"Simon's Cat April Showers" ... change that to March!

  

I missed parkrun yesterday, not because of the awful weather conditions, but simply because I was too exhausted!  Exhausted after having run all my running sessions over the past fortnight in rain, rain and more rain!  Enough to tire the fittest!  Had the weather been fine I still could not have run, so I know how Simon's cat feels!  Rested all day yesterday except for taking 'Amy' for her walk through the paddocks while I fed cows, goats and chooks.  Still tired today and I got exactly what I expected this morning: rain, rain, rain!

This morning was no exception to the weather of late: rain showers all the way out and back from the Highlands School.  The dirt road was a quagmire in several sections and wading through ankle deep water on slippery mud was - I was about to say 'fun' - more like comic drama!  A combination of walking, jogging, jumping, wading, slipping and sliding just to finish 8km!

Les Miserables!

8km
1:20:16
AHR 96bpm;  MHR 121bpm
67% to 84% of Max.

TE  1.4  =  Minor!  WHAT?  I'm changing that to "MAJOR'!

 

"Just Singin' & Runnin' in the Rain! ~~~~~

Light rain on the cycle path in Bowral for this morning's run : 6km at mid-tempo pace.

Warm-up  :  Jog down the grassy hill

6km (@ MT pace) ....pace 8:18m/k based on 39 min finish for recent 5km.

Cool-down  :  Jog up the grassy hill.

I never really got into any sort of rhythm for whatever reason!  The warm-up was too short : 500m instead of 1.5km but it was raining heavily at the start and so I set off immediately I reached the path.  Light rain along the entire 6km; that was OK; stayed ahead of VP .. that was OK too!  Just felt heavy, slow and lethargic!  Tragic!

6km (50 mins.)

Avg. pace 8:12m/k

AHR 112bpm;  MHR 149bpm (glitch?)

78% - 103% of max. 

8:00;  8:05;  8:45;  8:16;  8:28;  8:19

6km on cycle path.

Road Repeats ~~~~~

I used a straight stretch of road on Scarlet Street this morning, knowing that Chev oval would be too wet after last night's storm.  Just managed to get the whole session done as more rain fell.  It wasn't an easy session by any means - track never is - but I like track days just the same, especially when I stay ahead of VP as I did this morning!

10 mins warm-up
10 x 400m in 3:02 .... time now based on a 39 min for 5km.  No more 40 min pacing!
90 sec RI
10 mins cool-down   +  Stretches

2:37;  3:02;  2:42;  2:45;  2:50;  2:47;  2:58;  2:33;  3:00;  2:28
AHR 65%  - 94% of MHR

Long Run ~~~~~ and 4 weeks of consistent running done & dusted!

This glorious morning I aimed to run easily for about 90 minutes but at that time I was so close to 10km I ran the extra distance around the school soccer field.  I was reminded while I jogged along Diamond Fields Road and Buckman's Lane of just how beautiful an area I have in which to run.  Few places are more beautiful and few runners more fortunate than I! 

Today I finished 4 uninterrupted weeks in which I did every session in my 5km program!  So happy with that especially after having lost so many weeks at the start of the year with 2 bouts of bronchitis and 2 short stays in hospital.....  "the glass is refillable"!  Believe it!

As I do now on my long runs, this morning I included strides, about 80m, on the flat and several 10 second sprints each time I came to a hill.  I like doing this, apart from the obvious benefits, because it breaks up the time on feet by changing paces while, at the same time, helping motivation over longer distances.

My Program for today:

90 minutes easy running ....ended being 95mins.

10km

AHR 102bpm;   MHR 130bpm

71%  to  90% of MHR

TE  1.4  Minor!  What?  Again?  What do I have to do to earn 'Improving'?

I use the white posts on either side of the road for strides!

I never knew people raised camels in the Southern Highlands but here's a new arrival and there were several others in an adjoining paddock.

School, Diamond Fields Road, Buckman's Lane, soccer field, school, usual stretches.

Bowral Parkrun ~~~ broke 40 mins. at last!

Still a long way from my PB of 33:34 but 2:17 faster than last Saturday ...  I'm happy with that ... for now!  Ran my heart out, I did!

5km in 39:28 (Garmin Time)

AHR 123;  MHR 132
85%  -  92% of MHR
Avg. Pace 7:55m/k

Splits:  7:27;  7:42;  7:59;  7:55;  8:22 up that blasted hill!

TE  Maintaining!  (I call it "Improving"!)

84.90% Age Grade!

Tempo Run ~~~~ and a good one for a change!

"Good" just means I kept the pace I was supposed to! VP running at 8:10m/k for the ST 1.5km sections; me just ahead of him!

Very pleasant running on Bowral parkrun cycle path; 2 detours into nearby streets, past Oxley College and back onto the cycle path to finish at the top of the grassy hill!

Program:
1.5km easy
1.5k @ ST pace (8:10m/k based on  40 min finish for 5k)
1.5k easy
1.5k @ ST pace
1.5k easy
1.5k @ ST pace
1.5k easy

Total 10.5km

500m splits @ ST pace

3:52;   3:58;   4:34

4:01;   4:08;   4:04

3:56;   3:52;   4:01

AHR 104bpm;   MHR 122bpm

72%  -  85% of MHR

TE   2.0  Maintaining!  What?  It's Improving! 

Chev. Track ~~~~~

Partly cloudy and cool; 400m lane just visible.  I think this narrow strip marks the boundary for cricket if I remember correctly, so I expect it will disappear altogether shortly. For now, it does very nicely as a 400m lane.

Program:
Warm-up
1600m (12:36);     1200m (9:21);     800m (6:10);    400m (3:03)
Times/paces based on 40min 5km finish.
Cool-down.

15 min warm-up

My Results::  12:26;    9:17;    6:10;    2:59

78-88% of max. TE 2.0;  77-85% of max.  TE 1.8;  77-86% of max. TE 1.5;  77-85% of max. TE 1.3

Short cool-down & Stretches.

Surprised and pleased to stay just ahead of VP, who was set to run at the times above in blue, for all 4 repeats!  It wasn't easy by any means but I always enjoy a track session when ahead of VP.  I think that's because it gives me a real sense of satisfaction at having won!

Monday ~~~~~ Complete Rest!

Easy 60 Minutes~~~~~

Neither distance, nor pace, nor heart rate mattered this morning. Just an easy one hour time on feet.  Started and finished on my favourite Sunday run, Diamond Fields Road.  Finished just under an hour so I must have been  faster on the way back or I like to think so anyway!  Lovely, cool misty morning with light rain some of the time, making it so good to be out.  To mix things up, I ran some strides on the flat and some short, ten second sprints when I came to hills. 

...Camel country!

There it was again this morning, resting in the paddock!

A Parkrun I Don't Want to Think About! My 77th run ~~~~~

.... let alone have to write about!  But I do, so here goes as briefly as honesty will allow!

5km in 41:47 ....  some solace in it being age graded 80.30%
Avg. pace 8:22m/k
AHR 81%;  MHR 88% of max.
Splits:  7:41;  822:  8:23;   8:27;   8:48

... and that result, after what I thought was a good week's raining!  Oh well ....  onwards to next week.  The glass is refillable.   I have to believe it even though my 5km PB on this course is 33:34!

I Met a Pony Trotting Uphill as I Was Jogging Downhill!

This little beauty was on our parkrun grassy hill this morning! Bowral parkrun would be pleased to know it was held on a short lead too!






A sauna on the cycle path!  Not an enjoyable run at all; far too many stops to catch my breath; each kilometre slower than the one before it.  I started at the top of the hill for a warm-up, then out along the cycle path for 3km, turn back and included staggering up the hill to finish a miserably slow 6km! 

1.5km warm-up

6km

AHR 107bpm;  MHR 120bpm

74% - 83% of MHR 

TE  2.1  Maintaining

7:57;  822;  823;  834;  8:27;  9:42!

Cool-down?  Not really! 500m walk up the grassy hill!

Track Repeats on Road ~~~~~

Scarlett Street instead of Chev track; I thought 1km repeats would feel better/easier on the road and I think they did although, as seen in results, it's a wee bit easier/quicker on alternate directions. I was satisfied with my times, especially the 2 faster repeats!  Not too difficult at all.  Almost finished when the clouds burst and dumped a veritable deluge of water on me!

Program:
warm-up  ... did 1.5km
4x1000m with VP @ 7:45m/k (still basing paces on a 40 minute 5km finish at parkrun)
cool-down ... I did 1km walking.

Results:

1000m :  7:55... 79-87% of MHR ...  TE 1.8 Minor

1000m  : 7:25... 78-87% of MHR ... TE  1.8

1000m :  7:59... 81-90% of MHR ... TE  1.9

1000m :  7:32 ... 82-94% of MHR ... TE  2.1 Maintaining!

1km cool-down walking.

Longer Run ~~~~~~

Time on feet rather than distance this morning; still a little tired from yesterday's parkrun but a very pleasant morning to be out for an easy run.  Took some walk breaks on lovely Diamond Fields Road.

1 hour (7k)
AHR 99bpm;  MHR 112bpm
69% - 78%

TE   1.5    Minor!

Today completes 2 weeks in which I managed to do every session of my 5km program and did each one pretty much as I should have!

Getting it Together ~~~~~ Bowral Parkrun 5km & my 76th run!

Bit by bit!  Inch by inch!  Clawing my way back!  Two Saturdays ago: 42 minutes; last Saturday, 41 minutes and this morning...(drum roll!!!!) 40 minutes!!  So happy, anyone would think I'd run faster than a speeding bullet!  It's now 1:30pm, I've taken Amy for a long walk the day being so almost cold, and I'm still basking in the glow of improving my time this morning!  I wonder how many other runners get this feeling that lasts all day and, in my case, threatens to sabotage my afternoon nap?

Garmin Time 40:10
Official 40:25 ...I'll take the Garmin!!

Avg. Pace 8:07 (VP set at 8:00m/k)

AHR 118bpm;  MHR 126bpm

82% to 88% of max.

7:38;   7:45;   8:06;  8:11;   8:29

TE 2.6  Maintaining!

It only takes just that little bit of improvement for me to look forward to more training in the week ahead!

I Have Internet Connection! ~~~~~

No thanks to Telstra!  I waited 2 hours in the local Telstra shop yesterday!  At the end of that time I sat down with one of the assistants - and I use that term loosely - and explained that I had no connection with the Netgear modem I was using and, to kill two birds with the one stone - and I use that even more loosely - I wanted to switch to NBN right there, instead of getting a new modem now and another when switching to NBN in the future, having first checked at home that NBN was definitely available now at my address.

Sounds easy?  A straightforward request, researched at home first?  I thought so!  Silly me, foolish wisdom! I'd overlooked that this was Telstra I was dealing with!  Oh no, no deal; NBN not available at my address at all; should have been in December last year; no idea when; suggest you call Telstra and see if they'll send out a new modem for which you'll have to pay, of course.  I DO NOT LIE when I say I was in that chair for no longer than ONE MINUTE and out the door!  What really got my knickers in a knot though was the fact that I'd already, the previous day, spent hours on the phone talking to someone, somewhere in Asia I'm guessing, whose high pitched accent sounded like the hysterical screams of someone being strangled!  Seriously funny, except for the fact that not a word could I make sense of anything he said and so that's why I headed off to the Telstra shop where I could hopefully understand the lingo;  waited 2 hours and much good  it did me! A tragic comedy if ever there was one!

Not to be outdone and demoralised by these Telstra cretins, I went across to Big W and invested the sum of $14:50 (yes, that's 14 AUD dollars and 50 AUD cents!)in a Huawei E3372 LTE US Stick and it is this nitty gritty little thingy that now has me up...up... and away, connected to the world again, back in blogger land and ready to account for today's run!  And what a pretty mess that turned out to be!  Can't blame Telstra (but would if I could!)  My fault; out far too late; already stinking hot!



Tempo Run at MT pace (for me that is 8:20m/k)

1.5km warm up .....I did this on our parkrun grassy hill; 500m down hill, 500m up; 500m down hill!

6km on cycle path .....nearly died with the heat; late start; walk breaks in any shade I could find beneath trees; wonder I didn't finish up in hospital again!

500m cool-down, uphill!

AHR 114bpm; MHR 149bpm
79% - 103% of max. (?)
AVG pace 8:49m/k

1km splits:  8:03m/k;   8:23m/k;  8:55m/k;   8:23m/k;   9:11m/k;   9:53m/k

In spite of all that....TE  2.4  Maintaining!!

Made it back to Briars!

This is beyond me!

Not having an Internet connection is full of woe and looks like continuing till I don't know when! By which time I'll be driven insane having to use my phone, not being able to use my Garmin and the zillion other things for which I need internet connection.

Seems my router is at fault having been outdated by changes made by Telstra, and of course, without letting me know. So tomorrow I'm forced to go to the local Telstra shop which is like going straight to hell!  I dread that shop having never had anything but awful experiences on the couple of times I've been there.  More on that tomorrow!

Today I did my track session at Chev College having found an app (Nike) that could time me over certain distances. I doubt its accuracy though. My times were much faster than either I or VP would have expected! Anyhow  I'll take them for now!

PROGRAM  400m/3:03; 600m/4:37;  800m/6:10, 800m;  600m,  400m

MY TIMES:  2:53;  4:07;  5:20;  5:19;  3:46;  2:37

Can't stand typing with mobile. FINISHED!

A Good Week Finished

By 'good' I simply mean that I did all 3 important sessions : track, tempo run and long run and did them pretty much as per my 5km program said to do them!  Parkrun was the icing on the cake and where I can guage if/when I'm starting to improve.

I've had no internet all weekend, unable to charge the Garmin, no stats of either parkrun yesterday or long run today and it's a real pain having to rely on my mobile.  I keep pressing all the wrong get keys!  So briefly....

Bowral parkrun 41:20 (81.17%) an improvement on  42 minutes last run.

Today's long run:  8km from school  Diamond Fields Road, Buckmans Lane and back.  To add some variety I ran some short sprints up hills and strides on the flat. Lovely morning, sunny, some clouds and a pleasant breeze.

Hoping for another good week ahead....with internet connection!

Tempo Run on Parkrun course ~~~

Weather warming up again so a bit of  struggle this morning for the 2 x 3km sections of 9km. 
Always happy to run our parkrun course where there are shaded areas further along past Saturday's turnaround.  I took a couple of detours off the path where the shade becomes quite dense.

I had Garmin set for 500m splits and VP at 8:10m/k, pace based on recent 5k finish time of 40 minutes.  All splits were OK and fairly even; not too difficult but hard enough on a very warm morning!



Program:
1.5km easy
3km @ 8:10m/k
1.5km easy
3km @ 8:10m/k
Short cool-down.

2 x 3km (500m splits):
4:16;   4:00;   4:06;   4:10;   4:25;   4:10
 
4:07;   4:07;   4:05;   4:05;   4:05;   4:10 

TE  2.3   Maintaining!

Garmin showed I was ahead of VP for these splits, so I'm happy with that!

Just a Jog ~~~~~ and a few drills!

15minutes easy jog along Scarlet Street to its end; 15 minutes return jog including some drills; and that's it for today ahead of a longer tempo run tomorrow.

Back to Chev Track ~~~~

After a long absence, I drove across to Chevalier College this morning and, surprisingly, found the oval mowed and a 400m and 200m lane available!  Cool, overcast morning, perfect for my very long and overdue return to some running on the track.  Pity VP enjoyed it more than I did!  He just raced ahead of me for the two 1600m repeats but, with much huffing and puffing and even a couple of stops, I almost caught up on the 800m.  It wasn't easy by any means, but it's a start and I'll claw my way back to fitness bit by bit, inch by inch, if that's what it takes!

12 minutes warmup
2 x 1600m in 12:36 ....based on my 40min 5km finish time recently.
400m RI
1 x 800 in 6:10 .. also based on recent 5km finish.
400m RI

1600m :     12:44 AHR 81-91% of max.  TE 2.1

                   13:06 AHR 81-91% of max.  TE 2.2

800m  :      6:23  AHR 81-91% of max.  TE 1.8

Short cool-down and few stretches before the rain started.

Chevalier College track

The Day Off ~~~~~

Well, not off everything!  Being much cooler today, I did 30 minutes stationary bike with low heart rate in the shade on the wisteria covered back patio. 

Tomorrow, I think I'll make a long overdue return to Chevalier College track ... unless the heat wave conditions have returned!

Low HR Jog/walk ~~~~

Slightly cooler this morning at 30 degrees!  Cool enough for a hour's low heart rate jog/walk.  Low battery so turned Garmin off after 60 minutes and walked another 1.5km back to the school from where I started.  Carried (and drank!) a bottle of frozen water along the way.  It was good to get out at last after 2 days hiding from the heat!

60 minutes

AHR 117 (81% of max.)

TE  2.4  =  Maintaining!

It's Too Darned Hot! ~~~~~

Indoors today, and most likely again tomorrow, retreating from extreme heat conditions!

Another Glorious Rainy Day ~~~~~

But the hot days are forecast to resume tomorrow, with a heat wave for Saturday's Bowral Parkrun! 

.....Easy 25 minutes including some drills and strides.

Rain! Glorious Rain! ~~~~~

What a lovely change to be soaked from the rain and not from sweat!  On road repeats, Scarlet Street; short warm-up; did 3 of 5 repeats by which time I was soaked through!  Lovely feeling!

3 x 800m (VP @ 6:10)

6:13;     5:59;     6:23

400m walk RI

OK with these times.  Now, if only the cool change stays!

Long Run ~~~~~

I don't want to even think about parkrun yesterday (42:17) let alone see my time in print, so I'll move right along to this morning!  Hot, but cloud cover and a good breeze kept conditions pleasant enough; carried a bottle of water.

Long Run 8km

I walked the first 1km;  jog/walked 6km; walked the last 1km.

8km

For a second I thought I was seeing things, but no, standing in a paddock was a camel!  I said, "Hello, Mr. Camel!"  When he didn't respond, I decided to move on!

Part of this morning's 8km ......

Tempo Run 3km of Continuous 6km ~~~~~

Bowral Parkrun course; breezy morning along the cycle path; grass recently mowed and stacked in bales all over the place!

I had VP set for 8:10m/k for the middle 3km and this is based on my recent most embarrassing time of 40 minutes for 5km finish!  The first and last 1.5km were a warm-up and cool down respectively and showing 6km continuous with 500m splits on Garmin Forerunner 620.

1.5km warm-up down hill and cycle path

3km in 25:04
Avg. Pace 8:01m/k ..just ahead of VP all the time!
AHR 128bpm;  89% of max.

500m splits :    4:00;    4:00;    4:06;    4:08;    3:51;    3:51 .... not bad!

TE   2.5  Maintaining!!  About time!

1.5km cool down on cycle path and up hill

This was OK, comfortably hard (if there's such a thing!) for the middle 3km, especially as it's  a while now since I did anything vaguely resembling a decent workout!  Finished feeling satisfied with my effort!

Light n' Easy ~~~~~

Just an easy, low heart rate run this cool and misty morning!  I couldn't believe it when I looked outside;  impossible to see to the end of the street so thick was the fog!  Pity it wasn't the day for a harder run!

25 minutes

AHR 90bpm;  MHR 104bpm

63%  -  72% of max.

Fingers crossed for the same, or near enough, for tomorrow's tempo run.