Long Run...25km

I started at 7:00am and finished 3 hours and 5 minutes later!

The program was for 25km @ 7:09 min/km which I did - or attempted to do - in 5 x 5km loops from the school in Radio Road, Bong Bong Road and a change for 1 loop on Old South Road. Here there were too many cars speeding around the curves and I returned to the original 5k loop for the rest of the run.

I felt good for all but the last 5km which was pretty tragic! After each 5km I was able to drink water at the school, take a gel from the car, eat half a banana and finally in desperation, a handful of jelly beans!

25km in 3hours 5 minutes.

1st 5km in 40:16
Avg. Pace 8:00
AHR 107 (67%) MHR134

2nd 5km in 35:38
Avg. Pace 7:07
AHR 113 (71%); MHR 124

3rd 5km in 36:29
Avg. Pace 7:17
AHR 116 (73%); MHR 133

4th 5km in 35:37
Avg. Pace 7:12
AHR 120 (78%); MHR131

5th 5km in 37:15
AVG. Pace 7:26
AHR 124 (78%); MHR 132

And that was the long run done!

Tempo Run

Tempo run with Virtual Partner set to run at 6:32m/km.

As usual I used the Radio Road and Bong Bong Road loop.

2km warm-up
6km @ 6:30m/km in 39:01 minutes.....just ahead of VP all the way, so he wasn't too unhappy today, just a little surprised!

Splits 6:29; 6:38; 6:24; 6:44; 6:25; 6:19
AHR 125 (79%); MHR 137 (80%)

Chev Track...bare feet again...

The 'Frees' pick up too much grass and add to the difficulty of what is already a hard enough session, so I ran without them again today. The grass was cool and so was the weather; overcast, a good breeze and looking like rain.

The session:

2km warm-up, a few drills and strides.

6 x 1600m @ 5:58 to 5:55min/km

Avg Pace...5:58; 5:51; 5:52; 5:52; 5:51; 5:41
Times.. 9:35; 9:23; 9:25; 9:24; 9:23; 9:08

VP was running at 5:55m/k pace and it wasn't at all difficult to stay ahead of him!

Cross-Training Again...Monday & Tuesday

.....but this time without any manure in sight....or smell! I could still feel some soreness in my back though after yesterday's shovelling; I mustn't have the right technique!

30 minutes alongside the soccer field for 1 set of drills and a stride between each drill. Tuesday a brisk walk 25 minutes.

Should be in fine form for tomorrow's 1600m repeats at the track!

Cross-Training...

Well, that's what I'm calling it!

I shovelled 4 bags of sheep manure and 2 bags of cow manure on the gardens and pot plants!

SMC 10km Race #5

Very hot and humid for the 7:30 start. It was completely dark for most of the drive to Smithfield; the season must be changing ever so slightly towards Autumn. Some long, dark drives ahead by the last race in June.

10km
1:05:33
Splits 33:47; 31:35
Avg. Pace 6:32
AHR 135 (85%); MHR 154 (97%).

I was almost 3 minutes slower than last month; but hey! I wasn't disappointed at all. I got out there and ran the best I could!

If I needed any consolation - which I didn't - I won the voucher for a pair of Nike shoes!! Me, who has never won a raffle or anything ever before!

Altogether then, a good day!

Tempo Run

I easily finished about 35m ahead of Virtual Partner this morning; he was trying to keep up at 6:35 pace, but failed again! It's amazing how much faster I run when I'm with or ahead of my partner! A very useful little person to have with me despite his miserable expressions!

2km warm-up & a few strides on Radio Road.

6km in 39:30 on Radio & Bong Bong Road loop.
Avg. Pace 6:35
AHR 79%; MHR 85%.
5k in 32:58; 1km in 6:32

All OK then with that. Tomorrow rest; Sunday SMC 10km road race....looking forward to seeing what's happened since last month's 10km.

Chev Track on Wednesday....

The grass was damp and cool, even cold in the shaded areas, so I left the shoes off and ran in bare feet again today.

2km warm-up and a few strides.

12 x 400m at 5:46 to 5:43min/km; i.e. 2:12 to 2:20 each 400m.
Easy 400m jog recoveries.

.....and below are the results of such hard work! Virtual Partner was running at 5:43m/k

2:01 (too fast!) 5:03m/k
2:03 (trying to go slower!) 5:08m/k
2:09 ..... 5:22m/k
2:08...... 5:18m/k
2:13..... 5:31m/k
2:10...... 5:24m/k
2:08...... 5:12m/k
2:06...... 5:16m/k
2:04...... 5:09m/k
2:01...... 5:00m/k
2:00...... 4:55m/k
1:58...... 4:52m/k

AHR/MHR.
127/140(80/88%)
126/142(79/89%)
128/142(81/89%)
126/141(79/89%)
132/147(84/93%)
126/141(79/80%)
135/147(85/93%)
127/143(80/90%)
134/149(84/94%)
135/150(85/94%)
139/155(87/98%)
137/153(86/96%)

11.6km

Cross Training

35 minutes doing some drills and short hills, barefoot in the soccer field and then went out for lunch. Nice!

That sounds like I didn't go home first and shower and change; needless to say, I did!

Yesterday's Long Run

I waited until after mid-day hoping for the rain to cease, but it didn't. The plan then became to do the 24km in short loops of 6 x 4km from and back to the car where I had stashed 3 complete changes of clothing, a gel and a banana!

I parked under shelter in the school where there was easy access to water (and toilets if needed!). The pace I was expected to keep was 6:57 to 7:06 which I find is getting increasingly harder as the runs get longer each Sunday. I managed to stay within those boundaries yesterday, whereas the previous Sunday I was a dismal failure towards the end of 28km. No Virtual Partner in these long sessions; I just keep an eye on the 'pace' setting on the Garmin.

1st 4km (2x2k) loop easy warm-up in 31:13. Avg. Pace 7:47

2nd 4km in 27:44. Avg. Pace 6:56

3rd 4km in 27:39. Avg.Pace 6:54
At this stage I changed from soaked shorts & top to a dry set; I'd brought 3 changes with me!. Had 1 gel with water.

4th 4km in 28:20. Avg. Pace 7:04
Ate half a banana.

5th 4km in 28:27. Avg. Pace7:06. Finished banana!

6th (& last) 4km in 28:30. Avg. Pace 7:07.

Thoroughly soaked once more, I didn't bother to change as I had only a few minutes to drive home, hot shower & clean, dry clothes!

24km
2 hours 51 minutes.....in the rain! DONE!

Track Session at Chev.

Easy to see VP got me today! Actually, we finished even : 2 each!

2km warm-up.
Drills & Strides.

4 x 1600m with VP set to pace 5:55min/km (9:28). Full recovery between each.

First 1600m 5:52min/km (9:26)
AHR 133(84%); MHR 145 (92%)

Second 1600m 6:02min/km (9:40).
AHR 133 (84%); MHR 143 (90%).

Third 1600m 5:53min/km (9:27)
AHR 137 (86%); MHR 149 (94%).

Fourth AND LAST 1600m 6:02min/km (9:40)
AHR 142 (90%); MHR 151 (93%)

This was the hardest track session I can recall! I started late at 11:00am and it was so hot and humid on the grass track. To make things more difficult, the Frees collected a heap of wet grass so that in each 1600m I was possibly carrying an extra kilo or two in weight!

Cross Training

Yesterday, Monday, I rested! Today I did some cross training near Renwick soccer field.......

15 minutes warm-up jog.
17 minutes drills & strides.
20 minutes : jog down Bong Bong Road to Old South Road/2 x 400m hill/jog down between each/jog back to car! MHR 147 (93%)....the hills section captured on Google Earth!

Total 52 minutes
6km

Long Run..

I had 24km to run today at 6:57 to 7:06 min/km I did the run, but nowhere near the pace. It's beginning to seem that anything over21 to 22km is where I start to fall apart. Today was no exception. I can't see another marathon in these legs!

The morning was perfect, cool and light rain, but sufficient to get soaked!

I ran a 9km loop on Bong Bong and Radio Road; back to the car for a gel and water and then onto Old South Road and Diamond Fields Road for a 16km loop which made the run 25km as I still had an extra kilometre to go to get back to the car again, parked in the school grounds, Radio Road.

By this time I was thoroughly and comprehensively defeated! I sat down, put my head on my lap and sobbed with the sheer relief of being able to to be in any position other than vertical! At home, after showering, I was too exhausted to eat, so lay on the bed, unable to sleep, but just pleased to be horizontal. I did have my usual glass of milk with Sustagen Sport first!

So......25km
Time 3hours 18 minutes
Avg. pace 7:57; Best 5:14
AHR 113 (72%); MHR 130 (82%)
5km splits 40:16; 36:52; 39:55; 39:44; 42:06

I didn't run with VP today for obvious reasons...he'd have had the last laugh!

Tempo Run....

A very humid morning in the Southern Highlands. Thunder around now, 2:00pm, so another storm on its way. This much needed rain has greened up just about the entire area and makes such a difference to the farm properties and surrounding hills ...and my garden!

8km Tempo Run @ 6:29 to 6:32min/km.

2km warm-up and a couple of strides.

5km in 32:35
Avg. Pace 6:31 (just made it!)
Best Pace 5:32min/km.
AHR 126 (81%); MHR 135 (85%)

1km warm-down.

I don't usually include the warm-up as part of the tempo run, but the skies looked threatening and I didn't want to get caught in one of the many storms we've had recently, so only 5km was run at tempo pace.

Virtual Partner was set for 6:38 min/km, but I was able to stay in front and finish more than 60m ahead of him!

Track and Rain.....

It rained the entire time I spent at Chev. track today, but it was light rain and much better than having a hot day, especially when I had a tough session to get through.... tough for me that is, but I see when I read blogs, running articles etc, that others do the same session I did today in half the time! I hardly ever give a thought to it, but soon I'll have to ask myself : does age make a difference?

Chev track:
2km warm-up, drills & strides.
8 x 800m @ 5:52 to 5:49 min/km....based on current 10km time.

4:39; 4:39; 4:39; 4:36; 4:38; 4:37; 4:39; 4:36

400m slow jog between each.

I had set Virtual Partner for 5:49 min/km and finished ahead of him again...some consolation there!

MHR 144 (91%)