in a long run, hopefully at a nice pace, after I had wrapped up the parkrun administration. I had some doubts though as I was a little stiff and the weather was looking terrible. The parkrunners were soaked in heavy rain and froze in the strong westerly. Fortunately the rain stopped at the end of the parkrun. I set off from Inverloch and headed around the coast. My first kilometre was 4:48 - not far from my goal of 4:40 - so my confidence rose. I was running reasonably comfortable. After leaving Surf Parade I hit the first set of hills on the coast road and was able to maintain a good pace. The wind was in my face but I was running well. I averaged 4:40 pace for the 9th & 10th kilometres and ate my gel there so that I could get it down before getting to the Cape surf car park. I ran through the intersection at the end of the coast road and turned into Cape Paterson. When my 13th kilometre turned over I was shocked to see that I covered it in 4:20. Not sure if it was the effects of the caffeine in the gel ro was just the fact that I was off the coast road and out of the wind but that speed came without any obvious effort. I took a toilet break at the car park and had a mouthful of water to wash the gel down then set off around the perimeter of Cape. I ran the 16th kilometre along Anglers Road and was further shocked to put in a 4:06, again with no obvious increase in effort. It was the first time I had the wind behind me though. If it was the caffeine then there was no change in heart rate during those parts of the run. I hit the main road to Wonthaggi and settled back into the low 4:40s, with the wind blowing across my body. As I hit town I started getting down to the 4:30s. I hit White Road and settled into the slow climb but never lost speed at any point. After running the 29th in 4:40 I put in one last effort and ran the 30th in 4:33. I passed the 30 km in just 6 seconds over the 140 minute mark. With 700m still to go I eased up on the home straight. and cruised in to finish the 30.7 km run in 2:23:35. My average pace for the full run was 4:41 - right on what I was trying to achieve. I came home and showered - with hot and cold. My legs felt good but my lower back stiffened. Generally I pulled up from the run much better that I had expected.
We went to the footy in Melbourne on Saturday evening and I used a pillow to support my back in the car. It worked brilliantly and all stiffness disappeared. I woke up on Sunday morning feeling a little stiff in the legs but generally good. I had cramped up in the legs and feet a few times over night. I stretched well and then set off on a recovery run. In my first few steps I felt a pain in my left buttock so I stopped and stretched some more. It limited my running for a few hundred metres but then it warmed up. I found myself running easily at around 5 minute pace in only the third kilometre and was feeling good as I warmed up more. It was a pretty good 13.5 km run, covered in 1:08:35 with an average pace of 5:04. I met my 80 km weekly goal and' I think, that this is the fourth week in a row getting there.
Monday August 3rd to Sunday August 9th
It was very very cold, wet and very windy on Monday morning but I got up and went out for an interval run. I wore my cycling wind jacket to keep warm. I was a bit stiff at the start but was able to put in a solid effort on my first interval, down Wentworth Rd - peaking at 4:04 pace. My second interval peaked at about 4:15 pace but I kept the pace longer. The third interval wasn't much faster but I found some speed on the fourth, breaking 4 minute pace briefly. I averaged 4:55 pace, running 10 km in 49:10.
Tuesday was a day off running.
On Wednesday morning I ran 12.5 km in just under the hour. My average pace was 4:47 with my pace increasing as I progressed through the run. I didn't break 5 minute pace until the fourth kilometre but was down near 4:40 pace in the sixth. The tenth kilometre was run in 4:29 and the twelfth in 4:08 before I eased up on the home run.
After work I went for a second run on Wednesday. It was hard work with my body much heavier after working all day. I started at around 5 minute pace and settled into around the 4:50 mark. I ran 13.4 km in 66 minutes with my average pace at 4:55.
Thursdays run was also after work with a heavy body. I skipped a meeting at work so was out on the road quite early and keen to get in some good kilometres. I ran into town and out towards Harmers Haven, rurning after running over 7 km. After some good pace early (the third kilometre in 4:40) I settled in around the 4:50 mark. I strung together a few sub 4:50s towards the end and completed the 14.4 km run in 71 minutes. My average pace was 4:56. The load has been big lately with my four week average up over 87 km per week. My body is feeling it but I hope to get some benefits from the work as I taper for the 10 miles and the Burnley half marathon.
It was back on the road for another run before work on Friday morning. I cut back on the planned 15 km and ran the 13 km course. It was a pretty slow and steady run with only the twelfth kilometre under the 5 minute mark. I have run 107 km in the past 7 days and my body is quite weary, really feeling the effects of the big workload. My four week weekly average passed the 90 km mark this morning. It will be interesting to see if I can find any speed at parkrun tomorrow.
As usual I was at parkrun early and ran a sold warmup (3.4km). I felt good and pushed hard at the start of the parkrun, easing late in the first kilometre. I covered the first kilometre in 3:38 and settled on the high 3:40s. The second was 3:48, followed by a 3:47 and another 3:48. It was hard work maintaining the pace and, with Bill's footfalls in my ear, it was a constant push to keep moving quickly. At the final turn I pushed hard, found some speed down the hill near the play equipment and ran the fifth in 3:45 to finish in first place for the 14th time in my 35 runs at Inverloch. After stopping I felt great. I stretched a bit but all aches and pains were gone. It was great to be under the 19 minutes again - especially with the workload this week.
On Sunday I pulled back on my distance as I was keen to get down to Melbourne for the footy. I was out early, running to the Dalyston rail bridge and back. I was pretty slow for the first couple but then settled at around 4:40 pace. It was a nice solid 17.4 km run. When running back along Lower Powlett Road I was swooped by my first magpie of the season - a sign that the cold, dark weather must be ending soon. I ran for 82 minutes, averaging 4:43 pace.
Monday August 10th to Sunday August 16thWith plans to run my last long run for a while on the weekend I planned to pull back my running this week with possible two days off. I went out early on Monday and ran an 8:2 interval run. I ran three good intervals, getting down to around 3:50 pace each time and holding my pace well. My legs tired in the second half and the effort in the intervals fell back a bit. I ran three more much slower intervals. I ran for 67 minutes, covering 13.6 km at an average of 4:55 pace.
Tuesday was a rest day.
On Wednesday the run was sandwiched between two rest days so I just ran at an easy pace. In the first half I was mostly just over 5 minute pace and just below in the second half. In just under 63 minutes I ran 12.3 km with my average pace at 5:03.
Another rest day on Thursday. I contemplated running with a group after work but couldn't get motivated.
Upon starting to run on Friday morning I found that my interval notifications were still on. Instead of turn it off I decided to put in a short burst each time it beeped at me. That would be a burst at 8 mins, 10 mins, 18 mins etc. It turned out being an interesting way of achieving low impact speed in a long run. On the buzzer I picked up speed and then ran hard for 20 to 25 steps before allowing my speed to drop back to a comfortable level naturally. It had the effect of slowly raising my comfortable speed as the run progressed. In all there were seven pairs (pairs separated by 2 mins) of bursts. Early on I was bursting at just under 4 minute pace but later in the run my bursts were sub 3:50. I started the run pretty slowly as I warmed up and my average pace was 4:48. I ran 15.1 km in under 73 minutes. In my three runs this week I have still covered over 41 km but I have been able to freshen up my body a little.
The first thing I noticed at parkrun this week was that there was nobody there to work off for a bit of pace. I ran my 3 km warm up and then took off at the start line. I had some with me for a few hundred metres and then it was a solo run. The first kilometre clicked over a little down on what I'd normally do. From there the aim was just to keep my pace going without a drop off. As I crossed the line I clicked off and all of the five kilometres were within 3 seconds. My parkrun kilometres were; 3:43, 3:46, 3:44, 3:45 & 3:44. My official parkrun time was 18:47. Great to find that consistency, particularly given it was ultimately just a time trial.
I have been setting up the week for my first 3 hour run on Sunday. I was at the Guide Park at 8am, after planting a drink bottle at the 22km mark. With a key and 2 gels in the back pocket I was loaded up and set off up Cameron Street towards Harmers Haven. I hit the one kilometre easily, taking 5:28. I ran the second in 5:12 then. after warming up settled into 5 minute pace up the hill (pulling the pace back after a 4:49 in the fourth). I hit the dirt road and found it had recently been graded and was covered in loose stones. It was the same story on Old Boiler Road but Wilsons Road was nice and smooth. I ate my first gel after turning off Wilsons Rd and then ran into Cape Paterson. I had a quick toilet break and a drink at the surf beach, about 12km in and then ran out of Cape Paterson. The run in to Wonthaggi was into the northerly breeze but I kept my pace well. I ate my second gel as I got to Wonthaggi (about 21 km) and then picked up my drink outside the medical centre. It was then onto the rail trail, with a tail wind, and off towards North Wonthaggi. I was right on 5 minute pace, even with the slower start. The down hill of White Road was countered by running into the breeze. I hit the 27 km mark just after turning into Lower Powlett Road. Here the breeze was across me. I had managed to keep my heart rate in the low to mid 140s but it soared when the magpie started swooping me when running up the hill. I turned into the rail trail and ran back into Wonthaggi. With 31 km behind me I only had a lap of the town block to complete the run. My pace was dropping off a bit - up the rise along the rail trail - and my 32nd kilometre was a 5:12. At that point I started pushing a bit harder and ran a 4:48 for my 33rd. That was followed up with a 4:46 and then I was at the TAFE intersection, turning into South Dudley Road with a tail wind to push me. I put in a 4:49 and then ran the 36th in 4:30 - a real strong finish. I ran the 36 km in 2:58:49 and then eased up on the return to the Guide Park. In all I clocked 36.25 km in 3:00:01, averaging 4:58 pace. After showering at home my body did stiffen up a little in the afternoon but generally I pulled up from the run in very good shape. I'm confident that I could have ran the extra 6km and completed the marathon in around 3:30 so I am in a pretty good position for Melbourne in a couple of months time. The next 3 weeks are a chance to combine the endurance with speed over middle distances. Bring it on.
Monday August 17th to Saturday August 22nd
I woke up on Monday morning feeling quite stiff but not sore. I am always keen to follow up a big run with an easy loosener run. I stretched and set of at a very slow pace, moving more freely as the muscles warmed a little. The first kilometre took exactly 6 minutes - my slowest in a long time. My third kilometre was a 5:30 then I settled into a pace around the 5:25 mark. I could feel my body loosening up the further that I ran. It took me almost 55 minutes to cover exactly 10 km at an average pace of 5:29. I pulled up very well from the run with most of the stiffness gone.
After a tiring day at work it was back on the track after work. I decided to try another burst run because I want to work on upping the pace but I didn't have much energy left, and the run was at the end of a big load so the short bursts were the best option. It was a slow start but I got my speed up to 4:12 pace in the first burst. I ran into the east of town and along the eastern rail trail. My second burst broke through the 4 minute barrier, peaking at 3:50 pace. It was my fastest section but I did hit 3:57 pace in the third burst. From that point I started to struggle with the pace very up and down. The next burst peaked at 4:03 pace and the final one at 4:05 pace. In between the running was slow and my overall average pace was 3:58. It took me almost 58 minutes to cover 11.6 km. In the past five days I have covered 81 km and I am already at 240 km for August. My four week average is sitting at 88 km right now. I'm ready for a two day break to get my body right for the 10 mile race on Sunday.
No running on Wednesday and Thursday. I went on a 21 km cycle (easy) on Wednesday after work and then had a soak in a hot bath before going to bed on Wednesday night.
On Friday morning I pulled back from the usual 15 km and then even from the 13 km course but ended up covering 13 km anyway. I started slowly but was happy to do so after the rest. I had decided that this would be a progression run. I didn't break the 5 minute barrier until the fourth kilometre (4:49) and then quickly upped the speed. My sixth was 4:31 and my eighth was 4:17. After a nice quick ninth kilometre (4:08) I decided to just really push for the tenth and see what would happen. I felt that I wasn't quite at top speed all the way but pulled out a very fast 3:39. I had covered the 10 km in 46:18. I eased up then but was happy to see that I was still able to run a comfortable 4:45 for the eleventh. I decided to make the ending a second small progression and upped to 4:36 in the twelfth and then finished with a 4:18 then cruised home. The run covered 13.1 km and I got home in just over the hour, averaging 4:37 pace.
In my warmup at parkrun on Saturday morning I just didn't feel 100%. At the start of the run I just let Bill Barry lead me out. I was having some terrible difficulty getting my breathing right in the first kilometre - no rhythm. I pushed through and overtook Bill on the hill. We completed the first kilometre in 3:40 and then eased back for the next to get there in 3:50. I upped the pace slightly and ran the third in 3:46. Back to 3:50 for the fourth and then I really pushed home, not losing Bill until then, and completed a 3:42. The official parkrun time was 18:50. My entire run, including warm up was 7.7 km in 32:44.
Sunday August 23rd - VMA 10 mile Road Race - First Leg of the Trifecta
We stayed overnight in a motel on Royal Parade so there was no need to get up too early and it was only a short jog down to the registration. I ran an extensive warmup at slow pace - covering over 6km (including a jog to the toilet).
I was feeling good at the start of the 10 miler and was running at a controlled sub 4 minute pace. All was good. I lost a little pace in the third but got it back. I was in a good battle with a 45-49 years female runner, exchanging the lead several times. The sixth kilometre was the first sign that I was going to struggle. I was having some difficulty with the top of the course, not liking the gravel and picking up speed again as I hit the bitumen along Royal Parade.
I picked up speed again for the seventh and eighth but my legs were still feeling the effects of last Sundays 3 hour run. In retrospect the hard running on Friday and at parkrun yesterday was probably not a great idea either. I pushed through the ninth and, at one point was running at 3:45 pace. But then I really slowed and the ninth ended up being a 4:09. I tried to push through the tenth. By that point I had decided that I would have to slow down. I got through the third lap of Princes Park and then took a drink from the drinks station and eased it back before finishing the tenth.
I wanted to try and settle on 4:30 pace but switched off the pacer on my watch and just ran as comfortably as I could.The eleventh was 4:32 then the twelfth a terrible 3:38. I got it back on the last lap to finish with a 4:31, 4:33, 4:30, and then a 4:33. My official time was under the 67 minutes and a touch slower than last years time.
My legs are just real weary at the moment - but I'm happy with that as I know that they have the work in them for the marathon. Next week I will plan to run at sub 4:30 pace to get the feel for the marathon. Not sure what I'll do at Burnley but I suspect that 84 minutes is off the table now.
Monday August 24th to Saturday August 29th
It was a tough job getting up and out on the road on Monday morning. I was really hit hard by the ten mile race. My lower legs are really stiff but I also have a soreness in the left hip and buttocks area and glute muscle. It was really weak at the start of the run and I was compensating for it. As it warmed up there was improvement but I could feel it throughout. After the run I rubbed deep heat into it before showering. It was a real recovery run - very slow early. I was down near 5 minute pace in the fourth kilometre and hovered above and below for the rest of the run. I was able to finish with a 4:46 but my average pace was 5:07 and I took 56 and a half minutes to run 11 km.
After a day off on Tuesday I was out again on Wednesday morning but not really feeling that refreshed. The start was really slow but I steadily picked up the pace and was running in the 4:50s for the 4th, 5th and 6th kilometres. At that point it became real hard work and I just couldn't maintain my pace. I blew out to the point where the 11th kilometre was a 5:14 then found a little for the push home. My average pace for the 13.3 km run was 5:07. I made the decision to see the chiropractor while I was out there but couldn't get in until next week.
Another day off on Thursday. I rubbed Deep Heat into the calves and left hip area in the morning and showered. I repeated it again at night and had a long soak in a hot Radox bath before going to bed.
On Friday morning I set out on the 15 km course - which has options to reduce down to 10 or 13 at different points. Again it was a slow start but I was into the 4:50s by the third kilometre. I was into the 4:40s for the 5th and 6th kilometres but it was starting to be hard work again. I worked hard up a couple of hills. I kept the pace under 5 minutes for the 7th and 8th but then ran the second half of the run at just over 5 minute pace. I ran 15.1 km in under 77 minutes, averaging 5:04 pace.
Its a bit hard to figure exactly what is wrong. There is an issue with my left hip but it isn't in any real pain. I have soreness in the calves and achilles but nothing terrible. I am just flat at the moment. Mentally I am very tired and work is taking its toll - I have been correcting at 10pm most nights recently. I go flat out at the school. I have run 320 plus kilometres this month so far so I have put in a lot of work and just have general soreness (I scoff when footballers have general soreness but now I am starting to appreciate what it is). I am thinking of not going to Burnley and have until Tuesday to decide. My average run length lately has been over 14 km per run and I have held that for a while. I plan to change things a bit next week and see how I go with shorter runs.
Saturday morning was out at parkrun and the weather had turned cold again. There was a big south westerly blowing up the inlet and the air was Antarctic. I ran a 3 km warmup but couldn't raise a sweat. I decided to have an easier run so went to the back of the field and had a bit of a chat while waiting to start. The first kilometre was spent just cruising for the field and having a chat to other runners. I was in 12th position at the one k mark, having run it in 4:28. I put the foot down a little but was just running comfortably and the next was a 4:02. I settled at 4:05 pace for the third and fourth and moved up a few places to be sitting in 5th at the turn-around, about 100m behind 4th. I decided to have a push home - into the wind - and set out to try to get 4th position. The running was smooth and comfortable - I wasn't thinking too much about it. About half way through I drew level and then pulled away. I ran the fifth kilometre in a very comfortable 3:48 to finish 4th in the time of 20:40. The best part was that I felt pretty good after the run. I think that I'll go into tomorrow with the same plan - no plan at all - and just see what happens.
Sunday August 30th - De Castella 15 km fun run (15km) - Second Leg of the Trifecta
I pulled up well from yesterdays parkrun, went to bed feeling ok but woke up with a sore back. I ran from Kew Junction up to Xavier College for my warm up and felt ok once I stretched out. I started back a little from the front and took it easy at the start. I still ran a 3:53 on the big downhill though. I then just tried to settle into a comfortable pace - hopefully what I can run in the marathon. This is a bit different though with all the ups and downs. I always like to push up the hills where I kept overtaking the same group of runners - and they passed me again on the downhill. I felt that I was running at about 80 to 85%. My pace was varying between about 4:19 and 4:28. I slowed a bit on the 10th to 13th kilometres but really started to push a bit on the last downhill. I picked a runner out about 100m in front of me - one that I'd overtaken on the hills - and went for it. My 15th kilometre was run in 4:14 (compared to a 3:59 last year) and I was really able to hold my pace and power up the last hill, running the 15th kilometre in 4:25. Last year the hill really got me and I slowed to a 4:39.
My official time for the run was 1:05:39 and I ran the 10 km in 43:17.I was 61st overall and 13th in the 40 to 49 years age category. There were 507 runners in the 15 km event. My left hip was a little bit sore during the run. It is a bit stiff now. Apart from that I pulled up ok, maybe just a bit of stiffness in the lower legs.
I was able to run reasonably comfortably and average 4:22 pace. I can't see any reason why I couldn't run comfortably and hold that pace in the marathon. Maybe I have found my marathon pace?
Monday 31st August to Saturday 5th September
I made the decision late last week to do some shorter runs this week to get my body right. The rest days haven't been working so we'll see what the shorter runs do.
I started the new week on the 8km course. It was a very slow start with a stiff body - a 5:36 followed by a 5:12. I was down below 4:50 pace for the third and fourth but then slowed down and found the going hard work. I settled around the high 4:50s and into the 5s. The body was sore and I averaged 5:01 pace for the 8.3 km run.
After work on Monday I had my chiropractors appointment. There was quite a bit of work done. There was a fair bit happening around the L5 with quite a bit of compression.
It was an early start on Tuesday to fit in a short run before an early start at work. I set out on the 6km course and was running well early, even in the warm-up stage. I followed up the first 5:26 kilometre with a 5:07 and then put in a couple of 4:45s. I was running pretty comfortably and was surprised to see my fifth kilometre was a 4:32. I cruised home with a 4:40 to fun the 6 km in 29:28. My average pace was 4:53. I pulled up quite well from the run, without the stiffness of yesterdays run.
Tonight is the last chance to decide on Burnley. Its been a hard decision but I have decided not to go down. There is no way that I would be pushing for a PB and I can stay at home to run a half marathon at 4:30 pace. The past two big weekends have taken a bit out of me. With an early start at parkrun, a shower at home, off to work on the bench for Leongatha at the footy all afternoon, a drive to the city, a late meal, up on the Sunday morning and off to run hard and that two weeks in a row, has been a big load. With Leongatha having the first week of finals off there is the opportunity to take it easy this weekend - so I think I will.
I set off on my run on Wednesday morning and decided, into the run, to give the golf course a go. It was still a bit soft though so it slowed me down when on the course - I usually speed up. Once off the course and up the hill I hit some good speed with a 4:37 for the eighth kilometre. My average pace for the 9.1 km run was 4:53. It was nice to running among the roos again.
I ran with Heather on Thursday morning. Overall the pace was easy but Heather is straight into it right from the start so the first was a fair bit quicker than I'm used to. We ran the 6km course with the pace varying between 5:10 and 5:20. We ran the course in 31:44, averaging 5:13 pace.
I thought about a longer run on Friday but decided not to push too hard. I started slowly and then kept building up from there. I ran an extended 10km course. I hit 4:46 pace in the 7th kilometre, 4:40 in the eighth and 4:32 in the ninth. I held it at 4:29 in the tenth to finish the 10.8 km course in 53:09. My average pace was 4:54.
Matt had his first triathlon for the season at Hazelwood on Saturday so Heather and I dropped him off and went on to Traralgon parkrun. The course is similar to Inverloch - without the sea views. It has 3 turns and is out and back twice. I had a good warm-up and stretch and then set off near the front of the pack. There were some speedy youngsters at the start and they kept the pace up for quite a distance. They have a wheelchair entrant who does it before the rest of the group. He finished in 14 minutes. I was also beaten by an 18 minute runner but ran a pretty fast time, getting home in 18:39.
Having decided against the Burnley I decided to still push for a half marathon distance. Matt came with me for most of the run and the pace was pretty good. We were running around the 4:40 mark in the second kilometre and put in a 4:35 in the fourth. We held it there most of the way out to Cape Paterson but started to slow a little on the way back to Wonthaggi. We put in a 4:36 in the fifteenth kilometre on the eastern rail trail and then Matt went home while I continued around town. My pace dropped back to just slower than 4:50 pace and I really started to struggle. I wasn't hindered but there was some soreness in the left hip. As I got back to my car at Mitre 10 had run 22:2 km in 1:46:01. My average pace was 4:46. After lunch I went out th Shack Bay and soaked in a cold rock pool right up to the hip. I return to the chiropractor tomorrow.
.Now the run to the marathon is on .....
My official time for the run was 1:05:39 and I ran the 10 km in 43:17.I was 61st overall and 13th in the 40 to 49 years age category. There were 507 runners in the 15 km event. My left hip was a little bit sore during the run. It is a bit stiff now. Apart from that I pulled up ok, maybe just a bit of stiffness in the lower legs.
I was able to run reasonably comfortably and average 4:22 pace. I can't see any reason why I couldn't run comfortably and hold that pace in the marathon. Maybe I have found my marathon pace?
Monday 31st August to Saturday 5th September
I made the decision late last week to do some shorter runs this week to get my body right. The rest days haven't been working so we'll see what the shorter runs do.
I started the new week on the 8km course. It was a very slow start with a stiff body - a 5:36 followed by a 5:12. I was down below 4:50 pace for the third and fourth but then slowed down and found the going hard work. I settled around the high 4:50s and into the 5s. The body was sore and I averaged 5:01 pace for the 8.3 km run.
After work on Monday I had my chiropractors appointment. There was quite a bit of work done. There was a fair bit happening around the L5 with quite a bit of compression.
It was an early start on Tuesday to fit in a short run before an early start at work. I set out on the 6km course and was running well early, even in the warm-up stage. I followed up the first 5:26 kilometre with a 5:07 and then put in a couple of 4:45s. I was running pretty comfortably and was surprised to see my fifth kilometre was a 4:32. I cruised home with a 4:40 to fun the 6 km in 29:28. My average pace was 4:53. I pulled up quite well from the run, without the stiffness of yesterdays run.
Tonight is the last chance to decide on Burnley. Its been a hard decision but I have decided not to go down. There is no way that I would be pushing for a PB and I can stay at home to run a half marathon at 4:30 pace. The past two big weekends have taken a bit out of me. With an early start at parkrun, a shower at home, off to work on the bench for Leongatha at the footy all afternoon, a drive to the city, a late meal, up on the Sunday morning and off to run hard and that two weeks in a row, has been a big load. With Leongatha having the first week of finals off there is the opportunity to take it easy this weekend - so I think I will.
I set off on my run on Wednesday morning and decided, into the run, to give the golf course a go. It was still a bit soft though so it slowed me down when on the course - I usually speed up. Once off the course and up the hill I hit some good speed with a 4:37 for the eighth kilometre. My average pace for the 9.1 km run was 4:53. It was nice to running among the roos again.
I ran with Heather on Thursday morning. Overall the pace was easy but Heather is straight into it right from the start so the first was a fair bit quicker than I'm used to. We ran the 6km course with the pace varying between 5:10 and 5:20. We ran the course in 31:44, averaging 5:13 pace.
I thought about a longer run on Friday but decided not to push too hard. I started slowly and then kept building up from there. I ran an extended 10km course. I hit 4:46 pace in the 7th kilometre, 4:40 in the eighth and 4:32 in the ninth. I held it at 4:29 in the tenth to finish the 10.8 km course in 53:09. My average pace was 4:54.
Matt had his first triathlon for the season at Hazelwood on Saturday so Heather and I dropped him off and went on to Traralgon parkrun. The course is similar to Inverloch - without the sea views. It has 3 turns and is out and back twice. I had a good warm-up and stretch and then set off near the front of the pack. There were some speedy youngsters at the start and they kept the pace up for quite a distance. They have a wheelchair entrant who does it before the rest of the group. He finished in 14 minutes. I was also beaten by an 18 minute runner but ran a pretty fast time, getting home in 18:39.
Having decided against the Burnley I decided to still push for a half marathon distance. Matt came with me for most of the run and the pace was pretty good. We were running around the 4:40 mark in the second kilometre and put in a 4:35 in the fourth. We held it there most of the way out to Cape Paterson but started to slow a little on the way back to Wonthaggi. We put in a 4:36 in the fifteenth kilometre on the eastern rail trail and then Matt went home while I continued around town. My pace dropped back to just slower than 4:50 pace and I really started to struggle. I wasn't hindered but there was some soreness in the left hip. As I got back to my car at Mitre 10 had run 22:2 km in 1:46:01. My average pace was 4:46. After lunch I went out th Shack Bay and soaked in a cold rock pool right up to the hip. I return to the chiropractor tomorrow.
.Now the run to the marathon is on .....
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