Rest Day.....OR.....

Back on Track...

....all the ovals at Chev are being set up for a big cross country event at the weekend, but there were still some signs of where the lanes might be!

Program : 2 Sets of 5 x 150m in 45 seconds.

2 minute recovery between repeats & full recovery between sets.

There was a strong, blustery & cold southerly wind blowing today. During the warm-up (5 times lane 8) I decided to work on the far side of the track, measured out 150m with Mr G-armin & ran clockwise to take advantage of the tailwind. A few drills..very few in fact!

Set 1. 42.04; 41.04; 42.62; 41.25; 42.12

Set 2. 42.36; 41.24; 41.87; 40.57; 41.39

I have to thank the wind for getting me under 45 seconds for each repeat! Room for improvement.

Walkabout......

...for today's session I used the obstacle course that the young locals have carved out of the bush for trail bike riding at high speeds!

Program : 35-45 minutes walking + 4 strides.

I walked briskly for 45 minutes & Included 4 strides somewhere in the middle.

Beautifully quiet & no riders on a school day. Back to Chev track tomorrow!

Half of Yesterday.....

Just about every day I run past the entrance to the Marist Brothers property where all the vinyards are now covered with white netting...I presume to keep the birds from eating the grapes. I've never tasted their wine, but hear it's very good!

Today's Program: 35 minutes 'easy' low HR Run.

Avg. HR = 104 bpm (67%); Max. HR = 124 (80%): 4.1km. Lovely, warm & sunny morning.

Double Up......

........Today I had to double yesterday's time on my feet.

Program: 70 minutes 'easy', low heart rate run.

Another cool & overcast morning & an early start at 9:00 a.m.! A good run, felt fine, but the legs are telling me we doubled the time today!

70 minutes : Avg. HR = 106 (68% of Max.); Max. HR = 123 (79% of Max.)

Distance = 8.5km

So good to be back running again! The countryside is so beautifully green again too.

I'm All Right Jack......!

Pretty sure of that after an easy short run this morning. 10:15 a.m. start on a cool, overcast morning.

Program : 35 minutes 'easy' run.

35 minutes at low heart rate : Avg. 109bpm (70%); Max. 125bpm (80%); 3.46km.

I didn't get very far in 35 minutes, but had no need for any walk breaks, and at least it's a start in the right direction. Happy with that!

Struck all of a heap.....

....for the encouraging thoughts & comments left on this lonely blog during the past 2 weeks! "May your shadow never be less".

The story so far: the worst came to the worst on Thursday, March 8 at the ACTVAC mile race for which, bloody hell, with wizard Ewen's help, I'd trained hard for months to do well in! Instead, 48 hours later I was off to hospital by ambulance. After lots of lovely tests (which I sorely miss!!)...all results clear except for some inflammation, following weeks of fearful bowel problems, leaving me anally retentive!

Another week passed waiting for a new broadband modem from Telstra who, for some reason unknown to man, or Telstra for that matter, had given me a new user name without telling me & had 2 inactive accounts in my name! I could have "danced all night" or waited all year had I not called their 'Help Line' & found out what was, or was not, going on.

Anyhoo...(as 2P says & I like it!)....looking on the bright side: training resumes tomorrow, for the SMH Half Marathon on May 20. Thanks Ewen, for another one of the best:-

Week 1 (of 8):

Monday: 35 minutes easy run.

Tuesday: 70 minutes easy run.

Wednesday: 35 minutes easy run.

Thursday: Walk + Strides.

Friday: Track

Saturday: Rest.

Sunday: 70 minutes easy run.

The Last Chase....

.......with Virtual Partner until Thursday night!








Chev track would have been almost submerged, so I decided on another venue for today's short & easy speed session, starting outside these gates that lead into the paddocks where I walk the dogs each afternoon.

I paced out 150m with Mr G-armin on this 400m bitumen deadend, no traffic road to where I'd marked a "finish line" with a stick in the middle of the road.....the shoes were added later!

This was meant to be an easy session....just practising the pace needed for Thursday night's mile race.

Program: 6 x 150m in 49.5 to 50 seconds each, jogging back to the start.

Short warmup & a few drills. Holding Mr-Garmin in my hand again for easy/constant viewing & set for 49secs. finishing time.

Results : 48; 48; 49; 49; 48; 48

Leave for Canberra tomorrow. Thursday night, 7:00 p.m. AIS track, ACTVAC Mile Race. Back Friday with the report!

Runnin' in the Rain.....

.....After about 5 minutes into this morning's run, the rain pelted down. I enjoy running in the rain so it didn't bother me until I heard thunder on the way back. Electrical storms just about every day lately & lightning I'm scared of, especially after watching a recent TV documentary about how dangerous it is!

Program: 20-30 minutes easy, low heart rate run.

Me And My Shadow.....Virtual Partner.

......another thrashing for Virtual Partner this morning!

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/2167152

Program : 800m Time Trial....aim for 4:25; 4:20 to 4:30 would be good.

After the usual warm-up, a few drills & 4 strides, we were off...VP & me! VP set for 4:30 but I was determined he wouldn't get a look-in.....and he didn't! I held Mr G-armin in the palm of my hand so that I could more easily see if he tried to get ahead....he didn't, not once!

Results : 4:17! 400m splits 2:08 & 2:09

I really enjoy racing with Virtual Partner .....it's motivational & a lot of fun, especially when he loses!

Make My Day....!

....to whichever local farmer it was who slowed down & waved as he drove past in an old ute with laden trailer during this morning's run on Diamond Fields Road. Mid-day really : I didn't start until 12:00pm.

I heard :

"How are ya, Luv? Lookin' great!"

Now....there's nothing like a compliment, (especially from the opposite sex) to put a little extra spring into the legs....works every time!

Program : Easy, low HR Run 20-30 minutes.

Results + compliment had me doing 44 minutes instead of 30 minutes: 25 degrees C: low HR 113bpm: 5.1km. I enjoyed this run a lot!

The Wetlands.....Chev Track!

.....not nearly this bad, but the only photo of a bog I could find in a hurry! The entire oval was a bit like a quagmire. As well, some machine had gone over the whole area making deep cuts in the ground to absorb the moisture I suppose, so it was a difficult session!

Program : The usual warm-up, some drills & strides.

4 Sets of 3 x 150m in 38-40 seconds. 2 minutes recoveries & 5 minutes between sets.

Results :

Set 1. 40.4; 39.8; 40.5.

Set 2. 40.5; 40.7; 39.4.

Set 3. 40.5; 40.3; 40.7.

Set 4. 40.7; 39.5; 38.2.

Skipped the warm-down because another electrical storm was hovering over the horizon! I didn't take full recovery time between sets.....for the same reason. It was a very tough workout!

Snakes Alive!

.....thank God this one was dead! Someone had run over its head. Any herpetologists to identify it? This is the only snake, dead or alive, I've seen since living in Mittagong....& I hope the last!

Program: Easy low HR Run 30-40 minutes.

I ran keeping low HR (avg.119bpm) for 58:29 - a little longer than the program, but I was enjoying it, especially having to pick up the feet to get back before the impending storm broke. I did...just! (7.6km)

After an early (!) start at 10:30 a.m., the run took 30 minutes out, turn around & 28:29 back!

Overcast, humid & stormy skies. A good run though!

Long Run......

....Program : Long Run 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes.













Ran keeping low heart rate, for 2 hours through this wonderful part of the Southern Highlands : cool morning, creeks overflowing....beautiful!

I'll Be Seeing You......

.....is what I called back to Virtual Partner, as I hurtled down the street during this morning's Speed Session.

Program : 4 x 500m (on the Time Trial 1500m street course in Bowral). 2:50 minutes for each repeat & walk to the start for recoveries.

I set Vritual Partner for exactly 2:50 & he didn't catch sight of me from start to finish for each of the 4 x 500m! I've been beside myself with excitement for the rest of the day! Of course, he didn't know I had an old nag standing nearby, but all's fair in love & war....and this is war on a grand scale!

Results: 2:41; 2:38; 2:36; 2:31

Ever so pleased with myself!

I'll Do Anything......

......just about anything to get ahead of Virtual Partner whom I used as competition today during a track session!

Program : Track at Chev. for 2 Sets of 5x150m in 39 seconds.

I used VP only in the 2nd set because I didn't think of it till then! He was set to finish in 39 seconds, so the race was on!

Warm-up 5 laps of lane 8; a few drills, 3 x 100m strides.


Set 1. 38:04; 40.02; 38.69; 39.24; 38.97
Set 2. 38.60; 39.00; 39.67; 37.80; 37.91

Just once did he manage to get ahead of me in the 2nd set & that's OK...keeps him on his toes & there's nothing like a bit of competition to keep me on mine! A Good session!

Blue, White & Perfect......

.....blue skies, "white"/easy training & perfect weather. I'm sure Autumn is hiding just around the corner!

Program : Easy, low heart rate run, 30-40 minutes.

....and that's what I did!

Big, "black"/hard day tomorrow. I'm ready!

A Touch of Class.....or

.....a touch of Autumn in the air this morning?

Perfect : sunny, cool breeze, quiet trail run & everything's green again!

Program : Easy, low heart run, 40 to 55 minutes.

Results : 58 minutes, 7.4km; HR around 112 bpm (except on hlls!). Perfectly lovely running!

Rest and........

How Green Is Our Valley......

......very green! What a difference a little rain makes.













Two weeks ago this creek was completely dry....

Program: Long Run 1 h0ur 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes....low heart rate.

To keep a low HR I walked the hills & jogged the rest of 14km on Diamond Fields Road. I was quite sick on the way back & for the rest of the day - I assume from drinking water from the tap in the old cemetery on the way out & back! I've used it plenty of times before without any problems though. Inksey Winksey at work in his water spout?

Almost 2 hours to cover 14 km on an otherwise perfectly lovely day...with the usual curious onlookers!