Day 1 - 10....Off!

Time Out!

No running for 10 days...having physiotherapy for Gluteus Medius injury...what a pain in the butt!!

A "Shorter" Long Run

.......6:45 a.m. on Range Road....

Today's run was a 'shorter' long run of 28km. Cool morning, good breeze, no sun, but plenty of traffic on Macquarie Pass & Tourist Road, most heading up the ranges - more care needed today to keep out of their way on the winding stretches particularly.

Next Sunday will be the longest run (45km) in the lead up to Canberra 50km. I will need at least 2 Nutella sandwiches for this....and I actually found last Sunday's lost sandwich, still nicely wrapped in foil....if it's still there next Sunday, I must get a pic!

Short Run with Neg. Split

....first tap (just visible in centre) for a drink of water is in this old cemetery... also nice for a temporary rest!

Today's plan : 13km with a negative split. 11:00 a.m. start & fairly warm...25 degrees. Lumbered out for 6.5km in a slow 56 minutes (average 8:36min/km) & didn't feel like I'd manage much quicker on the return. As often happens, I found that forcing myself to pick up the pace felt a lot easier. So the return 6.5km finished in 49 minutes (average 7:30min/km)....negative split 7 minutes.

Mid-week Medium Run

To do 18km today (monitor says 19.4km) - Late start around mid-day & still hadn't had breakfast for whatever reason, so I set off without any! Ran along the dirt road (Diamond Fields Road above) for shade & to use the 3 taps for water instead of carrying any. The aim was to do some kms at 50km goal pace, i.e. not real fast at ....7:48min/km! For most of the time - except for steep inclines on the way back - I was able to keep a little faster pace than this, which was good. 2.5 hours all up. A bit tired on the return - some fuel needed but good training for endurance in the hotter part of the day....I hope Ewen has similar thoughts!

Had a lie down after.......for about an hour.

Week : February 20th - 26th

Monday 20 - Rest
Tuesday 21 - Rest and drills
Wednesday 22 - 16 to 19km (incl 5k at 7:48)
Thursday 23 - Rest
Friday 24 - 13km easy
Saturday 25 - Rest
Sunday 26 - 28km (shorter long run)

Long Run

Same photo as last Sunday..minus the mist...7:00 a.m. on Range Road.

Today's long run was 38km : Range Road, down Tourist Drive (22km) & return on the fire trail (16km).

Slowed considerably in last 16km which is rough & rock strewn; used 2 gels, had plenty of water & refills, but......somewhere along the way my Nutella sandwich either jumped out of the back pocket of my shorts or some species of the native fauna - a wombat I suspect! - sneaked up & silently picked my pocket! This was psychologically demoralising when the time came to eat it!

7 weeks to Canberra 50km!

A Track Race in Canberra - 2 in fact!

This morning, Friday, I ran from the motel in Lyneham along a cycle track to Lake Burley Griffin & took some pics! A very enjoyable run at 8:30 a.m., cool & mostly shaded.....11km total & no one that I know of noticed the Cool Running singlet!

But "yesterday....seems so far away!" I had a first experience of racing 'the mile' on the AIS track as a member of ACTVAC!! And what an experience this was...I had a most wonderful afternoon/evening, beginning with driving from Mittagong to Canberra in time to have a nap/rest at the motel before Ewen picked me up at 5:45 p.m. There was plenty of time to watch some "older" as well as younger people doing hurdles, steeple...splashing about in the water, long jump, high jump & all the other disciplines they have in track & field sport. It was thrilling to see so many older runners attempt what I thought would be impossible! Wonderful people a-plenty!

7:15 p.m. the call went out for the first of those doing the mile...and here's the worst (but turned out to be perhaps the best) words I heard all afternoon : Ewen pointing out a female runner who, he said knowingly .."is in your age category, but is an 800m runner & you'll very likely catch her in the last lap!" It felt like a bucket of water had been tipped over my head! There was actually going to be competition in the Mile Race W75 category! It rarely happens any more.

The loud explosion of the starting gun sent me, almost screaming with fright, off round the track! This was a first time remember! Well, I ran & ran & ran & so did the other 'older' female, only she ran faster & I couldn't get even close, but neither did the distance between us lengthen...it just stayed the same, about 100m - perhaps a little less in the closing stages. "My goodness," I thought to myself, "these Canberra over 75 ladies run faster than anywhere else in the world!"

The plan had been to run as evenly as possible, 1:09.6/200m, finishing in 9:16.8 or, as Ewen said, "9:20 will do!" That was making it faster than the practice run on the previous Wednesday's time of 9:32.2.

But guess what? Ewen had made a mistake...his first that I can recall! The hare that this tortoise had been trying to chase, turned out to be in the 65 age category! And I can only say I felt like Colac must feel when he puts down that bag of cement that he runs with! Relief that I hadn't been so slow after all!

I felt really good during the race except for the start of a lactic build up with 50m to go & nearly died in the last few metres! It's a truly terrible experience when you very own legs refuse to take another step & bring you to a staggering finish!

The splits were : Lap 1 .....2:18.9 (409.34m); Lap 2, 3 & 4 (400m respectively) @ 2:16.5; 2:14.6; 2:16.7...very even we thought!

The Mile Time was: 9:06.88 (26 seconds faster than the practice run 6 days before)! I now know that this time was less than 8 seconds over the W75 World Record!! This was not an attempt at any record at all......though I seem to have got one anyhow (Mile Race ACT W75)...just getting used to a track other than the grass one I use at Chev..... but who knows what the future holds!
..... I was 'over the moon' anyhow!

Having just finished that race, some ladies (in the 65+ age) approached me saying they were one short for the 400m relay & unless I joined them, they wouldn't be able to run at all. So onto the track once more, first runner with the baton & no idea of what to do ......... at the stagger start I was out in front in lane 4 & everyone else was behind me. This meant I had to turn around when instructions were called out, e.g."Move back from your mark 3ft" (or something like that) & I do as the others do. Same with : "On your mark", I look to see the others move forward & I do too; "Set" & no one moved except for me turning around to see what they were doing! A loud bang again as the gun went off & everyone charged past like a stampede of cattle & I was last....again! Anyhow, I made it to the next runner who must have been wondering if I'd got lost.....only just got there & couldn't wait to get rid of the baton & off the track!! Thank you ladies, for making me feel so welcome!

Ewen timed this 400m lap as 1 :52.7...significantly faster than any of the 4 laps in the mile race!
....and I was over another moon!!

And, as the words of an old song have said : we came to the "end of a perfect day"....with Flashduck & Aki joining us at the track & then into Dickson for a meal together & a lot of catching up chatter amongst the 4 of us. Great to see them both again & they'd come straight from taking part in an aquathon earlier that evening. Back at the motel over coffee, Ewen & I decided to put track work aside for now & concentrate on the big one i.e. Canberra 50km, only 7 weeks away! The weekly program will change accordingly as from next Monday.

A couple of other old songs have some words about : "I couldn't sleep a wink last night!" & "It's a Lovely Way to Spend an Evening"!

True! All night I was trying to catch that other female runner! Round & round the track my mind ran...all night! I re-lived every minute of the day....all night! I even had a smile on my face when I got up at 8:00a.m & it had probably been there all night too!

I wouldn't be running anywhere near as 'not so slow' if it wasn't for the help that I've had for some months now; so I have to give recognition to the person really resonsible for any improvements in my running.....Ewen, a.k.a. Wombatface! I can only hope he doesn't give up on me before I run out of sight on some dark night!

A final thought : I think that inside every slow runner is a speed demon trying to get out!

Light Track Session

10 minutes warm-up - stretches - drills : Done!

4x70m strides - Done!

4x200m @ 9:20/mile pace (i.e. 1:09.6/200m) :

Results :- 1:10.2; 1:07.6; 1:08.7; 1:08.9

Warm-down 3 laps slow jog - Done!

Lucky to have a cool morning, good breeze & overcast conditions. This session did not present any problems...just as well!!

Monday, Feb. 13 - Sunday, Feb. 19.

With 2km left from 35k today, this sign was very encouraging!


This week --


Monday - REST.
Tuesday - No running, just drills and walk the dogs.
Wednesday - A light session at Chev... Short warm-up for 10 minutes, stretches, some drills. 4x70m strides. 4x200m at 9:20 mile pace (1:09.6 per 200), 200m slow walk recovery. 3 laps warm-down jog.
Thursday - 1 mile and maybe a 200m.
Friday - Shorter medium run - 10k with negative split.
Saturday - REST.
Sunday - 38k - easy long run.

You have the option of swapping Tuesday and Wednesday only if you're not still feeling 'slow' from Sunday's run on Tuesday.

w
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Thursday night will be my very first "grown-up" track race at the AIS, Canberra! Pray that Chickybabe doesn't frighten the others by "running out of sight on a dark night"!

A Long Run

........this was the mist on Range Road at 7:00 a.m. this morning! 11km of this until it lifted down the Macquarie Pass & onto Tourist Road.

Total : 35km loop finishing along the fire trail. Wonderful to start in mist like this, but soon heated up & sunny on the return.


Top right: On Tourist Road, looking up the hill from the church.
Top left : On Range Road, looking down the hill to the little white church.

Medium Long Run

I decided to do today's 12km on the track at Chev. ...30 laps. Good weather, not hot, cool breeze, grass cut, dry surface!

4 laps in the middle somewhere, at a faster pace; same for the last 4 laps - nowhere near the desired mile pace though. Impossible to train for both now, but after Canberra 50km, serious work needed to get this right!

Now I Know!

.....how slow it can be on the track & how much faster it is on a bike!

I was at the AIS this afternoon with Ewen for an invaluable track session, only to find myself running with Patrick Johnson & Nova Perris! Well, they were both training & I was on the same track so that's as good as running with them....I think!! They appeared to be a little perturbed by my feverish pace....not 'face', 'pace'!!

Track Session : The usual warm-up & strides.

1 Mile Run (with Ewen pacing). Time 9:30.2 .....and 'hit the wall' during lap 3!!!


REPORT CARD!

".....your approximate splits at 400m and 1200m. Your first 400 was in 2:17 which is 9:11 mile pace if you could keep going. Although, your first 100m was slow - about 36 seconds.........

Your time at 1200 metres (3 laps) was 7:03 so your last 400m was in 2:27. This lap was 9:51 mile pace. You slowed quite a bit in the second half.

Don't be too disappointed. 9:30 is pretty good for a first 'race' especially as your 50km training is counterproductive to running fast in middle distances. With specific training I'm sure you could get down to around 9 minutes or better. "

Warm-down & learned some drills to do while at the track on Wednesdays or while watching TV!

But now to more important & exciting matters!

Outfitted in my space suit & helmet, I leapt onto the back of Ewen's bike & shot off into the stratosphere - denuding Black Mountain on the way! From outer space I could see all of Canberra below including "little Johnnie's" Akubra!

Having encircled 'Terra Australis', we sped down the mountain leaving chaotic pile-ups behind us - mainly autograph hunters!!

We finished our sandwiches, packed our bags & drove home into the sunset!

Thank you, Ewen, for a lovely afternoon!

Rest day

As programme : 30 minutes stationary bike; some core strengthening & walking the dogs! Track session tomorrow at AIS Canberra with Ewen.

Look Who's Joined the Travelling Circus!

Program for Week Feb. 6 - 12

Monday 6 Feb - 13km steady (out and back - faster on return).
Tuesday 7 Feb - 30 mins stationary bike or rest. ....Done + core strengthening work
Wednesday 8 Feb - Track session TBA. AIS Track, Canberra, with Ewen.
Thursday 9 Feb - 6km easy.
Friday 10 Feb - 12km 'medium long run' easy.
Saturday 11 Feb - REST.
Sunday 12 Feb - 34km easy, slow.



These 4 beauties gallop down the hill to the fence everytime I pass & of course they have to have a pat & pose for photos! The one with the white spot on the forehead I saw as a tiny foal just a few months ago...not a baby anymore!

The run, along the usual dirt road for 13km. Late start 10:00a.m.; warm but cool breeze & shady. After 2 days of enforced rest (Mr. LL had a virus of some sort so I played 'nurse' & didn't run at all over the weekend; he's fine now), legs much refreshed this morning! Kept HR between 70-75%. 48 minutes out; 43 minutes return. I really enjoyed the run this morning.

A Longish Run with Photos!

28km along the same dirt road & fire trail as with Ewen last Sunday. Cool start 22 degrees; yesterday 37 degrees! I walked some of the inclines & rocky sections...I don't want to fall anywhere but especially when on my own & in an isolated location! I hope to upload some photos from my mobile & hopefully they will appear somewhere, preferably on my blog!

Yes!!!!! There they are! The little bridge is over that fast flowing stream...so beautiful!

In the 2nd from the bottom, behind the hills on the horizon, is Range Road that I often talk about here.

Track Session

9:00 a.m. start, thank goodness for the cloud cover! A bit humid & the grass, particularly paspalum, needs cutting!

Warm-up 15 minutes jogging; 4x100m strides; stretches....Done!

2 Sets of 4x800m :

4x800m (For the 1st set no faster than 5:12; even pacing all the way & no sprinting!). 3:15 intervals.

1st Set : 5:12.2; 5:12.6; 5:06.8; 5:12.2

7 minutes break....You bet!

2nd Set : 5:05.5; 5:00.7; 4:59.5; 4:56.8 After downloading data from today's session, I find I did 5x800m in the 2nd set!!! 4:51.5 I suppose there's a penalty to pay for this!!

Warm-down cut short (from 16 to 7 mins. to get to hair appointment!). Another penalty!

How I Felt: very comfortable pace for the 1st set; no huffing or puffing! Good!
2nd set : I ran with more effort; found the pace comfortable, just not very comfortable! Huffing & puffing ?....somewhat, at the finish of each 800m, especially in the last 10-15m, but still OK & no lactic legs today! I felt this was a good session, so one day or even one dark night I might run out of sight!

....95% for the session!






PS. The photo at the top of this blog was in the local newspaper today with an article about some old dame still running marathons!!