Last Run for 2007!

SMS from Ewen to cut today's run from 10km to 8km...or shorter!

Program : 8km 'lower aerobic' run.... AHR 107.

This worked better than yesterday's run....thank goodness or I'd have been seriously worried! A few walk breaks included.

8km on Diamond Fields Road : 4k out with AHR of 97 (65%). 4k back AHR 105 (70%).

Later in the day Jim & I met Ewen (returning from Sydney to Canberra) in Mittagong for lunch at "Gilberts"....a very pleasant closure to 2007!

Distance for today = only 8km!

Sunday's 'Longish' Run.....

In spite of having started out at 7:45 this morning to avoid the heat - almost 2 hours earlier than is usual - I had the worst second half of a long run in a long time & finished feeling like I'd run two marathons...one after the other!

Program : 16km (that's all!) averaging heart rate 114 (77%).

I used the same course as last Sunday....shady, taps for water. Out for 8km was OK but coming back my hips & legs ached like you wouldn't believe....even I couldn't believe it! Once home, I fell in & out of the shower, crashed onto the bed & slept for two hours!


8km out in 1:03. AHR = 106.
1km splits = 7:40; 8:28; 8:01; 8:34; 7:31; 7:11; 8:01; 8:15
8km back in 1:06. AHR = 110.
Splits = 7:18; 8:41; 9:06; 7:44; 7:29; 8:15; 7:55; 9:42
Total of 16km in 2:09 (4 minutes slower than last Sunday)...AHR 108.

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Week's Total = 57km

Chev Track....

......much better than I expected!

Program : 1.5km warm-up.

20 laps (Lane 8) with AHR 120 (80%). Time each 4 laps.

Surprised to find this session wasn't as difficult as I was expecting it to be.... in fact, 2nd fastest time for this particular track session & average heart rate right where it should be. The section of grass that's kept cut on lane 8 is becoming more difficult to see & I wandered off course in the first lap. Luckily I had a pocket full of white tissues with me &, without stopping on the next lap, I dropped them at various danger points & didn't go astray again!

Each 4 laps = 12:07; 12:20; 12:26; 12:34; 12:39

AHR = 120. MHR = 125. Time = 1:02:08. Distance = 8.4km. Warm-up 1.6km, warm-down walk 1km.

Distance for today = 11km

'Lower Aerobic' Run....

......Program : 10 - 12km with heart rate averaging 112 (75%).

Tired legs after yesterday's 'upper aerobic' run even though this morning was cool & a very light rain to start with.

Ran a slow 12km with heart rate averaging only 106 (70%). Oh well! Some days are like that but it doesn't look good for track tomorrow!

Upper Aerobic 3k on Boxing Day.

Program : 7km.

1st 4km as warm-up.
2nd 3km 'upper aeropbic' AHR 127.

I used the same section of Old South Road along the Mittagong airstrip.
3km 'upper aerobic' in 21:00. AHR = 127.
MHR = 132.
Splits = 6:49; 6:56; 7:12. Avg. Pace = 6:58

A pleasantly warm mid-morning run...3km not getting any easier! 1km walk warm-down to the car.

Total Distance = 8km

Happy Christmas Day, 2007!

Week 8 of 23...to Canberra Marathon.

......definitely how this morning's run felt, only a ball & chain on both feet!

Program ; 9 - 10km with AHR 107 (72%).

10km with AHR 97 (65%)!!

Nothing in the legs at all this morning..tired & slow dragging those balls & chains! I walked the last 1km uphill to the car.

Definitely no running tomorrow...Christmas Day!

Sunday Run...

Program : 14 - 16km 'lower aerobic' run AHR 114.

A perfect morning for running : cool @ 20 degrees, a very slight breeze & a mixture of sun, cloud & shade from trees along Diamond Fields Road.

16km with AHR 112. Time 2:05

8km from car to the end of the road in 1:02.
8km back to the car in 1:03.

Week Total = 56km

Chev Track.......

It was 30 degrees on the track this morning so I found the last of this session very tough!

Program : 1.5km warm-up.

20 laps, lane 8, AHR 120.

Warm-down.

Warm-up 1.5km....OK!

20 laps of lane 8, timing each 4 laps: 12:02; 12:29; 12:51; 13:28; 13:56

AHR = 121; MHR = 125

Time = 1:04. Distance = 8.44km

1km walk warm-down.

The last 4 laps were a real struggle in the heat, especially while keeping heart rate from soaring upwards.

Total Distance = 11km

Another Lower Aerobic Run....

Program: 8 - 10km 'lower aerobic' AHR 112 (75%).

A very cool, misty morning......simply the best!

10km with AHR 105. MHR 119
1st 5km in 43:31; 2nd 5km in 39:55....That's OK!

"Upper Aerobic" 3km..or maybe 4?

Program : 7km.
First 4km warm-up.
Next 3km 'upper aerobic' AHR 127 (86%).

But what happened : I had run, at a guess, about 1km into the fast 3km & realized I hadn't turned the monitor on! No turning back, so I clicked it on & started the 3km from that point...which really makes a fast4km approx......& resulted in my having to do the last 1km up the hill I had planned to avoid.
Ewen politely called it "a senior's moment"...I called it something else & not politely!

Warm-up 4km (+1 extra fast!)

3km with AHR 124; MHR 133.
Time = 20:20 (37 seconds slower than last Tuesday)!
Splits = 6:48; 6:29; 7:08
Warm-down 1km
TOTAL = 9KM

Yesterday, Monday : 9 - 10km "lower aerobic" with AHR 107.
This went well...AHR 106 for 10km

Forget About this morning's Run.....

Look at what came in the mail :

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Some weeks back, CR 'Digger' said he was sending me a "Finisher's" towel for the Melbourne Marathon....there were none left when I finished!

In today's mail, with the towel, he also sent me a "Team Digger T-Shirt", a DVD of the Marathon and...WAIT FOR IT!

To crown it all, literally.......a new Cool Running cap on which he had asked Robert DeCastella to write a message & autograph it personally for me!! Added to that, my name & the Australian flag had been embroidered on the sides & back! I can't think that I will ever own a more cherished and precious piece of memorabilia.

The message says: "Go Norma - Luckylegs - May they never fail you!"

After his autograph, Deek has signed off with the time for his marathon PB 2:07:51.....what a nice touch that is!

And I have 'Digger' and 'Deek' to thank for the lot!

What more can I say...I'm speechless!

Sunday 'Long' Run.....Lower Aerobic.

Program : 10 -12km with AHR 114 (77%).

It was such a beautifully cool with misty rain morning, that an extra couple of kms felt right.

14km total. AHR 104 (problem here with Garmin low AHR? Will use Polar for HR tomorrow & Garmin for distance).

7km out in 59:14. AHR 103(?).

7km back in 58:29. AHR 108(?).

This Week's Total Distance = 54.5km.

I'm wondering if 4 fairly long stops (2 on the way out & the same coming back) to talk to drivers from the nearby properties who had pulled up to ask how I'm going, what have I been up to, what's next, etc. etc.... has anything to do with heart rate. I know I found it difficult to start up again after each chat. I don't mind though, they're such extremely nice people & I appreciate their interest ...& surprise!

On Track.....

Program : Chev Track.

1.5km warm-up.

20 laps with AHR 120 (81%)....time each 4 laps.

Warm-down as you feel.

It is 1 month since I last did this exact session - 20 laps of lane 8 (414m). The times then for each 4 laps were: 12:09; 12:38; 13:07; 13:47; 14:13

Today : 12:07; 12:00; 12:05; 12:14; 12:34 ...which leads me to believe that Hadd & Ewen are working for me too, not only for Ewen!

Distance (with warm-up & warm-down) = 11.5km.

AHR = 121

I felt pretty good when I compared these results!

'Lower Aerobic' Run.....

....a very light rain falling, but I didn't feel like running on muddy tracks or hills of any sort so off to the gym! Besides, I want to wear in new Asics 2120 (bought at Melbourne Marathon Expo) to wear for Canberra Marathon without getting them dirty...yet!

Program : 8 - 10km averaging heart rate 112 (75%).

10km on treadmill (no incline) set for 8.2kph kept heart rate around 112 (75%), 76 minutes.

76 minutes gave me time to listen to "Paint Your Wagon" almost twice through...providing some rollicking songs to run with. Also, to pass the time I took the opportunity of counting, a couple of times for one minute, how often my right foot landed....85 times mostly....I think I've read somewhere that's what's recommended, 85 - 90. Anyhow, it gave me something to think about!

The Best So Far....3km

....on the flattest section of road I could find for today's training.

Program : 7km. First 4km warm-up. 3km 'upper aerobic' averaging HR 127 (85%).

At 4km I was stopped by a lost driver & took about 5 minutes to redirect her towards Bowral instead of Sydney towards which she was unknowingly heading! I ran another 1km to get heart rate back to where it was, so 5km warm-up.

3km in 19:43 with AHR 127 (85%); MHR 131 (88%).

Splits 6:35; 6:31; 6:35

Warm-down 1km back to the car.

Total = 9km & best 3km so far for this every Tuesday session!

Week 5 of 23...to Canberra Marathon.

........what a difference a cool change & no sun makes!

Program : 8 - 10km with AHR of 107 (72%).


10km with AHR 107 (72%).


1st 5k of 10 in 40:53 AHR 105.
Splits = 7:40, 8:34, 8:12, 8:40, 7:73.


2nd 5k of 10 in 39:27 AHR 106 (71%).
Splits = 7:40, 7:25; 7:53; 7:33; 8:50.


Negative split 1.31 minutes!

Sunday 'Long' Run...

Today's run finished here ....as far as is allowed along Diamond Fields Road.

Program : 8 - 10km 'lower aerobic' with AHR 114.

I chose this course today because it was a hot morning & there's plenty of shade & a few taps to get water from.

Total of 13km with AHR of 105 (?)

6.8km out in 53 minutes; 6.8km back in 56 minutes.

Week Total = 34km

Back to 'normal' training this week!

Chev Track...

Still in recovery mode....

Program : 1.5km warm-up.

12 laps @ 120 (81%). Time each 4 laps.

1.5km warm-down.

1.5km warm-up in 12 minutes; 1.5km warm-down in 14 minutes.

12 laps in lane 8 (1.6km each lap) in 48:42 ...AHR = 118, MHR = 123.

Each 4 laps : 11:53 AHR = 114; 11:58 AHR = 119; 12:25 AHR = 120; 12:29 AHR = 120

Total Distance = 10km.

Very hot & humid & happy to finish with 12 laps instead of the usual 20! Storm gathering & broke with much thunder & lightning around 2:30p.m.

8km Recovery Week.....

Program : 6 - 8km 'lower aerobic' with AHR 112 (75%).

4km out in 34:13 with AHR of 113 (76%).

4km back 34:13 with AHR of 108 (73%).

Total distance = 8km, AHR 110 (74%). Hot & humid. Storm clouds gathering.

Week 5 of 23....to Canberra Marathon.

Program : Monday.....Rest. Done!

Today: If feeling OK, 20 minutes easy lower aerobic running on grass.

I was feeling OK, so I did 21 minutes easy lower aerobic jogging on grass in Ironmines Oval where it was awfully hot & humid.

Distance = 2.5km. AHR = 108 (73%).

Central Coast Half Marathon

The plan was to finish somewhere between 2:30 & 2:45. I finished in 2:36.....OK time, when running distances at the moment are 10 - 12km & high humidity on the day.

I drove to Sydney on Saturday afternoon, stayed the night with friends & was picked up by Superflake at 4:40 Sunday morning for the drive to The Entrance.

In any field of runners I'm bound to be at the very tail end, but in such a small field I was most definitely at the very tail end! The 'sweeper' (I didn't know there was one for this race) thought he was running with the last runner, until someone got a message to him that there was someone else behind him! And so, I had Steve, the sweeper, run with me for the last 4kms until we came to Eagle & Gnome waiting to join in with about 2km to go. At about 50m to the finish line, a number of Cool Runners had gathered & gave me the cheer I needed to 'kick up my heels' & finish.

A very scenic course following the water, shady in most parts, mostly flat & an event I hope to be back for next year. Volunteers were wonderful & were still there at every water station until I finished....doesn't always happen this way! I thank them sincerely for their time & care.

The only hiccup on the drive back to Sydney was having to ask Superflake to pull over from the middle of a freeway because I was car sick & about to throw up all over the interior of his lovely car! Rather than have this happen, he found a spot to stop & after a couple of breaths of 'fresh' air, we were on our way again without further mishap! I'd forgotten my cap & might have had a 'touch of the sun' after the run.

I stayed an extra night in Sydney rather than drive back to Mittagong feeling tired & a bit"off". Home today, Monday.

Half Marathon Time = 2 hours 36 minutes with AHR of 127 (85%).
1hr:17 to the turn around; 1hr:19 return.

Week Total = 60km