Last Run for 2011

Workout #3....Long Run

Program : 15km @ HMP+12sec/km (7:50m/k)

It was a cool and overcast morning; sunny and warm now in late afternoon.  I ran on Diamond Fields Road and enjoyed the quiet on this last run for 2011. There were plenty of hills to slow me down, especially the last kilometre, but a few good down hill runs to catch up!

15km in 1:51:57
Avg. Pace 7:28m/k
5km splits : 40:09;  37:10;  37:37

Hopefully, looking forward to 2012!

Workout #2...... Tempo Run

Program for today  :  8km
                                   2km warm-up
                                   5km @ MT pace
                                   1km cool-down

 1km splits of 5km @ 7:02m/k :  7:42; 6:39; 6:39; 6:33: 6:16
Avg. pace 7:10.  AHR 79%.

Overcast and humid morning.  This was not an easy 5km.  Ran in and around the streets of the new Renwick development....not a soul around!

Cross-training....

One set of Magill drills then 20 minutes easy jogging.  An easy day!

Another Track....Workout #1

My New Track!

This actually worked quite well as a makeshift track, using a course around the school and on the road.  This gave me a distance of a little over 300m and then identified as closely as possible all other distances by some object such as a tree, lamp-post etc.  Other than 1200m, which happened to be spot on, the others were a little over but only by a fraction before stopping the Garmin.  None were short!


Program : 10-20 min warm-up
Based on 5k time of 33 min....1200m (7:47);  1000m (6:26);  800m (5:07);  600m (3:50);  400m (2:32);  200m (1:16).
10 min cool-down.

....and the time for each distance was :  7:33;  6:25;  5:05;  3:48;  2:28;  1:13

Total distance  =  6.2km (incl 1k warm-up & 1k cool-down)

If Only in My Dreams.....

Jim and I spent many Christmases in New York City.  Streisand makes it all the more poignant for me this Christmas, the first without Jim by my side.

Nevetheless, I wish all, who have come by here on my blog during  2011, a very merry Xmas....and not only in your dreams!

Easy and Relaxed...

....that's what the program said "16km @ no specific pace.  Easy/relaxed effort run."

I understood that to mean I should walk all the up hills and jog the down hills and flat...and that's exactly what I did!  Nevertheless, the weather was hot and humid and I was tired and thirsty.  I couldn't wait to get back to the school to drink from a tap and splash water over my face.

For the week :  41km

Cross-training...

That's what I'm calling two hours of mowing the lawns, trimming the edges, sweeping the paths...etc and hoping there's enough energy left for tomorrow's long run!

Workout #2....a Good One Too!

Section for the 5km Tempo Run

Today's Program :  3.5km easy
                                5km @ ST pace (6:53)
                                1.5km easy.
                               
Light rain throughout but I like this weather which probably makes me one of the few who prefer it to the Summer we should be having.

Results:
3.5km warm-up
5km @ 6:37m/km.....
1.5km cool-down. 
1k laps 6:49; 6:30; 6:37; 6:35; 6:34


Time = 33:08!  That's faster than my most recent 5km time at Fisher's Ghost of 33:33, the time on which all paces are based for the 3 Key Workouts.


I had Virtual Partner running and, by keeping a close eye on him, I finished more than 100m in front!  I was very pleased about that!

Total = 10km

The Full Monty!

I missed last week's longish run due to the fact that I spent all of Friday, Saturday and Sunday using a pressure cleaner around and all over the house.  It started by my thinking that only the pavers needed doing, but as one thing leads to another when one starts any sort of cleaning, I water blasted anything in sight : the front driveway, all guttering, eaves, windows, doors, bricks, paths, steps,  trellis, lattice, garden furniture and tubs and, finally, the pavers....I had done the full monty.....of a different kind!

 Have to say I didn't realize until I started just how grubby everything was but all is now sparkling bright!  Three full days....but strangely I enjoyed doing it. I'm calling it 'cross-training' because it's the most upper body work I've ever done!

Today, I decided to do last week's longish run rather than the track session set down for today.  I need distance  right now, speed will come later, I hope!

Today's Run

Last Week's Long Run : Workout #3 :   15km @ HMP + 12 sec/km (i.e. 7:50 m/k)

Starting at the school, Bong Bong Street, Old South Road and Diamond Fields Road...called in to wish Tom and Patricia a happy Xmas and then met another couple from a property further on and had a chat with them too.


15km;  avg. pace 7:55m/k;  quite cool and overcast.

Key Workout #2

From  School/Renwick./Inkerman Road/and Return

Tempo Run : 8km @ MT pace - Mid Tempo - (for me 7:02m/k).

Results: 1km splits = 7:15,7:09,7:07, 6:42, 6:57, 7:03, 7:09, 6:43

Avg. Pace = 7:01m/k  (how close is that!!)
AHR 74%

Cool, sunny morning .  Felt good.

Total 8km

Cross Training

After a couple of drills, forty minutes of easy jogging to Tom's and Patricia's property on Diamond Fields Road; no one home except for 'Fonzie' the dressage horse.  In the stable fridge I found him some carrots so he was pleased I'd stopped by!.  Cool and cloudy morning.  Just right!

Track on the Road

This is 1200m on Radio Road/Bong Bong Street

Yesterday, Monday, I cut all the lawns and I'm counting that as cross-training!  Much harder than an easy run too.

Today, with Chev track being too wet I stayed on Radio Road as I did last week  -

Workout # 1 :  10 - 20 min warm-up, then up and down a 'ladder':
                         400m (2:32);  600m (3:56);  800m (5:07),  1200m ( 7:47), 800m, 600m, 400m 

10 min cool-down.

Results:   1km warm-up + 2 strides
2:31;  3:44;  4:58;  7:26;  4:54;  3:42;  2:21km.  1km Cool down and stretches.

Not an easy session but all times were under program, and I was especially pleased when a  man coming out of the house that is the local FM radio station (small building on left opposite school) said, "I'm proud of you!"  That certainly made me finish with a smile!

6.8km

Workout #3...Long Run

Roses growing wild alongside Old South Road

I did today's run out and back on Old South Road, passing the "Mittagong Historic Aerodrome" so as to avoid too many hills.  A very humid mid morning with storms approaching which was the reason I did this workout today instead of tomorrow.

Program  : 13km @ HMP + 12 sec/km (i.e. 7:50m/k based on most recent 5km time)

Results: 13km in 1:36:32
Avg. Pace =  7:20 m/k....good!
5km splits 35:10;  38:21 (7:47, 6:59, 7:03)
AHR 123 (77%); MHR 141 (89%)

The only difficulty today was the few hills; otherwise this was a very comfortable run....and that's the three Key Workouts for the week done.  35km total unless I do more on a cross training day tomorrow and that'll depend on whether or not the predicted thunderstorms arrive.  I managed the paces for the three workouts....Hurrah!

Workout #2 ...Tempo Run

5km ST Pace Run

Based on my most recent - and slowest - 5km time (33:33), the pace for today's Short Tempo Run was 6:53m/km.  It rained lightly all  through the run but I felt the pace comfortable enough for the second of these paced workouts and getting the pace right for each of the three workouts is said to be the most important feature of the FIRST training program.

Key Workout #2   3.5km easy
                               5km  @ ST pace  (i.e. 6:53m/k)
                               1.5km easy.  

Results for 5km ST = 1k laps : 7:04;  7:10;  6:53; 7:08;  6:50
                                     Time 34:53
                                     Avg. Pace = 6:58m/k
                                     AHR = 124 (78%);  MHR = 133 (84%)

I felt this was a fair session; close enough to the set pace for the first of these tempo runs.  10km total.

Cross Training....

On Radio road again; sunny morning for a change.

Total Time  =  45 minutes (incl. warm-up and cool-down):  1 set Magill drills + strides

Starting "FIRST"...

Half Marathon Training Program starts today with three key workouts each week and to either cross-train or complete easy runs on at least two other days.  Running paces for all workouts are based on my most recent 5km time which was 33:33 at Fisher's Ghost fun run in November this year.


Workout #1   10 - 20 min warm-up
                       12 x 400m (2:32); 90 sec RI
                       10 min cool-down.

Results  :    2:26; 2:26; 2:27; 2:26; 2:30; 2:27; 2:30; 2:28; 2:29; 2:22; 2:31; 2:30

Radio Road and the School

This workout was OK; not difficult to go under 2:32 for all 12 repeats.  I walked around for 90 sec recoveries before starting the next 400m.  I used a 400m stretch on Radio Road instead of Chevalier College track which would have been muddy; weather not good...rained the whole time!  Important thing is....I've started the 18 week program leading up to the half marathon, April 2012 in Canberra.