Since March 2016 I have been participating in a virtual run around Australia. To date I have run 13,823 km and am now into the last month of the big loop with less than 300 km to go. This sction of the blog will celebrate the journey to the finish line (in Sydney).
Monday 6th July to Sunday 12th July
I started the new week with a standard 8 km run at the Desal. It was cool and cloudy with the drizzle trying to come down. I have now completed the official "reconstruct" but will be building on all the work I have done in the past few months. There is a lot of work to be done but it is important that I get it done without any negative impacts on my body.
Mon 6/7 am: 8.35 km - 4:56 average pace - 4:35 fastest km - Max HR 159 (Ave 144)
I was out early on Tuesday morning just because I woke early. It was calm and not too cold so I ran out on Williamsons beach for a bit and then back through the Desal track with some exploring on the way. The first part of the run was under moonlight and then the sky started to brighten.
Tue 7/7 am: 8.10 km - 5:17 average pace - 4:44 fastest km
Wed 8/7 am: 10.33 km - 4:58 average pace - 4:20 fastest km - Max HR 168 (Ave 148)
.... 400m intervals (ave pace): 4:53, 4:15, 3:47, 4:03, 3:50
Up early Thursday morning and in the car to head over to Traralgon for a blood test. 90 minutes of driving for a 10 minute blood test! So i broke the drive home with a run at Mirboo North - on the Grand Ridge (parkrun) trail. I accidently stopped the watch at the bottom so the run was split. I pushed hard back up the hill and was pretty happy with my time.
Thu 9/7 am: 4.03 km - 5:03 average pace - 4:42 fastest km - Max HR 143 (Ave 134)
Thu 9/7 am: 5.01 km - 4:25 average pace - 4:08 fastest km - Max HR 166 (Ave 159)
Fri 10/7 am: 9.96 km - 5:15 average pace - 4:57 fastets km
Saturday morning and it's virtual race time again. Saturday is the Running Heroes 10km race in which I have a go at in three of the past 4 Saturdays. I start with a 3 km warm up and then go hard from the golf course, out to Lower Powlett Road and return home along the rail trail. Pace ws good early and running easy but as I got to the 6 and 7 km marks I was starting to struggle a bit. I did get it back towards the end for a good finish. There has been a solid improvement in recent runs with a 47:08 3 weeks ago then 46:31 last week and 44:45 today. I was spent at the end.
The pace chart shows that I started to lose it when I hit the rail trail and the pace was more up and down. Mentally at this point I found myself having to push to keep the pace up. It wasn't as natural as the first 4 km. After crossing White Road at the North school crossing I got it all back together. Mentally this is a point where I feel I am on the run home as so many runs go through there. There is an issue where I am building my fitness but it is also a head issue that I can get on top of.
Sat 11/7 am: 10.01 km - 4:28 average pace - 4:15 fastest km - Max HR 172 (Ave 161)
On Sunday I drove to Newhaven to run my third big run in four days. I wanted to test myself over a 5 km time trial, starting with a warmup run over to San Remo and back. In the end I couldn't really get to sub 4 minute pace and sustain it but I did hold some just on 4 minute pace for a couple of periods. Again I died in the middle - is this fitness or in my head? It was a big week though with almost 69 km run. My body actually feels quite good given the loading. It would be interesting to see how I would go with the adreniline from a race but possibly it's a good thing there are no races so I can build more gradually.
Sun 12/7 am: 3.91 km - 4:55 average pace - 4:41 fastest km - Max HR 158 (Ave 144)
Sun 12/7 am: 5.03 km - 4:07 average pace - 4:00 fastest km - Max HR 176 (Ave 165)
Sun 12/7 am: 1.06 km - 4:51 average pace
Monday 13th July to Sunday 19th July
I started the week with a slow run around town. I have committed to try and run 187 km over the next 3 weeks so that I can complete "Run Down Under" on August 2nd.
Mon 13/7 am: 9.60 km - 5:14 average pace - 4:52 fastest km - Max HR 148 (Ave 136)
Tue 14/7 am: 9.16 km - 5:00 average pace - 4:20 fastest km - Max HR 159 (Ave 139)
I am just so tired at the moment. I am waking at a ridiculous hour and not really getting back to sleep. When the alarm soes go off it is a chore to drag myself out of bed into the cold and the dark and get started. Once I get going all is good. On Wednesday the plan was to do the 400 intervals but I just completely forgot to set them on the watch. I stopped the run 1 km in and set the intervals then got going again. I was happy with the intervals, especially the second which averaged 3:42 pace.
Wed 15/7 am: 1.01 km - 5:44 average pace - Ave HR
Wed 15/7 am: 9.05 km - 4:55 average pace - 4:23 fastest km - Max HR 166 (Ave 142)
Thursday ,orning was my thirteenth straight day of running and there have been some serious runs in that block. My body feels in pretty good shape at the moment. My only frustration is that the speed is not back to anywhere near where I want to get to yet.
Thu 16/7 am: 9.53 km - 4:55 average pace - 4:24 fastest km - Max HR 157 (Ave 144)
On Friday I had my first break for a fortnight to rest my body for the race on Saturday. It was a freezing morning - so a good one to have off.
The weekend was Race 8 for the Wonthaggi Road Runners Handicap series. I was racing at Newhaven, my new favourite course with 12 other runners. I was feeling good in the warm up, especially after the right heel warmed up. I started at the back of the field with the previous starter just in view as I took off, making it my aim to get him. As I got to the turn at half way I had a few in view and started passing them late in the 3rd kilometre and through the fourth. With a kilometre to go there were just a few of the slower runners ahead so I pushed to get them. In the home straight I hit the front to take line honours - the first time I have run through the field. My time on the 5 km segment was 19:35 but my GPS was a bit out so my Garmin 5 km time was just over 20 minutes. I'll be taking the sub 4 time! I followed up with a cool down over the bridge and back.
Sat 18/7 am: 3.18 km - 4:58 average pace - 4:33 fastest km
Sat 18/7 am: 5.01 km - 4:01 average pace - 3:58 fastest km - 5 km segment: 19:35
Sat 18/7 am: 3.17 km - 5:09 average pace - 5:03 fastest km
I woke up on Sunday feeling quite good. My recovery at the moment is exceptional, much better than it has been for a long time. The heels do get stiff but everything else is fine. I drove out to Inverloch to see the Sunday race group finish and then ran a short warm up. Then I ran my 10 km time trial. I was on sub 4:20 pace right from the start. I really maintained my pace well today and it shows with a much more even pace graph all the way through. The other key, when I compare to last weeks pace graph is that I was on pace right from the start. Last week I was very fast in the early period and settled at a lower pace.
Sun 19/7 am: 10.03 km - 43:08 - 4:18 average pace - 4:11 fastest km - Ave HR 160
.... splits - first 5 km: 21:42 / last 5 km: 21:15
Monday July 20th to Sunday July 26th
Despite the hard running of the weekend I woke on Monday and my body felt good. It was a slow start which didn't get much faster. The start of my runs at this time of year are in pitch black so I have to be careful where my feet go. Today was all about recovery and having a bit of a stretch.
Mon 20/7 am: 8.55 km - 5:16 average pace - 5:04 fastest km - Max HR 149 (Ave 138)
Tue 21/7 am: 9.12 km - 4:57 average pace - 4:39 fastest km - Max HR 154 (Ave 139)
On Wednesday I went shorter and decided to make it a strong progression run. I started with my run in the dark from cold startup pace in the 5:30s and built nicely to finish with a 4 minute kilometre.
Wed 22/7 am: 7.33 km - 4:47 average pace - 4:01 fastest km - Max HR 167 (Ave 139)
Wednesdays run put me inside the FINAL 100 km of the Run Down Under finish line. Another 9 km on Thursday morning has put me inside the final 90 km. On Thursday I ran my 400m intervals - 1600 easy then 400 hard.
Thu 23/7 am: 9.43 km - 5:00 average pace - 4:26 fastest km - Max HR 166 (Ave 142)
.... 4x 400m intervals (ave pace): 4:23, 3:45, 3:55, 3:42
So now my doctor has me on cholesterol tablets ad-infinitum! And the side effect is muscle aches in places like the calf muscles! Great - just what I need. Not sure if it was psychological or not but when I set off on the Friday slow (and short) run I could feel my left calf. I weighed in on Friday at 85.0 kg before the run.
Fri 24/7 am: 6.00 km - 5:29 average pace - 4:58 fastest km - Max HR 149 (Ave 133)
I woke feeling pretty good on Saturday morning. It was cold - 4 degrees - as I was driving out to Inverloch. I met up with Mathieu after my 2 km warm up. He was going to pace me over the 10 km. We set off pretty quickly. Well under 4 minute pace. The first 5 km was run in 19:55 and we didn't really drop off that much in the second half. With the 10km approaching I was still under 40 minutes. The 40 clicked over just before the end and I ran 40:05 for the 10km. The goal had been to run a 42!
Sat 25/7 am: 2.12 km - 4:43 average pace - Ave HR 147
Sat 25/7 am: 10.02 km - 40:16 - 4:01 average pace - 3:50 fastest km - Ave HR 168
Sat 25/7 am: 1.87 km - 5:32 average pace - Ave HR 120
Sun 26/7 am: 3.12 km - 5:07 average pace - 4:42 fastest km - Max HR 154 (Ave 140)
Sun 26/7 am: 5.02 km - 4:10 average pace - 4:05 fastest km - Max HR 168 (Ave 160)
Sun 26/7 am: 2.03 km - 5:06 average pace - 5:00 fastest km - Max HR 151 (Ave 148)
So now I have only 60 km to get to the Run Down Under finish. Next weekend I will run my 13 km on Saturday morning - 3 km warm up then 10 km effort - and on Sunday I will finish with a 2 km warm up, 5 km Running Heroes fast run and then either 2 or 3 km, running laps of a 1 km circuit at the eastern end of Inverloch. That means I need 41 km before the weekend - 4x 10 or 5x 8 or something in between.
Monday July 27th to Sunday August 2nd
The body feels good but the Monday morning run was slow, running out a bit of stiffness.
Mon 27/7 am: 9.75 km - 5:24 average pace - 5:04 fastest km - Max HR 150 (Ave 135)
Tue 28/7 am: 9.73 km - 5:10 average pace - 4:51 fastest km - Max HR 154 (Ave 136)
Inside the last 50 km now!
Wed 29/7 am: 10.02 km - 4:59 average pace - 4:39 fastest km - Max HR 158 (Ave 143)
Thu 30/7 am: 8.36 km - 5:02 average pace - 4:21 fastest km - Max HR 167 (Ave 144)
.... 400m intervals (ave pace): 4:08, 4:10, 3:53, 3:55
Thursday morning ended 13 straight days of running in my effort to get to the end of the Run Down Under. It has been a solid block too with 126 km run, averaging 9.7 km per day. For the year I am now 27 km ahead of what I need to do to reach 3000 km for the sixth year straight. I now have only 22.35 km to run to reach the end of RDU! That gives me a rest day tomorrow to freshen up and then 13 km on Sat and a nice cruisy finish at around midday on Sunday.
Monday July 27th to Sunday August 2nd
The body feels good but the Monday morning run was slow, running out a bit of stiffness.
Mon 27/7 am: 9.75 km - 5:24 average pace - 5:04 fastest km - Max HR 150 (Ave 135)
Tue 28/7 am: 9.73 km - 5:10 average pace - 4:51 fastest km - Max HR 154 (Ave 136)
Inside the last 50 km now!Thu 30/7 am: 8.36 km - 5:02 average pace - 4:21 fastest km - Max HR 167 (Ave 144)
.... 400m intervals (ave pace): 4:08, 4:10, 3:53, 3:55
Thursday morning ended 13 straight days of running in my effort to get to the end of the Run Down Under. It has been a solid block too with 126 km run, averaging 9.7 km per day. For the year I am now 27 km ahead of what I need to do to reach 3000 km for the sixth year straight. I now have only 22.35 km to run to reach the end of RDU! That gives me a rest day tomorrow to freshen up and then 13 km on Sat and a nice cruisy finish at around midday on Sunday.
Friday was a much needed rest day. I have a massive week. On top of the normal work load I have been distributing my new book that arrived on Tuesday and looking at a house that I might buy.
It was back to the 10km race on the 13 km course this week. Not a real fast run this time as I am saving some for my Sunday 5 km. I ran a solid warm up and then kept good pace for the race.
Sat 1/8 am: 3.01 km - 5:00 average pace - 4:34 fastest km - Max HR 156 (Ave 147)
Sat 1/8 am: 10.01 km - 4:36 average pace - 4: 23 fastest km - Max HR 162 (Ave 156)
To get a 17 degree day in Wonthaggi in winter is rare, to get two in a row is special. I woke on Sunday morning to see the sun rise into a clear sky. The weather for my Run Down Under finish was going to be spectacular. I was out at Inverloch at about 10:45, stretched and then set off on a 2.6 km warm up. Then followed my 5 km "race" for Running Heroes where I was chasing a sub-20. I got back in 19:59 to finish in first place.
When I got back a few of the Road Runners had gathered for my run to the finish line. We ran a 2 lap slow jog of a one kilometre loop that I mapped out last week. On the last leg TOC interviewed me and live-streamed it to the Road Runners group.
Sun 2/8 am: 2.60 km - 4:54 average pace - 4:31 fastest km - Max HR 158 (Ave 143)
Sun 2/8 am: 5.00 km - 3:59 average pace - 3:49 fastest km - Max HR 183 (Ave 160)
Sun 2/8 am: 2.07 km - 6:09 average pace
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