With the Christmas gap in the gift season I can have a crack at a few parkruns and see what the training has done for me. Also will be cruising through to another 3000 km year over the final weeks of December.
Monday December 17th to Sunday December 23rd
Sunday night was a shocker. I pulled a shoulder/neck muscle in my first race at Marysville and when it cooled down it was a bit sore. Every time I moved in the night there was a blot of pain. I woke Monday morning feeling very stiff and sore. These gifts are hard on the body. I tossed up and decided to go for a nice easy run to try and loosen up. It worked.
Monday 17/12 am: 5.53 km - 5:00 average pace - 4:44 fastest km
Monday 17/12 pm: 4.04 km - 4:43 average pace - 4:27 fastest km
..... 4 intervals - peak pace: 3:46, 3:11, 3:33, 3:23
Tuesday 18/12 am: 9.20 km - 4:35 average pace - 3:49 fastest km
..... kilometre intervals (x3): 3:49, 3:57, 3:51
The exhaustion is catching up with me. With only two days of work to go until I get my year off I am struggling to get to the end. Tuesday night I started to get a sore throat so I ran on Wednesday morning to try and sweat it out a bit.
Wednesday 19/12 am: 8.28 km - 4:48 average pace - 4:29 fastest km
I hit the wall well and truly on Wednesday night and was in bed quite early and took Thursday off work to recover a bit. Heather and I drove out to Koonwarra later in the afternoon for the Road Runners Christmas Pizza run. Not sure how I would go I found my head clear after I started and all went well.
Friday December 21st - 85.4 kg
Friday 21/12 am: 5.39 km - 4:38 average pace - 4:27 fastest km
.... last day of school - Teachers run. Kate, Ross and I ran the classic course
Saturday 22/12 am: 2.87 km - 4:49 average pave - 4:34 fastest km
Saturday 22/12 - Inverloch parkrun - 5 km - 3:53 average pace - 19:30 - 4th
..... kilometre splits: 3:37, 3:44, 4:01, 4:02, 4:02
The intention was to run a fast parkrun today and I got off to a great start. Unfortunately I have very little energy at the moment. My head is stuffed with a head cold and I just am not that well. So it turned into a sweaty struggle but I eventually got there and sustained some four minute pace in the second half.
Monday December 24th to Sunday December 30th
Monday 24/12 am: 7.50 km - 4:32 average pace - 4:06 fastest km
..... three 500m intervals: 3:37 pace, 3:23 pace, 3:23 pace
Tuesday 25/12 am: 2.83 km - 4:52 average pace - 4:42 fastest km
Tuesday 25/12 am - Christmas parkrun @ Inverloch - 5 km - 3:50 ave pace - 19:10 - 3rd
..... kilometre splits: 3:44, 3:53, 3:51, 3:53, 3:50
Christmas parkrun at Inverloch and I was faster but still struggling with a chock full head. The later start in warm conditions didn't really help matters. So the second "fast" opportunity goes begging, but the good news is that the head is clearing and it didn't get into my lungs.
Wednesday 26/12 am: 10.54 km - 4:32 average pace - 3:50 fastest km
Wednesday 26/12 pm: 5.29 km - 5:00 average pace - 4:53 fastest km
Thursday 27/12 am: 6.01 km - 4:50 average pace - 4:39 fastest km
Friday was a rest day.
Saturday 29/12 am: 3.31 km - 4:47 average pace - 4:31 fastest km
Saturday 29/12 - Inverloch parkrun - 5 km - 3:47 average pace - 18:57 - 14th
..... kilometre splits: 3:36, 3:42, 3:55, 3:54, 3:46
The third of my three "fast" parkruns and, while I did crack the sub 19, I did struggle in the 3rd and 4th kilometres. There was a light rain today and my head was clearer for longer but the pace just dropped off. There was a nice fast crew out there too today with 14 of us under 19 minutes.
Sunday 30/12 am: 9.01 km - 4:39 average pace - 4:21 fastest km
Running out at the Desal on Sunday morning brought me right up to my goal of 3000 km for the year.
Monday December 31st - goal was reached on the 30th so Monday was a rest day.
Tuesday January 1st to Saturday January 5th
I have set my goal for 2019 at 3250 km for the year. That is around 62 km per week or, just under, 9 km per day. It is also 250 km further than the previous two years but I will have much more time for running in 2019. I plan to introduce three run days. The significance of the distance is that it is right on 2019 miles.
Tuesday 1/1 am: 2.14 km - 4:51 average pace - 4:39 fastest km
Tuesday 1/1 - Pakenham parkrun - 5 km - 3:58 average pace - 19:41 - 11th
..... kilometre splits: 3:53, 3:54, 4:02, 4:08, 3:53
Tuesday 1/1 - Berwick parkrun - 5 km - 3:46 average pace - 18:57 - 5th
..... kilometre splits: 3:43, 3:45, 3:47, 3:50, 3:46
The New Years Day parkrun double was at Pakenham at 8 am and then Berwick Springs at 9:30. I cruised through at Pakenham as I wanted to stay as fresh as possible for a faster run at Berwick. After a fast start I pulled it back and then pulled back further in the third, pushing again in the last to make sure I was under 20 minutes.
At Berwick Springs the crowd of runners was massive - over 400. I started at the front and battled for clear ground early before settling half way through the first. I wasn't quite as fast as I would have liked but it was backing up from a solid run at Pakenham. The splits were reasonably consistent, just dropping back a couple of seconds each kilometre. I was able to push in the last as well.
Overall TWO 5 km runs - 10 km in under 39 minutes. I am pretty happy with that, especially with the 18 at the front of the Berwick time.
Wednesday 2/1/19 am: 9.57 km - 4:52 average pace - 4:32 fastest km
Thursday 3/1/19 am: 10.18 km - 4:37 average pace - 3:57 fastest km
Friday 4/1/19 am: 5.65 km - 5:54 average pace - 4:46 fastest km
On Friday we drove to Castlemaine in 45 degrees heat (outside) all the way for the Castlemaine Gift on Saturday. I ran a relatively easy parkrun on Saturday morning, although I did pick up the pace towards the end. The warm up was early in the parkrun.
Thursday 3/1/19 am: 10.18 km - 4:37 average pace - 3:57 fastest km
Friday 4/1/19 am: 5.65 km - 5:54 average pace - 4:46 fastest km
On Friday we drove to Castlemaine in 45 degrees heat (outside) all the way for the Castlemaine Gift on Saturday. I ran a relatively easy parkrun on Saturday morning, although I did pick up the pace towards the end. The warm up was early in the parkrun.
Saturday 5/1 - Castlemaine parkrun - 5 km - 4:32 average pace - 22:20 - 7th
..... kilometre splits: 4:55, 4:39, 4:24, 4:23, 4:14
Saturday January 5th - Castlemaine Gift
With the 800 metres early in the afternoon and the 3200 metres at 6 pm there is a big gap between races that I avoided the temptation to fill given a follow-up gift on Sunday.
My lower left leg had a sore spot on the outside but I rubbed it before the warm up and it felt ok when I warmed it. The sun came out just before the 800s and the temperature went up, but nothing like Friday.
My handicap was reasonable and I held on for longer but got passed by most about half way in. They didn't get a real long way in front and the last one took until the home straight to pass me - so all was not terrible.
800 m warm up: 1.35 km - 4:45 average pace
800 m Open - heat 3 - 2:15.286 - 3:16 average pace - last in heat
After the 800s we went back to the caravan park and took it easy for a couple of hours. Matt and I then jogged back to the track (just over a kilometre) to prepare for the 3200.
3200 warm up: 2.40 km - 4:57 average pace
3200 m Open final - 10:47.504 - 3:48 average pace
I never really got going in the 3200. I had runners in front but just couldn't will myself to chase them and run them down. I was disappointed with the average pace and there is plenty room for improvement here. I will be doing another set of Mona fartleks to improve both speed and endurance starting soon.
Sunday January 6th - Daylesford Gift - Run for the Willow
I woke this morning with soreness in the right ankle - opposite to the one that was injured a month ago. Nothing too bad but definite soreness. I tried all day to stretch it out but it was with me all day. It was on my mind that I didn't want it to just pull real tight so I just kept working it all day. It wasn't too bad when racing and didn't really hold me back (I don't think).
1600 m warm up #1: 2.38 km - 4:38 average pace - 4:35 fastest km
1600 m Novice final: 4:38.325 - 3:32 average pace - 6th $10 - led for 1.5 laps
I actually lead a race for just over one and a half laps today. Yes it was a novice race but I got to the front and stayed there until the last straight. I was the third front marker with one runner 10 m ahead and the other 40 m ahead. As the race started I burnt off the runner on the same mark as me and quickly caught the next runner ahead. It was a blistering start (I covered the first kilometre in 3:14). I then set about reeling in the front marker, realising that I had heaps of time to get him. I actually didn't want to get him too early as I wasn't sure how I'd cope with front running. I hit the lead with just on 2 full laps to go and, aware that there would be heat coming, tried to keep pushing. The pace did ease a touch but I held them off until the last 100 metres. Matt was one of the first pair to get me (and he held on to second place). Another three got me, two of them right on the line. I finished 6th and won $10 for the race, but the learning experience was invaluable.
300 m warm up: 1.34 km - 4:52 average pace
300 m Masters - heat 2 - 45.388 - 3:02 average pace - last in heat
The right ankle was sore at the start of the warm up, but ok to run on, just a nagging soreness. I was swamped again in the first half of the 300 metres but got to see the others finish from the home straight this time. My average pace was reasonable.
1600 m warm up #2: 2.18 km - 4:54 average pace - 4:44 fastest km
1600 m Open final: 5:11.305 - 3:46 average pace - 16th (of 18)
This race was a real hard one to get up for. The ankle was sore through the warm up and I did think about scratching but decided to go through with it. The late races are real hard. I was off 220 metres for this one, so a further 70 metres on top of the first race of the day. It was a tough race and I got overtaken by most in the first two laps. I thought I was running last, but it turned out there was one behind me after I finished. In the last lap I was actually getting closer to the two runners ahead of me and that really kept my interest.
I was not as sore as expected on Monday morning but decided to take the day off running to give the ankle a rest.
With the 800 metres early in the afternoon and the 3200 metres at 6 pm there is a big gap between races that I avoided the temptation to fill given a follow-up gift on Sunday.
My lower left leg had a sore spot on the outside but I rubbed it before the warm up and it felt ok when I warmed it. The sun came out just before the 800s and the temperature went up, but nothing like Friday.
My handicap was reasonable and I held on for longer but got passed by most about half way in. They didn't get a real long way in front and the last one took until the home straight to pass me - so all was not terrible.
800 m warm up: 1.35 km - 4:45 average pace
800 m Open - heat 3 - 2:15.286 - 3:16 average pace - last in heat
After the 800s we went back to the caravan park and took it easy for a couple of hours. Matt and I then jogged back to the track (just over a kilometre) to prepare for the 3200.
3200 warm up: 2.40 km - 4:57 average pace
3200 m Open final - 10:47.504 - 3:48 average pace
I never really got going in the 3200. I had runners in front but just couldn't will myself to chase them and run them down. I was disappointed with the average pace and there is plenty room for improvement here. I will be doing another set of Mona fartleks to improve both speed and endurance starting soon.
Sunday January 6th - Daylesford Gift - Run for the Willow
I woke this morning with soreness in the right ankle - opposite to the one that was injured a month ago. Nothing too bad but definite soreness. I tried all day to stretch it out but it was with me all day. It was on my mind that I didn't want it to just pull real tight so I just kept working it all day. It wasn't too bad when racing and didn't really hold me back (I don't think).
1600 m warm up #1: 2.38 km - 4:38 average pace - 4:35 fastest km
1600 m Novice final: 4:38.325 - 3:32 average pace - 6th $10 - led for 1.5 laps
I actually lead a race for just over one and a half laps today. Yes it was a novice race but I got to the front and stayed there until the last straight. I was the third front marker with one runner 10 m ahead and the other 40 m ahead. As the race started I burnt off the runner on the same mark as me and quickly caught the next runner ahead. It was a blistering start (I covered the first kilometre in 3:14). I then set about reeling in the front marker, realising that I had heaps of time to get him. I actually didn't want to get him too early as I wasn't sure how I'd cope with front running. I hit the lead with just on 2 full laps to go and, aware that there would be heat coming, tried to keep pushing. The pace did ease a touch but I held them off until the last 100 metres. Matt was one of the first pair to get me (and he held on to second place). Another three got me, two of them right on the line. I finished 6th and won $10 for the race, but the learning experience was invaluable.
300 m warm up: 1.34 km - 4:52 average pace
300 m Masters - heat 2 - 45.388 - 3:02 average pace - last in heat
The right ankle was sore at the start of the warm up, but ok to run on, just a nagging soreness. I was swamped again in the first half of the 300 metres but got to see the others finish from the home straight this time. My average pace was reasonable.
1600 m warm up #2: 2.18 km - 4:54 average pace - 4:44 fastest km
1600 m Open final: 5:11.305 - 3:46 average pace - 16th (of 18)
This race was a real hard one to get up for. The ankle was sore through the warm up and I did think about scratching but decided to go through with it. The late races are real hard. I was off 220 metres for this one, so a further 70 metres on top of the first race of the day. It was a tough race and I got overtaken by most in the first two laps. I thought I was running last, but it turned out there was one behind me after I finished. In the last lap I was actually getting closer to the two runners ahead of me and that really kept my interest.
I was not as sore as expected on Monday morning but decided to take the day off running to give the ankle a rest.
