Thursday, Friday & Saturday...

Thursday : 5km in 38 minutes

Friday : 3km warm-up
4 x 30 seconds steep hill; 3km walk back.

Today : nil running....rest up for tomorrow's 30km!

Here They Are.......

...my new runners, 'Mizuno Wave Alchemy 8'! Cool colours!

I liked Robert Song's comment that 'the first run in a new pair of shoes is one of life's finest pleasures'....and so it is!

Today's Proram : 12km...try for a negative split if feeling good.

For a change I was feeling really good this morning! Here's my negative split, I thought. On Old South Road at 9:15a.m - early for me these days - & a nice comfortable pace out for 6km.

6km in 46:20

I felt like a cold drink at the turn around, but hadn't carried anything with me & the morning was heating up just when I had to put a spurt on & get back in under 46:20. About 1km into this section, I could see a girl runner coming in the opposite direction & in this part of the world that's like seeing an alien from outer space!

She stopped & asked, "Do you know where I am?" Well, I did of course, but I had no idea of where she wanted to be! Turned out she was completely lost, trying to get back to Bowral but heading in the opposite direction towards Sydney! She decided to jog along with me & turned out she is an au pair from Germany working for a family in Bowral.

The poor girl was so exhausted she dropped off & decided to walk. That would be the first time anyone has had to drop off from my pace! Imagine anyone not being able to keep up with me....gave me quite a thrill!

When I got back to the car, I drove back hoping to find her & give her a lift into Bowral. She wasn't anywhere on the road in either direction, so I think she probably hitched a ride back in. It's very rare that I meet someone in a worse state than myself!

6km back in 46:27!!!!!!

Missing the negative split by 7 seconds! Damn!!

The new shoes handled the 12km well so I'm very pleased with my new purchase.

Yesterday, not fully recovered from Sunday's horrible run, I caught an early train to Sydney & then to Edgecliff to the "Sydney Running Centre" to buy new running shoes. Best decision! Julian, the owner I think, first had me walk around the shop without shoes, finding that, as I thought, I'm a normal pronator needing a new stability shoe.....no major problems!

I must have tried on 3 or 4 different brands & models, walked around the store & then told to go for a run around Edgecliff shopping centre in each pair! The final decision was easy but surprised me beause, in the past, I've always gone for the Asics 20/21 series but as soon as I tried on the Mizuno Wave Alchemy 8, light & a snug fit.....that was it!

I wore them today & all good.

Program : 5km ...as you feel.

I still felt tired today but the shoes were very comfortable.

5km in 37:46...with a few hills on the way out & back.

Long Run

Saturday : 5km.

Sunday : 18km............jog/walk...never felt worse. I think the gels made me sick & I'm going back to bed for the whole aftrnoon! What else to use for fuel??

Week Total = 46.6km

Some easy Days Are hard!

I only had to do :

Program : 3km warm-up

6 x 100m strides...walk back to start

1km warm-down.

....but I was still tired at the end of the session where I ran the strides along one side of the soccer field. I went home, showered & during the afternoon had a good lie down!

4.6km

A Change of Course...

I decided to run along Diamond Fields Road today for the first time in a few weeks. Now that the rain has settled the dust, it's easier on the legs & also traffic free.

Program: 5km

....and that's what I did 5km.....feeling tired, but it's done!

Using the treadmill...

Monday....Rest!

Tuesday : 4km....raining so I used the treadmill at the gym, new ones; very hi-tech!

Wednesday: 10km... if feeling good try for negative split.

Rain...gym treadmill for 10km .

I don't know what it is about these new treadmills, but my back was killing me after about 5km today. The surface/material/suspension or whatever it is was just too hard on my legs & back. I didn't get the negative split & had to walk the last kilometre.

Rain or shine, out doors tomorrow!

Long Run 27km

It was raining & barely light as I parked the car in its usual spot for the start of my runs. I wore my very light & very bright yellow "Ground Effect" wind jacket to start at 6:00a.m. I only had 27km to cover today but that takes me just about all morning!

Program : 27km (which I'd decided to do as run/walk...5/2 out & back from the car (4 x 5km) + (2 x 3.5km).

Results : 5km splits = 40:18; 44:36; 41:26; 45:07
7km = 1 hour

I wore my Fuel Belt as usual carrying 2 bottles : one for water, the other for Poweraid to drink along the way or at the 5km turn around point. I didn't need the water but drank the Poweraid.

Back at the car at the end of each 10km I had a bite of Powerbar, a gel, more water & took with me another of the 4 Fuel Belt bottles which I fill & leave in the fridge overnight. No use leaving anything to chance just before leaving in the mornings ...everything I need is set out on a coffee table Saturday night, just as I do before any event. That way I don't have to think too hard before setting out...I even leave myself a note to get the things from the fridge!

I felt this morning's run was tough, even with the walk breaks. After the first 10km, my legs didn't seem to have much energy at all & were aching from fatigue after 20km...not even half the distance of the marathon, now only 9 weeks away! Oh well, there's still some longer runs in the program Ewen has given me, so I put my trust in that that all will be well on the day.

My running time this morning was 3 hours 51 minutes! What makes that a little depressing is realizing that most marathon runners are finished by that time on the day & I've struggled to run 27km in training! I suppose I must admit to the age factor, but I don't like doing so!


Still...I must try not to be thin-skinned & fretful about it.....just get on with it!

Week's Total = 56km

Updating....

Thursday : 5km...as you feel.
Another cool day..ran it as I felt, i.e. slowly & not well!

Friday : 3km warm-up
4 x 30 seconds up steep hill....walk down.
1km warm-down.

Felt better today....in time for Sunday's long run! Hill repeats OK.

Medium Long Run

Program : 12km....if feeling good, try for a negative split.

I thought I was feeling good before I started & tried for a negative split....but didn't get one!

Another cool & later start at 9:00 a.m.. Nice breeze & all, but I had an upset stomach for the entire run...don't know why; just one of those things I suppose; cramps & some nausea slowed me to taking walk breaks. Felt bad!

6km out in 52:08.
6km back in 55:05.

An alarmingly slow 12km!

Crazy Days!

A cool 19 degrees with light, misty rain! Crazy, but ever so welcome after the recent heat wave.

Program : 4km...as you feel.

Apart from stiff knees, I felt good! But then, who wouldn't in this morning's cool weather, which meant I didn't have to get up early or run in the dark & fall over again. I don't know what I was thinking about on Sunday not to have had at least a torch...live & learn!

Today's results: 2km out in 14:48
Laps = 7:41; 7:09.

2km back in 16:00
7:23; 8:35 (up hill).

Distance = 4km
Time = 30 : 48

Who's Scared of the Dark? I Am!

It was pitch black when I started out at 4:30 a.m. this morning & I'd never given a thought to the fact that there are no street lights on Old South Road! I didn't even think to to have a torch...too late to turn back from where I'd parked the car, so I set off on my long run.



Program : 20km .....(but I'd decided to go for 30km!)



I couldn't see anything of where I was treading & I unexpectedly found myself feeling afraid of the complete dark, silence & deserted street. I'd never been out this early before ...ever....& I was plain scared someone or something would jump out at me. I hadn't been expecting to feel like this.



I had jogged about 100m when a car with lights on full beam came tearing round the bend behind me on the other side of the road. I got such a fright, I lost my balance & tripped on the edge of the road & fell knees first into the gravel! I couldn't see how badly they were grazed but a tissue showed a lot of blood.....even in the dark!



Stupidly I tried turning on the backlight of the Garmin, but instead, as I found out when dawn broke through, I'd turned the monitor off altogether, so I have no record of the first 10km. I also realized later that I'd missed the 5km mark on the way out & ran a couple of hundred metres extra!



Apart from being frightened in the dark & deserted street, it was a wonderful time to be running....cool & breezy & the rest of the 10km laps went well...5k out & 5 back to the car each time. I carried 2 bottles of sports drink & had a gel each time I got back to the car at 10km.



I did the first 10km as jog/walk..5/2; the second 10km as jog/walk ..5/1 and the third 10km jog/walk...6/1. By this time I was well & truly starting to feel the heat of the day & glad to finish still feeling good after 30km.

Even though I now have two sore, stiff & swoolen knees, it was a real confidence booster to run 30km this morning & feel good afterwards.



Total Distance = 30km

Total time running = 4 hours 25 minutes.

Making Up the difference...

Program : 5km ...as you feel.

I ran short by 4kms yesterday, so I added it on to this morning's run. Started at 6:40a.m....almost getting used to these "early' hours!

Results : 9km...no heart rate monitor.

Old South Road (mostly cloud covered), cool & shady.

4.5km out in 35:38
Laps = 8:20; 7:31; 7:48; 7:43; 3:50

4.5km return (mostly uphill) in 37:16.
Laps = 7:31; 7:51; 8:00; 8:40; 5:12

Distance = 9km

Vacancy of Mind...

That's all I can put it down to that I cut this morning's mid week longer run from 14km to 10.7km! And now I'll have to make up the difference tomorrow.....damn! I was sure the Garmin said 7km when I turned around - must have been 5; eyesight may be failing along with everything else!

Program : 14km (as you feel. If good try for a negative split).

I started with a creepy slow first km on Old South Road at 8:15 a.m & then tried to pick up the pace a little more than I do on the short runs.

Results : 10.7km

5.2 km out in 39:29

Laps = 10:34; 7:48; 7:32; 7:20; 7:14

Avg. Pace 7:35

5.57k back in 44:53

Avg. Pace = 7:52

Laps = 7:17; 7:27; 7;20; 7:50; 9:42 (walked the hill!); 4:17 for 0.52k

Long Run

Sunday, February 1st :

I'd decided that, if I could summon up the energy & get myself up early enough I'd go for a 27km long run.

I set the alarm for 5:00 a.m., got up without thinking about it, had a piece of toast & jam - usually I don't eat before a run - & was out on a very hilly Range Road, ready to start at 5:55a.m! A first ever, but the only way I'm going to get long runs in while it remains so hot, is to get out before dawn!

My plan was the same as the previous Sunday's long run : jog/walk...5/2 from start to finish. I carried a small flask of poweraid to have at 5km & after each 10km I was able to be back at the car for more fluids & a bite of banana. It worked out nicely 4 x 5km + 7km = 27km . 5km splits are :

44:32; 42:36; 42:09; 43:52. The final 7km a painfully slower & hot 1 hour!

Total time = 4 hours approx. !
Distance = 27km
I slept most of the afternoon!

Too Many Hot Days...

So I haven't been updating the blog, but here goes for the past few days.

Friday, 39th Jan. :

3km warm-up

Hills .....(a steper one than previously used!)
3x 30 seconds run uphil.
Walk down recoveries
1km warm-down.

4km