Easy 5km..

A nice & easy day....5km with low heart rate followed by 25 minutes in the soccer field for drills & strides..... agreeable & refreshing exercise!

Sunday's Long Run on Monday...

Program : 24 - 26km long run.

From the car, I ran 2 loops of 11k...and that was enough! Diamond Fields Road was being resurfaced again after the heavy rains, so it was good to run on : no potholes to fall into or boulders to dodge; a nice soft, damp, dirt surface.

By the end of the 2nd loop my legs had had enough & I was feeling very tired so I decided not to push on for another 2 or 4km just to get to a certain number when every part of me was saying : "Stop!" Those 4km that I didn't do will be put to better use another time!

22km very easy, with low heart rate (82-112bpm). The second 11km loop, 12 minutes faster than the first. Good!

Rest

No running today so tomorrow, Monday, I'll be doing my long run. Still feeling 'fit as a fiddle' after Saturday's 16km in Canberra.

Bush Capital 16km Run

I had a "brilliant" run! So says Ewen & I'm not going to argue about that! I really loved the course - the rocky goat track downhills - the magnificient views from Mt Ainslie & even the long hills most of which I walked. To make up time lost I raced the downhills like a demon possessed & even passed a few tired runners towards the end.

A perfect morning: sunny & warm with a cool breeze. I waved off the marathon & ultra runners - Eagle, Horrie, Blue Dog - from the top of the first rise & then walked back to wait for the start of the 16km at 9:00a.m.

Time = 2:04:03; Avg. Pace 7.5; Max. 4:33.

With 2km to the finish, as I turned a bend on the track, there was Ewen who had run back after finishing the 16km himself & with him I hit 4:33 pace downhill all the way to the finish line! Felt great after the run & no stiffness at all tonight.

Great to chat with Bernie G, Tuggeranong Don, Peter, Rad & others before lunch at Dickson with Ewen & AKI, then driving back to Mittagong armed with a can of "V" to sip while driving to ward off the fatigue that was setting in!

In short : I felt very pleased with myself today!

A special thanks to John Harding & his band of "followers" who did such an excellent job in organizing several events (4?) all on the same morning. & the blue Jaggad Coolmax top & mug for each finisher...thank you all!

Easy Run.....

A very easy 60 minutes low heart rate run. Leave for Canberra tomorrow afternoon for Saturday's 16km Bush Capital Run.

Medium Long Run.

Diamond Fields Road for 16.3km. Warmer day...15 degrees! Low heart rate run...Avg. 99 , Max. 120bpm. 7:49 Pace. 2 hours.

A good run, easy enough to run & look at the sky, the fields, the animals & listen to the birds!

Short Easy Run...

Program : 7 -10km low heart rate.

I forgot to take Mr G-armin & heart rate monitor with me! No matter....I enjoyed the run without him constantly telling me to "Speed Up"! Ran 10km (maybe a bit more) out & back on Diamond Fields Road. A nasty headwind on the way back - otherwise this was what it was supposed to be : short, easy & enjoyable!

A Day in the City.....

........... lunching with friends. We ate at the 'Tea Room" (3rd floor) of the QVB - I think it has to be one of the few remaining civilized dining venues in the city! Pleasing surroundings & decor, tables well spaced, white linen table cloths, service that couldn't be faulted & delicious food! It was a very good day.

I noticed a sign in the Pitt Street Mall saying that Rebel was closing down so I just had to race in & race out with a new pair of Asics 2120's - I think I'll wear them in to be ready for Melbourne in October - white and bright gold with silver (I think they call it 'lightning'!) & black trim - not exactly the best colours for dirt roads. What extravagance! But I get such a 'kick' out of buying new trainers!

In Full Battle Gear.......

..... (1) 1 sleeveless thermal vest (2) 1 long sleeve thermal vest (3) Long thermal tights under long tights (4) 1 old C2S sweat top (5) 1 lightweight wind jacket (6) Woollen gloves (7) Woollen cap.....I was rehearsing for next Saturday in Canberra.

9:30am start.... 12 degrees, warm & still, not a leaf stirred on any tree, not a blade of grass moved....but I didn't know that until I started to run.

Program : 28km run, low heart rate.

The plan was to do two 14km loops out & back to the car. Back at the car after the first 14km, I decided to strip off all the thermal 'battle gear'...I definitely didn't need it. Now, a person can be on this road for hours & not see a car but, wouldn't you know.....just as I stripped down to wearing only a heart rate monitor strap....a car went by! I listened, while enjoying the cool air on my skin, for any ensuing screech of brakes or sudden crash, there was none but.... was that a video camera I saw out the window?! Luckily there wasn't gang of gawking bikers going by!

You'd think, carrying less gear, I'd have found the 2nd 14km easier, but I didn't. In fact I walked most of the last 7km to the car with very little energy left in the legs....I don't know what's the matter with them lately.

About 1 or 2 km to go I stopped to drink from a tap near the road on one of the properties & then set off walking again. At the same time the husband & wife owners of the property had pulled into their driveway & could see I was walking. To my surprise the lady got out of the car & waited for me to come by because her husband had said : "There must be something wrong. She's walking and she never walks. We'd better see what's wrong!" They wanted to give me a lift back to the car...that's how bad I must have looked! I have no idea who they were & had never seen them before but how good is it to know that such thoughtful people are looking out for me!

So that was the long Sunday run finished, in poor style I have to say!

I'm going to Sydney tomorrow, Monday, to have lunch with friends....that should perk me up a bit!

Rest Day.....and

.......organizing "full battle gear" for tomorrow's 28km run & dress rehearsal for what I imagine will be a very cold Bush Capital 16km next Saturday!

Track or Treadmill?

....and the treadmill won again!

Program : Easy 5km warm-up. Stretches. Drills. Then 5km gradually speeding up over 2-3 minutes till heart rate at 130-135bpm.

Starting the 2nd 5km @ 9 to 10 to 11 to 12kph before heart rate reached 128-130. 12kph is too fast for me to sustain for long without straddling the treadmill several times to avoid the peril of flying off the back! It was hard work too!

Global Warming?

No sign of here right now! Until the temperature gets near to 8 degrees I'm off to the gym each day. I took a rest day yesterday - it should have been a mid-week long run - but I was still so knocked about from Tuesday's cold winds, I changed sessions around & did the long run today....at the gym.....on the treadmill.

Program : Medium Long Run, anywhere between 14 & 23km.

On the treadmill : 20km. After each 5km I walked around the gym for about a minute to relieve the monotony. Heart rate between 106 -122bpm (70-80% of Max.). Used inclines but only up to 3%.

I don't find it all that easy doing such a long run on the treadmill, but it felt good running without being rugged up in full battle gear & getting a sweat up was a change from brushing off the icicles!.

The Weather...It Keeps Getting Worse!

..........a colder day I don't even want to think about!

Program : 7 - 10km.

I wanted to do tomorrow's longer run today, but I just couldn't run against the cold wind & ended up with walking & a slow jog to finish & get in out of the cold.

13.6km.

Rest or Easy Run..

I chose to do a a short, easy run to loosen up leg muscles after yesterday's long run.
At the cemetery on Diamond Fields Road, I did some drills, continued down to the bridge (3km) & back to the soccer field for a few strides.

Total = 6km. Avg. HR = 99

Sunny but very cold. I wore my Asics 2110 as a trial to see if my legs ache less with a more supportive shoe. A week should tell if there's anything in this.

Resting Heart Rate = 48 bpm.

A Long Cold Run...

Icy blasts of wind off the snow blew across Range Road this morning. Plenty of sunshine & no rain but unbelievably cold! I was able to guage just how cold by the following: the driver of a car pulled up beside me for directions. When I went to answer I found my facial muscles had frozen to the extent that I had great difficulty getting my lips to form words! All that came out was the sound of slurred speech which sounded barely human or that of someone extremely intoxicated! I don't think I was of much help to the travellers who looked more lost than ever as they drove off!

Program : Long Run 24kms.

From the car, I ran 2 x 12km loop making it possible to refuel with a gel & sports drink at the car after the first 12km. Before leaving home I tried a Sanitarium Up & Go to experiment with eating before running. So far so good. My legs didn't die as they did last Sunday...they just ached for the last 6km & for several hours after! Took several walk breaks on hills. Has to be a combination of hills & cold that's causing pain in my legs lately.

Distance = 24km. Time = 3 hours 13 minutes. Avg. 8:04kph; Max. 4:55kph. Heart Rate seemed to be all over the place. Mr G-armin doesn't perform well in the cold either!

A Rest Day....

No training today, but what a great day it would be for a run : cold but sunny, calm & no wind; hopefully the same tomorrow!

Resting heart rate 45 bpm.

Track or Treadmill?

I chose the treadmill. It wasn't raining but it was cold....top of 8 degrees, but I doubt that it reached that.

Program : Treadmill... 5 - 10 minutes warm-up.

Increase speed over next 4-5 minutes till heart rate reaches 126. Stay at this heart rate for as long as possible or 45 minutes. HR not over 126, not below 123.

This was OK: over 4 minutes treadmill speed increased to 10kph for heart rate to reach 126. Needed to drop back to 9.8kph to stay within range 123 - 126. I kept within these limits for another 40 minutes & when my T-shirt became completely soaked with sweat, it was time to stop! Small can of creamed rice about 2 hours before starting....to fuel my fuel-starved legs! I'll experiment with some other food before Sunday's 24km run.

Time = 50 minutes. Distance = 8.1km. Wore new Nike Free #3.

Resting heart rate = 48 bpm.

Rest...

No training on a mild & sunny day.

Resting heart rate = 46bpm

Medium Long Run....!

Ewen's.....right! My legs lacked fuel for this morning's long run.


Program : Medium Long Run between 14 and 23km.


11:00a.m start: cold, misty rain & the usual wind. Range Road to Glenquarry &, for a change, instead of turning left to go down Tourist Pass, I turned right. That took me to Kangaloon Road which I followed out & down to the Wingecarribee Reservoir. In good weather, a very pleasant picnic spot, but today deserted & decidedly grey & cold.


That took care of 11km with plenty of hills & long inclines. On the way back, my legs died & that's where I think Ewen 'hit the nail on the head' - insufficient fuel in the legs for a long run. The usual is a cup of coffee. On Ewen's recommendation, I'll try some carb, low GI food before starting out, experimenting first on the shorter runs. I'll look up some of the Cool Running Ultra Running threads for further information & see what people are eating. I do not want 'dead legs' again!




Distance : 21.07kms.
Avg. HR = 106. Max HR = 148

Resting heart rate (on waking at 6:45a.m.) 46bpm.

Low Heart Rate Run.....

Program : 7 - 10 km low Heart Rate.

It still looked like more rain so I used the treadmill at the gym again today :-

Total 9km : 3km with HR 115; 3km with HR 120-130; 3km with HR 115.

Resting heart rate (on waking up, not getting up!) at 6:00a.m. = 45 bpm.

A Rest Day....

Program : Rest (good call, Ewen!)

Very cold & wet again. I read for a good part of the day....very nice!

Resting heart rate on waking, 7:30a.m. = 47 bpm

Sunday Long Run #1

Waking at 8:00a.m.....one degree! I did not go out!

Program (from Ewen) to Melbourne Marathon (entry in):
Sunday, July 8: Long Run, 20km.

One degree, but sunny. I waited until 11:00a.m. for the morning to warm up. It didn't. On Range Road heavy black clouds soon gave way to sleet which hurts the face & then rain that soaks the clothes! After about 3km I saw some old deserted cow sheds in a property near the road & sheltered there till the worst was over & set off again in lighter rain. I felt too miserable & wet even to take a photo of this welcome shelter!

I ran a 10km loop from the car, twice. After the first 10km, I left a soaked jacket in the car, had a GU (which made me feel sick!) drank some water & began the second 10km loop. It was a hard, hilly run & the weather conditions had me well & truly exhausted & struggling to finish. At home a hot shower didn't warm me, but the electric blanket did!

Run: 20km. 2 hours 35 minutes. 5km splits 40:06; 38:10; 38:30; 38:46
First 30 minutes heart rate 110; then 118 - 125bpm

I'm taking my resting heart rate (on waking, lying down) for a week. So far : Friday 46, Saturday 47, Sunday 45 bpm.

Windy Weather....

I hope that running against icy gales achieves more than just complete exhaustion, because that's all I felt when I got back to the car & slumped inside as if onto a feather bed.....that was the contrast with outdoors!

Medium long run 1 hour 15 minutes. Erratic heart rate readings - Mr G-armin has had enough of the cold wind too - Avg. HR = 122 (86%); Max = 176bpm which is 119% which means I fell & died in one of the many potholes all over Diamond Fields Road....just like I felt had happened!

Tomorrow, a rest day except for a few drills & strides in the soccer field & then the "march towards Melbourne Marathon" begins seriously with the first of many long runs on Sunday.

A Medium Long Run.

An icy wind meant I went to the gym for my run this morning. A long 1.5 hours on the treadmill, made bearable by listening to a CD. Heart Rate low : between 115 - 120. Tried out the new Nike Free #3 for the first time.....felt very comfortable, very light but I didn't notice any difference from the other Frees I've worn over the past couple of years....on the road they might have another feel altogether!

A Bit of This & That....

I can train as I like for this week, so today I did what I guess could be called a fartlek session.
It was windy & cold & I was caught in a heavy downpour of rain...before & after which there was sunshine & more wind!

70 minutes including a mixture of slow jogging, 200m strides, increase speed on the hills, striding out on the downhills & an occasional walk break. Not all of this was easy, but I enjoyed the mix.

Entry in today for the Bush Capital 16km Run on July 28.

Get On With It......

A warmer day, plenty of sun & more than plenty of wind...a real headwind on the way back. Hilly course.

I was happy to get out for a 1 hour easy run keeping HR 115-120.
Avg. HR = 114bpm. Distance = 7.5km. Turned around at 30 minutes & was back at the start in 60 minutes : 2 even sections...just what I was aiming for!

(Leaning more towards doing the Marathon in Melbourne!!)

Time is not on my side.....

....this daffodil had enough of winter & decided to flower all on its own....a lesson in spunk & gameness?

"Thank you" doesn't get anywhere near what I feel in my heart for the sensitivity you've all shown in view of the Virgin Blue/Gold Coast debacle...but I can still only say "Thank you"!

Time is 'running' against me so I need to take for better or for worse whatever I can do with the time remaining to me...... and I need no ghost to tell me that! Away with the notion that I will never run again! I've sent off a complaint to Virgin Airlines & will relate here what reply I receive...hopefully there'll be one!

I've entered & will run City to Surf & Blackmores Half Marathon & there are some others to think about but not entered as yet. I've pretty well decided though to 'go south' & enter the Melbourne Half Marathon....a little thought is playing with the idea of doing the Marathon....there's time to prepare for it...I'll have to think some more about that one.


So....time to pick myself up, dust myself off, take the bull by the horns & start all over again!