Easy Run/Walk ~~~~~

Another day of easy MAF heart rate running.  Actually, it was run/walk.  The morning was fairly hot but with a nice breeze...will be hotter (31) later.  I did the usual 'Gallowalk' so as to keep heart rate down.  AHR 65%.

Started at the school after a brief visit to meet the 3 new goats whose lives are now destined to be part of Bucky's harem!  I've never seen a happier goat than our Bucky is right now...inspecting all the does with an invitation that blatantly says, "Right, who wants to be first?"!!!

After the run I called in at the school to wish everyone a happy school year.



Today's 58 minutes

Run/Walk



 

"With Good Effort".........

That's what I aimed for and that's what I hope I achieved : a good effort, but good grief, I'm slow despite what felt like a good effort!

4km @ 'good effort'!

2km warm-up + usual 2 drills..... (school to Renwick)

4km :    7:50;  8:04;  8:26;  7:50** 

Avg. Pace   8:03m/k

2km cool-down + usual stretches


Oh well!  With continued 'good effort' I can only improve on that!

For today  :  8km.....perfect morning for run : warm with cool breeze and shade.

** Had a look at pace in F.I.R.S.T. 5k program for this tempo run after I got home and saw it's 8:11 based on my estimated 5km 'time' of 40 minutes, which means I had finished ahead of Virtual Partner!

Lake Alexandra run/walk ~~~

Part of the get-fit program is some easy running.  At 8:00 this morning I had to have the car in for a new muffler to be fitted so, after dropping the car in and since it was tipped to be over 30 degrees today, I set off from the garage, down Queen Street, to Lake Alexandra which is on the opposite side of Mittagong from where I live on the Frensham College side. 

At 8:00am it was already hot but trees around the Lake gave some shade.  The many ducks and other water fowl, however, were just starting to wake up from their beds under a tree in the sun.  A few still had beaks buried in back feathers refusing to be disturbed by the soft gurgling of the early risers!  Circling the Lake a few times, taking photos of the ducks, I headed away for some steep, hilly streets and a short jog along a rough bush rack at the base of Mt Alexandra and finally back to the lake and then garage only to hear they'd been sent the wrong piece!  Things happen!!  Anyhow, it might be a good place to do another easy session.....when they get the right piece in.

To keep heart rate down  -forgot to wear strap -  I can 'Gallowalk' parts of these easy sessions and just as well it is allowed because the area is all hills!

Lake Alexandra, Mittagong.

 

Today: 52 minutes run/walk



'Gallowalk'

Back to Track ~~~~~

Over to Chevalier College track on a warm, breezy morning!  Nothing like the last time I was there and struck down by the heat for the next 2 weeks.

Ewen's suggestion for track sessions and tempo runs is not to think about the pace in the F.I.R.S.T. program, but for the next month or two to run these sessions with 'good effort' and record times.  That's what I did today and here are the results of my good effort!

10 min warm-up
4 strides, each preceded by a drill...butt kicks and high knees.

8 x 400m  :  3:04;  3:11;  3:00;  2:59;  2:50;  2:46;  2:48;  2:34.

200m walk recovery between each.
Short cool-down
Stretches...quads, hammies, calves, glutes periformis

I thought this was OK for another "comeback".   After I was home I looked at the F.I.R.S.T. 5km training program from which I've taken these sessions and found they have 3:03 for each 400m, based on a 'guess' time of 40 minutes 5km for me, for now!  So, I reckon I did OK!!

Today's 400m repeats


 

Found out today that the 200m+ lane I use is really the boundary for cricket!  There I was thinking it was kept mowed just for me to use!!  Cricket must be over - I wouldn't know if it was or not - because the grass is longer than when I was there 2 weeks ago.

"Going Up...First Floor!"

First floor, first step...same thing and just means I've made yet another start!

I've worked Ewen's suggestions for the week into a day by day plan and for a Monday it's going to be either cross-training (stationary bike) or walk.  This morning being such a cool, sunny day I decided on the walk, and to kill two birds with the one stone, I walked into town and home instead of driving to pick up the paper.

I have also included for Mondays and other easy days, strength exercises from the F.I.R.S.T. training programs.  They include what they see as most beneficial for runners : Standing Wall Squat, Single Leg Squat;  Walking Lunge;  Calf Raises;  Push-up on stability ball...which I don't have; Single Arm bent over row with dumbbell.

Tomorrow, I return to the track where I was sun-struck over a week ago.  Better luck this time!

For today :  50 min Walk

Going Up?

That's what lift drivers used announce :  "Going Up"...in the days when we had lift drivers!  Here, it signifies a climb back from unfit to fit with the next 2 to 3 months spent with running easily most days to regain some fitness before embarking on a specific program for a specific event like a half marathon.
Thanks to Ewen ...... special blessings be upon you and your running! ..... I now feel enthusiasm returning form the deep black hole of quitting where it has been for far too long. What I'll be doing is something like the following :

Monday XT OR Walk
Tuesday:  Track ( weekly alternating long and short intervals)...from F.I.R.S.T. 5k program
Wednesday :  Easy Running 45-55 min.  MAF heart-rate
Thursday :  Tempo Run...from F.I.R.S.T. 5k program
Friday :  Easy Running 45-55min  MAF
Saturday :  Easy Running up to 60 min. MAF
Sunday : Rest

In my spare time!  :  I'll do stationary bike, some strengthening exercises much the same as I've always done;  warm-up,  drills and stretching as usual.

That's what I'm going to begin with on Monday, 27th January, 2014!


"Going Up! Up and Away!"

l to r.  new goat, old goat!

Heat Wave ~~~

....and, unwisely I went out and got sun struck!


Chev Track :

10-20 min warm-up
6x800m
10 min cool-down

Warm-up...OK
Got through 3x800m, felt dizzy and nauseated.  Stopped! Drove home and paid the consequences for training in the heat!  The past 24 hours: bad headache and sick!

Indoors, until.........

Cross-training ~

Stationary Cycling

8 min warm-up
30 min moderate (90-100rpm)   No way!
7 min cool-down.

I cannot get comfortable on this seat!  I tried a cushion and my feet couldn't reach the pedals; I tried a thick towel and it kept slipping off the seat; nothing else but to grin and bear it.

Warm-up
30 min @ somewhere between 70 and 80 rpm!
Cool down

For today : 45 min stationary bike

Cross-training OR Rest ~~~~~

For Sundays, F.I.R.S.T. program gives a choice of either a rest day or light cross-training.  I chose the latter to see if I could work off some of the stiffness from yesterday's crippling 'run', and set off for a walk on Diamond Fields Road, the scene of the meniscus tear to my left knee nearly 6 months ago.  The road is in terrible condition with potholes, rocks, stones everywhere.  I don't think I'd even walk there again until it's graded.

I called in to one property for a brief chat and strolled around the old Historic Catholic Cemetery to see if there had been any 'new arrivals' since I was last there and, of course, there were!

It was very hot and dusty on Diamond Fields Road and I was glad to finish.  I couldn't help but notice changes along the way :  small trees that were newly planted in paddocks a few months back were now giants hiding properties that were one visible from the road......the passing of time!

Today : 6km walk  (well over an hour!)

I Don't Want to Say Anything!!

.....about today's long run!!  I want to wipe it from my memory!

However........I do have to say :  it was the most physically demanding and morally destroying time I have ever spent on my feet!  Only 13km and I shuffled, walked, dawdled, plodded, trudged and stumbled every step of the way!  Slower than a geriatric with ankle weights and that's all I'm going to say about it!  I stopped at 3 taps for water.  27 degrees.

The Program was :

13km ...forget about the pace!

This really hurts me to have to say how long it took!

2hours 25 minutes!

There, I've said it!

Finishing at the school, I fed the goats and cows because I couldn't face going out again later today!

Today:  13km
The Week :  34.6



13km ...out of gas!

Forgot to mention the only good part of today's session: after I finished: a feast of ripe plums!  There are 2 trees at the school with
 branches weighed down to the ground with delicious red plums of which I had my fill!













'

A Day Off ~~~~

My program has Friday as a rest day and I took it :  did some shopping, walked Amy and Oscar and helped move the 3 cows and calf from the school, cross a road into another paddock where there was more grass for them.  The calf was so funny;  she set off at a furious pace across the road, into one paddock, then the next one which she galloped around several times.  Tired of all the fun, she walked up to me for her usual treat and settled down to her new environment!

Tomorrow, long run.

Tempo Run ~~~~

How frustrating is it when 5km seems like 50!  And what took 31 minutes 6 months ago, now takes 41!  I doubt that I'll live long enough to make up the lost time, regain fitness and when 5km is a breeze instead of a grind.  Anyhow..... in the meantime.....and while there is time:

Today's Program :  9km Tempo Run (2+5+2)

2km warm-up
5km @ MT (mid tempo) pace...for me right now that's 8:20m/k
Holy Moses, I couldn't even do that!!!
2km cool-down.

I started from the school as usual,  ran (?) through Renwick and surrounding streets, including a few hills and 2km of rough dirt road.

5km in 42:43...Ouch!

Splits: 8:18;   8:20;  8:24;  9:21;  8:15.... that's downright embarrassing!

What can I say?  I just have to keep trying in spite of daily disappointment.

Can't get much slower than that!  It's so terribly hard trying to get fit and back to what one used to be...fast and furious!!

Today:  9km

Cross Training ~~~~~ 1 of 2 days per week

I did one of the F.I.R.S.T. cross training workouts today, which was :

Stationary Cycling (45 minutes)

10 min easy warm-up

Alternate Level 4* for 1 minute with 4 minutes at Level 1**.

Repeat 6 times

Finish with 5 minutes easy cool-down

* Hard. Noticeable increase in breathing.  Difficult to talk in full sentences.  (No Kidding!)
** Easy.  No increase in breathing; can go all day.  Oh yeah?
 ( My bottom was so sore from the hard seat I couldn't walk properly for an hour!!)


Nevertheless, I finished 45 minutes stationary cycling!

Track ~~ Chevalier College

A far, far better day for a harder session than I had last week!  Some sun but mostly cloudy and nice breeze.  Had a brief chat with the cricket pitch keeper who thought I'd died or had done something else equally sinister during the past six months!

I did the warm-up around the College grounds and then a few strides and drills on the oval.

Warm-up 1.8km

The session was :
10-20 min warm-up...for me 1.8km

400m (3.03);  600m (4:37;  800m (6:10);  1200m( 9:21);  800m;  600m;  400m....times based on 40min 5km.
400m RI.

10 min cool-down.....1km

Results for repeats :
3:02;  4:36;  6:06; ........ 9:00.......5:47;  4:19;  2:42

I didn't mind this session at all, in fact I enjoyed it.  I suppose the times are slow, but still basing on a 40 min 5km for now.

My very own 212m lane!

The groundsman had a sprinkler on just near where I was running so every time I finished a repeat I stood under it for a cooling shower....much to his amusement!  He said he'll leave it there for me next week....very thoughtful man!

Total for today......7.6km

This Week ~~~~~

On Saturday my long run should have been 13km....I did 9km.  Surprisingly, all weekend I was still feeling the effects of heat and exhaustion from the tempo session on Thursday, so I wasn't too fussed about missing a few kilometres at this stage.  Better to feel right for the week ahead!

Today : 5km easy jog/walk

5km from school and back.

The Day Off ~~~~~ and I have a Samsung Ultrabook!

The FIRST program has today marked as rest....not even cross training!

I gladly took the day off!  What a difference from yesterday when I looked outside this morning : thick fog, mist and light rain.  Now, if only that was yesterday!!

Long run tomorrow and bet it's hot again!

My new ultrabook is the Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus...very nice too!

I first enquired at Bing Lee in Bowral about another Samsung from the one I actually bought, but because it wasn't in stock and came with a bonus printer/scanner, the very nice and smart Bing Lee people gave me the printer/scanner free of charge! ACER AUSTRALIA & WHEREVER ELSE YOU ARE, DID YOUR HEAR THAT?

I bought the Samsung Book 9 Plus from a local retailer where there were real live humans to talk to!

Samsung ATIV Ultrabook 9 Plus......

Tempo Run ~~~~~

I went to Chev track for today's session to run on the flat and avoid hills.
It was too darned hot!  29+
1.5km warm up
5km @ ST pace ("s" stands for short !)
1.5km cool down.

I did the warm up around the grounds of Chev College......then, 5km on the outer part of the oval, keeping just inside the fence.  I can't think right now of the right words to accurately describe how depleted, debilitated, drained and dead I felt, but those will have to do until my disabled brain recovers!

It embarrasses me no end to have to give the statistics of that 5km, but here goes....

Time : 42:07
1km splits : 8:18;  8:07;  8:26;  8:27;  8:43
AHR 106%;  MHR 146%...that felt about right!!

I felt nauseous about half way through, no doubt from heat, and, after showering, spent several hours lying down!  Not hungry...will try some light soup later tonight.

This was not a good start to my training!!

Today :  8km

Cross Training Workout ~~~ January 1st, 2014

From "Run Less Run Faster" I decided on : XT#1 Mode:

Stationary Cycling and.....  This is what I was supposed to do:

45 min
8 min easy spinning
30 min moderate
7 min easy
Cadence about 95-100rpm

95-100 rpm!!!!  Who's kidding who?   But I'm determined to get fitter!

This is what I did :

30 min
8 min easy
14 min ...what I call moderate for now!
8 min easy
Cadence:  held 80rpm or about 20 sec!!

Today 30 min stationary bike.

Tomorrow Tempo Run....God help me!!