This year I have entered the half marathon at the Melbourne Marathon festival. I am addicted to running on the day now and did not get to finish my half marathon in the stadium. I will be really pushing for a new PB here - down close to the 84 minute mark!
Sunday September 11th to Sunday September 18th
After the 100th, the second birthday, a big day at the local footy and then the parkrun birthday dinner I hadn't put a lot of thought into my Sunday run so I went out to run the Desal trail. I parked at Williamsons Beach and ran around the trail to the east of Lower Powlett road to get warmed up. I was at 5 minute pace right from the start and ran the third in 4:42 as I got to the start of the big loop (toilet block). I put the foot down around the big loop, to have a crack at the Strava segment, and surprised myself to record a 4:10 for the fourth. I did a good job of holding that pace around the loop, running the 4.7 km segment in 19:53 (averaging 4:12 pace). The eighth kilometre was a 4:05. I eased up and ran back to the east loop, running the whole 1.7 km circuit and then returning back on the trail to Williamsons beach. All up I averaged 4:29 pace for the 11.3 km run, running for just on 51 minutes.
The rain started coming down on Sunday night and kept falling all through the night and Monday morning - so I stayed in bed and listened to the rain instead of running on Monday morning. It stopped in the afternoon, however, and I got to have a nice run at the Roadrunners intervals, covering 11.1 km. I started with a warm-up run through and then peaked at 4:03 pace in the second (warm up) interval. I hit the same speed in the third interval - but held it longer and peaked there twice. The next interval saw a 3:33 peak early and then I settled at about 3:40 pace. I jogged through the next interval and then put in a hot lap - running a 1.5 km loop on the interval at the start and end and looping through the school grounds and Sherwood court. My pace through there was down around 4 minute pace through much of the hot lap. I finished with two more intervals. The first of them had a late peak - most peaks are early on this course (due to the rise in the middle) - of 3:38. I really put in some effort on the final interval, peaking at 3:15 pace and holding the entire interval under 3:30 pace. I pushed the distance out to 11 km while cooling down. I averaged 4:48 pace for the session and ran for just over 53 minutes.
The rain began again soon after the intervals ended and it rained through the night, stopping before dawn. I was thinking about not running and the body was a little sore when lying in bed but the rain had stopped so I got up. I rubbed heat into the back and hips, stretched and then set off at an easy pace. I started with a 5:28 kilometre and got down to 5 minute pace in the third. I stayed around the 5 minute mark for most of the run, but ran the eighth in 4:53 and eased back over 5 minutes for the ninth. It was a good run and the soreness went away. I covered 9 km in 46 minutes, averaging 5:06 pace.
It rained again through Tuesday and into Wednesday morning. I had the alarm set to get up for a run but it was raining so I turned it off and dozed until the second alarm went off. So Wednesday ended up as a rest day.
With the rain now gone I was up nice and early for my Thursday morning run. I was going to be working back at school with parent/teacher interviews so I was determined to get in a longer run in the morning. I ran into town and then out on the rail trail and around the Guide Park. It was a slow start but I ran the third kilometre in 4;43. I pulled it back a bit but put in another 4:43 for the sixth. It was pretty much a hard slog - as often happens after a day off. The pace was up and down but the ninth was a 4:33, with 4:41s either side. I finished with a 4:31 in the eleventh and then eased up on the road home. My average pace was 4:49 for the 11.6 km run. I ran for just on 56 minutes.
I was out and running across North Wonthaggi on Friday morning. I was running at around 5:15 pace in the two kilometre warm up but then put on some pace. The third and fourth were around the 4:50 mark and I sped up some more. A 4:40 for the fifth, followed by a 4:30, a 4:22 and a 4:21 in the eighth. It was a steady increase in speed. I ran for right on 40 minutes, averaging 4:46 pace for the 8.4 km run.
Saturday morning for my 101st parkrun and the goal was to try and get back under 19 minutes again. I hadn't been under the 19 since early August. I got there early and had a nice warm up, running a 4:28 for the third kilometre and having to pull back a bit. At the start I have a couple of boys in front of me and had to work my way past them. That set me on my way but I didn't feel like I was running that well - the legs were burning a bit. I pushed hard up the hill to the park and surprised myself with a 3:36 in the first - my fastest start in a long while. In retrospect it is not the best way to start - I went real fast right at the start, hitting sub 3 pace, and then decelerated from there. I run my best when I build into it. I was anxious for the fast start today but I just have to trust my ability to build into it. My second was a 3:44 and then a 3:47. I was trying to push at different points around the course but pretty much cooked myself too early. The fourth was a 3:52 as I rounded the last u-turn. I tried to push all through the last but just had nothing to give. The fifth was a 3:50 to finish with an official parkrun time of 18:52. After scanning my barcodes and a little stretch i ran back to meet Emma. She had her dog so I took the lead and then ran back along the beach. All up I covered 10.3 km in 44 minutes, averaging 4:19 pace.
On Sunday morning I drove out to Williamsons beach and ran along the beach to the Mouth of Powlett. I hit 5 minute pace as I got to the mouth and then a little quicker as I got up onto the road. I ran back to the Desal and headed off to the right. Instead of continuing around the track I ran in on the sandy track to explore, finding that it went in behind the caravan park and back to the mouth. When I got back to the track the pace picked up and I was running in the 4:30s around the tracks there. I worked my way back to Williamsons car park, covering 12 km at an average pace of 4:57, getting back in just under the hour.
Monday September 19th to Sunday September 25th
I took the morning off running on Monday as I had arranged to run a half marathon in the afternoon with Ari. I went out on the bike instead, my first cycle in 6 weeks. We had arranged to head off on our half at around 4:15 so that we could finish with the Intervals runners.We started with a 4:51 kilometre and then settled into some 5 minute pace. We ran around the western area, along the rail trail and back around the road. As we got back into town the pace quickened a little and we put in a few low 4:50s. We did slow towards the top of Cameron street but quickened again to sub 4:50 across the top of town and along the eastern rail trail. We pretty much held that pace all the way back to the Intervals, covering 16 km and leaving five to complete on the interval circuit. We chose to do the loop and I decided to try and put on some pace so I left Ari behind - he was running 20 km. My 17th was a 4:28 but my pace dropped off from there - 4:38, 4:35, 4:45, 4:50. I was a bit disappointed that I didn't have much to give at the end as I can usually keep upping the pace. I did run the half in 1:42:15 and, in retrospect, doing that afternoon run may have taken a toll. I had had a big day with a bit of physical work at home. I had never run an afternoon half before.
On Tuesday morning I drove back out to Williamsons beach to run at low tide. It was a real easy run. I was able to cover 9.7 km at an average of 5:22 pace. I followed up with another cycle later in the morning.
With Wednesday forecast to be a big rain day I wasn't sure if or when I'd get a run in. I was up and checked the radar and there was a heap of rain to the west but a nice gap so i set off to beat the rain. I was under 5 minute pace in the third kilometre and pretty much stayed at around 4:50 pace for a lot of the run. I was running quite comfortably and put a few hills into the run. I extended the town course out past 12 km, running 12.3 km in just over an hour. My average was 4:55 pace.
On Thursday morning I drove out to Inverloch for a run after breakfast - I usually run before breakfast. I was going to check out the temporary parkrun course - they are doing water works and have cut off some of the pathway - but the shire workers had a mulch truck on the path. I ran out towards the stump to where the path was cut off and then back. I then continued on the coastal track down behind the Bowling Club. I was at 5 minute pace right from the start and drifted under a fair bit. I slowed a bit on the way to Townsends Bluff and then up around it but I sped up to sub 4:40 pace after coming down and held it at that pace back through Inverloch. My average pace was 4;41 for the 11 km run, running for just under 53 minutes.
After the run I sat in my car reading a book, waiting to meet Heather for lunch. It wasn't a great move as I really stiffened up and felt it in my lower back all afternoon. I was quite stiff as I started preparing for the Headlampers run on Thursday evening. I rubbed a bit of heat into my back and hips and headed out to cape Paterson with Heather. I ran at the back of the pack early and took a while to warm into it. We were running the first loop at just under 6 minute pace. Later in the loop I started to run some extra back and forth and picking up speed. I ran the fifth in 5:05. Two runners dropped off for the second loop and the pace was quicker, at around 5:30 or better. I stayed with the group and was starting to feel quite good. Towards the end I started running quite smoothly and I ran the eleventh in 5:05 with a nice fast stride out right at the end. The average pace was 5:30 and I covered just on 11 km.
As I cooled I stiffened, particularly in the right hip. I got an ice pack and sat on it to ice the right hip. At one point I stretched my left leg out and and the knee made a real loud click. After that all the stiffness disappeared. I'm not sure if it was the ice, the knee click or both.
With 65 km already for the week (since Monday) I only needed a shorter run on friday morning to be on target for my 80 km (I will run 8km at parkrun and Sunday will be a day off), so I set out on an 8km course around North Wonthaggi. I was on pace early with a 5:13 in the warm up and under 5 minute pace in the second. I held the pace and was running nice and comfortably. I was harassed by one magpie on the way but it was an otherwise good run. I put the foot down a bit as I was nearing home, running a 4:26 in the eighth. I averaged 4:50 pace for the 8.6 km run and pulled up quite well. After a short rest I followed up with another shortish cycle.
I have now run for the past nine days straight, covering 116 km in 10 runs. I'll run a tenth day and then have a day off.
We had a shortened course at Inverloch parkrun on Saturday morning due to some works cutting off the path. So for the next 5 weeks or so we have to run 3 repetitions of a 1,67 km course - starting and finishing at Rainbow Park. I ran out to the Angling club for my warm up and then returned along Bayview avenue. I wanted to build into the run a bit more this week but it did end up being a fast start, running the first kilometre in 3:40. I spent that distance chasing down two faster starters. I spent the second kilometre pushing to stay in front. I ran the second in 3:50 and then started to pull away but kept slowing at the same time. The run had a very interesting profile and looked like a whole lot of short intervals - speeding up and slowing down the whole way. I ran the third in 3:55 and then the fourth in 3:57. I had a fair lead at this stage and ran through the line a bit short of the 5 km on the watch. I recorded a 3:59 for the fifth. My official parkrun time was a 19:10 and all up I covered 8.2 km in just under 36 minutes and averaged 4:22 pace.
On Saturday afternoon it was the Gippsland League grand final at Moe and, with Leongatha playing - and losing in a shock - it was a massive day. I got home at around 9pm. The next morning we left for the Melbourne Show at 7am and it was another massive day. We clocked up about 10 km of walking and got home at around 10 pm. So there was no time for a run on Sunday but that had already been built into the plan.
Monday September 26th to Sunday October 2nd
I was back out on the road after breakfast on Monday morning. I made a reasonable start and was under 5 minute pace in the third kilometre. It was hard work though and I could really feel the effects of the sugar and the junk food from the previous day. I ran a 4;45 in the fifth and then slowed for the next couple. I noticed that my heart rate was up by about ten beats per minute on where it would normally be on a similar paced run. Possibly the effects of the bad fuel in the system. I got back to 4:45 pace for the ninth and held it there for the rest of the run. I covered 12.3 km, averaging 4:52 pace in just on an hour of running.
I was back out running at the weekly Monday interval session before tea. After about 2.5 km of warm up I ran my first interval, peaking at a subdued 4:28. The next interval peaked at 3:53 and I was starting to get warm. My third peaked at 3:28 and then I peaked at 3:10 in the fourth. My garmin watch played up around this stage and I lost 700 m of the run. My fifth interval peaked at 2:57 pace and then I went all out in the sixth but it only peaked at 2:59 pace. I had pretty heavy legs through much of the run, due to the big current workload. All up I covered 11.4 km in just under 56 minutes. My average pace was 4:54 pace. So I had covered 23.7 km for the day.
On Tuesday morning I had to drop my car in for a service so the plan was to run home. I set off around the town block, completing one loop before heading home. The pace was above 5 minute pace for the first three kilometres - but I was not interested in pushing it as the body was a little sore. As I warmed up though the pace quickened with the fifth run in 4:50. The sixth went across the top of the town and then I was on my way home. I ran the ninth in 4:44 - the quickest for the run - and eased up in the last to cover the 10 km in just under 50 minutes. I followed up with a cycle later in the morning.
I received my new pair of runners - a slight change on the past three years with a pair of Adizero (they were on a big special). So on Wednesday morning I put them on ready for a shorter run. I had woken and stretched ok in the morning but had decided to make a chiropractor appointment later in the week for a tune up. Unfortunately as I was ready to start my hip really stiffened up. It was just after putting on the runners but I am not sure that was the cause. I rubbed in some heat, stretched well and then set off on a 7 km course. I felt slow early but was up to some good pace right from the start, running the first in 5:03. The second was a 4:46 and then I was down to the 4:30s, and i was running quite comfortably with a lowish heart rate. My heart rate didn't hit the 150s until the sixth kilometre. I ran home strongly, running at 4:29 in the seventh, running up and over the home hill. I covered the 7 km in 33:02, averaging 4:41 pace.
The hip was stiff as it started cooling so I iced it. I also rang the chiropractor for an appointment but, with Friday a public holiday, choices were limited and I ended up in there later in the morning. Neil worked on my back and "released" my feet, which he suggested will help with the hips. Later in the day heather and I walked over Cape Woolamai, covering 8 km.
Having reached the 300 km mark for September on Wednesday's run there wasn't a pressing need for big kilometres. The goal for the week was 80 km and with the taper for Melbourne early in October I decided to have a light Thursday and Friday and then load up in the first four days of October. So I didn't run on Thursday morning but had the slow Headlampers run in the evening. The first half of the run was mostly slower than 6 minute pace. We did quicken up in the second half though and ended with an average pace of 5:58. We ran 10.3 km in just under 62 minutes.
As planned I took the day off running on Friday. I thought about a cycle but never went in the end. I did a little bit of work outside but generally had a lazy day. My body feels reasonably fresh - we'll just have to see how it warms up at parkrun.
In September 2013 I was coming off the back of my first ever 150 km month and tapering for the Murray Bridge HPV race. We started the month in Streaky Bay on the south west coast of South Australia.with a nice fast 10 km run, completed in under 45 minutes. It was my third fastest at the time. I followed up with a 5 km run the next day and I was also doing a lot of cycling at the same time. In Port Lincoln I ran a solid 8 km run on the fourth and followed up with 9 km the next day. There was a nice solid hill up to the caravan park in Port Lincoln. I was putting in some real solid runs, averaging around 4:30 to 4:40 pace and running distances just under the 10 km. I ran in Port Augusta and Port Pirie and then put in two real fast runs at Christies beach - south east of Adelaide city. Then we went into the city for a few days - we had gone to the southern beaches first so that I would be in Adelaide for the weekend with parkrun on Saturday and the fun run on Sunday morning.
On the fourteenth I ran at Torrens parkrun. It was a great course and, with recent fast training runs, I was ready to capitalise. It was a nice run with the pace up and down a bit on the rise and falls of the river course. I crossed the line and stopped the watch in under 20 minutes - my first ever sub 20! Unfortunately I stopped the watch at 4.99 km and missed recording it as my best 5 km time. The next morning was the Adelaide City to Sea run. It was massive and I got a good spot near the front of the pack. I had run from the caravan park with a 2.3 km warmup. It was a real fast start and I settled in at sub 4:10 pace for the first 5 km. A feature of the run was that there is a 6 km & 3 km run too and they start along the way after the other runners have run through - so the crowds on route are massive at the half and three quarter marks. I got through the ten in a new PB of 42:13 and then ran the 12 km in 51:14, averaging 4:14 pace.
From Adelaide we went to Goolwa and then to Murray Bridge. The next few runs were still solid but the pace was just a touch slower. I ran a solid 9 km run on Thursday 19th in Murray Bridge but then spent the weekend concentrating on the Murray Bridge race. The 24 hour team event ran from 1pm Saturday to 1pm Sunday. In my first ride I was able to keep going for 90 minutes in the middle of the day. My fitness and strength were at a new high. We crossed back into Victoria after Murray Bridge and my next run was on the Tuesday 24th under the giant koala at Dadswells Bridge. I ran some hills at Macedon on the very last leg of the trip. We got home on September 26th and I went out that afternoon to fly around my 6 km course. I rounded out the month with four local runs, covering 32 km to get up to the 150 km mark for the second time in a month. There were a lot of quite quick runs for the month and I averaged 4:33 pace for the 150 km in 20 runs.
Back in 2016 and Saturday morning was parkrun morning. It was cool and had been wet and I got wet right at the end of my warm up run. I ran a 2.8 km warm up in my new Adizero runners. I started to get some left foot pain so I changed them while Briefing was on. I felt ready to go at the start and was determined to ease into a good pace. I took off and hit a fast pace on the first section and then basically decelerated through the whole 5 km. I had a runner right on my tail from the start, running a 3:46 for the first. That wasn't enough to push me along and I ran a 3:51 for the second. I just had no energy at all and my third was a 4 flat. Nothing in the fifth, running a diabolical 4:05. I pushed hard at the last turn but the pace just wasn't there. The other runner pulled out and ran past me like I was standing still. I had nothing to go with him and finished with a 4:01. For the second week we ran the shortened course - with 6 u-turns, and I didn't register 5 km on the watch until I was well past the line. As such I recorded a parkrun time of 19:25. I jogged out and met Emma and then made the distance up to 9 km, averaging 4:33 pace for 41 minutes of running.
I went out for a second Saturday run - to get my distance up early in October. It was only a short run so I went hard from the start. I was at 4:36 pace in the second and held it there as I ran into town. As I got inside the last two kilometres I pushed hard and covered the sixth in 4:12. I pushed through the last 700 m, up the hill and covered the 6.7 km averaging 4:34 pace, with just under 31 minutes of running. I then showered and settled in for the afternoon watching the AFL grand final.
I was after a nice solid run on Sunday and had Bill and Jason come out with me. We ran out towards Harmers Haven, aiming for around 4:45 pace. The first kilometre (up hill) wasn't real quick but we were into sub 4:50 pace from the second. We maintained good pace all the way out to Harmers and then turned onto the stones of Berry's road and the Old Boiler road. As often happens at that point we slowed and the seventh was a 5:20. I pushed a little to get the pace back under 5 minute pace. The northerly had blown up a little while and we were running into it on the way back. As we hit town I was running nicely and decided to pick up the pace and see what happens. Bill and Jason went with it for a bit but I did gradually pull away. My twelfth was a 4:39 and then I put in a 4:22 up and over the back of Bilson street. I really found some great speed coming down to Graham street and held it along there all the way back to the Guide Park. My fourteenth was a 4:01, quicker than my average speed in the last three at parkrun on the Saturday. I came out of the run well but I did ice the sore spot under my foot. I did so again later in the day when I put it in rock pools out at the beach.
Monday October 3rd to Sunday October 9th
Back to work on Monday so it was an early 6 am start to get my run in. It was back to dark with daylight savings starting on the weekend too. It had rained a fair bit overnight and there was water lying everywhere, but it had stopped by the time I was starting. I felt good early but the first was still a 5:19 - it felt faster than that. I was running 4:1 intervals, easy for 4 minutes then a hard minute. The first two were not that hard but I did peak at 3:55 pace in the second. The following intervals were all a bit pedestrian, peaking at 4:16, 4:09 and 4:04 pace respectively. I got down to 4:01 pace in the sixth interval. Inside the last 2 km I decided to have a real crack at the next interval along Wentworth road. I pushed hard and held it under 3:50 pace for a good time, peaking at 3:39 pace. In the final interval, down towards Oates road I pushed again, peaking this one at 3:44 pace. I ran in the front gate at just under 9 km and ran through to get that distance. I had been running for right on 43 minutes and averaged 4:46 pace. Again I iced the left foot after the run. It seems I have a bruised tendon under the foot. I suspect I strained it slightly when running after the chiropractor adjusted my feet. It is not a real issue though.
The wind really built up during the day, from the west, and a rain storm went through as I was driving home - but I went to intervals all the same. There were only three of us there battling the cold wind. I ran 2 km of warm up before my first interval, peaking at 3:52 pace in that first one. I hit 3:42 pace the next time around with both of the first two peaking early and then dropping away. The third interval was a slow starter - an afterthought - peaking at only 4:11 pace. I decided to have a go in the final two with the first of them fast early and peaking at 3:27 pace. In the final interval I peaked early again, but it was nice and fast at 3:09 pace. I then held the interval below 3:40 pace most of the way. The cool down took me through to 8 km, running for 39 and a half minutes and averaging 3:55 pace. I iced the foot again after tonight's run.
Even though the running load over the previous three days had been high my body felt good enough on Tuesday morning - the morning of my 50th birthday - to complete the set with a progression run. I was down to 5 minute pace pretty early and running sub 4:50 in the third. The sixth was a 4:35 and I was running really well. The seventh was a 4:27 and then I finished with a two kilometres at 4:15 pace. It was a real solid run, averaging 4:38 pace over the nine km. Later in the morning Heather and I drove to Wilsons Promontory where we went on a few walks, walking around 10 km all up.
I took the day off on Wednesday. I will now start to wind it back to freshen up for Melbourne.
I was back out there for a short sharp run on Thursday morning. I was a little rusty early and had to warm into it, starting with a 5:21. I was running sub 4:50 pace in the second and starting to move nicely. I clocked a 4:24 for the third but then felt a slight soreness in the bottom of the left foot - same as in the past week or so. I stopped pushing and held it at 4:30 pace but the sore spot went as quick as it came so the speed was back on. I put in a 4:08 in the fifth and then finished - including the home hill - with a 4:02. In the short 6 km run I had averaged 4:33 pace, even with the slow start.
After work on Thursday i was hosting a Headlampers run out on the Desal tracks. We actually ran faster than usual and the early pace was around the 5:40 mark. We ran a 3 km loop that ventured across to the other side of Lower Powlett road and then back to the start. Then we set out on the bigger 5 km loop with the pace quickening to low 5:20s on on the more sheltered side as we ran back. Then we finished with another shorter loop to get the run over the 10 km mark, running 10.3 km in just over 58 minutes. We averaged 5:38 pace. The weather was perfect by Thursday afternoon and when we finished at 7pm it was still sunny and felt like a nice summer evening.
Friday was a second day off for the week.
On Saturday morning we were running on the more repetitive temporary course for the third week. There are six u-turns in the course so it is basically seven hard pushes all from zero speed. It is hard work. I ran my usual 3 km warm up and then was ready to go. Determined not to kill myself early I felt much more controlled in my early acceleration. I pushed hard out of each u-turn and then eased before finding settled speed again. On review I saw that I basically followed this pattern all seven times. My first kilometre was a 3:48, slightly slower than what I had hoped for. I pushed hard in the second and, for the first time in a while, actually ran a faster second kilometre, clocking a 3:46. It is a boring run and hard to maintain focus and the third dropped off to a 3:51. The fourth was even worse at 3:56. I pushed really hard out of the final turn and crossed the line in 19:02. For the third week I had to run through to clock the 5 km and my fifth was a 3:51. I covered 8 km in 34:40, averaging 4:18 pace. This was my first run in the new age group and I was only 30 seconds outside the age group record.
On Sunday morning I went out to the Desal plant, parked in the car park and set off on a run around the loops there. I set off across Lower Powlett road and on the smaller loop there. I was on pace early with a couple of kilometres just over 5 minute pace and then the third at 4:42. I met up with Bill 5 km in and u-turned to run with him. I was more than half way around the big loop and ran back to the car park with him. The pace was just under 5 minute pace when running with Bill. After the car park Bill continued on a second lap of the big loop while I ran another small loop over the road again. I finished strongly running the tenth in 4:41 and the eleventh in 4:29. Overall I ran 11.6 km in 56 minutes and averaged 4:50 pace. I followed up with a 20 km cycle later in the morning.
Monday October 10th to Saturday October 15th
Taper week. The plan this week is to run around 30 km and have some rest days for the body to recover. I plan to have a two day break (72 hours off running) on Tuesday and Wednesday, have a couple of runs on Thursday / Friday and another rest day on Saturday. I haven't had a two day break since City to Surf.
On Monday morning it was an effort to get out of bed but I got up and stretched. Before running I rubbed some heat into my slightly stiff back and shoulders. It worked a treat. I started with a slowish warm up and then ran either side of 5 minutes in each of the second and third kilometres. It started raining on me in town and the pace quickened to 4:35 pace for the fifth and sixth. I was running nicely and put in a 4:26 for the seventh before easing off. I averaged 4:48 pace for the 8.39 km run.
I went off to intervals after work on Monday. I ran with TOC at an easy pace for 3.7 km before running my first interval. I maxed at 4:05 pace twice in the interval, slowing as I went over the hill. I peaked at 3:32 pace in the second interval and then at 3:51 pace late in the third. My final interval peaked early at 3:22 pace, slowed to 3;37 and then had a second peak at 3:27 pace. Intervals were into a stiff wind tonight but this one felt fast. Unbelievable I clocked the exact same distance as the morning run at 8.39 km. I ran for just under 43 minutes and averaged 5:07 pace.
I slept in on Tuesday morning and never ran. The body feels good but will do well for the rest.
Another sleep in on Wednesday morning. My body felt like it was craving a run as I went off to work. On Tuesday and Wednesday I was able to really work on my core stretching with some real solid sessions.
Wednesday was 2 years to the day since the 2014 Half at Melbourne Marathon. As such I took the time to reflect on that race and this weeks. On looking back I only ran the one sub 4 minute kilometre then - my goal was to finish ahead of the 90 minute Pacer. The second was a 3:58 and then I settled into some real low 4 minute pace. I ran a 4:10 in the ninth and then quickened in the tenth - i suspect that was when I ate a gel. From there times started to "blow out" to just under 4:20 pace. My finishing time was 1:27:43 - well under the goal time - so I was extremely happy with the result. This year my goal will to be to run as many sub 4s as possible. I want to get the first 15 run in under the hour and then just push as hard as I can from there - probably expecting to drop a little bit of time. That is close to what I achieved at the Traralgon Half Marathon in 2015.
Another sleep in on Thursday and I got in another good core muscle session before work. During the afternoon I got up from my desk one time and felt a muscle pull in the middle of my back. It stiffened a little and I rubbed heat in before my afternoon run. After work Heather and I went out to Cape Paterson for the weekly Headlampers run. It is usually a slow paced run but I needed a nice paced run so I ran 750 m in the opposite direction - around the coast road towards Inverloch - and then ran back to chase after the group. I was on pace from the start putting in a 4:46 and then holding the pace. I got in 5 km before I got to the group and then ran up towards Seaward drive (from Second Surf) at a slower pace with the group. Emma dropped off to go home so I went with her and then chased the group again. I ran the last kilometre in 4:48 catching and then running past the group to cover 8.1 km. My average pace was 4:58, running for just over 40 minutes. It was good to get out and run again after a 71 hour break. The body feels nice and fresh though.
On Friday morning I got up early - it was 4 degrees and clear outside, a crisp Spring morning. It was my last run before the Half at Melbourne. I stretched - the back felt ok and there was no need for heat. I set off on my 6 km course feeling quite fresh and consciously picked up the pace half way through the warm up kilometre. I ran the first in 4:52 and then pushed a little harder. The second was a 4:29 and the third a 4:23. It was smooth and feeling good. The plan was to just go for it in the fifth and see what I had. I ran the fourth in 4:15 and then really put the foot down. I was feeling it in the chest but the breathing was good. I surprised myself with a 3:47 - much quicker than the sub 4 I was "hoping" for. I had been going to pull up in the sixth but decided to just keep pushing and see what I could follow up with. It wasn't really hurting so it felt right to keep pushing. I ran up and over the home hill and in the gate then registered a 3:56 to finish. I ran the 6 km in 25:51, averaging 4:17 pace. I stretched down but pulled up feeling quite fresh still. After my shower there was still heaps of bounce in the legs. It was great to string two really fast kilometres together. I have been struggling with my confidence lately so this has given me a huge boost. Bring on Sunday!!!!!
Saturday morning I was up and off to parkrun at Inverloch - but it was a day off running and I volunteered as photographer. After parkrun Heather and I drove into the city. We checked out the Melbourne Marathon expo and collected our gifts. Then to our apartment to check in before visiting Matt. We had tea at the Spaghetti Tree and caught up with some other Road Runners there.
Sunday October 16th - 2016 Melbourne Marathon Festival - Half Marathon
It was up bright and early after an early night on Saturday. We walked over to the MCG and dropped off our bags. I left Heather and Matt - who were running the 10 km - and went for my warm up. I ran around the outside of the MCG and in Yarra park, over the bridge and then to Batman Avenue. I stopped a number of times to stretch. All felt great. I covered 2.7 km in just under 14 minutes. I got to the start line to see Heather and Matt head off.
I caught up with Ari at the start line and we set off together. The push up Batman hill was into the wind and I was running pretty relaxed in Flinders street. The first kilometre was a 4:00 flat so I put the foot down a bit in St Kilda road. I followed up with a 3:50, 3:55, 3:54 and 3:58 down St Kilda road and then a 3:55 around Fitzroy street. I ran my first 5 km in 19:37 and was right on track, but then the wind hit us along the lake. I managed to hold it at 3:59 but then blew out to a 4:11 and a 4:18 (in the ninth). I ate my gel and simultaneously reached the top of the lake to get the wind behind me but I never really recovered from that - too many negative thoughts. My tenth was a 4:07 (wind behind me now!) and I had run the second 5 km split in 20:30. My 10 km time was 40:07.
I followed up with a 4:12 and a 4:19 but this is where I really started to struggle - mentally as much as physically. My thirteenth was a 4:24 and then I ran a 4:27 and a 4:30. I had just taken 21:52 to run the third 5 km split. At this point I was working my way up St Kilda road - it just keeps going on forever!!! - and I was starting to be over taken quite a bit. I started to run with those over taking me for as long as possible each time and started to get the kilometre times down again. My sixteenth was a 4:23 and I held the pace for another and then a 4:15 as I ran around the back of the Arts Centre. Under the Arts Centre my Garmin watch lost it's satellite link and so it recorded a short kilometre (by about 400m). My twentieth was a 4:15 and then we hit the foot bridge. I pushed hard at the start - overtaking a few - but lost pace as I neared the top. I hit some great pace on the way down (3:45 pace at it's peak) and ran the 21st in 4:24. I didn't find any great pace around the MCG but it was great to get in under 90 minutes - as at the 15 km point it seriously looked like a real big blow out. I was well outside my PBs but the conditions were hard - I suspect most runners lost 2 minutes per 10 km with the wind and warm air.
My official time was 1:29:23. I caught up with Heather and Matt after the run and did an extensive stretch down. I seem to have come out of it quite well.
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Almost 21 km in with Brunton Ave to go |
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