"Some Like it Hot"!! ~~~~~

....but not so much as the past two days have been!  36 degrees now at 2:00pm!!  Even at 8:00am it was hot but I did manage a jog/walk of 1 hour, from school along a partly shaded Diamond Fields Road.

60 minutes Jog/with walk breaks

TE =  2.2 ....Maintaining.

Track at Chevalier College ~~~~~

Of course I should have been there at 6:00am but it was near 10:00am by the time I got myself to the track and it was so hot!  Today, was what Magill calls 'Cruise Intervals' which, from memory, is a pace slightly less than for 10km; anyhow there's a chart, based on my recent 5km time, to use to get the correct pace for these 'cruises'!

Warm-up .... 1km incl. 4 strides/drills
4 - 6 x 1000m ..... I did the minimum of 4 ..... @ 7:14m/k
Stretching.

RESULTS ARE :
6:54    81-89%    TE  2.1
6:26    83-88%     TE 2.1
7:15    84-90%     TE 2.2
6:34    82-89%     TE 2.2 .... all maintaining!

Stretches in the shade!   Home in the shower!

 

After the "Big Night " ~~~~~

...the "big night" being the 'Berrima District Annual Sports Awards', held at Mittagong RSL last Friday night. 

The excitement of being one of the 12 people (1 for each month of 2015) awarded for participation in various sporting activities, was too much and it took Saturday and Sunday for me to recover! So no Bowral Parkrun and no long run.  Today, easing back into another week .....


1 set of Pete Magill drills with strides (9 drills alternated with a stride), on road.

Fast Tempo ~~~~~

2 x 10 minutes. (7:15m/k)
3 min Jog RI between.  I took 5 min.  1km warm-up & cool-down.


No idea how fast or slow I ran!  All details lost during transfer to Garmin Connect, but I know from looking at the watch while running, that I was ahead of VP for both 10 minutes.  Second 10 min. was slower and harder because I ran the hilly streets in Renwick, first 10 min mostly flat.  Very annoying when this happens with Garmin, I like to see results!

Distance Run ~~~~~

50 - 70 minutes @ 8:30-9:30m/k  +  Stretching


Very humid morning!  Took a couple of walk breaks uphills on Diamond Fields Road.


60 minutes   (6.7km)
Avg. pace 8:53m/k
HR 69%-78%
Avg. Cadence 164 spm.
TE   3.4  =  Improving!!


Exactly the same time on feet for tomorrow.

Took a Rest Day ~~~~

The day was hot, 33 degrees I think, I was tired and next week's progam looks rather formidable! Not so sure about this 6 week 5km training; it's becoming a load of running this week but, since I'm half way through, I might as well finish it.  Always take a rest day if needed or just walk!  There are a number of other programs, up to 12 weeks, not so heavy and not aimed at any specific race distance.  I might try one of those when/if I finish another 3 weeks of the one I've started.

Bowral Parkrun ~~~~~

A little (a very little!) faster than last Saturday!



5km in 35:33 (13secs. faster!)
Avg. pace 7:09m/k
HR 81%-88% 
6:56;   7:05;   7:03;   7:03;   7:24

TE 5.0  =   OVERREACHING!?
Age Grading 90.13% ....Phew! back in the 90's!!



A very warm morning followed later in the day with a splendid lunch at the Zen Oasis, Berrima.

Easy Distance Run~~~~~

I did all of today's easy run up and down Scarlet Street, on the far side of Renwick where I had shade from trees on both sides of a road.

25 minutes @ 9:05m/k + 4 - 8 strides ...... I did 8 strides each about 15-20 seconds after 25 min. run.

Avg pace 8:54m/k
HR 65%-72%
Avg. cadence 173 spm.

TE  3.0 ....IMPROVING!

 

Easy Distance Run ~~~~~

Today: 30-50 minutes

I did 30 min.  same area from school>Renwick>School
8:45 m/k 
Avg. Cadence 158 spm
HR 66%-76%

TE  3.2  =  IMPROVING!  WooHoo!! 

Easy Distance Run ~~~~~ Magill 5k Training

I didn't find it all that easy!  Sometimes a struggle towards the finish even at such a slow pace.  I forgot to check the minimum -maximum time and did the max by mistake so maybe that's the reason, plus I can't set the Garmin at any slower pace than 8:55m/k.  Tomorrow, I'll know to do the minimum or somewhere in between.

Today:
Easy Distance Run
30-50 minutes
9:05 -10:25m/k

I did 50 minutes
Avg. Pace 8:31m/k
HR 66%-74%
Distance 5.86km (distance doesn't count, but I like to know it anyhow)
Avg. Cadence 166 spm

T.E.  2.3  =  Maintaining!

I had cloud cover the whole time and a cool breeze, so the forecast hot day didn't bother me at all. 

Week 3, Pete Magill's 5km Training - Road Intervals ~~~~

10 - 20 times 30 seconds @ 1500m -3km pace
1 min jog recoveries.

About 8min warm-up + couple drills (my own make up!)

10 x 30 seconds (sufficient!)...... Garmin says I ran 80m for each 30 seconds!
1 min jog RI
Cool-down walk to car. 

It couldn't happen to anyone else I'm sure...... walking, not even jogging, back to the car I tripped on something and landed on 2 knees, 2 hands and 1 elbow!  On loose gravel!  I don't know!!!

 

Long Run ~~ Week 2 Done!

Well that's 2 weeks finished of Magill's 5km training!  All good so far, but quite a bit more difficult than my former program.  All sessions to date, except track are 'time on feet' not distance and pace is based on 5km time.. I've been using 35 minutes, but for the coming week I'm going to use 33 minutes which is my PB time for Bowral parkrun.  I can drop back if necessary.

Today:  LONG RUN
60-75 minutes

I did 75 minutes
School > Diamond Fields Road > Buckman's Lane...return to school.
Avg pace 9:00m/k
Distance 9:12km
Avg. cadence 160 spm.
HR 68% to 101%??
TE  2.4 ....Maintaining!

The morning was cool, the scenery beautiful, my running slow but it was one hill after another!

Looking at next week (week 3) seems like all easy sessions, except for Monday, tomorrow, when I have 'Road Intervals' to do; that's new! 

For the week : 31.5km
 

Bowral Parkrun ~~~~

Gosh!  It was great to be back at Bowral Parkrun this morning!  Grassy slope a bit wet but the weather was just about perfect.  I ran with the sole purpose of keeping an even pace as much as  I could and I wasn't disappointed with my result....but I hope it will improve!

5km in 35:46
Age Graded 89.75%
HR 79-89%
Avg. cadence 175 spm.
 7:20;   7:06;   7:06;   6:50;   7:17 

And best of all ...TE 4.2 = Highly Improving! 

 

Long Hill Repeats ~~~ Magill's 5km Training.

This new program is much harder than I thought at first glance!  Nevertheless, so far I'm enjoying the extra training involved, though only nearly finished week 2 so far.  I'm prepared to change and compromise where I feel it's necessary for me to do so.  For example :  I did a 50 min. 'Distance Run' yesterday, to be followed by another today at a faster pace.  Instead, mainly because of the rain, I did Friday's training today which was Long Hill Repeats and will do as easy distance run tomorrow because I want to get back to Bowral Parkrun on Saturday, and this seemed to me to be a better way of using the 2 sessions.

For a long hill I could think of nothing better than our Bowral parkrun grassy hill even though the rain was quite heavy and the morning cold!  So, over I went!

6 x 90sec. repeats.... timing the 1st rep. only & using whatever that distance was as the benchmark for the others.
4 to 5 min. Recoveries

I did 6 x 90 seconds.....walked down & waited about 4 min RI..in the cold rain!

I was thoroughly drenched at the finish but enjoyed the work in spite of the rain.  However, I was so cold driving back and even when at home, not even a hot shower warmed me up, neither did a hot coffee so I had to put the heater on (middle of summer!) and stand right in front of it till I could stop shivering!   I felt colder this morning than I could remember feeling in mid-winter!  I hope for sunshine tomorrow.

 

 

Easy Distance Run ~~~~~

I didn't find it that easy at all!  It was already hot when I left school at 11:00am but I did have some shade when I got as far as Scarlet Street on the far side of Renwick.  At times, this 'easy' run became a bit of a struggle, but that could be that I'm not used to running every day...accumulative effect perhaps.

Easy Distance Run
40-70 minutes @ suggested pace 9:33-10:56 m/k.   Garmin only goes as far as 8:55m/k so I set it for 8:30m/k, quite a bit faster pace than in the program for an easy run!
Post run stretching.

I did 50 minutes
Avg. pace 7:58m/k...could have slowed down?
Distance 8.3km
HR 74%-84%
Avg. Cadence 173 spm.
TE  4.1  which means HIGHLY IMPROVING!

After 50 minutes I stopped running and walked about another 1km back to school for recovery. Did the usual stretching  on the soccer field.  Tomorrow's training is a "Distance Run".... looking at the pace range for tomorrow, (8:30-9:30m/k) I think I did a distance run today!

 

Track Work ~~~~~

Very warm at Chev. College track this morning but I don't blame the weather for not finishing the entire session .... I'd just had enough at a particular stage and it was less than the minimum number of repeats.  Thank goodness tomorrow is EASY distance run!

12 - 16 x 400m (for me in 2:43 or 6:45m/k)... I did 6 reps.
Still can't find anything about warm-up, recoveries etc in the Magill program, so did what I used do.

 10 min warm-up jog ...forgot strides/drills!
200m RI walk

2:45;  2:44;  2:43;  2:31;  2:29;  2:26

TE after all this was 1.6 which means the 'training effect' was Minor!

Long Run - Magill Style ~~~

I'm liking the change to 'time on feet' with this program as against distance with F.I.R.S.T.

60-120 minutes @ 9:08-10:15m/k ..... (still basing pace on a 35 min 5km time)
Post Run Routine ... stretching.


90 minutes
10km
School to Diamond Fields Road and back 
Avg. pace 9:06 m/k 
Avg. Cadence 157 spm.

I didn't find this run easy!  The course is a tough one with more than its fair share of hills.  I felt OK, but a little tired!  Took a couple of walk breaks.  I need a new battery for my HRM strap; that's why I'm missing HR and TE in results ... according to Google!

That's the first week of Pete Magill's 6 week 5km training done!  I've kept to the very minimum of the times for each session for this week just to be on the safe side after having time off.  In the coming week, I'll take it up a little and see how I handle the extra time.

For this week : 30km 

Distance Run ~~~~~

30 to 70 minutes @ 8:30-9:30m/k (pace based on a 35 min. 5km)

I felt very tired this morning. Ran very slowly through Renwick, taking several walk breaks.  It was the best I could manage!  After the designated time, I walked another 2km back to where I'd parked the car. 

60 minutes with walk breaks
7km
Avg. Pace 9:10m/k!!
Avg. cadence 158 spm.
2km walk to car.

That was the best I could do today! 

 

Track ~~~~

Some months since I've been at Chev. College track And that's where I was this morning for the first of  Pete Magill's track sessions for 5km racing.  Good to be back there again and my little 200m track had recently been mowed.  Actually, it's a bit more than 200m so I measured the distance before starting so that I don't run any further than I have to!!  I haven't looked properly yet, but I can't see any warm-up or cool-down directions for track so I did what my old program suggested; also haven't seen suggested recovery intervals.

15 min warm-up incl. few strides
12 - 16 x 200m in 1:16 - 1:22 (paces based on chart for 35min 5k time)
 200m RI.
Stretching.

To be on the safe side with this new program which means some running every day, I chose the minimum number of repeats (12).   

1:16;  1:16;  1:13;  1:20;  1:21;  1:16;  1:17;  1:18;  1:16;  1:17;  1:16;  1:14

Felt quite OK with 12 repeats and the paces also!  That's 4 days on new program and all good!

Backing Up ~~~~~

On Pete Magill's 5km plan I had what is called a ....

DISTANCE RUN:  more effort that yesterday's "Easy Distance Run", but still conversational, except I didn't have anyone to converse with!

50 to 75 minutes at 8:30 to 9:30m/k pace

I took the easier option!

50 minutes
Avg. Pace 8:37m/k
Distance 5.8km
Cadence 163 spm.
No Heart Rate or Training Effect (TE) showed up in results ... disappointing!  

  

I stayed with the shortest time (50min) because I'm not used to running every day and I don't want to risk injury!  Started at school, ran through Renwick and back to the school where I did a couple of strides on the soccer field and finished with stretches. I think this Magill program is pretty intense and involves far more running than I've been doing.  However, I'm very keen to see if it suits me and looking forward to tomorrow's track session..  so far so good but that's only after 2 days!

"Easy Distance Run" ~~~~

That's what it's called in Pete Magill's book! 

40 - 70 minutes + One of several choices of Post-run Routines.  I did what's called 'Dynamic Stretching' and it wasn't that easy either!  I hope to improve!

What puzzles me is how slow the pace range is for today's session, based on my 35min 5km time..... 9:33-10:56m/k!  Seems awfully slow and when I tried to set VP on my Garmin 620 to this range, I was unable to set anything slower than 8:55m/k and after that it returns to zero!  I don't think I'm doing anything wrong with the Garmin; maybe it thinks anyone wanting a pace slower than 8:55 should be home dribbling into their porridge!  So, 8:55m/k is where I set it.  I started at the Highlands School in light rain but later became sunny, and then out and back on Diamond Fields Road to the school.  A tough, hilly course at any pace!

75 minutes
8.5km
Avg. pace 8:36m/k
AHR 71%;  MHR 96%
Avg. Cadence 162 spm.
TE  3.5  =  IMPROVING! 

 
A bit concerned when I looked at tomorrow's session called "DISTANCE RUN".  Even though today's was called "Easy Distance Run" I've never, that I can recall, backed up for 2 consecutive days, usually having a day off between sessions.  Perhaps that's why the pace for today's 'easy' run was supposed to be so slow, but I wasn't able to set it on my Garmin. I also made an error, I think, in running for more than the max. 70 minutes, even though it was only 5 minutes extra instead of leaning towards the lower time of 40 minutes or something in between.  Just my thoughts, on looking at tomorrow's session and then looking back on what I did today.  If it's a mistake, I'll know tomorrow and learn from it!



 
 

"Building My Running Body" ~`~~~~

That's the title of Pete Magill's recent book!!  I'm reading the Kindle version and find it quite interesting mainly because it has some new suggestions and information I'd not read about or forgotten. I think it's a good thing to read different authors and keep abreast of what's new as well as what's already well known to runners.  Besides that, I find I'm often in need of change; renews my motivation ..... almost as much as buying new runners, but not quite!  Anyhow, I set off this morning with more enthusiasm than I've felt for a long time and, for me, that's THE important ingredient in keeping running!

I also like his training plans for various distances; they still contain what just about all good plans say we should do (e.g.Tempo, Track, Long Distance), but he includes a few other sessions that I like the sound of on the days I usually didn't run and was supposed to cross-train but, more often than not, didn't!  So for the time being, I'm saying a fond farewell to my F.I.R.S.T. program and today commenced the Monday session from Pete Magill's 5km training.  As with F.I.R.S.T., he bases the pace (and I like to know what paces I should run) for all sessions on the most RECENT (not the BEST!) 5km time, which is 35 minutes right now, whereas my best at Bowral Parkrun is 33 minutes.  All the charts are clear and easy to follow no matter how fast or slow the runner may be...a good thing in my case!

From page 130. Magill's 5km Plan: Week 1(BTW it's a 6 week program)
MONDAY
2 x 10 minutes @ 7:15m/k (based on my 35min 5km)
3 min RI jog or rest between

1st 10 minutes (from school, downhill Old South Road)
Avg. pace 7:06m/k (1.44km)
AHR 70%; MHR 79%
Avg. Cadence 173spm.
TE 2.3 = Maintaining!

3min Walk

2nd 10 minutes (from Old South Road uphill(!) to school)
Avg. Pace 7:43m/k (1.27km)
AHR 80%; MHR 86%
Avg. Cadence 172spm.
TE 2.7 = Maintaining!!

Finished off with walk and 2 strides as I got back to the school (not on the program but I always finish a session with a couple of strides and then the usual static stretches).

That's a total of 2.71km; didn't take up much time at all; being something different, I enjoyed it ... and the light rain that accompanied it!
 

Running Longer ~~~~ At Last!!

Lovely, overcast and cool morning and set off to see what sort of distance I could comfortably run after 3 weeks of doing nothing, as result of big fat fluid knee and hammie/glute pain.  Happy to say neither bothered me at all ... fluid knee just bounces along and no niggles anywhere!  WooooHooo!  A good start to my 5km program beginning tomorrow!

Start from Highlands School (after letting the chooks out!) and ran all around and through Renwick estate where I haven't been for months.  Interesting to see the changes and the many new homes that have been built since I was last there.  I so very much enjoyed my run and so happy to get through 10km when I'd expected that 5k would probably have been enough!

10km in 1hr 20min.....Slow, I know, but I'm OK with 'slow' for now!
Avg. pace 8:25m/k
AHR 77%
TE 3.6 = IMPROVING!  Whoopee! 
Avg. Cadence 167 spm. 

Can't wait to get out tomorrow!!

Mixing it up ~~~~~

This morning, very very hot!  Until I resume my program next week (I hope!), I changed from easy running to a session of Magill drills today, using the soccer field at the Highlands School where one side was shaded by a row of tall pine trees.  The session went like this .....


10 min warm-up
Each Drill alternated with a stride ...... distance for both about 35m
Skipping, High skipping, Flat foot marching, High knees, Bounding, Foot shuffles, Butt Kicks, Carioca, Skip kicks.
15 min jog around soccer field...hot!


I've always enjoyed this drills session and did so again today!

Another Easy Day ~~~~~

This morning from the school to Diamond Fields Road; a few walk breaks on the hills. Very hot; knee/hammie seem OK.  Finished with 3 strides and usual stretches.


Today : 6km

Easing Back !!!!!

I made a decision last night, rightly or wrongly, to get out today and see what an easy jog/walk would be like considering the couple of injuries I have at present.  I'm so fed up with doing nothing and just not prepared to take more time off!  Happy to say all went well, no pain in either hammie or knee, slow jog, took a few walk breaks.


Drove across to our park run course, a favourite of mine and did the 5km course.  Beautiful morning: very warm but a cool breeze.  So glad I did it and will get out again tomorrow on another closer to home course.


Today : an easy 5km jog/walk

Starting Back ~~~~ 2016!

Not the best weather this morning but I wanted to check out our Bowral Parkrun course after a week of heavy rain, fearing a return to our watery winter conditions.  To this end, I jogged/walked (mostly jogged!) the course and added the new pathway that has recently opened just befor our turnaround, making 6km all up.


Rain to start with, blustery wind to finish, but hamstring OK; slight niggle but some physio next week should fix that.  So good to get out again!


Today 6km easy.

This Week ~~~~~ Christmas Week!

Now that there's no school on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, I hope to do some extra easy running.  Troubled though by a painful left hamstring ...who'd believe it, just when I have the time available!  Anyhow, so far ~~~~~

Monday : an easy 5km along Diamond Fields Road; few strides at finish.

Tuesday: Chev. track: 6 x 400m (400mRI) in 2:40 ..... my times 3:03; 2:42; 2:56; 2:53; 2:40; TE minor!!

Wednesday: Magill Drills/Strides  (school soccer field)  +  6 x 12 sec. short hill repeats ( Bong Bong Rd), 1 min RI.  Hamstring taped!  So far, so good!

Thursday:  Easy 5km from school to Diamond Fields Road and back. Lovely misty rain helped on this hilly course.  Took 45 min.  AHR 66-78%;  TE 2.5 Maintaining!

Friday, Christmas Day ~~~~~  OFF!

Boxing Day/Bowral Parkrun ~~~~
 Disaster!  Running downhill at the start, left leg hamstring gave way!  Struggled for a while on the cycle path but forced by extreme pain to turn back!   A sad and sorry sight I was climbing back up the hill for a Parkrun DNF! No idea how long this is going to take to heal but, for now, it's Goodbye to running!  Damn!!  And Hello to volunteering!!

....   and that's it for Christmas 2015!

 

Bowral Parkrun ~~~~~

Oh dear me!  I wasn't expecting it to be this bad, but it was.... and worse!  The slowest park run ever!  It was very hot, but given that heat always slows me down, I still wasn't expecting this result :


Time 40:34
AHR 79-88%


7:34;  7:47;  7:55;  8:11,  9:05


TE 4.1 Highly Improving!   WHAT?!!


And to add insult to injury, I've slipped in the age graded percentage to 79.13.... first time below 80+ in over 12 months!


Looking for something to blame : weight of Christmas tinsel and reindeer horns!

Chev Track ~~~~~

Returned to Chevalier College track instead of parkrun hills and probably achieved little in doing so!  It was simply too hot!


Instead of 6x 800m I did 3  (5:52;  6:00;  6:01) ....... quite a bit slower than VP!
400m RI

 No lanes marked so ran just inside oval fence which is a bit more than 400m.

Long Run ~~~~

With Leah, 10km .... hilly Diamond Fields Road.

Bowral Parkrun ~~~~~

Time 35:16 ......   Age graded 90.68%..Phew! Just made it into the 90%!!  Lost a few seconds by falling over near the finish!


Avg. 7:07m/k
AHR 83-92% of max.
6:51;   6:55;  6:59;  7:07;  7:22 .......steady decline!
TE 4.5 = Highly Improving ... well, that's encouraging!




Always enjoy park run days!

Tempo Run ~~~ Thursday

Parkrun course, Bowral.
8k
TE 2.6 .....Maintaining.

Hills @ Bowral Parkrun ~~~~~

Drove across to our park run course for some hill repeats :

Warm-up + few drills
6 x 300m uphill reps.
Jog down
Stretches.

Far from being an easy session but I was glad to be back into the swing of things again!  Few raindrops falling on my head to finish with!

 

Starting back ~~~~

A full week+ off with nasty, re-occurring Post Shingles Neuralgia!


Today:
10km easy with Leah out and back on Diamond Fields Road.  Forgot to start Garmin!

Tempo Run ~~~~~

An unpleasantly hot and windy morning on Bowral Parkrun course!  A poor run by me, two walk breaks (but not up the grassy hill!); found the heat and especially the awful wind just too much.


5km in 36:13
TE 2.6 .... maintaining.

Hill Reps at Briars Country Inn & Historic Lodge ~~~~~

1. 
   

Start....

Finish at distant hedge....

4 x 280m hill. Jog down RI.

Tempo Run ~~~~~

6.5km on Bowral Parkrun course in overcast but steamy conditions. Seem to have lost Garmin data, I think due to internet outage for past 24 hours; can't find it anywhere and auto deletes after transfer. I know I was well ahead if VP!

Hill Repeats ~~~~

Same as last Tuesday : Bowral Parkrun Course : Steepest section on grassy hill!


10 min warm-up + body looseners
10 x 200m approx. uphill
Jog down RI
Stretches.


Warm to hot morning; not too bad with slight breeze but I hear it's going to get much hotter as the week progresses.


Increased the number of reps by 2; next week I think I'll do fewer reps but increase the distance, so that instead of stopping at the top of the hill, I'll keep running through to the arch where we finish on a Saturday.  That's the plan anyway!  Thank goodness there's no one around to see my madness!!

Fishers Ghost 5km ~~~~

Cool weather for a change at Campbelltown's Fishers Ghost fun runs (5 & 10kms) and it made all the difference on this hilly course!


My run : 5km
Time: Official 35:51;   Net 35:28

1st place in 70+ age category!!  About 3 minutes faster than last year!!

Splits : 7:23;   7:02;   6:53;   7:23;   6:14
Avg.7:05 m/k

Won lucky draw (first ever!) Mizuno 'Wave Rider 19' shoes!!

Tempo Run ~~~~

Garmin shut down for maintenance!  Will post results asap!

Tempo Run:
1.5km @ ST pace (7:10m/k)
1.5km easy
1.5km @ ST pace
1.5km easy
1.5km @ ST pace

To be continued....

Here we go:
1.5km @ ST pace in 10:34 (avg. pace 7:07m/k)
1.5km @ ST pace in 10:36 (avg. pace 7:07m/k)
1.5km @ ST pace in 10:17 (avg. pace 6:51m/k)..... this incl. running up grassy hill!

Finished with few stretches. Liked the session with the easy running between harder pace!
 

New path from the Bowral Parkrun course being constructed

Track ~~~~ with a difference!

Left turn at top and keep running!

The difference being ..... instead of Chev. track I substituted the track of the monster hill on our Bowral Parkrun course!

10 min warm-up on cycle path
8 x 200m  ..... that being the steepest section of the hill!
Jog down RI
5 min cool-down + stretches.

I didn't time repeats, just ran same distance each time as hard as I could ....... keeping good form!!  Tough session, but I enjoyed it, probably because it was something I hadn't done before and in the hope that, with practice, this hill will become a little easier on Saturdays!

 

Catching Up Again ~~~~

1. Saturday....Bowral Parkrun : 34:10 .. 16 seconds better than last week.  TE 4.2 ...Highly Improving!!


2. Sunday ....Long Run Today : 10.5km (with Leah);  Diamond Fields Road.  TE 2.4 ...Maintaining!

Tempo Run ~~~~~

Yesterday's run :  On Bowral Parkrun course ~~~~~ where another pathway is being constructed ...somewhere new to explore, but underwater today: 



5km @ 7:10m/k

8:08;   7:35;   7:43;   7:14;   6:17 ... up the grassy hill the fastest!!

Weather bad : windy and wet.
TE 2.6 =  Maintaining

Track at Chev. ~~~~~

Very overcast, grey day.  Grass on 'my lane' needs cutting!

10-20 min warm-up ....... did 10 min+couple strides
4 x 1000m in 6:45
400m RI

I was way too slow but the best I could do without having to stop mid reps.

7:09;     7:14;     7:07;     6:58

Opposite the oval ....Way, way up there is a man lopping branches! 

Catch Up ~~~~~

Saturday:  Bowral Parkrun #57
34:26
TE 4.3 ~~~ Highly Improving!
6.53;  6:50;   6:53;   6:44;  and up the hill 7:31!


Sunday:  Long Run
10km in 1 hour 20min.
TE 2.0 ~~~~~ Maintaining!
AHR 70%;  MHR 82%
Hilly Diamond Fields Road.
Garmin says I need 24 hours recovery; just so happens Monday is always a rest day!

Easy Run ~~~~

Should have been a faster run, but the morning was so beautiful I ran easily and enjoyed the scenery!

8km
TE 2.4 .... Improving!

Track at Chev. ~~~~~

Very cool, almost wintery, in Bowral this morning.


 My Program:
10-20 min warmup ..... did 16 min + few drills/strides
400m (2:39);  600m (4:00);   800m (5:22);   800m;   600m;   400m
Cool-down.


Times :
2:37;     4:11;     5:16 .......  5:17;     4:00;     2:34


Stretches to finish. Not easy but an OK session!

Parkrun #56 ~~~~~

Took it easy this morning to make sure I finished in better shape than last Saturday. Took Bruce's and Ewen's advice and had a slice of toast and honey 2 hours prior to run.  I didn't have any dry heaving at all, unlike last Saturday when I heaved nearly all the way back to the start, so I'd say it was a combination of food in the stomach together with not pushing hard at any stage during the 5km.


Time : 36:16

An Easy Run~~~~~

Instead of the usual tempo run on Thursdays, I did an easy run on our Bowral Parkrun course and to the end of the cycle path. Very cool with light misty rain.  Didn't use Garmin.


Today:
8.3km

After a Short Break ~~~~~

A break brought about by a disastrous parkrun last Saturday ... say no more!


Today:
10 min walk/jog/drills
8x80m hill sprints
Full recoveries
10 min jog/walk.


Good to be back!

Tempo Run ~~~~~

Not a total disaster but as near as I'd want to get!  Bowral Parkrun course.  Started out too late at 11:00am when it was already very hot:

1.5km warm-up .... ran down, up and down the grassy hill.
5km @ ST pace (7:08m/k) ..  in 39:13

And the slow splits, getting slower and slower .....
6:50;   7:02;   7:23;   8:11;   9:45!! ... last 2km mostly walking; legs just too tired and refused to even jog!

TE 2.5 Maintaining.  Phew!!

Rest tomorrow ahead of Parkrun on Saturday.

Always a pretty course, even on tired legs! 

A Few Hill Strides ~~~~~

Usual place for this short session.


10 min warm-up
4 x 90 seconds hill sprints
10 min walk cool-down.

At Chev. Track ~~~~

It was back to winter this morning : cold, overcast and light mist!  In spite of these cooler conditions and "my" track being especially mowed yesterday, I didn't do too well which seems to be the way with track lately.  I'm using a 34 minute 5km finish time to gauge paces for each of the weeks' 3 key sessions.  For today:

15 min warm-up  +  few drills/strides

 5 x 800m in 5:12 (6:30m/k) ....  I did 3 x 800m each progressively slower ...

3 x 800m :  5:17;     5:25;     5:38 .... that was the best I could do!
 

 

Long Run ~~~~~

10km this morning ends Week 1 of my 5km program.  Diamond Fields Road with Leah; warm morning but nice breeze.  Finished with a few hill strides.
  TE 2.1  ...  Maintaining!

Bowral Parkrun # 54~~~~~

Missed a new PB by 11 seconds this morning!


Avg. Pace 6:47m/k (6:43m/k would have got me there!)


5km in 33:45


Avg HR 81-88% of Max.


6:47;  6:39;  6:40;  6:27;  7:11 (lost time running up the grassy hill and dry retching at the same time!)


TE 3.8 = Improving!!

Tempo Run ~~~~~

I ran on our Bowral Parkrun course which is finally clear of any water and muddy patches.  A cool and windy morning, but such a great place for a run!


Tempo Run:
1.5km easy .... I ran down the grassy hill, up the grassy hill and down the grassy hill, making exactly 1.5km!


5km @ ST pace (7:10m/k based on 35 min 5km time)
6:56;   7:04;    7:10;    6:46;    6:37
Avg. 6:55m/k
Avg. HR 76-81%
TE 3.4 = Improving!


Run up grassy hill, down grassy hill and up grassy hill for cool-down!


Total : 8km today.

A Few Uphill Strides~~~~~

I didn't run at all over the past few days when temperatures reached more than 30 degrees every day. It knocks me around too much. Today, with temperature dropped a whopping 18 degrees, down to 13, I took the opportunity to stretch the legs before tomorrow's tempo run.  I used the same incline as I did a few weeks back.




Jog 15 min warm-up
Run fairly hard uphill for 60 seconds ....(this distance for other reps but not timed).
6 x incline
Walk down recoveries
15 min cool-down.


That should get me started again!

Bowral Parkrun #53 and Annual Awards ~~~~~

The Awards were fabulous but my run was far, far less than ordinary!  I had that dreadful dry heaving while attempting to run up the hill at the finish and forced to walk, the only way I know of to stop the "heaves".  Walked a couple of times on the cycle path as well.  Surprised to hear later that the temperature was only 20 degrees; it felt like 40 on the course and I was decidedly off colour for the rest of the day.  I might have to volunteer all summer if I don't stop "heaving" on the course!!



Ordinary first :  5km in 37:xx ... my slowest in 12 months!
Splits  7:11;   7:08;   7:22;   7:29;   8:27!!.. going from worse to worst!
TE 3.8 = Improving!  What? That's a lie!



Now for the Good News:

 

TWO MEDALS!  

Tempo Run ~~~~~ Bowral Parkrun Course .....

Very, very warm when I started at 10:00am on our alternate course starting and finishing at Cecil Hoskins Reserve, Moss Vale.  Warmer still by the time I finished!

1.5km warm-up
3.0km @ ST pace (7:10m/k)
1.5km easy
3.0km @ pace
1.5km easy.

1st 3km in 21:12 (6:48; 7:10; 7:11).  TE 3.0 = Improving!

2nd 3km in 21:01(7:04; 6:53; 7:02).  TE 4.3 = Highly Improving!!

Total for today  10.5km

Quaint Bridge!

  

Easy Day on Bowral Parkrun Course ~~~~~

Old Man River .....

..he just keeps rollin' along!

I'd drive a million miles to run this beautiful course but more than pleased it's not that far!  Today, 8km (4k out and 4k back) jog/walk included some strides/drills several times on the return 4km and a charge up the grassy hill to finish! 

5km program begins next week.

Bowral Parkrun 1st Birthday With Cake!

Before .......

...and after!

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Our first birthday tomorrow and so far it's been raining almost all day!  This morning I did an easy 5km jog/walk/drills on our course and, apart from one small muddy puddle, both grassy hill and cycle path were all good to go in the morning.  Now, I wouldn't like to bet on either a dry morning or a dry cycle path.. The grassy hill could very likely be a soggy mess in some sections. Oh well, there's the thought of birthday cake to look forward to afterwards!

Stretching the Legs~~~~~

Over to Bowral Parkrun course this morning for an easy 5km to get the legs moving again after Sunday's Bridge Run. Quads a little stiff. Always enjoy running here .. so quiet, scenic and mostly flat, though I did run back up the hill to finish. Only one small puddle to negotiate.  Did a few drills and strides along the way.  Rain for the remainder of the day.