Monday October 19th to Sunday October 25th - Recovery Week
The Sunday night in bed after the marathon was quite painful. Every movement hurt. My left knee was very stiff and the quads on each leg was very painful. After getting up the knee really loosened up and has felt good all day. My quads have been stiff and it takes time to get moving after sitting for a while. Once moving all is good. I even feel that I could run but just want to give the rest of the body a couple of days break. After work we went out to Inverloch and I waded in the shallow water up to the tops of my legs. When I got home I rubbed Deap Heat into the quad muscles and then had a shower. I'm feeling pretty good now.
I thought about a cycle on Tuesday morning but thre wasn't enough time when I woke so I just took it easy again. The legs are much better today, just a little bit of remnant stiffness in the quads. The lower legs have been great. I used the roller again this morning and went to Shack Bay to stand in the ocean after work this afternoon.
I was back on the road running on Wednesday morning. I stretched up well and then set off on the 8 km course. Generally I felt good. The calves and achilles are great - even better than last week. The main sore spot was in the right quad but it was just a sore spot. I was slow early but down to 5:20 pace for the second kilometre. I stayed just under that for the next 3 kilometres and then sped up to 5:05 pace for the 6th and 7th. I eased up a little on the run home and averaged 5:17 pace for the 8.3 km run. I pulled up really well from the run. My body feels as good as it has for quite some time at work at the moment.
I had a cycle before work on Thursday morning. After work the headlampers met up in Inverloch for a bit of a trot. We ran down towards Screw Creek. When we got there Nathan and I ran around Townsend Bluff while the others turned back. I ran the 5th kilometre at 4:38 pace. That included the last bit down from the bluff and the track back to the road. We kept the pace sub 5 from there and caught up to the rest of the group right near the end. The average pace for the 8 km run was 5:16. My body has recovered very quickly.
There was a little stiffness around the hips on Friday morning. I decided that I'd run at lunchtime on Friday to have a little bit of a gap between runs. I ran in and around the town loop. My warmup was at just over 5 minute pace and I was quickly under the 5. My third kilometre was 4:42 and I pretty much held that pace most of the way. I ran 7.1 km in 34 minutes, averaging 4:46 pace. I stiffened a little after the run but that was only briefly - probably something to do with going back to work at the desk.
I was back at parkrun on Saturday morning and woke feeling quite good. I ran a pretty slow warmup which was a little extended today. I wasn't sure how I'd run and noticed none of the faster runners there today. One runner went out fast and I followed. I was quickly passed by a new female runner but that didn't last long. I set myself to run down the bolter and caught him at the end of the first kilometre. I ran the first kilometre in 3:55. He sat behind me for most of the second, where my pace peaked at 3:49. After making the break it was hard to keep pushing. I slowed to 4 minutes for the third and then 4:02 for the fourth. I pushed hard after the final turn and put in a 3:58 to complete the parkrun in 19:45. Overall I ran 8.5 km in 38:39. Not bad for my fourth run in less than a week after the marathon.
I followed up parkrun with a short bike ride with Heather.
To round out my recovery week I set off on my 14 km run from the Guide Park to Harmers Haven and back via Wilson Rd. I first ran this route on April 20th last year and, at that point in my running this was near my max distance. I had run a few 15 kms but not many. In the first run I had thoughts of turning back and clearly remember passing the point of no return and being committed to the Wilson Rd return. Now, just 18 months later, this is a middle distance run and it was perfect to complete my recovery. I started slowly. The stiffness at the top of my left hamstring has returned and the achilles take time to warm up too. I ran the third in 4:45 and held my pace there into Harmers. I slowed when I hit the gravel road and it was a bit of a push through that section. I dipped into the high 4:50s but sped up again as soon as I hit Cape road. As I turned into the town I found some good pace again and averaged 4:38 pace up the back of Bilson Street. I ran well down the hill coming home with a 4:35 and then a 4:32. It was a nice hitout, covering 14 km in just under 68 minutes, averaging 4:50 pace.
I have now followed up the Melbourne Marathon with a 2 day break and then 46 km of running over the past 5 days at an average pace of 4:56.
The City2Sea is now only 3 weeks away. I have set myself an outrageous goal of running it in 57:30 - average pace would be 3:50. I am really going to have to work on loosening up the upper legs and finding some speed in the next 2 weeks.
Monday October 26th to Sunday November 1st
I made it six runs in six days on Monday morning, having a run as the weather was changing. I ran into town and stopped along the way to have a chat to Bucky - one of my running mentors when I was a seventeen year old novice runner. I was running an effort run, with 8 minutes easy then 2 minutes of effort. My good efforts were down to low 4 minute pace with a big effort at the end where I hit 3:45 pace. I covered 10 km in just under 48 minutes, averaging 4:47 pace.
Tuesday was a day off. No running or cycling.
I was back out there on Wednesday morning for an 8:2 interval run. The sun was rising in the east and the very full moon was setting in the west. I got down to 4 minute pace in the first two intervals. I hit 3:41 pace in the third interval and 3:55 pace in the fourth. I was a bit slower in the rest periods and covered 10.1 km in 49 minutes, averaging 4:50 pace.
On Thursday Heather and I went out to Inverloch after work and met up with the Road Runners for a group run. We ran out to Townsend Bluff and then back up Bayview Avenue. The average pace was 5:41 but we were quicker on the way back then the way out. We ran 8.3 km in 47:27.
I followed up the afternoon run with a 12.2 km run over all eighteen holes at the golf course. I set it up as a 4:1 interval run so there was a bit of work in it. In all I ran 10 intervals. The first four were quite strong - all under 4 minute pace. In the third I hit 3:40 pace and held it there for a time while the fourth hit 3:33 pace momentarily. After that the next five intervals were nowhere near as strong but then, in the tenth interval, down the final hill I pulled it all together and hit 3:28 pace before easing home. I ran for just under the hour and my average pace was 4:51.
This week at parkrun I was the Run Director. When Run Directing I spend the first 19 or 20 minutes just standing talking to the volunteers and have often wondered about running. So today I set everything up - with procedures in place if any problems arose - and had a run. I started my watch on the buzzer - so that my time matched the stop watches - then checked that both stop watches were running - and set off at the back of the field. I worked my way through the field to get into the top ten by the first turn, then spent the next 2 km working my way into third place. The first 2 were running just a touch faster then me. I didn't have the usual 3 km warm up today and was not able to run as freely. My splits were 3:53, 3:50, 3:52, 4:02 & 3:59. I was disappointed with the drop-off after hitting third place. I got back to my post to see all but the first two runners cross the line.
Heather and I drove out to Coronet Bay to have a run in their community fun run today. We ran a warm up around town and stretched then I warmed up some more. In the warm up I covered 2.9km averaging 4:57 pace. There was a significant difference between the pace in the first half and second half of the warm up. The run started hectically. A young bloke shot to the front and I suspected that he was a 3 km runner. Another runner in a Leonardo Ninja Turtle suit also shot past myself and Bill Barry. Now the weather was quite warm with a strong northerly wind so I didn't expect that he'd keep going. I ran the kilometre in 3:38 and was pulling the young bloke back quickly. I passed him in the second kilometre, but as it turned out he turned at the 1.5 km mark and was doing the short run. Leonardo led us into Coronet Bay but missed a turn and lost his lead. I ran the second in 3:59 with some of it on a rough beach track. I lost my lead when I made a wrong turn and then pushed hard to reel both Bill and Leonardo back in. The third was a 3:56. We then turned and ran down a grass hill and onto the beach. The pace really slowed on the beach - into the strong wind. It took 4:07 to run the fourth and then the fifth, through the bushland on a rough track, took 4:22. The heat was also taking a toll. I led back onto the bitumen - Leonardo had dropped back - but Bill had the legs and took the lead up the hill. The run was short of 6km but I was running at 3:56 pace over the last 800m. I came second to Bill running 5.9 km in 23:34 - averaging 4 minute pace. Not too bad given the conditions. I wasn't happy with the drop off but happy that I could get the pace back up near the end. The run took a real toll on the body - especially the legs - and I was a little dizzy at the end.
Monday November 2nd to Sunday November 8th
I was up and out there again on Monday, but my body was sore. I set out on a 10km route at an easy pace. It was hard work all the way though. I started slowly but soon found myself at around 4:50 pace. My legs were heavy and the soreness at the top of the left hamstring was back. I slowed to just under 5 minute pace towards the end. When I got back I had covered 10 km in just under 50 minutes. After breakfast I rang Pat Wishart, one of my original running mentors, to arrange a massage. I got in after work and he worked my lower body. The soreness is not in the hamstring, but in the rotor cuff, just above. He gave me a good stretch to work it. He also found that my lower right leg injury from April wasn't my achilles but it was a tear on the inside of my lower calf.
Tuesday was Cup Day - so no work. I got to sleep in AND go on a longer run. I felt a bit better when I got up. I stretched well and then set off on my 15 km course after breakfast. I found myself running under 4:50 pace after two kilometres. and ran the fifth in 4:40. I slowed to the 4:50s around the mine area but was generally feeling ok in the run. As I got back into town I decided to extend my run up Cameron Street. I worked hard up the hill and then looped around town. I ran down McKenzie Street and then hit sub 4:50 pace again near the footy oval. I ran the fifteenth in 4:44 and then eased in the sixteenth to run 4:58. In all I ran 16.2 km in under 79 minutes, averaging 4:51 pace. I pulled up nicely from the run - doing my cool down a little differently by ensuring I didn't sit down. This was the run that I needed to have. Heather and I later cycled out to Cape Paterson for lunch. A great follow up to the run.
Wednesday was a day off.
I slept in on Thursday and went on a run with the Road Runners after work. We met at the Cape Paterson hall and ran around the coast to Shack Bay. It had been raining most of the day but all cleared just before the run. The road was steamy and the sun was almost breaking through. The ocean was just perfect. We ran out to Shack Bay at around 5:30 pace. We ran into the car park and out to the lookout before turning. On the way back Rikki upped the pace and she had us under 5 minute pace. Tony and I turned into Yancowinna and upped the pace again. We ran back into Cape at just under 4:50 pace and then I extended to the surf beach. After Tony turned off I upped it again - mainly due to a need to reach the toilet. I ran the tenth in 4:26 and completed 10.1 km in 51:32.
After feeling pretty good after yesterdays late run I woke this morning with lower back soreness. Friday was always going to be a day off anyhow.
Still a bit stiff on Saturday morning but nothing that would stop me running as a 20 minute pacer at parkrun. I ran a long warm up - almost 3 km and was right on for the start. I had two runners with me early but one dropped off half way. I slowed in the 3rd kilometre trying to get the other to stay with me and ran a 4:09. That was counter- productive as the next was a 3:55 to get back on track and he dropped off there anyway. I ran through 4 km right on 16 minutes on my watch and ran back into the wind in 3:59 to get home in 19:59 on my watch. The parkrun time was a little different and they measured 20:04. I extended the run by another 3 km to cover a total of 11.3 km and average 4:33 pace.
On Sunday morning I ran with Rikki, one of the Roadrunners, leaving from the Guide Park. She hadn't been past 10 km in some years so we decided to go out to Dalyston and put in a 12 km run. Rikki set the pace and, after a couple of warm up kilometres, we settled at about 5:20 pace. We ran into the back of Dalyston and around a new estate before looping back to the rail trail. We slowed a little on the way back. My heart rate stayed nice and low (140s) all the way. We still had a bit to go when we hit 12 km and ended up with a 12.8 km run, averaging 5:25 and running for almost 70 minutes. I followed up with a cycle with Heather out to Cape Paterson for lunch to end the week with 60 km of running and 52 km on the bike.
Monday November 9th to Saturday November 14th
Monday morning called for a run with some pace injected. I ran 8:2 intervals, starting slowly but still able to reach 4 minute pace in the first interval. I hit 4 minute pace in the next interval and held it there for a little longer. The third interval, on a downhill on the Eastern Rail Trail, saw me hold my pace at 3:57 briefly. At this stage my pace between intervals had also improved. I put in a solid fourth interval, running at sub 3:50 pace for a bit of it and peaking at 3:43 momentarily. I covered 10.2 km for the run, taking 49 minutes and averaging 4:48 pace. My left hip is still not right but I'll keep stretching it. After work I went out to the beach and stood in the water and the top half of my left leg tightened up a little while in the water.
Tuesday was a day off running in a taper week.
On Wednesday I turned off the interval timing and just went out for a good solid run. I set off on the 13km course looking to run a bit of tempo. The first 2 km were warmup - both slower than 5 minute pace. I ran the third in 4:45 and was set for some good ks. I ran the fifth in 4:29 and followed up with the next 3 km around 4:25 pace. I upped the pace in the ninth and ran it in 4:20. I tried to lift the pace in each of the next 2 km but stayed at the 4:20 mark. With the twelfth kilometre my tenth after the warm up I pushed to lift the pace there and ran it in 4:14. I had ran those last 10 km in just over 44 minutes. I eased in the 13th and ran it in a "leisurely" 4:38 and then jugged home to complete the 13.3 km run in 61:30. My average pace was 4:36, my best training run in some time. I pulled up strongly from the run.
On Thursday morning Heather and I got up and went for a cycle. I rode 15 km. After work we went to Inverloch and ran some hills with the running group. It was a group run at a leisurely pace, mostly just under 6 minute pace, but there was a bit of work to do on the hills. I broke away in the return up the Wild Dog Valley road and caught up with the group again at the entrance to the Rec Reserve. I also had a push in the final few hundred metres. In all we covered 10.2 km and I averaged 5:26 pace. We ran for almost 56 minutes.
Friday was another day off running but I went out on the bike again before breakfast. Unfortunately I timed it as a drizzly mist was starting to come in over the coast and I got a bit damp.
I had a good warm up at parkrun on Saturday but didn't set off with any real pace when parkrun started. Neither did anyone else and I found myself out the front at a relaxed pace. Unfortunately my heart rate wasn't so relaxed and I was up in the 170s for most of the run. I have a little bit of a chesty cough - not much - and it was affecting me. I felt good but the heart rate was up. I ran the first kilometre in 3:53 and then ran a 3:58. The third was 3:56 and then, running with the breeze, the fourth was a 3:49. Bill Barry ran past me early in the fifth but my game plan wasn't to run real hard so I let him go. I finished with a 3:59 into the breeze. My official parkrun time was 19:43. A nice hitout. I ran back to pick up another runner and then rounded out the 10 km in my cool down. I covered just on 10 km in 45:12.
City2Sea - Sunday November 15thThe City2Sea was a real struggle. It was far too soon after the Melbourne Marathon but I still put in a reasonable run. First, before the start, came the massive highlight of having a priority start. I hadn't realised that I did until I got to the start but discovered that I was allowed to go into the priority area and warm up. I got the start on the back of my Run Melbourne time. So there I was with all the elite runners, not crowded in, and just able to stretch and relax in front of the herded Red Start runners. I just put myself to the back of the group, crossed the start almost immediately after Sally Pearson soth the starters pistol, and ran completely unimpeded right from that start. I stuck with the back of the group too. As such I was a bit surprised that my first kilometre was only a 3:51.
I was running comfortably early but the real speed wasn't there. My heart rate was behaving itself - mainly around 167 most of the way. I ran the second in 3:57, then a 4 flat and picked it up to run the fourth in 3:56. As the fifth clocked up at 4:07 I was really disappointed. I picked it up again and put in a couple of 4:01s, including a fast section in the sprint area down St Kilda Rd. As we turned into Lakeside Drive I had slowed again and the eighth was back out to 4:10.
The run around Albert Park Lake was a real struggle. I wasn't in pain or anything. My heart rate was ok but I just didn't have anything to give. I could feel myself slowing. I ran the ninth in 4:12, then ran a 4:15, 4:21, 4:23 and consolidated with another 4:21 in the thirteenth when I started using a runner who had caught me to pace with. I pushed hard back out onto Fitzroy Street and ran a 4:17 and was averaging 4:02 pace in the fifteenth but my watch was measuring long so it totalled only 14.8km.
My official time was 1:01:04, a fair bit behind my goal of a sub 58 but not too far outside 4 minute pace. The course is great and I will definitely get back there sometime when the body is feeling good and put in a fast one.
It was always going to be hard to follow up with a fast run only four weeks after MM but the City2Sea temptation was too good to resist. Now it's time to put in an off-season and give the body time to recover.
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