With the half marathon at Gold Coast thew feature event for the year I spent time tossing up whether to run a fast 10 km at Traralgon, or to run a solid half marathon as a dress rehearsal. In the end I decided on the half marathon.
Monday May 1st to Sunday May 7th
I was exhausted after the Great Train Race and slept really well on Sunday night. I stayed in bed on Monday morning. After getting home on Sunday I had sore glutes from sitting in the car - so I rubbed deep heat into the glutes, quads and hamstrings before having my shower.
On Monday, after work, I raced out to Inverloch to fit the Interval session in before the rain started. I ran a warm up interval hitting a peak of 4:01 pace on the speed section. I then ran out to the boat ramp to have a look at the massive tide and then ran back on the interval course and peaked at 3:06 pace on the reverse speed interval - with the wind behind me. At the other end I kept running out to Screw Creek to check out the tide there. Through the camping area I ran four short intervals between the speed humps there. My peak paces were 3:37, 3:53, 4:03 and 4:08 (an interesting drop off). I ran out to Screw Creek and then repeated the short intervals on the way back. Into the wind my peak speeds were; 4:10, 3:55, 4:04 and 4:24. I was struggling to sustain repeat efforts, still weary from Puffing Billy. On the interval course I peaked the speed interval at 3:52 pace and then peaked the reverse interval at 3:12 pace. I then ran out and back, picking up the pace and then ran a fast kilometre along the full interval course. I ran the seventh kilometre in 3:53. I followed up with a reverse interval that peaked at 3;28 pace. I ran another set of double-up intervals with peak speeds of 3:50 and 3:25 pace. The final set peaked at 4:14 and 3:54 pace. I then ran a cool down lap to complete 10 km. My average pace was 4:42 pace, running for 47 minutes.
After running late on Monday - and still feeling it from Puffing Billy - I decided to lie in on Tuesday and have the day off.
It was freezing on Wednesday morning - well not quite, but pretty cold - as I set out on my Wednesday longer run. I took forever to warm up, still feeling clunky in the third kilometre. The first two were 5:14s but I did start to speed up in the third. I ran the fifthy in 4:34 and was starting to move well - but I do need to find my running gloves. The seventh and eighth were run at 4:26 pace and then the last two around 4:20 pace. I covered 10 km in just over 47 minutes, averaging 4:41 pace.
I never ran on Thursday morning either as I had to get to Melbourne for a PD session for work. We went out for the Headlampers run after work, meeting at the hospital and setting out on a 7 km loop. I ran at pace and ran a fair bit of back and forth to pick up the other runners. As such my pace was a bit up and down. Over the distance I actually ran 11.5 km at an average of 4:40 pace. It ended up a pretty solid run.
Friday was another day off. I had planned to run shorter on Thursday evening and back up with a short run on Friday, but after the solid Thursday run I decided on another recovery day.
Saturday morning had some pretty nice running conditions for parkrun. My warmup was underwhelming but I did increase in speed and finished with a 4:20. At parkrun start I just eased into the run. I was out front and, about 800 out, I found I had silent runner on my tail. My first kilometre was a sluggish 4:02 so I decided I needed to lift the pace. My second was a 3:49. I lost the other runner and then he picked me up again. I ran a 3:50 for the third and then lost him again but he picked me up again. My fourth was a 3:55 and he was right on my tail. I pushed out of the last turn, deciding that if he was going to beat me he would have to run hard. I pushed all the way back, running a 3:42 to record a 19:15 and a 3 second first placing. It was my 50th parkrun first placing - with 49 at Inverloch and one at Lalor.
On Sunday morning the running group had a 4 hour session with the Dineen Runners. It was interesting and, mostly, re-affirming. After the session I raced home for a sandwich and then drove to the Guide Park for my May half marathon. I ran the rail trail - into the south westerly wing outbound, to Mouth of Powlett road and then down to the Powlett bridge. My pace was quite consistent, around the high 4:30s. My best was a 4:33 in the third - with the protection of the trees on the early part of the trail. When I hit the trail again, after returning from the bridge, I had the wind over my shoulder. I tried to quicken the pace but was also starting to feel quite fatigued. My thirteenth was a 4:36 but then I found it hard to get under 4:40 pace again. When I got to 20 km I really pushed hard and ran the 21st in 4:36. I ran the half in around 1 hour 38 and finished on 21.2 km in 1:38:29, with an average of 4:39 pace. I met my pace goal but it was a real hard run - not helped by the soft rail trail surface after overnight rain. I drove home and downed a can of Sunkist to get some sugar in the system. I then ran a nice warm bath and soaked for a good while.
Monday May 8th to Sunday May 14th
I was a little sore through Monday, having rested in the morning. I came out of the half marathon with a tight right hamstring and spent time rolling the right quad to treat it. I went to intervals after work and mixed up the run there. My best interval was on the third out (reverse interval) which peaked at 3:37 pace. For the fifth out and back I ran a hard kilometre, running with Kate who was running one km repeats at 4 minute pace. My fifth kilometre was a 4:08. I covered 8.1 km in 38 minutes and averaged 4:42 pace.
On Tuesday morning I was stiff and sore but got up and set out on a slow paced recovery run. It was slow - a 5:38 and then a 5:20 to start. I was under 5 minute pace from the third as I started to loosen up. Four kilometres at that pace and then I was able to open up a little near the end. I finished with a 4:46 and then got to 4:40 pace in the eighth. I averaged 5:01 pace for the 8.3 km run. I followed up the run with a short session hitting the punching bag for cardio work.
I was out again on Wednesday morning, this time running a 4:1 interval run. The recovery run had worked well and I felt good from the start. I peaked at 4:02 pace in the first interval and ran the first kilometre in 4:59. In the next few intervals I peaked at 3:49, 3:53 and then a 3:21 - my best interval for the run. On the return I ran intervals with peaks of 3:50. 3:41, 3:40 and 3:32. I then pushed hard for the tenth and finished with a 4:09. It was a nice solid 10 km run, averaging 4:33 pace in just under 46 minutes of running. I finished with another short boxing session.
I went out on Thursday morning for a short, sharp run on the six kilometre course. I was running it in three twos, with a progression every second kilometre. I ran the first two in 4:57 and 4:54 and then upped the pace. The third was a 4:19 and then I eased a little to run the fourth in 4:28. Then I pushed for the last two - finishing with a couple of 4:01s. I averaged 4:27 pace, running the 6 km run in 26:50. I then finished with my third boxing session in three days.
After work I went over to Leongatha to help out with footy training. At the end of the session I took the running session - the players have a weekend with out footy - three sets of 4 minutes with 15 seconds easy, 15 seconds at 70% and 15 seconds sprint and then repeat. I ran it with them and we covered 2800m in the 12 minutes. My top pace was 3:20 pace - the players were quicker. I rounded my run out to 3 km, averaging 4:15 pace and with 45 seconds extra running to get to the three.
Friday was a day off - after a sold six days running. I pulled up with the right hamstring a bit sore again after the footy training running.
On Saturday morning it was my 134th parkrun (116th at Inverloch). The warmup started well but I slowed in the second before a progression in the third. I finished at 4:25 pace and averaged 4:42 pace for the 3.2 km run. I did a lot of work on the right quad during briefing. At the start Grant and I went out reasonably hard. I had trouble getting my breathing right in the first kilometre but did get it sorted to run a 3:44. Grant was right with me at the turn. We ran the second together in 3:48, and then the third together in 3:53. I tried to push in the fourth - feeling the air flow with me - and managed to put on a break that had more to do with Grant slowing. My fourth was another 3:53. I had a gap at the last turn but pushed out of the turn. My pace was very much up and down in the last as I kept mentally getting myself to push. I finished with a 3:54 to record an official parkrun time of 19:17. My average pace was 3:50. I have definately slowed a touch with the longer distances but was happy with the pace today - and the fact that I help the last three kilometres. It was my 50th first placing at Inverloch - a special achievement for me.
On Sunday morning I was up early and out running at the Desal. I set out on the short loop (anti-clockwise) first, at just over 5 minute pace in the first kilometre. I was at 4:40 pace in the second and 4:29 in the third. I settled at just over 4:30 pace and was running nice and comfortably. I continued anti-clockwise around the big loop, most of the way around before turning back. I maintained the pace well, running back via the bird hide. I was trying to run ten but mis-calculated and ran 11.4 km at an average of 4:36 pace.
We were meant to then be doing the Mothers Day classic but Heather decided not to so I then chose to go for another run. Instead of just go back onto the loops I decided on a beach run because it was low tide. I went down to Williamsons Beach and started running to the Mouth of the Powlett. I had stiffened a little and ran the first in 4:51. My pace was up and down on the sand - with soft sections and hard wet sections. The Mouth is closed at the moment so I ran over the river course to click over 2 km. I ran back, averaging 4:43 pace for the 4 km run.
Monday May 15th to Sunday May 21st
I pulled up with more tightness in the right hamstring from the Sunday run - it never really went away after the Thursday run. I stayed in bed on Monday morning but went out to Intervals after work. I took the roller and a tube of Deep Heat out to intervals. I started with and extended walk and then skipped, walked, jogged with kick-ups for the first interval. I rolled my right quad a few times and massaged in the heat. I could feel a real tender spot on the right quad. I then set off for a few out and backs, quite conservatively. The first was run at 4:58 km - with a build to the end. I stopped then and stretched. I ran a 4:33 for the second with a good build out bound. The quad was feeling good so I went straight back out for the third, run in 4:46. I stopped and stretched again before finishing with another couple. These had some nice pace - and it was comfortable too. I finished with a 4:18 and a 4:27. I averaged 4:36 pace. At the end I stopped for an extended stretch and really rolled the right quad seriously. At home I massaged and showered before icing. I then put heat onto it - with a heat pack - just before bed.
I went out on Tuesday morning but it was real hard work. The hamstring was just so tight that I couldn't get any pace. The cold air didn't help either. I built up to 4:46 pace in the seventh but then slowed on the run home. I averaged 5 minute pace for the 8.2 km run.
I took a rest day on Wednesday. It wasn't planned ahead but I was just a bit too tight.
I went out for a short 6 km run on Thursday morning. I felt a bit better after lots of treatment earlier in the week. I was in the low 5s for the first 2 km. I ran the middle two in the mid 4:40s and then finished with a couple of 4:29s. I averaged 4:47 pace, running for just under 29 minutes.
I went to the chiropractor on Thursday afternoon. I have been seeing Neil on and off for thirty years now. He is a magician. We found all the issues - I damaged my back a bit a month ago moving a fallen tree around - and made the corrections.
I went out to the Desal after work to get in a run in daylight - instead of doing the later Headlampers run. I ran a reasonable easy 10 km run, not really wanting to push it. The hamstring was already noticably looser but I have to strengthen the quad again. I averaged 4:47 pace for the 10.2 km run. The sunset was amazing through the run. I finished in almost-dark.
I went out for a rare Friday morning run on the six kilometre course. I was running a progression, starting with a 5:18 and then a 5:02. I ran the middle two in mid 4:40s and then finished with a couple of kilometres at 4:20 pace. I averaged 4:45 pace for the 6 km run. At the moment I am also doing a boxing bag session as part of the cool down.
Saturday morning was parkrun and I started with my usual warm up. It was very, very slow early on but I did accelerate through the 3.2 km run. I averaged 4:48 pace, finishing with some run in the mid 4:20s. I went out easy when parkrun started, running with Michelle in the first 2 km. The first was a 3:49 but the second was a slowish 4:05. I pushed off at the start of the third and ran a 4 minutes flat for it. The fourth was a 4:02 - it was a real struggle. I made the last turn and then pushed with everything I had. My fifth was a 4;47 to run a 19:47 parkrun time. I averaged 3:57 pace.
On Sunday morning we had our second Road Runners handicap race. I went out early to get in a good run to get some k's up. It was a real slow start with a 5:32 and a 5:14. From there I warmed up and stepped up the pace. I ran back through the town and out to the surf beach, before running back on Surf Parade. My sixth kilometre was a 4:25 and I was moving quite well. I was able to lift my average pace to 4:47 pace for the 7.6 km run. I was well and truly warmed up. I was the back marker in the handicap. My start was ok but the warm up and runs on Saturday and Friday were taking a toll. I started with a 4 minute kilometre and then put the foot down. My second was a 3:56 but then I slowed at the turn to put in a 4:03 for the third. My fourth was a 4:06 and my fifth a 4:07. It was a real battle. I came in 14th out of the 15 runners. I averaged 4:02 pace.
After lunch I went out for another short run - I have the longest run coming up in three weeks and this was some conditioning. I went out to the Desal and set off anti-clockwise around the short loop. My pace was quite nice from the start at 4:49 for the first kilometre. I then progressed to 4:40 and then 4:15. I ran out to the bird hide and turned there. My fourth was a 4:22 and then the fifth a 4:34. I ran 5.5 km and averaged a very solid 4:32 pace. The hamstring is really improving and I recovered well from the run. In the past 4 days I have run on eight occasions.
Monday May 22nd to Sunday May 28th
I started the week with a short sharp run before work. I ran the 6 km course in 27 minutes, averaging 4:31 pace. I started at 4:55 pace in the first and gradually progressed to 4:12 pace for the fifth and then ran the sixth in 4:06.
I was running again out at Intervals, after work. I was sore early and hoping to get through five intervals. The first two intervals were pretty subdued, getting to around 4:15 pace each time. The third hit 4:07 pace and then the fourth got to 3:49 pace. I was starting to feel good and think about running eight intervals. I really pushed in the fifth and peaked at 3:15 pace. I peaked at 3:13 pace in the sixth and then had a 3:19 peak in the seventh. At this point I decided to get past 10 km. I was tiring by the eighth interval, peaking at 3:26 pace and peaked at 3:34 pace in the ninth, and final, hard interval. I ran a tenth loop with some good pace around the 4:15 mark for most of it. All up I covered 10.3 km in 46:46 and averaged 4:32 pace.
I decided to take Tuesday morning off and sleep a little longer.
On Wednesday I like to try and get in a 10 km run. I decided to go for 13 km this week to get a longer run in leading to Traralgon. It was a slow start but I was sub 5 minute pace in the second and third. It was pretty easy for the first half and then I got quicker than 13 km/h after the turn home. The tenth was a 4:29, as I returned to bitumen. I slowed in the eleventh but then finished with a couple of 4:26s. I covered 13.4 km in just over 63 minutes, averaging 4:43 pace.
I was out again on Thursday morning, running a fartlek run to get some speed in there. Again it was a slow start but I soon picked it up and ran a fast section, hitting 4:15 pace inside the second kilometre - down Wentworth road. I hit 3:45 pace in White road and then eased it back. I ran a couple of short intervals down McKenzie street and then hit 3:48 pace just after turning onto Poplar street. I ran a longer fast spell through the length of the Graham street shopping strip, peaking at 3:26 pace. I got through there in under 90 seconds, averaging 3:54 pace for the segment. On the run home I ran another good interval back up on the top end of Wentworth road, peaking at 3:35 pace. I eased it home, averaging 4:36 pace for the 8.3 km run.
I doubled-up again on Thursday. With rain on the way I skipped the Headlampers run, getting out earlier and beating the rain and darkness. I ran out at the Desal on an out-and-back run. My pace was good, all the way around and I averaged 4:36 pace for the 8.8 km run. I pulled up well from the run. My body is really coping well with the build this week.
I took a rest day - leading into parkrun - again this Friday.
My parkrun warmup was pretty good, starting slow but building quickly. I covered 3.1 km in under 15 minutes, averaging 4:46 pace. When parkrun started it was evident that there wouldn't be much competition. I had one runner, running just over 4 minute pace, behind me so it was very difficult to get any real speed. Motivation wasn't there and the increased running load was taking a toll. I started with a 3:56 and then a 3:57. The air flow seemed to be in my face no matter which direction I was running. My third was a 3:59 and then I put in a 4:02. That spurred me so I really pushed out of the turn, finishing with a 3:54. My offcial time was 19:51 - under 20 minutes but nothing special.
After parkrun I headed over to the footy club in Leongatha. We had Drouin, but they don't field a reserves side so the seconds were having a training run. I was coordinating the running program - four sessions to simulate game play - and with ball drills in between. We started with a 1.6 km road run, building from 5:15 pace to sub 4 at the end. The front runners were running at 3:38 pace as we returned to the rec reserve. In the second drill I had them run ten sprints - I was doing all the running too. It consisted of 15 m easy / 20 m sprint / 15 m ease up. We ran ten reps. The third drill was the full 130 m length of the velodrome oval. It was split into 5 sections. First we ran one section and jogged through, then two, then three, then four and then the whole five. The group rested and then repeated it again. It really got them breathing hard. The final drill involved laps of the oval with 15 sec easy, 15 sec @ 70% then 15 sec full speed and repeat. We ran for 3 mins 15 seconds with the four sprints. We rested at the end and then went again. As we finished the final 15 sec of easy the watch clicked over to 5 km. The running component went for 22 minutes (excluding breaks) and we averaged 4:24 pace. It was a good hard session.
On Sunday morning I headed out to the Desal tracks after breakfast for a longish run. The plan was for a 12 to 13 km run but I decided that I needed an hour run the week before Traralgon. I headed out over the bridge and anti-clockwise around the big loop. I ran past the bird hide track. There were heaps of kangaroos around. Duck shooters had been shooting down on the river so they may have been a bit spooked. I was at sub 4:30 pace by kilometre four and running well. I crossed the road onto the small loop, stopping at the top of the hill for a look at the view. I ran back to the road and back for another lap of the big loop. This time I ran out to the bird hide and stopped for a look around. As I continued the run around I worked out that my pace was going to get me to thirteen kilometres in under the hour. I considered another small loop but decided to go most of the way around the big loop and turn back to fit in a 15 km run. It was a bit of work running back into the wind (clock-wise) around the coastal side of the big loop. I ran back past the bird hide track for the third time and then back over the bridge to the car park. The 15 km ticked over as I crossed the Desal road. I ran for over 68 minutes and averaged a really solid 4:34 pace. I pulled up well from the run and rested all afternoon with the feet up.
Monday May 29th to Saturday June 3rd
I took Monday morning off. It was cold, wet and windy after the change had hit on Sunday. It will be a light week with a two day break on Tuesday and Wednesday and another rest day on Saturday. Last week was my biggest in a long while at 75 km. I have gradually been building to that.
After work on Monday I went out to the Interval course. It was cold and breezy with the threat of dark clouds. Motivation wasn't that great but I stretched and got started, hoping to get in six. The warm-up interval reached a peak speed of 4:18 pace and then I reached 3:41 pace in a solid second interval. From there I ran out to the end of the course and kept going through the foreshore caravan park to run some sprints between the speed humps. They are short and sharp, and there are seven gaps, four sprints and three rests in between. In the first set I peaked at; 3:32, 3:50, 3:50 and 3:45 pace. I ran to the end and turned before another set, into the wind. This time my peak speeds were; 3:46, 3:51, 3:45 and 4:05. I ran back onto the interval course and ran the next interval - on the return - peaking at 4:00 pace. The next interval peaked at 3:40 pace and then my last big one peaked at 3:35 pace in a real solid interval. I ran to the start and turned before starting a real solid push over the length of the course. I ran the segment in 3:34 and averaged 3:57 pace for the eighth kilometre. All up I averaged 4:31 pace and covered 8 km in under 36 and a half minutes.
It was cold and wet again on Tuesday morning and I got to lay in bed and listed to the rain on the roof. The taper week has been well timed.
Wednesday was another day off running - a rare two day break. It was raining in the morning again so the timing was great. I was a bit wary of getting sick with the time off running and the colder weather but all is good.
I was up on Thursday morning to get the legs moving again. I put the gloves on but it wasn't freezing. I was pretty slow early. The first kilometre was very slow. I felt like I was running faster. I progressed from a 5:36 in the first to 4:37 in the fourth. After that the watch played up and I lost some distance so it is hard to judge my pace. I felt like I was running ok. I ended up covering the 8.3 km in 40:10. My average pace was only 4:50 pace though. My legs felt pretty good though.
On Friday morning I went for my last run before the half - at Gold Coast I will actually run a parkrun the day before. I ran into town on the 10 km course with the pace not terribly slow, but also not fast, early. I was up to 4:42 pace for the third and starting to run nicely. I progressed to 4:37 and then 4:28 for the fifth. I slowed on the turn though before getting up to 4:19 pace for the seventh. The ninth was a quick 4:13 and then I put the foot down and ran a 3:53 to finish. I covered the 10 km in 45 and a half minutes and averaged 4:31 pace.
I was the timer at Inverloch parkrun on Saturday and then we drove to Sale for footy. After footy we drove back to Traralgon and stayed the night there.
Sunday June 4th - 50th Traralgon marathon festival
It was a cold foggy morning but the sun did break through early and it turned into a spectacular morning. I ran the the rec reserve from our accommodation, stopping along the way to watch the marathoners in their second kilometre. I ran to the rec reserve and then ran out along the Traralgon creek to warm up. I covered 3.3 km and averaged 4:46 pace with under 16 minutes of running.
The start to the half marathon was under-whelming. Nobody really went so I decided to make the pace. I was running quite comfortably with a nice heart rate - so wasn't too fast. The first kilometre was a 3:45 and I was up front. A few got past me in the second as I ran a 3:55 and then I did something that was a bit foolish. I pushed to the front of the second group and then pushed to close the 20m gap between our group and the two front runners. I ran my third in 3:44 but caught them. It didn't last long as they pulled away - or I dropped off. I had been feeling good but that burst gave me a little lactic. My fourth was a 4:04 and then I settled at 4:07 pace for a few kilometres. As we hit the rail trail I tried to push but didn't have a real lot. My ninth dropped out to a 4:18 and I ate my gel soon after. Nothing! (I think I'll get a gel with caffeine for Gold Coast). I stayed around the 4:20 mark out to and around the turn. It was real hard work by now. I got a little kick along going back and seeing other runners, running the tweflth in 4:16 (or was it the gel?). Now my right hip was starting to ache - nothing serious - just a dull ache - and then so did the hamstring. I don't think it is an injury - just a remnant from the chiropractor work. I started to get out towards 4:30 pace. My thoughts were getting very negative. I started to feel it in the right calf as well - the whole right side was heavy. Runners started catching me again. The seventeenth was back down the hill (off the rail trail) but I slowed to a 4:38.. I had nothing. Another 4:38 and then a 4:37 for the ninteenth. Only two to go and I started to get a little more positive. I was back under 4:30 pace for the twentieth. I was running on top of the ground again. I ran the calculations and I was still going to be close to the 90 minute goal. I ran the twenty first in 4:18 and I (momentarily) hit 3:47 pace as I approached the finish line. I had seen the race clock and I was still under 90 minutes. I hit the line in 1:29:43. I don't know how but I was once again under 90. I was only 20 seconds from the Melbourne time last October - with a vastly different training plan. I was 17th (out of 202) overall.
So I went out today to see what I had for Gold Coast. I didn't have as much as i had hoped but there were some big positives. I was more than a minute quicker than Burnley 2015 - a month out from my 1:27:43 at Melbourne, so i am in a good place.
My race plan - did I really have one? - sucked today though. I think the 84 minute goal is unrealistic for four weeks time. I have decided that I will try to run consistent 4:05s to go for 86 minutes at Gold Goast. Now to do the prep!
Such events are really wonderful for socializing and doing something for a right cause as well. Last year, I also organized a fundraiser and party for a local NGO at best New York Event Venues with help of a friend. At the end of the day we were really happy that we actually did it.
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