Thursday, October 29, 2015

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!

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

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!









Saturday, October 24, 2015

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

Thursday, October 22, 2015

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

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

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!

Thursday, October 15, 2015

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! 


Wednesday, October 14, 2015

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.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

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!
 

 

Sunday, October 11, 2015

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!

Saturday, October 10, 2015

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!!

Thursday, October 08, 2015

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.

Wednesday, October 07, 2015

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!



Sunday, October 04, 2015

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!  

Thursday, October 01, 2015

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!
  

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

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.






Saturday, September 26, 2015

Friday, September 25, 2015

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!

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

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.

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Sydney Running Festival ~~~~

Blackmores 9.23km Bridge Run ~~~~~~~~

A great weekend in Sydney!  Stayed at the Menzies Hotel Saturday night, right opposite Wynyard Station, so only a one stop/3min train hop to the start at Milson's Point.  Pre-race meal with friends at the Hart pub at the Rocks : delicious steak and mushroom sandwich with the best chips I've tasted in a while, all washed down with a cold beer.
The start was at 9:00am but it was 9:25 before we slowly walked to the starting mats ... such was the enormous crowd. Then we were off and away on what was for me, the most fun and enjoyable run of this size I can recall in quite some time! Running across the Harbour Bridge, the views, the crowds, overhead helicopters....something not to miss! 
It's quite some time too, that I've felt so good for an entire run; not the easiest course especially that long uphill climb from Lady Macquarie's Chair, but I didn't walk anywhere and, joy of all joys .... I was not only running with many others, but passing some along the way!!  An advantage gained, I'm sure, by including regular short hill sprints in weekly training. A light drizzle of rain did nothing to daunt my enthusiasm and I positively 'flew' ...hmm... the last few hundred metres to the finish!!


Blackmores 9.23km Bridge Run, 2015.

Results: 9.23km Bridge Run .....
Time : 1:07:26
Avg.Pace 7:12m/k.  Heart Rate 81-89% of Max.
Splits : 7:41; 7:25;   6:44; 7:29;   6:58;  7:04;  7:26; 7:22; 7:11 +(1:30 for 0.23)
TE ... 5.0 ...Overreaching!  TE must have been having a heart attack!!

Results Age Category 85-89.....
1st Place ( in both women and MEN categories!  WOOHOO!!!).  I just can't help feeling a little smug!



Norma WALLETT  #39935 Status - Finished
Gender:
Female
Division:
80+
Team:
 
OFFICIAL TIME
Finish Flag 01:07:26
Overall Rank Category Rank Gender Rank
8045
from 11465 finishers
1
from 4 finishers
4670
from 7162 finishers
 
SPLIT ACCUMMULATIVE
LOCATION TIME DISTANCE SPEED/PACE RACE TIME OVERALL DIVISION GENDER
3.5k 00:27:05 3.5km 7.75 / 7:44 00:27:05 10225 2 6248
9.23k 00:40:21 5.7km 8.52 / 7:03 01:07:26 9383 1 5651








Thursday, September 17, 2015

5km Easy ~~~~

No warm-up; no cool-down.  5km easy on Bowral Parkrun course.  Only one puddle to negotiate!


5km in 36:19
Splits : 7:48;   7:16;   7:12;   7:08;   6:54 .... faster running uphill than down!


TE 3.5 = Improving!



Wednesday, September 16, 2015

a Few Strides etc. ~~~~~

At the same incline as a week or so ago :  first, a few drills followed by 6 x 80m uphill strides.  Perfect Spring day; hard to see that the weekend is to be wet for Sydney Running Festival.




These drills Part 1 and Part 2 :
https://youtu.be/KLcafa-wHLw
https://youtu.be/DNm2E6lueF8




I'd have made short work of that child!!

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Track ~~~~~

Chev. College track.  Groundsman had just mowed a narrow 400m lane for me!  Windy conditions.

15 min warm-up +  strides/drills

6 x 400m 2:39

2:32;  2:42;  2:42;  2:33;  2:31;  2:28

Cool-down/stretches 

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Tempo Run ~~~~

Over to Bowral Parkrun course again for today's run.

XXXL puddle blocking cycle path!



5km easy
Time 36:01
TE =3.0 = Improving!!

Really beautiful day for such an easy scenic run!

Tuesday, September 08, 2015

Track at Chev. ~~~~~

My narrow grass lane was muddy in parts; windy on the oval.  Not such good results!


10-20 min warm-up ....I did 10 min.
3 x 1600m (400m RI)
10 min cool-down ....I did 5min.

3 x 1600m :  11:37;   11:22;   11:12 ... VP did each rep. in 11 minutes!!

Saturday, September 05, 2015

Bowral Parkrun #49 ~~~~~

A lovely morning; no gloves, no thermals and back to short sleeves!  You'd think I'd run well with those conditions, but I struggled the entire 5km; one of those days that I can happily do without;  felt bad, took several, short walk breaks and just didn't have it together in spite of a warm-up etc. and thinking I had a chance for a new PB.  Oh well, maybe next week!





5km in 34:36 (Age Grade 92.69%)
Avg. Pace 6:58m/k
6:37;    7:00;    6:59;    7:12;    6:46
Avg. HR 80-86% of max.
TE   3.9 ~~~ Improving!

Thursday, September 03, 2015

Tempo Run - Bowral Parkrun Course ~~~~

In order to check out the course for Saturday, I started at our alternate course guessing the initial one would still be under water in parts .... and it was! Splashed through a large puddle ankle deep in water.  I included a run up the grassy hill and then down to see what it was like ... not much better!  The alternate course looks likely again for this Saturday.
10.5km Bowral Parkrun Course.




Quaint little bridge still standing....





Today's Tempo Run:
3.0km @ ST pace (7:10m/k) ...... for me 22:45; TE 2.0 Maintaining!
1.5km easy
1.5km @ ST pace .... 10:58; TE 2.1
1.5km easy
3.0km @ ST pace .... 23:12;  TE 2.9

Total :  10.5km

Wednesday, September 02, 2015

Some Strides ~~~~~

Jog/walk about 10 minutes from car to usual incline.
6 x 100m strides up; walk down for complete recovery
Jog/walk back to car.


Warm spring day; nice short session!

Tuesday, September 01, 2015

Track at Chev. ~~~~

This morning I changed from Half Marathon program to my 5km since I've also changed from Blackmores Half Marathon to the Bridge 9km run... all as a result of pulling up badly after the ACTVAC Half Marathon 2 weeks ago. 




I didn't do too well this morning either; all reps, bar one, slower than they should have been.




20 mins warm-up incl. drills and strides
5 x 1000m @ 6:45m/k
10 min cool-down and stretches.


5 x 1000m :    7:04;    6:43;    7:14;    7:10;    7:14
Approx. 300m RI between each.


Surprisingly cold wind blowing across the oval, but at least I had my own little lane to run in! Lots of improvement I hope in the coming weeks... months!

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Southern Highlands Challenge, 2015.

6km



6km event started at 11:00am this year; last year it was 8:00am.... so there was time for a nice sleep-in before Leah picked me up for the hour drive to Wingello State Forest where we followed directions to a far off fire trail for parking.  A real god-send this year was a shuttle bus to the start which was several kilometres away!  A much bigger event this year; seemed to be endless fire trails filled with cars and hundreds of people milling around the stalls, BBQ, donkey rides...tempted!; animal farm and lots more.
I haven't seen such superb organization of cars, people, runners of all different distances from ultra down to 4km, SES and volunteer fire fighters at every one of the hundreds of crossings through the forest and they were there from dawn and, I guess, to almost dark! 


Trails were in excellent condition especially after the recent heavy rain throughout the Highlands. Weather, the best.  The hills, and there were plenty of them, I walked!  Chatted with some Bowral parkrun runners and had a good run through some really spectacular forest scenery.


6km in 43:39
Avg. Pace 7:36m/k
Splits:   7:55;   7:47;   7:50;   7:15;   7:31;   5:18!!!  downhill!


..... and best of all results :  TE 4.3   Highly Improving!

Friday, August 28, 2015

Just Strides ~~~~~

Today:
10 minutes easy jog
5 x 100m on incline
10 minutes easy jog.

In an effort to awaken my dead legs, I drove through Renwick, parked the car and jogged to the same incline I used last time I did this session.  I hope that helps for tomorrow's park run and then the Southern Highlands Challenge on Sunday where I'm doing just the 6km fire trail run.

Parkrun Course under flood!




Thursday, August 27, 2015

A Decision Made ~~~~

.... and it is that last Sunday's ATVAC Half Marathon is the last of any long distances for me!  I didn't pull up as I'd expected and, in fact, I was quite surprised at just how unwell it left me feeling for most of this week : constant headache and nausea for 48 hours at least.  In the past a half marathon left no ill effects at all and I was always ready to resume running immediately.  Not this time!  And so, after some serious talking to myself and a good friend, I've decided to concentrate on 5km distance in the future. I've also changed from running the Half Marathon in September's Sydney Running Festival to the 9km Bridge Run.  I think I will enjoy that and, when all's set and done, enjoyment is and should be what it's all about.


This morning I went across to our Bowral Parkrun course and found it and the surrounding countryside almost entirely flooded from the Wingecarribee River overflow.  The grassy hill also was the worst it's been, soggy even in the upper sections and flooded in the lower.

Bowral Parkrun Course, 27/8/15



40 minutes easy run.... where it was dry!
My legs still feel like wooden planks; hoping a few strides tomorrow will bring some life back.

Monday, August 24, 2015

ACTVAC Half Marathon ~~~~~ 23/8/15

A Flying Finish!
The Start
Lake Ginninderra



On the way...






Three times around Lake Ginninderra ... and glad there wasn't a 4th!




In the lead up to Blackmores Half Marathon on September 20, the aim yesterday in the ACTVAC Half Marathon was to finish under 2 hours 45 min and to get an idea of how much work I needed to do in the next 4 weeks ... I finished in 2 hours 42 minutes and I know what I need to do ...  !!




Three times around Lake Ginninderra was an up and down, giddy experience!  I don't know that I like this sort of course, preferring the former course of out and back. The run went according to plan even though I'm somewhat the worse for wear today!  My body is tired and my mind is tired! Nothing that a few rest days and another night's sound sleep won't cure but I feel as weary today after 21.1km as I used after 42.2km!  Recovery time at 85 seems to take much, much longer now than it did after running the same distances 50 years ago and not much I can do about that!  So, after Blackmores half I think I'll have had enough of these long distance events and will be quite happy to concentrate on and improve my 5km times.




Here are the details of the ACTVAC Half Marathon, 23/8/15:

Time: 2:42:09
Avg. Pace 7:43m/k
5km splits:  38:18;  38:26;   38:31;   39:20 and last 1.1km in 7:30mins.
Training Effect: 4:0 ... Highly Improving!!

A bossom at 'Home Sweet Home!"






















Saturday, August 22, 2015

Before ACTVAC Half Marathon ~~~~

  Leaving at around 5:00am tomorrow for Canberra.  I have a head cold starting up so I'm sipping a hot drink of lemon and honey (minus the shot of scotch!), right now at 8:00pm whilst sitting up in my bed!
Image result for free clipart of lady with head cold ......... I hope not!

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Easy Run ~~~

Just 5km easy on Bowral Parkrun course this morning and what a glorious morning and day it is here!  Difficult to think about Canberra being wet for Sunday's ACTVAC Half Marathon.  Oh well.....might be more fun in the rain 



... and slower!!

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Track at Chev. ~~~~~

A narrow 400m lane has been mowed on the oval and, according to the ground's keeper, it's going to be kept there. Good to know!

10-20 min warm-up .... did 15 incl. 4 strides/drills
6 x 400m (using 6:30m/k) in 2:46
400m RI
Cool-down.

2:37;    2:43;    2:28;    2:27;    2:25;    2:27

Glorious day : slightly windy but warm and sunny on the oval.

Saturday, August 15, 2015

Bowral Parkrun #46 ~~~~~~

NO PB this morning!  Not even close!  Heavy fog and frost but quite warm along the cycle path.

Time : 35:29  Waaah!!  Boo Hoo!!!

6:53;   6:59;   7:05;   7:18;   7:08
... pleased that's over!

BUT ... TE 3.7 = IMPROVING!

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Tempo Run on Bowral Parkrun Course ~~~~~

Biting, cold wind while running down the grassy hill this morning but it has, at last, dried up the muddy patches completely and the cycle path is completely clear of water, so all good for this Saturday's 5km run.

My program : TEMPO RUN
1.5km easy
8.0km @ MT pace
1.5km easy

First 4km OK and then got slower and slower!  So I was ahead of VP (6:52m/k) for the first half and behind for the finish! The reverse would have been the right way to go!  Anyhow, despite slowing down, I forced myself to do a non-stop run back up the hill.

8km in 57:53
Avg. 7:15 m/k
HR 75-84% of Max.
Splits: 6:53;  6:39;  6:52;  7:06;  7:14;  7:07;  7:52;  8:10!!
TE 3.7 = IMPROVING!!

Total 11 km

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Change From Track ~~~~~

Still a bit weary this morning so did some strides instead of a harder track program :


15 mins easy
6 x 100m strides on incline .... same place as last week.
15 mins easy.

Same for tomorrow and then tempo run on Thursday.











Sunday, August 09, 2015

Long Run with Leah ~~~~~

Started at 9:00am from school, Diamond Fields Road, back to school.


15km of rolling hills and inclines.


4:30pm now and I'm so tired I could fall asleep right where I'm sitting!

Saturday, August 08, 2015

Bowral Parkrun PB ~~~~

I wrote all about this earth-shattering effort on Bowral Parkrun FB and I'll leave it there!


Time : 33:34 (with pacesetter Peta Davies)
9 seconds PB (from 33:43)  ..... all 3's and 4's!!
TE 4.3 ~ Highly Improving!






I should buy 3 or 4 lottery tickets!





Friday, August 07, 2015

Strides ..... Again & Again! ~~~~~

15 minute easy here, and


2 x 80m strides here!

Tomorrow at Bowral Parkrun I'm going to try for a PB or as close as I can get to 33:43!!

Thursday, August 06, 2015

Just Strides... Again ~~~~~

15 minute warm-up here and.....
 
 
4 x 80m here on slight incline.
 
 

Wednesday, August 05, 2015

Just Strides ~~~~~

15 minute warm-up easy running.
6 x 80m strides with full recoveries.

DONE!

Tuesday, August 04, 2015

Track at Chev. College ~~~~~

Did 20 min warm-up + few strides
Program:
4 x 1200m (2 min. RI) in 8:31

8:23 (TE 2.6);  8:32 (TE 2.4);  8:37 (TE2.4);  9:16!!! (TE 2.3)

Usual problem running out of breath and stopping.
Chev oval like last week: muddy on the shady side of oval.  Stayed close to outside fence.








Sunday, August 02, 2015

Long Run/Jog with quite a few Walk Breaks! ~~~~~ with Leah

8:00am start from school, 5km around Renwick Street loop, 14km out and back on Diamond Fields Road.  Seemed to take all morning!  TE 2.1 Maintaining!

19km!
 

Saturday, August 01, 2015

Bowral Parkrun #44 ~~~

While I was running, I was just about certain I would run a PB : did 20 min warm-up, and felt like I was running really fast from the start!  Not fast enough!  Missed out on a PB and was very disappointed!  I don't think I could try any harder than I did this morning.  33:43 seems out of reach!

5km in 35:04 official; 34:58 Garmin

7:15;  7:07;  7:02;  7:03;  6:28

HR 78% - 85%

The good news is TE was 3.8 ... Improving!  At last!