Monday January 11th to Sunday January 17th
On Monday morning we left Hobart and drove to Bicheno on the mid east coast. It was a warm but muggy day and when we settled into our cabin in the late afternoon I went for a run around the town. I ran along the highway to Red Beach and then along the foreshore "path" all the way to the blow hole. The path was a mix of coastal track and running on large granite boulders, marked with white arrows. As a result my pace was reasonable easy - the stiffness from the half marathon also contributed to this. I ran back into town along the highway and only picked up the pace towards the end when running back to Red beach. I went hard in the seventh running a 4:26 and then eased back to a 4:43 for the eighth before jogging home the last 500 metres. In all I averaged 5:07 pace for the 8.5 km run, running for just under 44 minutes.
I was up and running again on Tuesday morning, essentially following the same course, but this time having a crack at a couple of segments. I ran a lot harder on the foreshore segment - on track, sand and graninte. I covered the 3.7 km segment in 17:50. My average of 4:49 pace put me in second place (out of 16) for the segment. I ran back along the foreshore road at the top of the segment and then had a crack at the Champ to Gordon and Murray to Gordon segments along the Tasman Hwy. I ran the 1.1 km Champ to Gordon segment in 4:32 (average pace 4:02) to be placed 4th (out of 60) on the segment. I was able to set a new course record on the shorter 300m Murray to Gordon segment, covering it in 1:16 and averaging 3:27 pace. 78 people have run the segment. I finished the 10.6 km run by jogging along Red Beach to Diamond Island and back. I ran for just over 54 minutes, averaging 5:05 pace.
On Tuesday we drove up the coast to St Helens, driving past and checking out the Bay of Fires before returning to our accommodation. I went for another run before tea, running over the bridge and then down along the foreshore to the end of the foreshore track and then out along the foreshore road to the Sea Scouts shed. It was a stiff and slow start but I was under 5 minute pace for the second kilometre and stayed mostly under for much of the run out. The pace picked up on the return and I was running in the 4:40s and feeling pretty good. When I got back to the bridge I pushed hard to put in a good time on the Bridge to Quail St segment and was able to cover the 500m segment in 2:23 (average pace 4:02) to set a new course record on it (1st place out of 17). The run covered just on 10 km in just under 49 ,minutes and I averaged 4:52 pace.
I was up nice and early on Wednesday morning to re-run the St Helens route. The body was quite stiff to start with so I ran a hundred metres and then stopped to stretch. It was a slow start as I warmed up, running the first kilometre in 5:36. I was under 5 minute pace for the second and starting to loosen up nicely. As I got near to the Sea Scouts shed I was running a a strong mid 4:40s pace. I stopped briefly and stretched some more then set off on the return journey. I was nice and loose now and picking up speed. I ran the seventh in 4:31 then followed up with a 4:24 before hitting 4 minute pace as I crossed the bridge. I ran the Bridge to Quail St segment in 2:19, breaking my record from the previous night with an average of 3:56 pace for the 500 m segment. I also took second place on the Sea Scout Shed to Bridge segment, averaging 4:26 pace on the 3.5 km segment. It was a strong run with the 10.2 km run in 48:33. I averaged 4:43 pace for the entire run. My body has come out of a solid running block feeling quite strong.
We drove across to Beauty Point on Wednesday and my Thursday morning run was around there with some excellent views of the Tamar River. The body was stiff at the start and I really took it easy on the out-bound run. I ran around the river to the Beaconsfield town sign, running most of it at just over 5 minute pace. I had a soreness develop in the right quad near the turn around so I stopped and stretched and rubbed it at the turn then set off back into Beauty Point. My pace quickened to the 4:40s and the soreness went away as I was running. I ran the tenth kilometre in 10:32 and shortly after that eased to run back to the park with Heather. I ran for almost an hour, covering 11.6 km with my average pace at 5:02. I actually ran the 10 km in just under 50 minutes. It was a great loosener.
We were meant to be on the ferry out on Thursday night but, due to a problem, our sailing was delayed until Friday morning. So there was time to kill in Devonport - and my Friday run would now be impossible. So I decided to do a free parkrun on the Devonport course. I ran from the supermarket, 2 km away from the start to get warmed up. I was stiff to start with but loose by the time I hit the course. I ran the first kilometre of the course in 4:38 and then followed up with; 4:47, 4:47, 4:37 before finishing with a 4:28. Not speedy by any measure but solid given the running volume leading into it, and the fact that it was my second run for the day. I covered the course in 23:25 and the whole 7 km in just on 34 minutes. I averaged 4:49 pace for the whole run.
In my 7 days in Tasmania I completed ten runs and covered 98.6 km. Friday - our sailing day - was to be a well earned rest day.
We got home at 11pm on Friday night but were out at Inverloch for parkrun bright and early on Saturday morning. My body felt great in the warm up. When I got back a monster crowd had built up - it was our first ever 200 plus parkrun at Inverloch. The pace at the start was frantic and we were swamped by the early sprinters. I then settled into the task of over-taking them and finding a position. We had a few fast runners there so the battle was to get into the top ten. I ran the first in 3:43 and then really pushed for the second, not wanting to give up too much pace. I was thrilled to complete the second in 3:43 as well and then just kept pushing. The third was a 3:49 and then that was followed with a 3:48 and I finished with a 3:46. Apart from the first two I never saw any other times until after I finished. I was under the 19 minutes for the first time in a while, running an official 18:54. Including the warm-up I covered 7.6 km in just under 32 minutes (average pace 4:09). It was a very pleasing effort at the end of a big load.
On Sunday I set myself to do some work, setting out on the 14 km Harmers Haven course (from the Guide Park) in order to reach my 80 km goal. Progress up the Cameron street hill was slow but I settled into sub 5 minute pace at the top and into Harmers. As usual I slowed when I turned onto the rough gravel of Berry's road and didn't really get the pace back until I hit the bitumen od Cape Paterson road. From there I slowly picked it up, running the tenth in 4:55 and then following with; 4:48, 4:35, 4:29 and a very fast 4:06 for the fourteenth, setting a new course record on the Maccas to the Guide Park segment. I averaged 4:52 pace for the 14 km run, running for just over 68 minutes. I covered right on 80 km for the week and my 4 week average is now over the 80 km mark.
Monday January 18th & Tuesday January 19th
With race day on Wednesday I decided my taper would consist of some easier paced, shorter runs.
Monday morning I set off on the 8 km course, only interested in running at a comfortable pace. After a kilometre of warm-up I settled into a pace around the 4:50 mark and was breathing easily. My fastest was the eighth which I ran in 4:44. I averaged 4:55 pace for the 8.4 km, 41 minute run.
On Tuesday Heather and I drove out to Inverloch for a foreshore run. We ran, at Heather's pace, to the camp ground near Screw Creek. We started at around 5:50 pace and gradually quickened to around 5:30. I ran the first 5 km with Heather and then went for a bit of a run for the last two. My sixth was run in 4:27 and then I ran back with a 4:22. It was a nice solid bit of pace and a good hitout, keeping the body moving without going for complete rest. I ran 7.1 km in just under 38 minutes.
Wednesday January 20th - 24th Annual Lindsay Thomas Memorial Run
(Vic Masters)
I had an easy morning on Wednesday and then an early lunch before the drive to the city. I had a medical appointment at The Alfred in the afternoon before the evening run at Braeside.
We got to Braeside a bit before 6pm so there was plenty of time to get changed and warm up. It was still a warm afternoon and quite humid. I only ran a short warm up but was well ready for the start. I had hydrated well and made a few trips to the toilet.
It was a fast start to the run and the numbers at the front quickly diminished. We ran the first in 3:42 but the pace dropped off quickly after that. The follow up was a 3:54 and then we were beyond 4 minute pace. At this stage I was running with another bloke, trying to support each other. We held the 4 minute pace for a bit but then the fifth was a 4:09 and he decided to drop out after the first lap. I started the second lap in third place and spent the sixth and seventh trying to push and hold off the approaching runner behind me. But the seventh was a 4:17 and he got me. The body gave up then (and we took a wrong turn that cut about 80m off the run). My heart rate had been in the 170s since the 2.5 km mark and I just couldn't keep it up. My pace dropped to about 4:45 pace and stayed there for the final 3 km. The humidity had beaten me. I ran across the line in fourth place in around 42 minutes - not much better than last years time and a replication of the run.
I was not in great shape at the end of the run, dehydrated and my head was spinning. I did recover reasonably quickly though and did eat some food before the presentations. Heather had run the 5 km event and was the first female runner across the line.
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