.... follows: 71 - the winter competition - seeking improvement
After a week in Cairns running in the heat, a massive weekend of running and then three days on school camp I returned to Wonthaggi only to enter Lockdown number FIVE. I had a covid test immediately following the camp, just to be sure, and returned a negative result.
In lockdown FOUR I ran twice a day and improved my fitness with maybe slight improvements in pace. Now in lockdown FIVE I will try to replicate that effort. I hope to get in some improved XCR runs but my ultimate goal is to run a fastish (sub 40) 10 km at Melbourne marathon festival in October.
Sat 17/7 am: 10.07 km - 4:52 average pace - 4:39 fastest km - Ave stride 1.36 m
It rained all afternoon on Saturday and I had almost given up on a second run .... then the clouds broke just before dark and I got to go on my rec reserve run and step up session.
Sat 17/7 pm: 3.47 km - 5:13 average pace - 4:58 fastest km - Ave stride 1,28 m - 60 step ups
Sun 18/7 am: 10.03 km - 4:55 average pace - 4:39 fastest km - Ave stride 1.35 m
Monday July 19th to Sunday July 25th
Another week of lockdown looms large and it is not something I am looking forward to. Living alone is hard and I have not had a face to face conversation with anyone since Friday morning. I didn't set my alarm and was up just after seven, heading out to the Rec Reserve for a combination of intervals around the outside of the ground and sets of ten step ups.
Mon 19/7 am: 5.07 km - 4:41 average pace - 3:58 fastest km - Ave stride 138m 60 st ups
.... 5x 530m interval (ave pace): 4:31, 4:03, 4:08, 3:59, 4:02
Wed 21/7 am: 6.63 km - 5:03 average pace - 4:34 fastest km - Ave stride 1.30 m
.... 5x 30 m interval (ave pace): 4:04, 3:16, 3:47, 3:27, 3:24
.... 6x 50 m interval (ave pace): 3:25, 3:32, 3:22, 3:08, 3:19, 3:03
.... 6x 105 m interval (ave pace): 3:23, 3:04, 3:15, 3:24, 3:20, 3:15
Thu 22/7 am: 8.23 km - 5:06 average pace - 4:49 fastest km - Ave stride 1.29 m
I am struggling. Motivation is low, especially given the cold and rough weather, but worse is that my fitness is really low and each run is just a struggle. On Friday I just couldn't get out of bed to run in the icy conditions but I did go out at lunchtime. It was hard work though.
Fri 23/7 pm: 6.73 km - 4:57 average pace - 4:46 fastest km - Ave stride 1.34 m4
With lockdown causing parkrun and event cancellations and preventing people from running in groups, I decided that my Wonthaggi Road Runners group needed some extra motivation. I decided to organise virtual event. I decided a Handicap race would be too difficult - gauging where everyone is at. Also a lot were doing their Run Melbourne half marathon as a virtual run too so I wanted something that would cater for all. A guess your time race loomed large, but the only other time I ran these was on a set segment. People would be running all sorts of courses for this! So .....
.... I devised the #2-4-FIVErace. Competitors had to predict their 2nd km time, their 4th km time and their overall 5 km time - three numbers, making it very difficult to manipulate.
The weekend weather forecast was dire! I woke late and the sun was blaring in the window. But then the wind started to come up, a fresh one from the north west. I got my run in as it started to cloud over and finished just before the drizzly rain arrived. I had a 2km warm up to get the ankles right then drove out to where Lower Powlett road cuts the rail trail. I ran back towards town. I had predicted 4:30 pace for a 22:30 time. I was right on pace in the first at 4:29 but then quickened in the second to record a 4:23. I pulled back a touch (but had to be careful not to slow tto much) in the third for a 4:37 and then had to pick it up again in the fourth. Again I overdid it, too fast, running a 4:21. I eased back in the fifth to run a 4:37 and my 5 km time was 22:25, five seconds under. All up I was 22 seconds under for the total of the three legs! Not too bad. It was a good concept.Sat 24/7 am: 2.30 km - 4:58 average pace - 4:52 fastest km - Ave stride 1.31 m
Sat 24/7 am: 6.05 km - 4:26 average pace - 4:11 fastest km - Ave stride 1.44 m
Run New Zealand - Richmond
While Saturday's result was a nice surprise there was nothing good about the run on Sunday. The weather was terrible with a cold gale blowing from the west. My left heel has been stiff and sore for a fortnight now and it took forever to get it stretched in the cold.
Sun 25/7 pm: 8.57 km - 5:13 average pace - 5:03 fastest km - Ave stride 1.26 m
Monday July 26th to Sunday August 1st
I continue to make up my program on the go. My left heel is sore again - after a year of being good - and I'm not keen on it sticking around. I lay in bed this morning and thought about running then decided that I would walk at recess (teaching from home still) and run at lunchtime. I walked 3 km at 11 am and felt like I was getting good stretch into the heel and decided that I need to have a few days off running. While I am still at home I can get in a few walks. Today I walked againg at lunchtime (3 km) and again before dinner (3 km) to end up with 9 km for the day. I'll do similar tomorrow which I hope is the last day of remote teaching.
Tuesday was the final day of the full lockdown and I got out for four walks, before work, recess, lunchtime and at dusk, totalling 12.5 km. I walked again on Wednesday, before and after work, totalling around 6 km.
Thu 29/7 am: 4.06 km - 5:55 average pace - 5:42 fastest km - Ave stride 1.15 m
After work I went out to the beach and explored the new dunes at a super high tide. Then a group of us met for Headlampers to celebrate Bill Barry's finishing of Run Down Under.
Thu 29/7 pm: 9.88 km - 5:44 average pace - 5:38 fastest km - Ave stride 1.17 m
The body was stiff after the late run on Thursday so I stayed in bed on Friday, with a beach walk after work to give the ankles a stretch. On Saturday morning I stayed in bed a bit and then headed out to the Inverloch parkrun course. I was about an hour late, starting the parkrun freedom run just after 9am. I was happy with the pace and seem to have pulled up well. I walked 2 km on the beach after the main run.
Sat 31//7 am: 3.25 km - 5:13 average pace - 4:53 fastest km - Ave stride 1.26 m
Sat 31/7 am: 5.01 km - 4:44 average pace - 4:36 fastest km - Ave stride 1.36 m
A new month and the first signs of Spring are showing. I got out to Inverloch for another run out there, covering 10 km on the beach and the coastal path.
Sun 1/8 am: 10.13 km - 5:03 average pace - 4:48 fastest km - Ave stride 1.32 m
Monday August 2nd to Sunday August 8th
Another lovely sunny morning, although the sun wasn't up for most of my run, and I decided to just do a real easly run to give the ankle only a little stretch. It feels like it is healing though.
Mon 2/8 am: 5.09 km 5:45 average pace - 5:20 fastest km - Ave stride 1.16 m & 50 st ups
Tuesday morning I had another rest and then went for a massage after work.
Wed 4/8 am: 5.31 km - 5:06 average pace - 4:53 fastest km - Ave stride 1.29 m
Thu 5/8 am: 6.20 km - 5:05 average pace - 4:51 fastest km - Ave stride 1.30 m
Another really tough run. I'm not sure where I'm at currently but I am not enjoying the running. It just hurts too much. My fitness is down but the left heel is really annoying me. Stiff and sore for every run. On today's run I made a decision - I am writing off the rest of the AV season. I am just not running well enough. Maybe I'll get back there one day, maybe I left it too late? I was due to run at St Annes this Saturday. I have decided to just slow it right down dor a bit and just run at a comfortable pace, not the real slow like in '20 but just so that it doesn't hurt. The plan is for a lot of 40 minute runs and some longer runs too - to build fitness. I am also going to work on my core and hit the punching bag again, build my all-round fitness. I am due to run 10 km at Melb Mara in October so I will start building towards that from scratch.
Then as it turned out this afternoon, the AV race is off as we are back in lockdown - Lockdown #6. After work I went out to Inverloch for Headlampers, my last chance to run with others for at least a week. I'm not looking forward to another lockdown!
Thu 5/8 pm: 9.03 km - 5:42 average pace - 5:30 fastest km - Ave stride 1,17 m
On Friday morning we were back in lockdown all because of an outbreak in the north west suburbs of Melbourne - nothing in regional Victoria and certainly nothing near us! I had a rest day after the Thursday evening running and then I had another break from running on Saturday to let the heel recover (yes I WAS thinking of writing heel heal!). In the meantime I set up another virtual #2-4-FIVErace for the running group for the weekend.
On Sunday I went for a warm up and my attempt at the #2-4-FIVErace. I nominated 5 minute pace for the k's and 25:00 for the time. I was looking ok in the warm up but never got abywhere near it in the run. This was another low point. I had considered not racing and should have gone with that thought.
Sun 8/8 am: 2.36 km - 5:30 average pace - 5:18 fastest km - Ave stride 1.23 m
Sun 8/8/am: 5.03 km - 5:33 average pace - 5:25 fastest km - Ave stride 1.20 m
Monday August 9th to Sunday August 15th
On Monday I started to rebuild from scratch. Inexplicably I have lost all fitness and form. So I will be running without effort for the rest of August (at least). That means I will run as fast as my body lets me go, and hopefully get quicker in the process. I am also going to up the distances to build some fitness. The goal is the run ok at Melbourne marathon 10 km in mid-October. I will be hoping for a sub 45 minutes run there!
Mon 9/8 am: 8.40 km - 5:36 average pace - 5:13 fastest km - Ave stride 1.19 m
Tue 10/8 am: 10.13 km - 5:41 average pace - 5:10 fastest km - Ave stride 1.21 SLOWER
On both Monday and Tuesday mornings I hopped straight onto the bike after the run for a 7 km recovery ride. On Wednesday I didn't runn, cycling 16 km instead.
After a rest day on Wednesday - with a morning cycle - I cycled again on Thursday morning, saving myself for a Headlampers run after work.
Thu 12/8 am: 10.01 km - 5:32 average pace - 5:12 fastest km - Ave stride 1.20 m FASTER
On Saturday morning we were back at parkrun !!!!! It was great to be able to run with the parkrun family again after another big break due to the Covid restrictions. I ran a solid first kilometre then ran with Brett for the 2nd to 4th. I pushed again for the last km.
Sat 14/8 am: 3.44 km - 5:20 average pace - 5:09 fastest km - Ave stride 1.25 m
Sat 14/8 am: Inverloch parkrun 25:01 - 4:33, 5:15, 5:08, 5:22, 4:43 - Ave stride 1.30 m
On Sunday morning I ran in brilliant sunshine and the wind out at Inverloch. Most od the second half was on the low tide exposed sand. In the incomplete tenth kilometre, just after getting back onto concrete, I was running at sub 5 minute pace without too much effort.
Sun 15/8 am: 9.81 km - 5:18 average pace - 5:06 fastest km - Ave stride 1.27 m
Monday August 16th to Sunday August 22nd
It was showery and windy on Monday morning and that was enough to tempt me to stay in bed and avoid a run. On Tuesday I was out for a 10 km run, starting slowly but finishing with some sun 5 minute pace.
Tue 17/8 am: 10.14 km - 5:15 average pace - 4:56 fastest km - Ave stride 1.29 m
Wed 18/8 am: 10.15km - 5:16 average pace - 4:50 fastest km - Ave stride 1.27 m
Thu 19/8 am: 8.80 km - 5:16 average pace - 5:01 fastest km - Ave stride 1.26 m
I discovered parkrun way back in August 2013 in West Australia while travelling around the country. It was an immediate addiction, so much so that the next week was planned so that I would be in Rockingham - the only WA parkrun south of Perth in 2013. Back home I had to drive to Berwick to run parkrun so I worked to help get a local event started, at Inverloch. We started in September 2014 and I have run most weeks since then. It has slowed down with the Covid interuptions but on Saturday I ran my 300th parkrun, a special milestone personally - the 300 club! I haven't had much pace lately but I did manage to run my milestone at just a tick under 4:30 pace, running a 22:19 with each kilometre quite consistent.
Sat 21/8 am: 3.00 km - 5:21 average pace - 5:12 fastest km - Ave stride 1.31 m
Sat 21/8 am: Inv parkrun 22:19 - 4:28, 4:31, 4:29, 4:25. 4:28 - Ave stride 1.43 m
I followed up with a 30 km ride on Saturday afternoon - out to Kilcunda and back. They have announced that rural Victoria is going back into lockdown, I suppose we call this lockdown 6b since Melbourne never came out of lockdown 6.
Sun 22/8 am: 12.08 km - 5:10 average pace - 4:57 fastest km - Ave stride 1.27 m
I followed up the 12 km Sunday morning run with a 12 km cycle on the same course.
Monday August 23rd to Sunday August 29th
On Sunday evening I received some news that was very unsettling. That, combined with a return to remote teaching left me in a very dark place on Monday morning. I struggled to get going but eventually got my day started but without a run. I did cycle after work.
Tue 24/8 am: 10.04 km - 5:12 average pace - 4:58 fastest km - Ave stride 1.29 m
Wed 25/8 am: 10.35 km - 5:18 average pace - 4:58 fastest km - Ave stride 1.25 m
On Thursday it was a nice enough morning but I couldn't be bothered. I thought about runnung, thought about cycling but then just lay in bed. I got out on Friday morning and ran the three Wonthaggi hills. I had some nice sub 5 pace going in the second half of the run.
Fri 27/8 am: 9.55 km - 5:11 average pace - 4:47 fastest km - Ave stride 1.28 m
With another lockdown in full swing I organised the Road Runners third #2-4-FIVErace. I ran my course on Saturday morning. I ran to the edge of the Wetlands for a warm up and then set off for my 5 km, trying to hold 5 minute pace the entire way. I found myself a touch under as I went along and having to slow down. My 2nd km was 5 seconds under and my 4th was 6 seconds under. My time was 1 second under to be only out by 12 seconds.
Sat 28/8 am: 2.12 km - 5:24 average pace - 5:03 fastest km - Ave stride 1.23 m
Sat 28/8 am: 5.81 km - 4:55, 4:56, 5:10, 4:54, 5:04 - 24:59 for 5km - Ave stride 1.31 m
Sun 29/8 am: 12.15 km - 5:19 average pace - 4:53 fastest km - Ave stride 1.26 m
Run New Zealand - Karamea
Monday August 30th to Sunday September 5th
I got out for a run on Monday to get the week started but my energy levels were very low. It was a nice clear morning. The weather is improving and the sun is now rising much earlier.
Tue 31/8 am: 10.05 km - 5:15 average pace - 4:58 fastest km - Ave stride 1.26 m
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