Week 6 (of 8) to SMH Half Marathon

Monday : 30th April................60 minutes run....done!

Tuesday: 120 minutes run.

Wednesday: 60 minutes run.

Thursday: Walk + Strides...........35 minutes : Renwick soccer field...stretches, jogging, 5 x strides & a few drills.

Friday: Track....

Saturday: Rest.

Sunday: 120 minutes run.

Today, just starting to feel the effects (tired legs) of the weekly increase of time on feet but this week's program is the last increase in running time for SMH Half Marathon...so on with the program!

The Wind Cannot Read......

.....what is going on in my mind & neither does it help me to run when it's a headwind no matter what direction I run in! I also seem to run for a very long time but never get very far!

This morning on Range Road was a shocker : strong wind, a few light showers & of course, the inevitable hills. Above, but in the dark, is the hill leading down to the little old church at Glenquarry where I haven't been for a long time. Took a photo of the tank with no water & the old "dunnie" at the rear of the church!

Just as I struggled to the top of the hill on the way back, a group of cyclists sped past while I'd stopped to change the Garmin's setting so that I could see "Pace" & try for half marathon pace for the rest of the run, I heard one of them call out : Luckylegs!" They were gone before I could reply & was so surprised to have been recognized that I forgot to reset the timer! It was about another 1km before I "woke up"! So cross with myself!

Program : 110 minutes run.

Approx. Run Time = 115 minutes; 15km. I think, with a slight negative split but can't be sure & can't be bothered trying to work it out on Motion Based! Anyhow, I know I tried to run harder on the return leg & I was all but 'done in' by the wind & hills by the time I got back to the car.

Rest and..............

Chev Track.......without any lanes!

No lanes marked at all now, just one very narrow lane probably outside where lane 8 should be has been mowed as a guide line I suppose for anyone wanting to use the track....seems like that's me! The rest of the field is uncut grass & wet today after all the rain. Shoes & socks soaked by the finish of the session. A good day for track though : cool, no sun & no wind.

Program: 18 - 23 minutes XC warm-up through Chev grounds.

Stretches, Drills & 5 Strides.

6 x 400m in 2:25 to 2:30.....2:30 recoveries.

I ran for 25 minutes through Chev grounds, only once tripping on a tree root & crashing to my knees! Just a minor scraping & up & on my way in a flash!

As usual I did the first 400m way too fast...terrified I might go over 2:30 minutes! Ewen said : "Bloody hell! Were you trying to break a record?"

2:18.1; 2:26.3; 2:22.5; 2:28.7; 2:29.3; 2:22.1

I was surprised that this session felt so hard. I think going out too fast for the first 400m possibly had some effect on the ones that followed. Live & keep on learning!

Today I booked flights & sent entry form in on line for Gold Coast Half Marathon! I'm so excited to be going back this year...and NOT be doing the Marathon again!

Easy Run.....

Program : 55 minutes Run.

Very light rain & a cool Anzac Day.

Ran for 30 minutes on a very quiet Diamond Fields Road.

Back at the start in 25 minutes!

A Long & Muddy Run....

....had I known the new lane added only 1km to the run, I never would have ventured into these woods! Only thick, wet clay awaited me, slippery as ice & it stuck to my shoes adding about 1kg in weight to each one until I could get to a tap to wash it off!

Program : 110 minutes run.

What should have been 110 minutes became a total of 125 minutes which included wading through mud, trying not to slip & then scraping some of the clay from my shoes to lighten the weight for the return leg!! Nevertheless, I did enjoy the morning!

Running time = 114 minutes. Avg. HR = 102 (66%); Max. HR = 132 (85%). 14km.

Week 5 (of 8) to SMH Half

Program: Week 5.

Monday : 55 Minutes Run........Done!

Tuesday : 110 Minutes Run.....into the unknown (above, a new lane to be explored!)

Wednesday : 55 Minutes Run.

Thursday : Walk + Strides........Walk done...no strides!

Friday : Track.......

Saturday : Rest!

Sunday : 110 minutes run.

"Going Up..Going Down"

.......which is what the lift drivers used say in the days when we had lift drivers!

....."Going Up!"

..."Going Down!"

Program : Long Run 100 minutes. Try a faster pace on the way back.

Great morning for a run. Late start as usual at 10:00a.m. No sun, very overcast & rain on the way and no wind....just right!

Running Time 98 minutes ; out on Range Road for hills & bitumen for 51 minutes & back at the start in 47 minutes! Nice one...negative split of 4 minutes! Stopped for a couple of photos, a drink & a stretch at the turn around point.

I thoroughly enjoyed this morning's run & for the first in a long while, no struggle, no walking...even up the many hills...slow but neat going up! Legs flying, going down!

MotionBased Activity Player

Rest Day.....and

Endurance....!

.......I needed plenty of that to finish today's training at Chev.....

Program : 18 - 23 minutes warm up. Stretches, Strides.

4 x 2 laps inside the oval fence @ half marathon pace.

Second lap faster than first lap.

3 - 4 minutes between each 2 laps. Brisk walk warm down.

This translates to approx. 4 x 900m. Fairly uneven surface, some muddy patches & paspalum grass.

A pitiless punishing session created by a cunning coach in order to unsettle my comfort zone!

Warm Up : 24 minutes in & around, up & over the grounds at Chev.....the Chapel (above). The warm up :http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/2509785

A Few drills & 4 strides.

Set 1 ...Lap 1 : 2:48; Lap 2 : 2:52 = 5:44

Set 2....Lap 1 : 3:14; Lap 2 : 2:52 = 6:07

Set 3....Lap 1 : 3:06; Lap 2 : 2:47 = 5:55

Set 4....Lap 1 : 2:52; Lap 2 : 2:45 = 5:39

Easy Run.....

Program : 50 minutes Run.

Before running : put the car in for service; walk home 25 minutes; (do today's run); walk back to the garage, 25 minutes. Like yesterday, aim to run faster on the return leg than on the way out.

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/2497361

Began the run about 5 minutes walk from home : turn around at 25 minutes; back at the start in 22 minutes.....47 minutes, 6km; negative split 3 minutes.

Homeward Bound...

.......I found a new turnoff on Diamond Fields Road today. I always pass it but today decided to see what was around the corner...a long lane for future runs leading to...who knows where!

Program: 100 minutes run.

I enjoyed this run very much. After 50 minutes out, I felt so good I 'stepped on the gas' & kept a 6:52mpk for the return section & made a negative split for my trouble!

Another lovely Autumn day.

Week 4 (of 8 to SMH Half)

Week 4: Monday: 50 minutes run.
Tuesday: 100 minutes run.
Wednesday: 50 minutes run.
Thursday: Walk 40-45 minutes.
Friday: Track
Saturday: Rest.
Sunday: 100 minutes run.

Today: 50 minutes: felt much easier than yesterday's run.

At the half way turn around I looked up at the sky as I stretched my arms above my head & way up high a large black bird was gliding on a current of wind...no wings flapping at all...just gliding & I thought how wonderful it must have felt : doing nothing, just effortlessly gliding through the air!

Meanwhile.....back to earth, it's a whole lot different..!

An 'Easy' Run.....that was hard!

....Range Road again to use a bitumen surface for the 'long' run. Beautiful morning, but I felt like I was running after having already run a marathon....in sympathy with those running the Canberra Marathon!

Program : 90 minutes 'easy' run.

From the very first steps this was an ugly run - I just felt awful for every minute out & the same coming back. Walked the hills, but don't know why I found this run so difficult. Just as well I wasn't doing the marathon in Canberra today!

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/2473015

A Cross Country Warm-up....

.......with school holidays, no one around at Chev so I used its vast grounds for a cross country style of warm-up!

Program: 35 minutes warm-up away from the track.

Drills & strides.

2 Sets of 6 x 150m (43 seconds for each 150m): 2 minutes between each 150m & 6-8 between sets.

Brisk walk warm-down.

For the warm-up, I followed the course of a cross country event that had been held in Chev grounds a couple of weekends ago....photo not good as there was a lot of cloud cover...the course took me all through the campus...beyond the trees, buildings, fields etc. & back to the track.

Set 1. 42.97; 42.94; 41.48; 42.02; 41.65; 43.05

Set 2. 42.29; 43.09; 41.53; 42.44; 41.07; 39.99 !!!!!!!!!!

On such a beautiful day it was impossible not to enjoy training...even though it wasn't all that easy!

Sunday's Run on Monday.....

I missed doing Easter Sunday's run so I did it today.

Program : 80 minutes low HR Run.

I ran for 80 minutes & every minute was a struggle! Light rain.

Easter Sunday....

.......took the day off to enjoy Easter & its eggs!

Rest and.......

Chev Track....

..on a bleak, windy, wet, Good Friday!

Program : 3 x 2 laps inside the oval fence (i.e. approx. 3 x 900m); 6 minute recovery after each 2 laps.

Each lap 450m approx. as there was no lane to run in at the fence....so 900m for 2 laps measured by Mr G-armin.

1 x 900m = 5:30

1 x 900m = 5:25

1 x 900m = 5:18

I walked around for 6 minutes between each 900m : it was not a nice day & running into a strong headwind is no fun! Slight rain, almost like sleet. Anyhow, it's another session done!

Walking.......

Thursday's Program: 45 minutes brisk walking....Done!

Wednesday: 40 minutes 'easy' run....Done!

Oh, What a Beautiful Day.....!

....a view from Diamond Fields Road looking up to where Range Road lies beyond them there hills. These days are just so perfect!

Program: 80 minutes easy, low HR Run.

40 minutes out, rest for about 2 minutes & 38 minutes back so, to make 80 minutes I jogged in the soccer field near which I'd left the car.

Avg. HR = 102bpm (66%); Max. HR = 133bpm (86%)....always higher on the hills.

Today's run was twice the time of yesterday's & yet it felt much easier! Can't quite work that one out!

A Short 'Easy' Run.

...another perfect Autumn day.

Program: 40 minutes low heart rate run.

I laboured all the way for such a short run feeling sluggish & slow. I'll have to give myself a good talking to before tomorrow's longer run!

40 minutes : Avg. HR 105bpm (68%); Max. HR 120bpm (83%). 5km.

Week 1 (or 8) ...Done!

....what a glorious morning it was! How fortunate I am to be alive & well & enjoying our beautiful countryside!

Program: 70 minutes low HR Run.

I was 5 minutes slower coming back, so the run was 35 minutes out & 40 back = 75 minutes. 9.2km Avg. HR = 110bpm (71%); Max. HR = 131 (85%)...up-hill return!

Week 2 (of 8) for SMH Half Marathon. starts tomorrow:

Monday: 40 minutes low HR.

Tuesday: 80 minutes low HR.

Wednesday: 40 minutes low HR.

Thursday: Walk + Strides.

Friday: Track.

Saturday: Rest.

Sunday: 80 minutes low HR.