Monday November 16th to Sunday November 22nd
I started the week with three days off running - my biggest break for a while. I went out on Monday and Wednesday mornings for a short 15 km cycle. On Monday I went to see my chiropractor to get checked out. He found the weakness in my left hip and worked on it.
I was planning a cycle on Thursday morning but it was raining when the alarm went off so I went back to sleep. We went for a group run with the Roadrunners before tea with Nathan leading us on a course around Inverloch. After around 6 km some of the group broke off while Nathan and I kept on the longer course. We lifted the pace to just over 5 minute pace for a couple of kilometres but then slowed again towards the end. All up we ran 10.1 km in 56:26. The average pace was 5:34. It was a nice hit out after a break. There won't be any hard running for the rest of November.
The plan for Friday was for an early morning recovery cycle but when I woke I could hear the distant rumbling of thunder. I checked the radar and it was headed our way so I went back to bed and watched it roll in. So Friday ended up being a day off.
I was a bit sore in the lower back at the start of Saturday parkrun - more stiffness than anything. I stretched thoroughly and used deep heat before doing a thorough 4 plus kilometre warm up. The plan was for an easy run and I set off at an easy pace. The fast runners were away so I slowly worked my way through the field, passing the first turn in second place. I started with a 4:02 and then ran into first place with a 4:08 in the second. I had a small lead at the second turn and had eased a little to run the third in 4:14. I pretty much held that pace and it was good enough for me to slowly extend the lead as I finished with a 4:15 (with the wind) and a 4:19 (into the wind). My official time was 20:59 and at that stage I had run 9.8 km. I set back out on the course to find Heather and Emma and then ran back in with them. All up I covered 11km in 52:52, the average pace being 4:48.
The plan from here is to have another easy week and then to slowly build up. The next pase of my running is going to be quite intensive. I plane to run multiple times in the day - building it up slowly - and a lot of short to mid distance runs. I want to work on speed and intend to build to the point where I can comfortably run a sub 4 minute paced half marathon.
After seeing Cold Chisel at Hanging Rock last night Heather and I stayed in the city and had a run around the river before brunch. We ran at a pretty easy pace, starting south of the Yarra and then crossing at Gosche's Paddock and running across and around the outside of the MCG. We ran back across the William Barrack Bridge and, at Fed Square, Heather ran back to the hotel while I extended the run. I just naturally lifted the pace along Southbank and then ran to Docklands on the Jim Stynes Bridge. I ran a lap around the outside of Etihad and it was here that my pace was dipping below 5 minutes per km. The Garmin went nuts back in the city grid giving me a bit of extra distance. As I got back I had probably travelled around 12 km in around 65 minutes. It was a nice with my heart rate rarely above the low 140s. So there were only 3 runs this week, covering 34 km at an average pace of 5:08. My body is starting to feel good again.
Monday November 23rd to Sunday November 29th
I ran a slow town run this morning. The body was a little stiff after yesterdays run and the drive home. I spent most of the run running at around 5:15 pace. I quickened a little in the final two kilometres but stayed above 5 minute pace. I covered 10.1 km in just under 54 minutes.
For the third week in a row I took Tuesday off running. My lower back was a little stiff when I got up this morning. As I moved into the day the stiffness quickly disappeared.
I set out on another 10 km run on Wednesday morning. After the warm up I was a little quicker with my fourth kilometre a 4:58. I then settled back into just over 5 minute pace and covered the 10 km three seconds short of 52 minutes. My average pace was 5:09. Again I was stiff in the lower back when I woke up but it quickly disappeared as I started moving.
The weather turned on Wednesday night and there was a very strong south westerly blowing as Tony and I set out on our Headlampers run after work on Thursday. We were running the Desal tracks and were exposed to some real strong gusts at times. Our pace was very much up and down and the average of 5:15 was a good indication of where we were at. I picked up the pace going up a hill in the ninth kilometre and Tony went with me. We ran that in 5:05. We covered 10.6 km in 55:40.
The back was stiff again on Friday morning. I went on the roller and then got the cycling gear on. I went out for a short 15 km cycle on another running rest day.
I felt good when I got up for parkrun on Saturday morning. I ran an extended warm up and was running smoothly. I wanted to get in a good sub 20 minutes for some confidence. At the start a visitor shot off really quickly. Suspecting that he was a gun runner I held back a bit and let him go. Bill went with him and when he slowed Bill was able to pass him. I ran the first in 3:55 and was in third place at the first turn. From there I decided to race. I picked up the visitor pretty quickly and then had the massive task of chasing Bill. I ran the second in a fast 3:44. I caught up to Bill in the third but he just led me past the second turn. I ran past him back up the hill then completed the third in 3:48. I put in a small gap on Bill and tried to push through the fourth, completing it in 3:53 and taking a small lead around the last turn. I pushed hard out of the turn and could hear Bill right on my tail all through the final kilometre. It was a hard push all the way but we both ran it in 3:44 and I crossed the line 5 seconds clear of Bill. It was my 19th first placing in 49 Inverloch parkruns and I ran it in the time of 19:05, a little bit quicker than I had aimed. It was great to get a real strong run in with a strong finish. The pace is coming back. I ran a short cool down to get in the 10km, completing a total of 10.2 km in 46:15, averaging 4:31 pace. I followed it up with a 26 km cycle.
Monday November 30th to Sunday December 6th
I decided to take the last day of the month off running and then set myself for a big December. I got up and rode for 15km instead.
I hit the road on Tuesday to start the month off with a good run. I wanted to get into intervals but my back was a little stiff when I woke so I ran it as an 8:2 change of pace run. I made a good start and got down to 4 minute pace in the first interval. I got to 4:04 pace in the second and only 4:14 pace in the third. I hit some good pace in the fourth getting under 4 minute pace. After the 9 km mark I finished with a strong push running the tenth in 4:36. I covered 10 km and averaged 4:56 pace.
I was back out on Wednesday morning, again starting with a stiff back. It starts off stiff but as it warms up with movement it feels great at the end of the day. It warmed up while running and I was under 5 minute pace in the third kilometre. I mainly kept my pace in the mid 4:50s but slowed a little up the hill neat Mitre 10. I quickened in the last two averaging around 4:46 pace. It was another 10 km run, this time averaging 4:59 pace.
I didn't go to work on Thursday and so was not on my feet as much. The result was that my back never freed up. I went for a longer cycle, almost 30 km, before lunch and it improved a little but it was still quite stiff as we went out to Inverloch for our early evening Road Runners group run. I did a lot of stretching and set off at the back of the group but it was a struggle early. The pace was around 6 minutes and it took 4 km to warm up. Then it really freed up and I started running nicely. After the 5 km mark a few finished up and a group of four extended our run. The pace quickened and we finished off nicely. I covered 10.5 km in just over 61 minutes, averaging 5:51 pace. The back feels ok tonight but it takes a moment to get moving as I get up off the couch.
I really seized up overnight and was in a lot of pain on Friday morning. The plan was for a short cycle before work but that went out the window and I had a short walk in the fog to try and loosen up. It didn't do a great deal. As soon as I got to work I rang my chiropractor and got in for a 9am appointment. Neil is a magician who never fails to get me back on track. My body was in protection mode though and wouldn't let him do most that he tried. He persevered though and sent me for a short walk. It was much better. He checked me over again and sent me on my way. I'm back next week to get it checked out again. Although it was improved my back was still pretty stiff all day at work. After work I went out to Inverloch and had a swim in the ocean for about 20 minutes. It was the first time I had been pain free all day. I felt great after I got out. I had a warm shower when I returned home and my back is quite free now.
I got through the night well and my back still felt good when I got up. I tried to do some floor stretches but it was going to be pushing too far so I stopped. I went to parkrun - it was my 50th local parkrun today - and had an extended warm up. All felt good although the start was very slow. Today I had set myself the task of pacing Tony, our Event Director, to a sub 20 minute run. The plane was to sit on 3:55 pace and get to the final turn - one km to go - in 15:40.
Heather was running in the Sussans Womens Fun Run on Sunday morning so I watched her start and then went for a run around Albert Park Lake. Heather put in a beauty and ran the 10km in 49:01 to break the 50 minute mark for the first time. I started slowly but found some nice pace as I settled into the run. I ran the 7th kilometre in 4:29 while I was chasing down another runner around the lake. From there I settled into some nice 4:40 running. I got back just after Heather finished, having run 10.7 km in 52 minutes.
On the Saturday night Heather, Matt and I went to the Zatopec 10 at Albert Park. It has helped me to define my goals for the next stage of my running. The marathon has shadowed all running for the past twelve plus months. That has cost me speed but helped my endurance. Now is the time to get some speed back. Runs will be shorter and more frequent and I will be doing a lot of speed work, including track work. In the past four to six weeks I have averaged just over 50 km per week. That will be stepping up again and I have upped the weekly goal to 60 km for next week. My legs are feeling great again and the back is on the mend. Most importantly I am excited about this next phase.
