Taper Wed

Very easy 7km bumping into Andy at the Opera House and finishing with a few hills.

Getting pumped about Saturday morning now..

ES Marks Runcrew

4km warm up in the inside of the track with Matt, Keith, Keith's brother Gerald, Hamish, Biggsy and Neil.  Then 3 x broken 1 miles as per 3 weeks ago - that is 1km hard, 300m jog, 300m hard with 4mins between each set.

Wore the flats this time with the achilles feeling stronger every day.  

Times went:

2:55, 51

2:52, 51

2:51, 52

Very happy and felt great.  As Gary pointed out, reps 2 and 3 are at a pace faster than my 1500m PB.

3km warm down for 12km all up.

Monday morning

1. Really enjoying the Manly Dam runs at the moment and hills.

2. Achilles feels better than ever.

So did another run up past Manly Vale Public School and back down the creek this am before adding the 4 x 80m hills up Suwarrow.  Felt great this morning.

Sunday

Too knackered to get out with the boys at 6am after having to stay up to pick up Bec.  Got out later and did another circular Manly Dam route, this time tackling the Northern Beaches longest hill - Warringah Rd up to Beacon Hill.  Quite tired at the end of 20km. 

Saturday hills

Missed Parkrun so ran hard up a hill instead.  Allambie Hill.  Then back around the dam for 13.5km all up.  Nice route.

Hurts Rushcutters

Over to Rushcutters but no Timmy cones.  And to be honest we were lost without them.  Come back Timmy, all is forgiven.  Some makeshift shirts were laid which moved after the first rep.  But anyway, session was 8 x 400m off 2:30, 3 min jog then 8 x 200m off 1:30.

Trailed Barts for the first four 400's then kicked into action and started pushing him a bit.  All were 65/66 on the watch but 67/68 pace in truth.  Then on the 200's I called for a different volunteer to pace each rep which made it interesting and distracted from getting through the set.  Averaged 30's on those (prob 31's in truth.

5km warm down for 13km all up.

Morning MLR

16km around Manly with Lewis and the Cap'n.  Sore after last night.  4:36's.

(Missed Monday)

Can't fail to put this down as it continues quite a good running streak....

14km with Enda, Timmy, Hoey and Co around the wharves to Barangaroo.

RunCrew Tuesday

AM:  7.5km around and about to the ferry wharf in 4:38's.

PM:  4.5km warm up.  2km TT in 5:56 pacing off Hamish and Keith.  Followed by 10 x 300m in 49, 50, 49, 48, 49, 49, 48, 48, 48, 48 (rolling 2mins).  Felt great tonight in the flats.  3km warm down.

Good to see Enda, Christian, LJ and Greta supporting Eloise in what looked like a monster session.

Picking up the car

Out with Kirst last night to a charity function at Balgowlah RSL. Both drank way too much so taxi'd it home, hence the run this afternoon.  Went via Allambie Hill and hit some serious puddles on the trail next to Wakehurst Parkway.

12km, feeling surprisingly good.

Claudie this morning watching Maggie's soccer:

Saturday long

Out early doors with Barts, Scott and Robin V for the usual route but with Barts keen on a fast finish. In fact, he was keen on a quickish start too.  I wasn't.  But just put my head down and ran.  Tired after yesterday's race.  When the boys picked up the pace I was hanging on. Did so for 4km then fell off at Dee Why and jogged home.

Bit of a GPS fail in not restarting my watch after a stop but I think it was 29km in 4:21's.

Mags and Charlie in Parkrun this morning.  New PB for Mags, good news before her Regional XC in Gosford on Friday:

City Mile Dash - 3rd in 4:32

I really didn't want to do this.  1.6km hurts more than a 10km or Half.  And I get more nervous for it as a result.  But I'd promised Timmy i'd turn up for his team (him, Crossy and Quentin - me replacing Durante from last year) so did so.

Jogged down with the winning girls, felt pretty good in the warm up, slapped my face a bit and then we were off.

First 400m - I can't believe how fast everyone can run. Seriously, I feel like I'm redlining it and I'm in 12th position. Ali Najeem is running a 27s 200m, Crossy and Q are well ahead and I'm thinking my days as a middle distance runner are gone.

Then get to 400m and everyone slows down. I start passing everyone and just think, rather than settle for this, why not push ahead.  And so at 800m i'm in the lead.  Turn the hairpin sheepishly, think "I could win this!" And start pushing on,  but feel a bit like a fox waiting for the hounds to pounce and sure enough at 400m to go Q and some kid come past and I can't go with them.  Q sustains the burst, the kid comes back but not enough for me to catch on the line.

Still, earned a pair of Mizunos thanks to Q, Crossy and Timmy.  11km for the day all up and a good hit out which will serve me well.

Thursday easy

...because of the frickin' City Mile Dash tomorrow which I'm really not keen on.  

10km easy up to and aroundCentennial. 

Wednesday Melbourne MLR

Usual route up the Yarra Trail turning at 8km.  Bloody cold again and almost killed by a cyclist on 2 occasions.

16km in 4:32's.  Few strides at the end.  Took Voltaren last night as Achilles was sore.

Tuesday Tan Session

In Melbourne.  Frickin freezing.  Did the whole session with my black thermal top on (which Timmy likes so much) and a beanie.

Jogged the 2km warm up to Morell Bridge then started the 4 x 8.5min Fartlek (30, 60, 90, 60, 30 - same recovery, 3mins between sets).  Unfortunately started the first fast section straight up the Anderson St hill which was to repeat on each of the 3 laps.  Session looks fairly easy but it's a dead leg killer.  Turned out to be exactly 3 laps of the Tan before the 2km jog back.

15.6km all up averaging 3:59's.

Queens Birthday Monday

Met up for a couple of beers Sunday night with Macca, Darren and the Cap'n and it turned into another really decent crowd.

So I didn't run Monday morning but got out later (after a great walk to "the Cascades" from Davison) for 13km in 4:25's followed by a couple of km jogging then strides with Maggie and Asha.

Then to Vivid in the evening with the family.  Knackered.

Long Sunday

Huge crowd for a variation on the usual route.  Barts, the Cap'n, Macca, Scotty, Ben, Dicky, Toby, Hamish and even Lewis joined us later on.  With Dicky there, the pace was always going to be honest and he picked it up to Sub4's over the final few km.  29.4km averaging 4:25's.

Parkrun

On Thursday Scotty O says he's doing Parkrun so I knew it would be honest today.  Decided to do a decent warm up (on instructions from Gary) and wear my flats as a result in the hope of sticking with him.

Turn up, no sign of Scott so decide to run in my trainers before he appears at the last moment.  Quick change into the flats and we're off.  Basically, I was toe to toe with Scott the whole way.  If I eased up he would come past and vice versa.  3:05 first km.  3:14 second km (I was hoping for 6:12 at 2km) so I think we're drifting away from a sub16.  Then we both attack the difficult 3rd km and I attack the hill resulting in a 3:18 and a 3:13.  Scott comes past at 4km and I feel I'm toast.  I go past again just before the bridge and see 14:04 so a sub16 is on the cards.  Scott goes past shortly after but knowing how quick his sprint is and my thoughts from last week about race wins not being handed on a plate I decide to give it a shot by sprinting early.  Get a gap and keep on pushing to the line to finish in 15:56.

Really chuffed with that and thanks to Scotty for making it such an honest race.

12km all up.

Friday

4-5km jogging around training Maggie and then to the wharf.

Thursday

Did the HuRTs session at lunch with a really good crowd.  Plenty up front with Barts, Scotty O, Quentin, Darren Moyle, Jerome, Hoey and the Sub4 man Holt Hardy having a hit out before the City Mile Dash next week. 

Session was 6 x 1km off a rolling 5mins and my legs were complaining from the off.  Just no zip.  I'd suggested tonBarts and Q that we share the lead but in honesty I was just tucking in and trying to hold on.  Reps went 2:59, 3:00, 3:01, then my turn and did my best to keep it honest resulting in a 2:57. Next rep I was cooked and dropping off before Barts shouted at me at 500m saying something along the lines of "Get back on Tommy!" so I did as told and ran a 2:56.  Then the last we all started to pickup the pace, I got ready to start sprinting with 200m before the big boys took off leaving me in their wake.  Still managed a 2:56 though.

Good solid session on tired legs. 14km all up.

MLR

Easy 17km with Darren (4:47's).  Tired after last night's efforts but the pace was easy.

Arrived home to find Maggot and Claudie fully decked out in running kit ready for their session.  Their enthusiasm can be explained by the fact I said we'd be doing hills, and that each time they beat the time I set for them, they would get a lolly (had to run by Woolies on my earlier run to pick up the favoured Starburst).

So Mags and I jogged to the BP Garage while Claudie rode her bike, then Maggie did 8 X 80m hills while Claudie managed 4.  Mags got 5 lollies and Claudie got 4. Plainly I need to be stricter on Claudia's target times (17s for Mags, 25s for Claudia). Then a jog back.  Mags looking good. Aiming for a sub 25min Parkrun on Sat.

Bit of Track

AM:  8km with the Cap'n in 4:56's.  Had to avoid the Shelley path of destruction.

PM:  ES Marks - 4 x 1km hard, 300m jog, 300m hard.  All off a rolling 8mins.

Kanser and Biggsy were there but doing 800's off 4mins.  Just Matt Hudson and Keith McPherson doing my set so I was bringing up the rear.  Did all the kms in 2:57 and all the 300's in 53 with a 52 to end.  So nice and consistent.  

13km all up.

Run home

Exactly that, very easy - 4:40's (70mins exactly via Boy Charlton) with some strides at the end.  Felt better (particularly achilles) at end than start.

Mental as Anything

SO Kirst and I were all fancy at a black tie charity event last night (check out the photo below) which turned out to have a FREE BAR so the chances of me making a 6.15am start were lower than nought.  Having said that, I woke at 5.50am feeling OK and temporarily thought of it before I heard the wind and rain and turned over under the duvet.

Got out at 2.30pm when the water was at it's highest point (coming around the front of the house) and I was a bit nervous it would be deluged by the time I returned.  Met Erika at Queenscliff where the wind was so strong I was blasted by sand.  We headed up to North Head picking up Q and Robbie along the way.  Watch in awe at the surf conditions between the Heads and along Manly Beach.  Quite simply the biggest I've ever seen in 16 years in Australia.

Got back after 27km to find the water levels having receded a bit.  Having said that, typing this at 9.15pm, it's back to the back gate.  Could be a long night as the police have already been around once and said next time they come it will be a mandatory evacuation.

Pace easy at 4:43's (2:07:24).

2pm, back to this level at 9pm:

Striders North Head - 3rd in 33:52

When I was 11 I won my first "big" road race.  It was the Chester-le-Street Minor Colts Road Race - 2 miles against all the kids from the running clubs in the North East.  I remember turning the final corner with about 400m to go, amazed that I was still in the running and thinking I might as well go for this just to prove to Dad I gave it my best shot.  I just sprinted for the line and ended up winning by about 5 seconds.  What it proved to me was that race wins (in competitive races) are never handed to you on a plate, you have to do something about it.

Today, I forgot all that.

Turned up this morning knowing it would be a competitive race with Quentin, Scotty and Robin all showing up, despite the forecast showing horrendous conditions.  Did a 3km warm up and said hello to Alex Rogers - another to throw into the mix.  Conditions seemed OK at that stage - damp but not too windy.  Set off and it was the usual suspects at the front plus one other chap that people on the sidelines were cheering on as "Rory". Turned out it was Ruiradh McDonald - super talented young fella.

I pushed the pace with Q in the first few km going through in 3:15, 3:16 and 3:12 and then the race turned ugly.  Just as we climbed the hill by the cafe a storm cell came through and turning on to the long straight we had a gale force headwind and torrential rain.  My lenses got soggy and I could barely see.  Poor Alex was in the lead and giving the rest of us a bit of a wind break. But the pace slowed dramatically such that we were all treading on each other's heels.

Through 5km in 16:42 (urgh) and we're all together but Robin puts a surge in and it looks as though we're breaking up a bit.  This was the theme for the next 3km - Robin would put a surge in, Ruiradh would immediately follow him, Scotty would go next and I would spend 200m bridging the gap, knowing I had to be in a group when we hit the wind at 8km or I was toast.

Get to the headwind at 8km and it's just me, Robin and Ruiradh.  Robin steps aside and waves his arm for us to take the lead.  I chuckle to myself and just tuck in behind him again.  Pace gradually picks up and I'm just biding my time without doing anything positive.  Then with 600m to go Robin jumps ahead with Ruiradh tracking him, they have the gap and I'm gone.  Trudge back up the hill for 3rd in 33:52.

Great running by Robin and unlucky to be pipped on the line but that kid has talent.  Everyone else was just happy to finish I think. Timmy was probably pick of the bunch only 80s behind Macca with a 38:05 performing pretty well in tough conditions.

Poor show from the Manly Hardcore disappearing off home without brekky.  It was left to the HuRTS Establishment to chow down a Deluxe B&E Roll in Manly's finest breakfast establishment.  Timmy couldn't resist the coffee there ordering 3!

So form is coming back but plenty more work to do. Great just to be out there racing again though.

Brissy

10km through the Bot Gardens and along the river.  Nice and easy and included a few strides.  Legs were sore before the the shakeout did the world of good.

Perth easy score

Wide awake at 5.30am (still on Sydney time) and first meeting wasn't until 8.30am so I headed out on my usual 20km route.  Pitch black until half way and then a beautiful sunrise (deep red in the morning over here as the desert's in the East) to bring me back home.  Unfortunately I had a pretty strong tail wind on the way out (thought it felt easy) so had to put my head down on the return.

Legs a bit sore by the end and I was hunting out every bit of grass I could find.  But not surprising as it's 40km in less than 24 hours since stepping off the plane.

4:36's.

My little Maggot!

Apologies for the super proud Dad post (I had to resist posting anything on Facebook given my reaction when others do the same) but was so chuffed for Maggie finishing 3rd in the District Cross Country this morning.  On to Regionals and if she can get through that, to State.  Once again came through the field after being in about 11th or 12th at half way and beaten by 2 much bigger girls.  Kirst said she had gritted teeth in the home straight so I think she's got the attitude for this.

So I arrived in Perth to this news and set out with renewed enthusiasm.  Decided on Gary's 79 continuous - 15mins warm up, 22mins Fartlek (1min, 2min, 3min, 4min, 3min, 2min, 1min off 1 min float), 5mins jog, 22mins tempo, 15mins warm down.  Along the perfect Perth footpath past Nedlands to Dalkeith.  Session went well.  Fartlek's average 3:29 pace (but realised I had a slight tailwind when I turned) and the Tempo also averaged 3:29's, working a bit harder into the wind.  So not quite the 3:26's I got to last year but getting there and overall felt OK at the end (20.3km all up in 3:54's).

Now will slink into a bar in Perth CBD to watch the Origin.  All by myself.  But happy due to kid no.4.

Tuesday cop out

AM:  8km to Shelley and back with Ben and the Cap'n.  Nice and easy chatting about bollocks.

Lunch:  Headed out to the HuRTs session just as a torrential downpour started in the freezing temps we're suddenly suffering.  Took shelter, felt cold, legs were still sore from Sunday, had a meeting at 2pm so made the rare (if not first time ever?) decision to ditch the session and head back to the office.

Still feel guilty about it 24 hours later.  No doubt I'll punish myself tomorrow as a result.