Sitting in the MCG after running the shorter distances is the best time to contemplate your running direction. Three years ago, after my first ever run there (10 km) my next two years were defined. This year I ran my half in really tough conditions. In retrospect I really toughed it out well and it was an achievement to salvage the sub 90 minute.
I then got to watch a young bloke who I have known for half his life run in third place with a really fast 5.7 km run. My thoughts were along the lines that the reason I got back into running was to run fast. The marathon really slowed me. It has given me great endurance but I haven't run a 5 km PB for 22 months. I am thinking seriously about cutting back the distance, increasing the number of runs per week and really getting some speed - possibly run some shorter distances at Vic Masters States - and working on getting even faster.
I still have some unfinished half-marathon business with the Half at Gold Coast next year, and possibly the same distance at Traralgon leading into it.
Monday October 17th to Sunday October 23rd
After the marathon I soaked in a deep hot Radox bath and had an early night. I was up at 6 am on Monday, feeling a little stiff. I stretched the back on the floor and then the legs outside. I was very stiff in the glutes. I rubbed heat into my back and both glutes before setting off. The early pace was very slow until muscles started warming and then I got going. The glutes were very tight. I ran the first kilometre in 5:41. I ran into town with the pace steadily increasing. I ran the sixth and seventh at around 5:04 pace, before hitting sub 5 minute pace in the eighth. I cruised home to complete 8.3 km in just over 43 minutes. I averaged 5:14 pace. After a shower and cooling down my glutes were great but I really tightened up in the quads.
After work I went to our interval session but just to run another recovery run. I ran a lot of it with Ari and had a great chat about yesterday's half and his future marathon plans. I ran for a bit and then stopped to chat with an old running mate who was cycling through. Ari and I were running at a bit over 5:30 pace. Ari was with me for my first 5 km. I ran alone after Ari left and picked up the pace. I ran the sixth in 4:53 and then ran with others then finished with a 4:51 in the eighth. I eases out another slower kilometre to finish with 9 km in just under 48 minutes. I averaged 5:19 pace. I massaged the quads in the shower - there is a real sore spot - and they felt better.
I took the day off from running on Tuesday.
The rain just kept coming down all night on Tuesday night and, upon getting up Wednesday morning, the place was flooded. I contemplated cancelling the morning run but decided to take a punt and got through dry. I ran into town, turning back at the Bunnings corner. I was on pace from the start, running the first in 5 minutes flat. The legs were still a bit tight but I was able to push through it. My quads are tight but, unlike many, I prefer not to rest them. My view is that I've stretched them with Sunday's effort and I want to consolidate that stretching and move to a new level. I picked up to sub 4:50 pace and held it there. My fastest was a 4:45 in the sixth and then I eased a little on the run home. All up I ran 7 km, averaging 4:51 pace. After the run I rubbed heat into the quads and gave each a good hard thumb massage. I repeated this with soap in the shower and massaged the calves as well - as I usually do.
After work I went out for my second run of the day. I drove to the Guide Park and got changed there. The sun was out, the wind stopped and the weather was perfect. I stretched thoroughly and set off toward the rail trail. The first kilometre was a 4:55. The legs were real heavy though. After turning onto Lower Powlett road I was running at around 4:40 pace. The flow was returning. I had taken a punt on a local magpie but there was no sign of it anywhere. I turned onto South Dudley road and worked up the hill to the golf course. I picked up speed on the way down and really pushed to hold that pace in the seventh. I ran a 4:27 and then eased up in the last few hundred metres. It was a good solid run, covering 7.3 km in 34 and a half minutes and averaging 4:43 pace. At home I sat with my legs up and the calves got real tight. Before my shower I massaged heat into both calves and then into both quads. I massaged the legs thoroughly with soap in the shower. I am still in recovery mode.
It was an early start for work on Thursday with an excursion to the city - so no morning run. It was also a late return so we missed the start of the Headlampers run. Heather and I met up with the other runners and then I did a bit to extend my run out to 7.7 km. My pace was up and down with the average at 5:19 pace.
After the glorious weather on Thursday the skies were threatening on Friday morning, but the air was still quite warm. There was a strong north wind so I just ran west across North Wonthaggi. I started slowly but I was under 5 minute pace in the third kilometre. The pace hovered around 4:50 pace for a lot of the run. I ran the eighth and ninth at around 4:40 pace and finished the 9.2 km run averaging 4:54 pace.
With a fair bit of running on top of the half marathon I was happy to run around the mid 19s for parkrun on Saturday morning. The warm up was a touch slower than usual but my body felt ok. As parkrun started I set off at a more steady pace than recent times, intent on building up the pace. I settled out the front and succeeded in accelerating out to the first turn. The first kilometre was a 3:50. Bill was on my tail but he had run the marathon so I suspected that he would drop off at some point. The second was a 3:54 (into the wind). As I turned around the second u-turn I pushed off hard, expecting to drop Bill off and get some speed with the wind. It was another 3:50 with the wind and I was running at my fastest. I started to build a gap but he pulled me back in. We hit the last turn together and the fourth ticked over at 3:45. As I set sail into the wind I was running with everything I had. My pace was great but Bill was still right there. My body was screaming to ease up but I was determined to make him work for it if he was going to pass me.. With about 200m to go he pulled out and ran away from me. I crossed the line in 19:03, five seconds behind. I had made him work though as my fifth was a 3:43. Bill ran a 3:37 for his fifth! Overall I ran 8.2 km in 36 minutes (4:22 pace). It was much quicker than anticipated.
The plan was for a second run late on Saturday. I took it easy for most of the day - pretty easy given the cold weather. Late afternoon I prepared and stretched for my second run. I was on pace right from the start running the first in 4:41. I was on the six kilometre course and determined to go hard. I was under 4:30 for the second and then ran the third and fourth at 4:20 pace. Then I really pushed on the way home running the fifth and sixth at 4:05 pace. It was a great hitout, covering the 6 km in under 26 minutes and averaging 4:20 pace.
I drove out to the Desal on Sunday morning and stretched up out there. I headed out on the short loop on the other side of Lower Powlett road. The first was a warm up and then I was under 5 minute pace. Due to the nature of the tracks and the softer conditions - we had a heap of rain in the past week - my pace was up and down between 4:30 and 4:50 pace. I was running really well. I saw a group of kangaroos and an emu on the first loop. Back on the other side of Lower Powlett I ran anti-clockwise around the big loop and then off the path to the caravan park and back. I ran another one of the short loop and ran my eleventh kilometre in 4:22. The run covered 11.4 km in under 54 minutes with the average at 4:43 pace.
Monday October 24th to Saturday October 29th I ran in to town on Monday morning with some good pace in the warm up. I was under 5 minute pace in the second kilometre, running with a few surges here and there. The third was a 4:42 and I sat around that speed. As I got towards the last two kilometres I decided on an extensive surge, pushing and accelerating. I ran a 4:22 in the sixth and then pushed really hard in the last, running a 4:08. I felt good after getting my breath back. It was a 7 km run, averaging 4:42 pace.
After work on Monday I went to the Interval course. I decided to give the Adizero runners another go, but had the old runners as spares. I was into the intervals right from the start this week, peaking at 3;38 pace early in the first interval. The second peaked at 3:46 but I was able to hold the pace across the interval. I peaked late in the third, at 3:44 pace and I was at a very similar pace in the fourth. I gave a big push in tyhe fifth, peaking early at 3:06 pace and holding the pace below around 3:25 pace right through. I ran the interval in 56 seconds, equaling my fastest ever time on the interval. The final interval was run in 59 seconds and peaked at 3:07 pace, once again early in the interval. It was a pretty good session, covering 8.1 km in 39 and a half minutes. My average pace was 4:53 pace.
It was an early start on Tuesday for a 4:1 interval run. The air was quite cold but I only ran a 4 minute warm-up before doing my first change of pace. I hit sub 4 minute pace in that first interval. My second interval was down Wentworth road and I was quickly up to 3:47 pace and held it for a bit. My right calf wasn't feeling quite right so I stopped to stretch at the North school and then I took off at some pretty good pace. My third interval was at the end of Strickland street where I hit sub 4 pace late. I had a good interval in Murray street hitting 3:49 pace and then hit 3:53 pace on the fourth in McKenzie street. I had an adrenaline rush around the local oval and then my next interval, up hill, was a bit slower. The last interval was the best, hitting 3:34 pace. In all I ran 8.5 km in 40 minutes. I averaged 4:42 pace.
I took the day off on Wednesday.
With plans to go out for dinner on Thursday I would be missing the Headlampers run after work, so I went for a longer run in the morning. I set out on my 13 km course aiming for a progression run. It was a real easy start with a 5:36 to warm up. I was under 5 minute pace in the third and starting to get warm. I worked down the 4:40s through to the eighth kilometre. On turning onto the rail trail, and into the second half of the run, I started to really push. My ninth was a 4:33 and then I followed up with a 4:23. I held it there as I moved into North Wonthaggi and then really pushed hard for the last two. My twelfth was run at 4:02 pace and I held that pace for the thirteenth. It was a really fast finish and I was running really well. I averaged 4:41 pace - even after a 5:36 start! - for the 13.3 km run and pulled up really well.
In the afternoon our dinner was cancelled so I did get to go to the Headlampers run anyway. It was a generally slow run but I did find some opportunities to run faster than the group pace - mainly by running back. I ran harder in the last kilometre and hit some sub 5 minute pace there. I ran for 57 minutes and covered 10.5 km to end a massive running day.
I had originally planned to run a shorter, faster run on Friday morning. Given the Thursday evening run I decided that it would be best to give my body a rest instead. It ended up a great choice as it was a one degree morning outside. I lay in bed and read a book instead.
Saturday morning and parkrun. With a fastish run in the city planned for Sunday my strategy was to just sit on Bill and try for an easier run. The spanner in the works was a real fast girl on holiday for the Cup weekend. I had my usual 3 km warm up. I started easily and watched those two run ahead. The pace was much faster than what I was willing to do so I just watched them run away. My first kilometre was a 3:46 and I eased it back a little from there - happy to be just under 4 minute pace. After the turn we were into a breeze and I found myself running solo. I ran a 3:56 and then slowed to a 4:02 in the third. Not happy with that I upped the pace a little and ran a 3:59 for the fourth. The goal was always to try and finish fast so I pushed real hard out of the last turn and pushed it all the way back, running a 3:49 to finish. The legs were a bit heavy today so i might have to review my workload. My parkrun time was 19:42 and I averaged 4:21 pace for the 8.4 km overall run.
Sunday October 30th - Great Strides run for Cystic Fibrosis
We had driven the the city on Saturday afternoon to go and see Tex Perkins at the Old Melbourne Gaol on Saturday night. When we booked the accommodation, some months ago, I also had a look to see if there was a run on the Sunday morning - we discovered the Great Strides run. Heather wore a singlet to honour our niece - Sandra.
We met Matt in Swanston street and Matt and I jogged down to Southbank for our warm up. I extended my warmup in there by running around the music bowl. I ran a 3 km warm up at a pretty swift average of 4:45 pace.
Matt and I set off at the front of the 8 km field and let a few bolters run off ahead as the run began. We ran the first lap together reeling in most of the bolters on the first half lap. The early pace was around 4 minute pace - including a slow-down as we went up the hill at the top of Anderson street - the run was anti-clockwise around the Tan so we didn't have to run up the massive Anderson street hill! It was a pretty quick pace down Anderson street though - peaking at 3:14 pace. I was running with Matt but felt him slowing as we approached the Alexandra gardens. I subconsciously slowed too - I did want us to run together through the first lap so Heather could get our pic. The fourth and fifth kilometres were a fair bit slower - around 4:17 pace. There was one runner ahead of us - at the time I thought he was the first placed runner - and I asked Matt if he felt he could chase him down. He was about 150m ahead at the time and Matt said that he couldn't. At the 5 km I started to lift my pace. The sixth was still slowish as it involved another run to the top of Anderson street - a 4:14. I had pushed up the hill and, rounding the corner, found that I had slightly closed the gap. Matt had started to drop back. I pushed down the hill - only peaking at 3:34 pace though - and then along the river. I was closing the gap but seemingly too slowly. I decided a number of times that I wouldn't get there but I kept pushing anyway. My seventh was a 3:56 and the heartrate was at 174. The gap was closing though. We turned around towards the Arts Centre and, suddenly, the gap seemed really achievable. I pushed to close it and did! Then I pushed with everything I had to slingshot past him and did! My thoughts then were that if he had it in him to get back in front then I was done for. I felt him go for it but then I felt a gap. I almost missed the finish chute but got back to cross the line, only to find that I was second. One of the early bolters had put on such a lead that he was out of view. I finished in 32 minutes and he was 3 minutes ahead.
I was officially second in the time of 31:59. The course was a little short of the 8 km and I measured it at around 3.84 km. I was happy with the overall run - especially the ability to get the pace back and run a fastish runner down. It was a warm and windy morning too - much like at Melbourne marathon - so it was good to overcome the conditions.
Monday October 31st to Sunday November 6th
While many have a four day weekend for the Melbourne Cup I have to go to work - there are no students but we have time-filler PDs. I was up early to start the day off with a recovery run. I could have done with the extra sleep though. My body was a little sore from the weekend running but I stretched and then set off. After running in Melbourne in 22 degrees (on the way to 28) it was back to the middle of winter for Monday. A strong cold wind hit me at the top of the hill just up the road. My pace was up and down right through the run, influenced by the wind. After a couple of low 5s to warm up I was under 4:50 pace in the third. It stayed there with the best a 4:43 in the sixth. I ran 7.1 km at an average of 4:53 pace.
The weather never improved during the day and only two of us turned up for intervals. It was cold and windy and I took forever to get warm. I only needed 5 km to get my 300 km for the month - so only planned for 5 out and backs. I put a little extension loop onto each end and that lifted my distance so, in the end, I ran 6 km. They were sad intervals with the first two real slow and then the next three peaking at 3:58, 3:55 and 3:40 respectively. I pulled the pin right on 6 km and 29 minutes, averaging 4:49 pace. As I stopped the rain started falling.
In October 2013 I only ran 137 km, but I was in the midst of cycling 400 km for a challenge. It was my last big cycling month. It was also the time when I set some running goals. Matt, my son, was doing the Melbourne Marathon and we were going there to watch him so I decided to run the 10 km there while waiting. It was an amazing event - I watched all the marathoners set off - but couldn't find Matt - and then all the 10 km starters get formed. Steve Moneghetti was running the 10 km but I never saw him at all. Cathy Freeman also ran it but took around 60 minutes. I ran a PB (41:47 back then) and then sat with Heather in the stands of the MCG. We saw the half marathoners finish (Two Kenyans ran it in under an hour) and then the marathoners. It was such an inspiring event. At that time I had never thought of running longer distances but on that day I decided that I'd run the half marathon there the next year and, if all went well, try for the marathon the next. I achieved both and have now run the half marathon distance 43 times. I ran the 2015 Melbourne marathon in 3:21:31 to achieve that two year goal.
Back to 2016 and I reset my goals again at the 2016 MM (where I ran another half). I am now in the midst of shortening my runs and getting back to the pace I was running with in early 2014 - when I started to lengthen the distances. I have another half to run on the Gold Coast next year and will have a long transition period. I do have a little leg soreness, mainly up high, as I try to start the transition.
Tuesday was Cup Day - and my first "sleep in" for a long while. I was up before 8 though and had breakfast before heading out to the Desal for a loop run out there. I had originally thought about doing two shorter runs on Cup day but the predicted afternoon showers put an end to that thought. It was a lovely sunny morning - but there was a strong west wind. I ran a short loop first, settling under 5 minute pace from the start. Then it was around the big loop and into the exposed wind on the southern side. I kept my pace under 5 minute pace - just and then sped up as I started to loop around the other side. I kept it going to run the small loop again, but in the reverse direction and I also explored an access track, before heading back to the car park. I had run a couple of 4:44s near the end and averaged 4:51 pace for the 13 km run. I ran for just on 63 minutes.
Wednesday was a rest day.
I stayed in bed again on Thursday morning as I was running with the Headlampers after work. We met out at the Desalination Plant this week for a run around the tracks there, watched by a couple of emus and a group of kangaroos. There were five of us running and the pace, early on, was just slower than 5:40 pace. We the big first and then continued across the road onto the small loop, picking up the pace there. To stretch it out we ran along Lower Powlett road and then back along a different track. We looped back across the road and then back to the car park. The average pace was 5:34 for the 9.3 km run, running for 52 minutes.
I was out again on Friday morning, running into town for a 4:1 interval run. I pushed to low 4 minute pace in the very first interval and then eased it right back up the hill. My second interval, down Wentworth road, was nice and quick and hit sub 4 minute pace. The third was on the flat and a little slower but I held about 4:06 pace through the whole interval. I pushed hard in the fourth - my quickest - peaking at 3:34 pace and holding good pace right through the interval. The fifth peaked at 4:40 pace but was held in the 3:50s right through, then my sixth was a hard push up the North school hill and had a momentary peak of 4:04 pace - and then I actually hit some sub 4 pace after finishing it and turning into North Wonthaggi. The final interval had some good sustained pace, peaking at 3:44 pace right in the middle. The entire run was 8.3 km, run in under 40 minutes.
So we get to parkrun day. This week was special - Heather's 100th run and it was also a celebration for one of our Director's (Kate's) wedding later in the day. It was a wedding theme so I wore a white singlet and a tie. I was a little late getting out the door so had to reduce the warmup to around 2 km. I was off to a solid start in the parkrun, with the wind behind me, but starting in a subdued manner and running a 3:49 for the first. I turned and then felt the strong south westerly (power and temperature). It was a hard push back and the second was a 3:57. The third (50/50 with the wind) and fourth were disappointing as I didn't really capitalise on the wind. I was in a bit of a lead and had nobody really pushing me, running a 3:56 then a 3:55. Even that was not enough to motivate me for the last. I tried to push after turning back into the wind but I also spent time greeting other runners and had to slow a couple of times in crowded areas. The fifth was a 4 flat. My official time was 19:37 and i was almost run down by second place. I ran back to jog back with Kate and got the distance up to 8.7 km. I averaged 4:23 pace in the total run.
I drove over to Korumburra on Sunday morning to have a run with Bill. We set off on a circuit of Korumburra under heavy cloud. We were on pace from the start with a 5:57 and then a 4:29 on a down hill section. We maintained a pace in the 4:40s up and down the early sexctions of the run with some faster running on extended downhill. We hit a real steep (but short in distance) hill in the eighth and it was a nice solid push up there. We ran back to the highway and then crossed and went in behind Burra Foods. We then headed out of town on a dirt road which had a sixty plus metre climb over about a kilometre. The thirteenth was a slow 5:26 going up the hill but when we turned the pace did too and the fourteenth was a 4:20. We worked our way back and completed a 10 mile (16.1 km) run in 77.5 minutes. The average pace was 4:47 for the run which, considering the 286 m of elevation, was pretty good going.
Monday November 7th to Sunday November 13th
I pulled up remarkably well from the Sunday hills run and went out for a short and sharp 6 km progression run on Monday morning. It started with a warm up kilometre at 5:10 pace but I accelerated in the second and ran a 4:44. The third and fourth were run at around 4:30 pace and then I really upped the pace in the last two, running a 4:06 and a 4:02 to finish off the run. My average pace was 4:30 pace for the 6 km run.
I was out running again at the Road Runners interval session after work on Monday. With ten runners there it was a great turn out and the conditions were nice too at the start but the southerly did come up with the interval into it. I ran most of it with Ari. My first interval hit 4:10 pace early and then backed off. The second had a double peak with a 3:56 early and then a 3:49 later. The third was strong with the pace good throughout and building to a late peak of 3:46. The next was slower, momentarily dipping below 4 minute pace, but the fifth was my best. It quickly built to 3:11 pace and stayed under 3:40 right through the interval. The sixth was a build up to 3:29 pace and was also solid while the seventh peaked at 3:28 late in the interval. The chat between intervals slowed me down there a little and the average pace was 5:01 pace. I covered just over 8.1 km in under 41 minutes.
Tuesday was a rest and recovery day.
I was up early on Wednesday morning and my body felt pretty good. I decided on a fartlek run because I wanted to push for a sustained strong finish. I ran the first speed section inside the first kilometre with a sub 4 section to start with a 4:54 kilometre. The next speed section was similar paced over the Wentworth road hill. I ran another quicky near the Miners Rest with some sustained sub 3:30 pace, and then another short and sharp run around the corner. My kilometre averages were around the 4:20 mark and just below. I found some great pace along the Graham street shopping strip and then again around the rec reserve. After pushing up the North school hill I kept on pushing and found some sustained pace. I ran the seventh in 3:56! I eased a little in the eighth but still ran a 4:15. The run covered 8.3 km and was completed inside 37 minutes. I was able to average 4:26 pace and pulled up really well from the run.
I started Thursday with a short sharp run on the 6 km course. I was under 5 minute pace on the warm up kilometre and then was under 4 minutes for the sixth - with a steady build in between. I was able to average 4:27 pace, running for just under 27 minutes. I have also started to work on the upper body just a little and have started punching a bag at the end of these runs from home.
I was hosting the Headlampers run in Inverloch after work. With seven runners we set off towards Townsends Bluff. We were around 5:40 pace early but slowed when we left the bitumen. It was almost 6 km when we got back and a couple of runners stopped there. The rest went on another short loop and finished with a 10.2 km run. We averaged 5:45 pace with some sub 5:20 near the end.
On Friday morning I ran to the golf course and then set off around the boundary holes - first, second, third, fourth, fourteenth, eighteenth. I started slowly but was under 5 minute pace in the second and quickened from there. I was at 4:40 pace when I hit the turf and held it just under that. I pushed near the end and the eighth was a 4:24. The full run was 8.2 km, run in just over 42 minutes and averaging 4:45 pace.
The conditions on Saturday morning were pretty good for parkrun. I ran a pretty easy warm up but had to get a move on later in it as I was cutting it fine. I met up with Nick who follows me on Strava at the start. It was his first parkrun. He went with me at the start. Early in the first I was going pretty fast but then the speed dropped off but picked up again. The first was a 3:46 - a little slower than I wanted. I kept pushing in the second with Nick just a little behind and then a big gap. The second was a 3:48 and then the third was a disappointing 3:54. The fourth was a 3:53 and, at the last turn, I had a lead of about 30 to 40 metres. I was pushing back but heard Nick closing as we went down the hill past the park. He was really pushing me but I was finding a bit of speed too. I decided that he would have to work real hard to pass me. In the final section I turned and he was right on me. In the last hundred metres or so my pace peaked at 3:08. It was a real sprint to the end - my fastest parkrun finish - with the intervals work paying off. I help him off with a 3:39 fifth kilometre. He had run a 3:30. My parkrun time was 19:01, two seconds ahead. Overall I had covered 8.2 km in under 35 minutes, averaging 4:15 pace.
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| A fast start |
Sunday morning dawned wet. I put off my run and then decided on a short run in a rain break. I ran a fartlek on my 6km course. I was off to a good start and hit sub 4 minute pace near the end of my first kilometre. My second interval hit 3:43 pace on Wentworth road and then I hit 3:41 pace in a short interval on White road. I had two solid intervals in Strickland street and Korumburra roads but my interval up to the North school was again disappointing. I hit 3:27 pace in the estate interval and then pushed up the home hill with some low 4 minute paced running. I covered the 6 km in 27 and a half minutes and averaged 4:33 pace.
I went out for a second run on Sunday afternoon - as I wasn't going to be able to get in a Monday run. The weather hadn't really lifted and I was hit with a few showers. I ran out at the Desal tracks, doing a short loop and a long one. The pace was variable, due to the wind, but pretty much under 5 minute pace the whole way. I averaged 4:47 pace for the 7 km run.
Monday November 14th to Saturday November 19th
I had to get up early and travel to Melbourne for work on Monday morning and it was a late return, so the Monday run was out. It was my first Monday rest day in 3 months.
I was out for a town run on Tuesday morning and felt a bit flat through most of the run. It was a slow start. I was under 5 minutes for the second but couldn't accelerate from there. I was into a westerly for the first half but didn't really accelerate once I turned back. I did get faster in the eighth (4:41) and was able to accelerate from there. I finished with a 4:34 and a 4:20 to get the average pace to 4:50 for the 10 km run. I have recently started to do some boxing at the end of my runs from home. I hit a punching bag both left and right handed and do some up high punching. The goal here is to do some extra cardio and also tone the upper body a little.
On Wednesday morning I set the watch for a 4:1 interval run. I started slowly but ran my first interval near the end of my first kilometre. It was a warm up interval. I started the second interval early and ran it for longer. I held sub 3:50 pace for the whole interval. The third was in McKenzie street. I steadily built my speed to a peak of 3:31 pace. I was getting some good speed in the intervals but felt like I was just going through the motions. The next interval, at the rec reserve, was started in the same vein but just on starting I decided to give it a red hot go. I got the pace up to 3:16 pace and felt quite good through the interval. The fifth interval started in Wentworth road and turned into Mary street. I found some real pace after the turn, hitting sub 3 minute pace. I stayed under 3:10 pace for most of the interval. This is the best pace I have been able to find for a long while. I have decided that I need to do a lot more short repeated intervals, which I will start after the run on Sunday. This run was a short 6 km run and I averaged 4:36 pace.
It heated up on Thursday with our first 30 degree day since March. It was quite warm when we started our Headlampers run out at Inverloch after work. There were eight runners and two walkers as we set out for the bluff. We stayed as a group all the way out but spread up as we run to the top. Pace was around 5:30 most of the way. On the run back we spread out a little. The running was easy paced but a few were struggling with the heat. Only four of us continued for the second loop. We ran back to check out the new extension to the coast path and the new bridge that parkrun will be extended across. From there the others returned on the coast path but I looped inland. I did pick up speed a little running solo. All up I ran 9.2 km, averaging 5:18 pace. I went hip deep in the ocean to cool down after the run.
With Saturday planned as a rest day to prepare for Sunday I wanted to get in a nice quick run on Friday. My body spent most of the night recovering from the heat of Thursday's run. It was hard to wake up on Friday morning and I almost drifted off back to sleep after turning off the alarm. I was a little stiff at the start and ran the first in 5:04. The second was a 4:52 and, by that stage, I was warming up. I pushed for the third and ran a 4:28 then followed it up with a 4:22. Homeward bound I pushed again and was running really nicely. I ran the fifth in 4:01 and then kept pushing for the last. On the gravel and up the hill but I picked up speed, running a 3:51 for the sixth. I averaged 4:27 pace for the 6 km run. I checked out some of the kilometre by kilometre stats on my Garmin site and found:
* Ave pace: 5:04 4:52 4:28 4:22 4:01 3:51
* Best Pace: 4:42 4:37 4:06 4:10 3:44 3:31
* Ave Heart: 125 140 145 154 159 168
* Ave Cadence: 154 154 154 155 156 160
* Ave Stride: 1.28 1.33 1.45 1.47 1.59 1.62
The stride length seems to be the real defining factor when I want to find some speed. My cadence also lifted significantly in that final kilometre.
Saturday was a rest day so I volunteered at parkrun and took photos.
Sunday November 20th - 2016 Melbourne City 2 Sea
Still searching for the holy (4 minute) grail
We stayed in the city overnight on Saturday night, meeting up with Matt for pasta for tea in Lygon street. So we just had to get up and jog down to the start line on Sunday morning. My warmup started at Federation Square after leaving my luggage in the car. I jogged down to the MCG and then ran a lap of the outside, then ran a few paths to make the warm up up to 3 km. At 5:15 pace it was a nice easy warm up.
Matt and I started right at the front of the red group, only about 5 rows back behing the elites. So we got off to a great start and I was running really nicely early on. Matt was sticking with me and we ran the first kilometre in 3:36. I then settled into some 3:50 pace for the next three kilometres as we ran around the gardens, under the Arts Centre and onto St Kilda road. Again I lost about 200 m of my Garmin tracking under the Arts Centre. I slowed to 4 minute pace on the St Kilda road stretch to complete the first 5 km in 19:08.
I got back under 4 minute pace (slightly) and was running at that pace as I started around Albert Park lake. For the second time in just over a month I slowed around the lake. It wasn't so windy this time but it was quite warm. I ran the ninth in 4:07 and the tenth in 4:10 to complete the first 10 km in 39:41 - 20:13 for the second 5 km.
I found it hard work around the lake. I dropped back to the 4:20s for the 12th, 13th and 14th, really struggling with the sun and the early pace. I picked it up a little as I was approaching the beach, hitting sub 4 pace (briefly) in Fitzroy street and some sub 3:40 pace as I turned into Beaconsfield parade. The last 5 km took me 21:31.
Matt had dropped off the pace in the first 5 as he has a few injury issues. He finished exactly 3 minutes after me. Heather, battling her own injuries, walked the 5 km in 47 minutes.
My official time was 60:30. It was disappointing to miss the sub 60 but this was my second fastest run longer than 11 km. There are still a few things to work on and I am confident that I can find a significant amount of additional pace - and even sustain it.
I was 111th over the line - pretty happy with that! and the 105th male. I was placed 7th in the 50 to 59 years age group.
