Thursday January 21st to Sunday January 24th
I struggled with the drive home from Braeside. My right glute was a little tight and we had to stop on the way home so I could stretch it. I was also not in a great way internally with my stomach feeling quite ordinary. I felt like a needed a good soak in cold water. As son as we got home I collapsed on the bed.
I felt better on Thursday morning and was determined to follow up a nightmare run with a recovery immediately. I drove out to Cape Paterson and ran around the coast. I was stiff on the first taking 5:42 to get through it. From there I was looser and settled into a pace at just over 5 minutes. Pace wasn't important. I ran to the surf beack and back along the coast path. When I got back onto the coast road I started running much more freely. I ran the sixth in 4:54 and maintained it for the seventh - mostly up the hill there. As it flattened I was running quite well and ran the eighth in 4:33, following up at that pace for another 300 metres. I finished feeling strong. The 8.3 km run was run in 41:31. I followed up with a long soak in a cool rock pool.
I also rode my bike, back around the coast and went for a second run - with the Road Runners - on Thursday. The second run was a cruisy 5.9 km around the town block. The average pace was 5:20 and was quite consistent. The glute felt good at the end of it.
I was out again early on Friday to complete a nice block of running. I ran the 8.3 km town run from home, averaging 5:02 pace. Again the start was slow (5:41) but I was at 5 minute pace for the second and stayed there. I quickened in the sixth and then held my pace at just under 4:50 until the end. I ran for 41 minutes.
It was another early rise on Saturday morning as Churchill - in the Latrobe Valley - was having their very first parkrun. Many of the Run Directors there are runners who have been at Inverloch since inception. I ran a warm-up that was just under 2 km and stretched while they did the speeches. At the start I was quickly in the lead and was just cruising when a young runner, Michael, ran onto my shoulder. He woke me from my slumber and we put in a 3:52 for the first. He took off up the hill but I didn't have a lot with the recent workload. I covered the second in a much better 3:46. The pace was on. I made up the gap and passed him on the way to the other end but he ran away on the small hill there and created a nice gap. My third was another 3:52 but, running to the next turn - and up the big hill again - was a real struggle and I put in a 4:07. I picked up the pace in the fifth and closed the gap slightly, running a 3:55 to the finish line. My official parkrun time was 19:27 (Michael ran 19:13) and I now hold the Churchill Age Grade Rating record and the 45 to 49 years Age Record. It was a great parkrun with 158 runners at the opening.
I had planned to run around 15 km on Sunday morning and met up with Rikki and Michelle for a Roadrunners run. Rikki was keen to run her first half marathon in quite some time so we set the run up with loops. We ran most of it around 5:30 pace or just under and I found my heart rate staying low. I was very comfortable and when we retuned on the second loop after 16 km I decided to keep it going. The support was good for Rikki and we pushed through. I took of for the last kilometre and a bit and put in a 4:12 for my 22nd kilometre. Rikki ran her half marathon in 1 hour 55 minutes. I averaged 5:25 pace for the 22 km run, having run for 1:59:32. I recovered very well from it and had a long cycle also on Sunday.
Monday January 25th to Sunday January 31st
On Monday did a bit of everything. I warmed up and got up to speed with a bit of fartlek running, hitting 3:38 pace in my best sprint. I pushed hard up the Bilson Street hill running up at just over 4:40 pace. I then did some fast laps of the South Reserve (McMahons Reserve), hitting 3:27 in the first fast lap and 3:17 in the second. I slowed to a walk at the end of each fast lap. The run home was a progressive push. I ran the 9th in 4:56 then progressed with a 4:52, 4:38, 4:20 then finished with a 4:08 for the 13th kilometre. The entire run was completed in under 62 minutes and averaged 4:45 pace.
I started Tuesday with a slow run from Williamsons Beach to Cutlers and back. It was into the breeze for the first half and my pace was slower than 5:30. I quickened on the return by just a little and completed 10 km in a very slow 55:49.
The plan was always for two runs on Tuesday. So just before tea I went for a run into town and back in the heat. I ran the third in 4:42, then slowed a little turning back into the breeze. I finished off running at just under 4:50 pace. In all I covered 7.1 km, averaging 4:54 pace for the 35 minute run.
I pulled up from the two Tuesday runs very well and was out there again early on Wednesday morning before my first day back at work. I ran out to the golf course, using the 3 km there as a warm up and then ran hole intervals on the course. Running the back nine I was running ard on the even holes and recovering on the odds. I hit 3:42 pace on the twelfth hole and 3:43 on the sixteenth. I was just under 3:50 pace on the other holes. My pace on the way home was a bit up and down but I averaged 4:58 pace for the entire 9.5 km run.
Another two runs were planned for Thursday. I started the day with some 8:2 intervals. I ran the 8 km course and completed 4 intervals. I was only at 4 minute pace in the first interval but held it there well. I hit 3:43 in the second and 3:57 in the third. The last interval, on the run home, was messy and lacked a lot of pace. I covered the 8.2 km in 40:34 and averaged 4:55 pace.
After work we went out to Inverloch and ran a group run with the Roadrunners. We ran out towards Screw Creek at around 5:40 pace and then Trent and I ran around Townsend Bluff while the others turned back. Trent picked up speed a bit on the way back and we ran our sixth in 4:57 and seventh in 4:52. It was a nice way to finish off five runs in three days. I covered the 7.3 km in 40 minutes.
I was back out there again on Friday morning, running between some showers. I ran a 10 km course out around the Guide Park. I struggled to find any speed running the first four at over 5 minute pace. I ran the 5th in 4:56 but then slowed when I turned back into the easterly. I pushed harder towards the end, running the ninth in 4:58 and finishing with a 4:49. It took 51:17 to cover the 10 km at an average of 5:05 pace.
In fourteen straight days of running I had run 17 times, covering 164 kilometres. My body is feeling very good despite the workload.
Saturday was a day off. I was Run Director at parkrun for the final time. After writing the run report I retired from the position so that I can put more time into just running and enjoying parkrun.
With an 80km goal this week I had another 15km to cover on Sunday. Heather and I met with Rikki at the Guide Park. They wanted a shorter run so I set up some loops. We ran an easy paced 7 km circuit with much of it around 5:40 pace. I continued on from the Guide Park around a bigger loop and picked up my pace. I was under 5 minute pace for the ninth and then into the 4:40s for the eleventh. I held it there for a good distance and then picked it up for a 4:33 in the fifteenth. The sixteenth was all on the gravel of the rail trail and I covered it in 4:08 before cruising back to the Guide Park. I covered 16.9 km in 87 minutes and I had an average pace of 5:09.
Monday February 1st to Sunday February 7th
I went out for a run before work on Monday morning. My body was feeling great so I decided to push it a bit. I warmed up with a 5:30 and was down to 5 minutes for the second. From there the acceleration was pretty good. The third was a 4:45, followed by a 4:36 and a 4:17. The sixth was a 4:12 and then I really pushed to put in a 4:06 and a 4:04. My average pace for the 8.2 km run was 4:34, running for 37 and a half minutes. My recovery was excellent.
After work on Monday I went across to Leongatha to do the running at footy training, and catch up with a few people. I ran a 2 km warm up at a pretty good pace around the 4:40 mark. I ran their warm up and then did another solo effort while they did a skill drill. I then joined the footballers for three sessions of fartlek running on the oval before finishing with a cool down. The session took place over a 90 minute period with 42 minutes of running inside that time. I covered 8.3 km in that time with the pace varying wildly from 3:07 pace to 8 minute pace. I got some good speed work in though.
I pulled up from the footy training running feeling quite sore in the glutes on Tuesday morning. I had no plans to run on Tuesday morning but I did feel like it would have been good to run out the soreness. I did go for a quick cycle before tea though.
My glutes were still quite stiff on Wednesday morning so I got up and rubbed in deep heat before stretching for my run. I set off on the 8 km course and was feeling great after one and a bit kilometres so decided to extend the run through the wetlands. I decided to run at a maximum heart rate of 150 bpm. I pushed into the third kilometre to get up to 150. It took a bit of hard running. I then pulled back and the heart rate dropped back to the 130s. The next push was shorter and each one after that shorter too. Into the second half of the run the heart rate went up very quickly and I spent more time running with the rate just under 150. I covered 9,6 km with the average pace at 4:54.
Thursday was a two run day. The morning run started slowly start but I felt quite good once I warmed up. I was only on a short run so I started pushing to see what I could do. I held the third and fourth kilometres at just under 4:50 pace then stepped up to 4:30 for the fifth. The sixth was a 4:12 and then the seventh a 4:05 before I eased up on the way home. I averaged 4:42 on the short 7.3 km run, getting home in under 35 minutes.
The second run was a Roadrunners group run after work. The pace was pretty good for the first half of the run around Cape Paterson. We were running at sub 5:20 pace. I ran the second half on the coast road with Leah and we slowed a bit. We extended the run into Cape at the end to get past 10 km. In all I covered 10.3 km in 58 minutes with the average pace a 5:38.
Friday was another day off - my first week with two days off I got up for a cycle before work and took in some spectacular views with fog in the lowlands.
When you are my age and your PB is 13 months old then you start to worry whether you have passed your peak. Well today I had a glimmer of hope with a nice fast 5 km at parkrun. I cycled out to Inverloch, into an easterly air flow, for parkrun on Saturday morning. I was a bit stiff at the start of the warm up but ran the two plus kilometres at around 5 minute pace. While waiting for briefing I went through a few skips to consolidate the work from Monday night. I didn't start right at the front and a lot of runners ran off in front of me. So I spent the first 500m weaving through runners to get to the fast group and then found myself weaving through them. I hit the front at about 800m and felt like I was cruising. I was surprised to register a 3:35 and determined to not drop the pace back (I am a terrible front runner). The second, with the breeze over my shoulder was a 4:43 and then a 4:45 and the fourth a 4:48. The pace was going back slowly but not dramatically. My lead was solid at the final turn but I pushed on the run back and finished with a 4:44. My official parkrun time was 4:45, my first 4:40 since late September last year. All up I covered 7.7 km in 32 minutes averaging 4:10 pace.
On Sunday morning I ran a solo coast run. I was a bit stiff early. I was down to 5 minute pace for the second kilometre and stayed just under into Cape. I pushed on the track from the surf beach to the bay - on a segment - but wasn't real fast. My fifth was a 4:24 and then I slowed again on the way back out along the coast. I averaged 4:53 pace in the 48 minute 9.8 km run.
Monday February 8th to Sunday February 14th
I woke up on Monday feeling a bit stiff. I stretched and hit the road but it was slow going with the cold body. I started with a 5:51 and then a 5:19. I didn't get under 5 minute pace until the fifth. I loosened up and ran a 4:43 in the seventh, slowed in the eighth and then ran a 4:23 in the ninth. That got the average pace down to 4:59. I ran just on 10 km in 50 minutes.
I took a well needed day off running on Tuesday but still got up early for a 15 km cycle.
The day off didn't do a lot for the body and I was sore in the lower back on Wednesday morning. I stretched and loosened enough to run. It was another slow start with a 5:40 followed by a 5:18. I broke the 5 minute barrier in the 5th and 6th (just) and then the body just loosened up and I was running at 4:40 pace. The average pace stayed just above 5 minutes at 5:02. the 9.1 km was covered in just under 46 minutes.
I had been thinking about a follow up running session at Leongatha Football Club after work, and felt like I could have done it, but decided to take the night off and not push too hard.
With two runs planned for Thursday I selected a short route on Thursday morning. The first warm up kilometre was a 5:31 but I felt like I was running much better. I was running a 4:1 interval but didn't really go on the first one while warming up. The next interval peaked at 3:49 pace and I recovered well out of it so I was picking up my overall pace as well. The third interval hit 3:55 pace and then the recovery was a bit slower up Korumburra Road. I really pushed into the fourth interval and found some great pace, peaking at 3:18 and then holding a lot of it after the interval was over. My fifth kilometre was a fast 3:58 with one interval shortly to follow. Running at sub 4 pace I had to dig for the final interval and ran into the sub 3:10s,, peaking at 3:05 pace. The sixth kilometre was a 3:56, bringing my average pace down to 4:35 for the 6 km run.
After work we went out to Inverloch for a run with the Road Runners. I always run at the back of the group so that I don't influence the pace. I ran with Leah and Ryan at the back and the pace was mostly on the slow side of 6 minutes early on. Later in the run it dropped a bit. We ran 8 kilometres with the average pace at 5:54 for the 47 minute run.
I have been planning to run some Interval sessions for the Road Runners and have set up a couple of loops during the week. So on Friday morning I ran into town to check out the loop I am going to use on Monday, on the Rail Trail. It was another slow start while the body loosened up with a 5:40 then a 5:19 before hitting 5 minute pace in the third. I ran the fifth and sixth on the loop at around 4:45 pace and then slowed on the trip home. I ran a faster 4:42 in the ninth to get the average pace down to 4:59 for the 9.7 km run.
After having a sore knee for all of Friday I woke and it felt fine. There was just a bit of stiffness in the right hip. I ran my 2.5 km warmup - the ocean was a picture under the rising sun - at just over 5 minute pace and quickened in the last little bit. I was off to a good start at parkrun with just a little bit of traffic ahead. I've decided not to worry about fast starters anymore as I can catch them most times if I run my own run. I was running near Bucky and Shem, who were both after a sub 19. We ran a 3:36 for the first and I was feeling comfortable. I had actually been chatting to Bucky early. I was in third place at the turn and pushed in the second to get to the front. It was a 3:39, as was the third. I hate front running and slowed a bit in the fourth. Shen took the lead for a bit but he slowed in front too. The fourth was a 3:50. With Shem on my tail at the last turn I pushed home so that he would have to work hard to get me. I pulled away to run across the line with a nice gap. The garmin went off before the line with the fifth a 3:47. Bucky had caught Shem to run across second and Shem came in third in 18:50. All up I ran 7.7 km, averaging 4:11 pace. My official parkrun time was 18:42 - just a touch quicker than last week. I went for a dip in the ocean after the run.
The body was a little sore on Sunday morning. I have a sore spot in the right hip which is usually an indication that the right knee is on the mend. I rubbed in some heat before heading off on a run with Julian and Michelle. They both had been running already so the pace was on from the start and I found it a bit of a struggle running at sub 5:10 pace right from the start. We were running at sub 5 pace by the fifth and stayed there for the rest of the run. The last four kilometres were around 4:50 pace and we averaged 4:58 pace for the 10.3 km run, running for 51 minutes. Later in the morning Heather and I drove to Leongatha and rode to Meeniyan for Valentines Day lunch and then cycled back. There was about 33 km of cycling.
Monday February 15th to Sunday February 21st
I slept in on Monday morning. I had thought about a cycle but did a lot of cycling yesterday so I chose to sleep instead. After work I ran the Wonthaggi Road Runners first Interval session. We started at the Guide Park and ran a loop on the Rail Trail and back through the adjoining estate.
Rikki, Travis and Sharni joined me for the session. The interval was 300m and the loop was about 1100m. I was planning to try for 8 intervals. I didn't go flat chat on the first interval but still got down to low 3 minute pace. Travis went with me for the first one. I recovered quickly and then pushed real hard on the second. I was running at 2:40 pace early and eased back to 3:05 pace over the 300m. Travis stayed with me. On the third interval I went hard for a bit (2:48 peak) and then settled at 3:05 pace. Travis went with me again but was starting to feel it. The fourth interval was almost identical - just a touch slower though. The fifth was again a replica but this time Travis dropped off. The walk section of the recovery was much longer. The sixth interval started at 2:58 pace and eased back to 3:25 pace. Travis went a lot easier and then finished up. I jogged back looking for Rikki and Sharni but they had finished up after five so I turned back and went for a hot lap of the loop. I ran the 1.1 km loop in 4:03 and averaged 3:35 pace for it then jogged to the park. All up I ran 9.6 km in 48 minutes at an average pace of 4:58. It was a great session. My cadence graph was interesting with the sixth interval dropping back to be similar to the first interval.
I woke up feeling quite stiff on Monday morning but persevered with a run. It was a very slow start; 5:54, 5:39, 5:33, 5:25 then 5:23. After the fifth I started to loosen a little and picked up speed. I hit 5 minute pace in the seventh and ran the eighth in 4:52. I was running well in the ninth and was under four and a half in the tenth. I averaged 5:14 pace in the 53 minute 10.1 km run.
I had another slow start on Wednesday but was under 5 minute pace in the fourth. I slowed again in the fifth and then settled at around 4:53 pace for the rest of the run. I ran 8.3 km and got the average pace down to 5:07 pace.
I took the opportunity to sleep in on Thursday morning as we were running out at Koonwarra after work. We met up with a group of Road Runners at Koonwarra and ran on the rail trail towards Meeniyan. The railway bridges have been re-built and we took the opportunity to run on them. It was a group run with the pace around 5:20 but I ran ahead with a couple of other runners and put in a faster section (sub 5) between the fourth and eighth kilometres. We turned at 5 and a half and ran to meet back up with the slower group. The last section of the 11 km run was around 5:15 pace. My average pace was 5:10, running for just over 57 minutes.
With some slower runs since the interval session I wanted to get in a short sharp run on Friday morning to set up for another fast parkrun. The first kilometre was a 5:30 but then I picked up speed quickly with a 5:01 and then a 4:29. I slowed in the fourth, to 4:45, up Korumburra and Wentworth roads. Then I found anoter gear and finished with a 4:18 then a 4:23. I averaged 4:45 pace for the 6 km run and pulled up from it feeling well.
I got to parkrun early on Saturday morning and extended my warm up to almost 3 km. The Leongatha footballers were running at Inverloch parkrun this week so we had a big, and pretty fast, field. The start was sudden so I was back in the field early but I pushed through and past the faster footballers, including Shem. Shem stayed on my shoulder for most of the run. We ran the first in 3:27 with the help of a breeze, then slowed after turning back into it. The second was a 3:44 then a 3:42 and the fourth a 3:44. As we turned Shem was right back and the third runner (Graeme) was about 30m back. Nobody else was on the top path. I was working hard to hold the pace, but it was hard work and I expected Shem to go for it at any moment. Then all of a sudden the fifth placed runner (at the turn) pulled up to us and shot past. Shem went with him but I never had another gear. He is one of the new recruits and must have run the last kilometre in just over 3 minute pace. I came in third place with a very fast 18:33, my third fastest run at Inverloch parkrun and my fastest since late March last year - which was pre the achilles injury.
I was stiff late on Saturday but woke up feeling pretty good. The Road Runners were meeting for a group run at 8:30 from the Guide Park. Bill, Julian and a new runner, Dayle, set off on the Harmers Haven loop. The pace was pretty leisurely for the whole run. My heart rate barely got out of the 130s and peaked at only 144 near the end as we sped up down the Bilson street hill. We ran the 14 km run in 78 minutes. The average pace was 5:34 per kilometre. It was a great stretch though. I followed it up with a 20 km cycle.
Monday February 22nd to Sunday February 28th
I started the week with an early morning 10 km run around the town. The plan this week was for two runs on Monday and then a two day break. I was a bit rusty in the early run but the slowness of my first kilometre was compounded by not being sure the watch had started and stopping to check it. I hit 5 minute pace in the third kilometre and then hit the 4:40s in the fifth. I wasn't pushing too hard but the pace was quickening a little as I got a bit warmer. I ran the ninth in 4:28 and then eased it home. My average pace for the 10 km run was 4:57.
After work we went back to the Dudley campus for an interval session. We met up with Rikki, Kirby and Anne to run some intervals on the 1.1 km loop. The interval, along South Dudley Road was about 270m. I ran the first interval solo, holding back from full pace but still hit 3:47 pace. My second interval peaked at 3:40 pace and I held it in the low 3:40s. I peaked at 3:27 pace early in the third interval and held it in the low 3:30s. In the fourth interval I peaked at 3:17 pace early and then gradually eased back to the high 3:30s. In my final interval I had the pace at 3:11 early and held it there up the rise but slowed to the 3:50s near the end of the interval. I then finished off with a hot lap of the loop, running in the 3:40s for most of it but then hitting 3:20 pace when I got back around to the interval. All up I covered 8 km in just under 41 minutes, averaging 5:05 pace.
Tuesday and Wednesday were days off but Heather gets up early and I am conditioned to the early start so I went on a 15 km loop on the bike each day. The lower back stiffness has been improving steadily and the knee is starting to improve - but I am off to the chiropractor on Thursday anyway. On Wednesday the back was great and I was even able to do some core strength work.
I slept in on Thursday morning as the run for the day was after work. Heather, Rikki, Ryan and I met out at Inverloch after work and headed off along Surf Parade towards the surf beach. It was generally a nice easy pace. We turned back towards town at the caravan park and ran back via Ullathornes road, ran through the main street and got onto the coastal path. We left Rikki at the shelter and I ran further, doing a loop and picking up my pace. I ran my last 2 km solo with my pace in the 4:40s. All up I ran 9.1 km in just under 50 minutes.
I was up and running again on Friday morning. It was a slow start and I didn't get up to 5 minute pace until the third kilometre. My pace was up and down for the next few kilometres and then I picked it up in the seventh, which was a 4:35. I followed up with a 4:30 and then hit 4:15 pace for the last two. It was a solid progression run with the average pace coming down to 4:50 for the 10 km run.
At parkrun on Saturday morning I ran an extended warm up, covering 3 km. I was nice and loose at the start and went out hard, trying to keep with Shem. I ran the first in 3:34 and was losing touch with Shem at the first turn. He pushed hard out of it and I lost another ten to fifteen metres. I lost too much pace in the second (3:49) and third (3:51) but managed to push for the last two. I finished with a 3:44 but dropped back to a 3:48 for the fifth. My parkrun time was 18:49 - my fourth consecutive sub 18:50. The entire run was 8.3 km and I ran for 36:20, averaging 4:22 pace. I followed up with a cycle before lunch.
Still almost 15 km shy of my weekly goal I met up with Dayle for a slow Road Runners run on Sunday morning. We set off on the rail trail and looped around back into town and out past the North school. We crossed over to the Eastern rail trail and then returned via Cameron street. The pace was good early, around the 5:20 mark but we slowed up the rise along White road, dropping back to about 5:40ish. Back at the Guide Park we had run just on 12 km so I set off on another loop and had a crack at a Strava segment, claiming the Wonthaggi station segment off Brett Franklin by a mere 3 seconds. I ran the 1 km segment in 3:42. I looped back and had a crack at the McDonalds to Guide Park segment and got to sub 4 minute pace again. As I stopped I had run 16 km in just under 85 minutes, averaging 5:16 pace.
Monday February 29th to Sunday February 6th
Monday morning started with a steady run around the town. I started slowly but was under 5 minute pace in the third. I hit the low 4:40s for the seventh and eighth before easing on the road home. The average pace was 4:58 for the 8.4 km run.
It was a running double for Monday with interval training on Monday after work. I ran the intervals with Travis and Dayle with the peak pace in the first fast section at 4:11 pace. We picked up the pace with the second peaking at 3:16 pace and the third was up again with the top pace at 3:06. The fourth interval was the fastest, peaking at 3:01 pace and the next peaked at 3:04. The final interval peaked at 3:06 pace to end a nice set. I ran a cool down lap of the circuit with Heather to clock up 8km in 46:15.
On Tuesday morning I felt a little sore and decided to stay in bed a bit longer. It was my first full day off running and cycling for quite some time.
I was back out there on Wednesday morning. It had been warm on Tuesday and there were heaps of warm air pockets to run through. The body was stiff and it was a pretty slow 2 km warm up. I broke into the 4:50s in the third and was slowly upping the pace as the body warmed up. I was mid 4:40s for the sixth and seventh kilometres and just kept stepping up the pace from there. The eighth was a 4:36, followed by a 4:20 and then a 4:15 for the tenth before easing it home. I averaged 4:52 pace, which was a full minute under the pace in the first kilometre. I ran 10.4 km in under 51 minutes.
Generally my body is feeling good at the moment but I am waking with back stiffness. It wasn't too bad on Thursday morning so I stretched and set off on a shortened version of the 8 km course. As I ran out the front gate there was a massive bolt of lightning on the distant eastern horizon. As I ran along Oates road there were more flashes in the east with storm clouds on the horizon. Again the first 2 km were slow as I warmed up the body. I settled into a pace in the 4:50s and then upped it to run a 4:37 in the seventh as I neared home. The average pace was 5:05 for the 7.7 km run
Another double up on Thursday with the Headlampers (Roadrunners) meeting out at Kilcunda after work. Eight of us ran on the rail trail as a prelude to the Keeping Kids on Track run in a weeks time. We ran down the cemetery hill and I had a chat to Nic along the way. At the road intersection we turned onto the road and ran down to the Mouth of the Powlett carpark. The pace was either side of 5:40 as we cruised down and then back up the hill - it is a much steeper hill on a bike. I had a chat to Trent on the way back. The run down and back was going to be 8.6 km so we kept going towards Kilcunda when we got back. Sharna, Dayle and I ran all the way to the gate and turned back to complete a 10.3 km run. We ran for just over 58 minutes at a pretty pedestrian pace all the way.
I got up feeling quite good - given the late Thursday run - so I set myself for a short sharp run. I went out on the 6 km course, starting with a 5:29 and then running a 4:51 for the second. I pushed hard down the track behind the rec reserve and back along Korumburra and Wentworth roads to register a 4:43 and a 4:41. I sped up again for the last two, running a 4:22 and then maintaining it for a 4:21 to finish. The 6 km run averaged 4:44 pace and was completed in 28:30. I pulled up great from the run.
The plan for parkrun was to run a sub 40 10 km. I hadn't run that pace since Run Melbourne in July and, given my desire to have a crack at 60 minutes for the 15 km next week, I needed to get one in for confidence. I ran a 19 minute 3.4 km warm up and had a really good stretch. My body was feeling nice and loose. I was pacing Nic and, as it turned out, a few others. I held back at the start and then wound my way through the bolters at a controlled pace. The first ticked over at 3:51 - a little too fast. I eased back a little and clocked a 3:53 for the second. I was running very comfortably and able to greet heaps of parkrunners along the way. My third was a 3:57 and the I put in a 3:56 with the breeze behind me. I had lost Nic at the 4 km mark but he still ran a one minute PB. My fifth was the slowest at 4:01 and then I got back on pace after I passed through the finish with the sixth a 3:56.
I followed up the run with a 26 km cycle at 23 km/h and then a coast walk in the afternoon. My body feels great. I can just feel a distant something in my left glute - a remnant of the injury there. It's great to know that I can still do it and has filled me with confidence for Keeping Kids on Track.
Heather and I visited Peninsula Springs on Sunday so I took the day off running and just went for a quick cycle in the morning. We spent three hours relaxing in the hot springs and various spas and I took a few cold plunges. The body felt great.
Monday March 7th to Saturday March 13th
I woke up feeling good on Monday morning but the lower back seized up just after getting up. I did my floor stretches to get some movement going and then prepared for a run. Just before leaving I rubbed in deep heat. There was a light rain as I was stretching and the air was quite mild. I started really slowly and the acceleration was slow too. I was running at 5:03 pace by the 5th and 6th kilometres and didn't find any real speed, reaching 4:51 pace, until the last two and a bit kilometres. Given the events of the weekend I decided not to push at all though and just get in a gentle run.
I was back running again after work at interval training. We had ten runners turn up this week an ran in three groups. It is really starting to take off. I ran five intervals with Travis, Dayle and Tony. I thought that I was taking it easy in the first but still hit 3:20 pace. I peaked at 3:03 pace in the second and only got to 3:17 pace in the third. The fourth was similar, peaking at 3:16 pace with Tony pushing me (Travis and Dayle were well ahead). Knowing that the fifth was my last I really pushed hard, striding at 1.8m early on, and peaked at 2:55 pace. Tony and I finished with a cool down lap to clock up 6.8 km in just under 39 minutes.
I followed up on Tuesday morning with a golf course run. I woke a little sore and did extensive stretching to get going. I started with a 5:35 and didn't get to under 5 minute pace until the third kilometre. Pretty much most of the run was in the 4:50s with the eighth just a little bit faster at 4:39. I did manage to get the average pace down to 4:57 for the 9.2 km run.
Wednesday was a complete day off - no running or cycling.
I ran a short interval run on Thursday morning, running easily for 4 minutes and then hard(er) for 1. I started slowly and the speed and tempo increased as I got into the run. I hit 4:07 pace in the first interval which was inside the first kilometre. I was about the same in the second but the third and fourth were diabolical. The fifth was a real interval, hitting 3:36 pace and I was up to 3:49 in the sixth. I really pushed in the seventh as it was the last one, hitting 3:30 pace. I averaged 4:56 pace for the 7.7 km run, running for just over 38 minutes.
I was out again after work on Thursday. My body has been coping well with the double up runs and is now much stronger for the efforts. I always run at the back of the group on Thursdays and settled into my position as we ran through Cape Paterson to the foreshore track. We went down the steps at the surf beach and ran on the sand and rocks around to number two. We went up the dune (walked) and then ran out onto Wilson road and then turned into Seaward drive, running its entire length. I was right on 7 km as we returned to the Cape Hall. It was a pretty slow cruisy run, with the average pace way out at 5:51.
Friday was another day off. No running or cycling. I'm still going to cover 60 km for the week but this is my taper method. I think that I've only had three no-activity days for the year and all have been in the past 2 weeks.
I got to parkrun early and ran my warm up, covering about 3.2 km. I was feeling extremely fresh - as good as I have felt for a LONG time. The plan was to run an easy kilometre, a hard one, another easy and another hard and then ease home. I started back a little and was swamped early so just took my time easing through the field and chatting as I moved through. As the first kilometre ticked over I noticed it was a pretty solid 4:18 as I took off for the fast one. I worked out around the first bollard, passing quite a few runners on the way. I ran down the hill at the park and settled along the flat path with the second placed runner ahead of me. I was reeling him in bit by bit when I hit the two km mark and slowed down. I had just run a 3:29. I cruised back past the shelter and around the second turn. A few runners passed me on the way. I hit the three km mark at the shelter and the watch registered a 4:35 as I took off again. I passed a few, including a young couple - who I assured they would get me again as I was running intervals. I caught the third and second placed runners in my sights, reeling them in one at a time. I hit the last turn bollard in second place, well behind Shem, and registered a 3:31. I was really happy with that because it included the up hill at the park (the gradient adjusted pace on Strava was 3:11). I eased up for the run home. On the way only two runners passed me. I was waiting for the young couple to come past but they must have eased too. I registered a 4:31 for the fifth. My official parkrun time was registered at 19:59 but that seems to be wrong as my watch / splits suggest that I ran it in about 20:20. The entire run was over 8.7 km, averaging 4:21 pace and I ran for just on 38 minutes. At the finished line I greeted other finishers and had a closer look at the young couple. I thought I recognised the bloke as Liam Adams. I invited them to sign the visitors book, confirming that it was Liam Adams - fresh (bad choice of words) from the Tokyo marathon which he didn't complete. We had a bit of a chat and I invited him to the KKOT run. He suggested that he might run the 10 km there. I ended up by going for a quick dip in the inlet.
Sunday March 13th - Keeping Kids on Track
I woke up with a little stiffness in the back but soon stretched it out. When I got out to Kilcunday it was feeling nice and loose. I ran out for an extensive warm up, covering almost 4 km and having a look at the early hills. Here, in retrospect, is where I made my first mistake. I lost too much fluid in the warm up and didn't rehydrate enough before the run started.
I started the run well. There were a few faster runners but I was travelling nicely. As we started tackling the hills around Kilcunda West I clocked a 3:53 for the first kilometre. I was working quite hard up and down the hills and the heart rate graph was quite interesting. The second was a 3:58 and the heart rate was cycling up and down with the hills. The third, out and around the turn around and partially on grass, was a 4:05 but I upped the speed from there and ran the fourth in 4 minutes flat. The fifth, most of it after the last hill, was a disappointing 4:04 and so I covered he first 5 km in exactly 20 minutes.
The plan here was to up the speed now that the course had flattened out. Unfortunately the humidity, the hills and the gravel had just taken too much out of me and I could not get the pace back down below 4s. I went out to 4:08, 4:13, 4:23 but then I grit the teeth and just pushed. There was a flag at the 10 km mark - the turn around - and a prize for the runner who returned it. Now for the whole run, since the hills had settled, I had the second placed runner on my shoulder. I was determined to get the flag and saw the pace pick up as we got close. The ninth was back down to 4:13 and then the tenth a 4:09. I pulled away as we got to the turn, claimed the flag, and then he stopped for a drink and I was running solo. Then at the 10.5 km mark he was back on the shoulder. At that point I knew that he was going to pass me at some point.
We had a chat on the run back at times and the speed settled at around the 4:15 mark. I tried to push a little in the last 2 km but I was completely drained. I hit 4:13 pace in the 14th and then he pushed and tried to drag me with him for the last 500m. I had nothing and just couldn't go. In the end he crossed the line about 20m ahead. I crossed in 62:34 in second place. I was a little disappointed with the time but very happy that I didn't give up. In retrospect it was quite an effort as I soon found that I was extremely dehydrated. I became dizzy at the finish line and twice went off to find a seat. I found the super doopers though and started getting he fluids back in. I was presented with a great second place medallion and a $50 voucher for having the flag.
On reflection I am now in a great place to launch. I'm looking forward to some low humidity runs on the road and on the (relative) flat. There is a sub 60 15 km in the near future - I can feel it.
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