Cracked 2hrs for the first time this morning, and what a struggle it was! Whether it was food or a too-sudden build-up of kms (it shouldn't be that), from about 1:30 onwards I was really struggling. No doubt the Edgewater hill didn't help (HR spiked at 160 - too high for a long run) but mid 20's weather at 9am was also a factor. I got through it, admittedly with a 30 second rest after the hill and another unplanned water stop for a breather/water/gel (I should've consumed two by this time) but it wasn't pretty. 27.5 kms total for 2:03 of running.
Yesterday's run impacted upon today, as I was absolutely rooted afterwards - again, perhaps a heat thing, or too much too soon. I planned on reviving an old session (3 sets of 5 x 600 in 2:00 with 90 sec. rest b/w reps & 3 min rest b/w sets) at the track but only got through 2 sets. Mind you, each rep in the first set was somewhere between 1:53 - 1:56, so I was going too quick, but even during the second set, with reps falling between 1:56 - 1:59, the 90 seconds didn't seem like enough and during the 2nd 3 min. rest I packed it in, went into the gym for a bit and then did the laboring cool down home. 12.5 kms of running (6 hard, 6.5 w/u & c/d).
Friday (Boxing Day) was just get out and run off Thursday's excesses. A cruisy 12.8 kms in 56 minutes did the job, but again, with the warm weather it's all become a bit energy sapping. I'm unsure of the total kms for the week but surely it's in the 80-90 range, so slowly they build.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas and happy running
Merry Christmas to all...hope your day was relaxing.
Some good running since the last post, an easy Monday & Wednesday to recover from Sunday's long run & Tuesday (to be discussed). Somewhere between 40 and 50 minutes for both runs, nothing spectacular but it wasn't needed.
Tuesday - hills in the You Yangs. Went along with Stu and a number of the club's younger runners (juniors) where different groups did different sessions. After completing a 10 minute warm-up, I managed to raise the average age of the so-called fast group ( 2 x 15 or 16 y.o, 18 y.o and yours truly @ 34) where we did 6 "top-of-the-hill" repeats with a 2 minute recovery. Well, needless to say, I wasn't beating any of the three boys to the top but I wasn't recovering any longer than the 2 minutes prescribed, unlike 3 others, who stole another minute or so getting a drink on the 4th rep. Once these were done we joined the big group for 4 one minute repeat and did an easy 10 minute cooldown. Great session, I really enjoyed it.
Today - Christmas Day, I wanted to get in a hard workout before the day of eating and drinking that lied ahead. Warming up through Newport Lakes, I then proceeded to put in 7 three minute efforts, following up each with a 90 second jogging recovery. The ground covered during the efforts (through Newport & Williamstown) was enough to only make the recovery home 10 minutes, so 13 kms in about 54 minutes so the efforts must have been significant.
A lazy 50 mins-hour tomorrow in the new kicks (Brooks Trance, courtesy of the previously mentioned gift voucher) should help shed some of the excess of today.
God bless summer, and progress is being made...
Some good running since the last post, an easy Monday & Wednesday to recover from Sunday's long run & Tuesday (to be discussed). Somewhere between 40 and 50 minutes for both runs, nothing spectacular but it wasn't needed.
Tuesday - hills in the You Yangs. Went along with Stu and a number of the club's younger runners (juniors) where different groups did different sessions. After completing a 10 minute warm-up, I managed to raise the average age of the so-called fast group ( 2 x 15 or 16 y.o, 18 y.o and yours truly @ 34) where we did 6 "top-of-the-hill" repeats with a 2 minute recovery. Well, needless to say, I wasn't beating any of the three boys to the top but I wasn't recovering any longer than the 2 minutes prescribed, unlike 3 others, who stole another minute or so getting a drink on the 4th rep. Once these were done we joined the big group for 4 one minute repeat and did an easy 10 minute cooldown. Great session, I really enjoyed it.
Today - Christmas Day, I wanted to get in a hard workout before the day of eating and drinking that lied ahead. Warming up through Newport Lakes, I then proceeded to put in 7 three minute efforts, following up each with a 90 second jogging recovery. The ground covered during the efforts (through Newport & Williamstown) was enough to only make the recovery home 10 minutes, so 13 kms in about 54 minutes so the efforts must have been significant.
A lazy 50 mins-hour tomorrow in the new kicks (Brooks Trance, courtesy of the previously mentioned gift voucher) should help shed some of the excess of today.
God bless summer, and progress is being made...
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Whoa, what a week!!
Packed a stack into this week - went to the 'G to see some cricket, Kevin got his stitches out and went for a ride on the train, ran a mile, ran a km, left a school, cooked a barbie for Jen's fam...man, it's all happening!
The running
The mile - first time ever, wasn't ready, but now I have a benchmark and I was most glad to have broken 5 minutes, as I should, even though my training isn't necessarily isn't geared towards the short and fast. Came 6th, ran even(ish) splits so I'm OK with the effort and the result.
The km - again, as I should, cracked 3 minutes. About 2:54-2:55, which I think was about 3 seconds quicker than last year. Got stronger as things progressed, which I think is showing in some of my training.
Today I was just shy of 2 hours and covered 26 and bit kms, and the lack of dinner last night really showed, as the run felt tough. It probably wasn't aided by a 3 x 10 minute effort/tempo run yesterday, with the combined distance over the two days being over the marathon distance and the time about 3:10, so I've probably got reason to feel knackered.
Holidays are upon us so my volume and intensity will pick up, as recovery won't be in front of kids. I'm looking forward to Tuesday nights hill repeat session in the You Yangs as it will be a good opportunity to catch up with the teammates pre-Christmas.
Life
Friday I spent my final day at HCSC. Whilst I initiated the change and am overjoyed at the move, there is an element of sadness as I had some good relationships and made some friends in that time. You stay in contact with those that matter and those who don't will simply fade, but being paraded in front of a staff who appeared overwhelmingly positive towards you, and making a speech prepared in the wee AM hours in an inebriated state, is awkward.
I got the perfect gift for a runner - a $265 Sportspower gift voucher. Wow - that's very generous, most humbling and extremely unexpected. Besides the obligatory new pair of shoes (perhaps not), let's see what else is on offer.
Nice posts are good posts, eh?
The running
The mile - first time ever, wasn't ready, but now I have a benchmark and I was most glad to have broken 5 minutes, as I should, even though my training isn't necessarily isn't geared towards the short and fast. Came 6th, ran even(ish) splits so I'm OK with the effort and the result.
The km - again, as I should, cracked 3 minutes. About 2:54-2:55, which I think was about 3 seconds quicker than last year. Got stronger as things progressed, which I think is showing in some of my training.
Today I was just shy of 2 hours and covered 26 and bit kms, and the lack of dinner last night really showed, as the run felt tough. It probably wasn't aided by a 3 x 10 minute effort/tempo run yesterday, with the combined distance over the two days being over the marathon distance and the time about 3:10, so I've probably got reason to feel knackered.
Holidays are upon us so my volume and intensity will pick up, as recovery won't be in front of kids. I'm looking forward to Tuesday nights hill repeat session in the You Yangs as it will be a good opportunity to catch up with the teammates pre-Christmas.
Life
Friday I spent my final day at HCSC. Whilst I initiated the change and am overjoyed at the move, there is an element of sadness as I had some good relationships and made some friends in that time. You stay in contact with those that matter and those who don't will simply fade, but being paraded in front of a staff who appeared overwhelmingly positive towards you, and making a speech prepared in the wee AM hours in an inebriated state, is awkward.
I got the perfect gift for a runner - a $265 Sportspower gift voucher. Wow - that's very generous, most humbling and extremely unexpected. Besides the obligatory new pair of shoes (perhaps not), let's see what else is on offer.
Nice posts are good posts, eh?
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Damn treadmill lured me back...
But only because Saturday was so godawful, I wasn't going to a) not run and b) get beaten from pillar to post by fierce winds and rain in trying to do speedwork. So I settled for 8 x 1km reps (with a walking break between reps in brackets)
2 x 3.24 (90, 85)
2 x 3.27 (80, 75)
2 x 3.29 (70, 65)
2 x 3.31 (60, 55)
with a 1.5 km warm-up & cool down either side of that session. I've been icing the leg like crazy, just to be proactive, but I pulled up OK this morning. Today run was 1hr 50 min, with just shy of 25kms being covered, copped some rain and a southerly on the way home, but pulled up OK. Went to one of Jen's aunts for a Christmas lunch, ate well without gorging and it was a nice relaxing afternoon.
Friday evening I didn't run, but did some work on the wind trainer for 45 minutes and some abdominal/stretching/weights work. Earlier that day I had my induction day at my new school and discovered I'd be teaching Year 12 Legal Studies. The idea excites me but finding out during when we (new teachers to the school) were all introducing each other was a bit of a shock. The day itself was an ambush of information, meeting new people and so forth, but I'm excited and nervous all at once about the change of location.
Weather permitting, tomorrow I'm off to to the Sheffield Shield @ the MCG to watch Victoria vs Western Australia with some Year 7 & 9 students. Providing the students behave themselves, it should be a good day.
2 x 3.24 (90, 85)
2 x 3.27 (80, 75)
2 x 3.29 (70, 65)
2 x 3.31 (60, 55)
with a 1.5 km warm-up & cool down either side of that session. I've been icing the leg like crazy, just to be proactive, but I pulled up OK this morning. Today run was 1hr 50 min, with just shy of 25kms being covered, copped some rain and a southerly on the way home, but pulled up OK. Went to one of Jen's aunts for a Christmas lunch, ate well without gorging and it was a nice relaxing afternoon.
Friday evening I didn't run, but did some work on the wind trainer for 45 minutes and some abdominal/stretching/weights work. Earlier that day I had my induction day at my new school and discovered I'd be teaching Year 12 Legal Studies. The idea excites me but finding out during when we (new teachers to the school) were all introducing each other was a bit of a shock. The day itself was an ambush of information, meeting new people and so forth, but I'm excited and nervous all at once about the change of location.
Weather permitting, tomorrow I'm off to to the Sheffield Shield @ the MCG to watch Victoria vs Western Australia with some Year 7 & 9 students. Providing the students behave themselves, it should be a good day.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
only a few days left in the asylum
Only a few days left in the nuthouse that is HCSC but they can't come soon enough. The best analogy I can draw is in the final 200m of a 5K on the track, when you're either accelerating for a fast finish or just wanting to get over the line and be done with it, marshalls are just chucking the high steeples on the track. You'll still finish, but the obstacles are an unnecessary inconvenience.
A solid few days since the last post. 1:40 on Sunday, but I pulled up a bit sore in the right leg. Monday I still felt funny so I did some spinning on the bike for 45 minutes + some weights & ab. work & stretching. Tuesdays was a beauty - 10 easy w/u, 10 tempo, 5 easy, 20 tempo, 7 easy c/d. Wednesday an easy 45 minutes in the evening and ths morning I did the session that I did on Saturday at the track, but half the distances (1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4) and a little quicker for the repetitions (72 & 70 for the 400's), on average between 2:55 & 3:00 m/km pace (so short sharpies @ 1500 pace. Hopefully things are in place for a solid Saturday and a sub 5 mile on Tuesday night.
I have a day off today (hence the early morn. speed session @ the track) but I'm hostage in house until the furniture guy comes regarding our coffee table. It's a very minor problem easily fixed, but the table is a new purchase and the issue of being unable to attach a table leg due to a few millimetres of inaccurate drilling shouldn't be the responsibility of the consumer.
I'm mentally wrestling with the idea of going to tonight's Zatopek, I'll just have to see what else is on & who else is going.
Au revoir.
A solid few days since the last post. 1:40 on Sunday, but I pulled up a bit sore in the right leg. Monday I still felt funny so I did some spinning on the bike for 45 minutes + some weights & ab. work & stretching. Tuesdays was a beauty - 10 easy w/u, 10 tempo, 5 easy, 20 tempo, 7 easy c/d. Wednesday an easy 45 minutes in the evening and ths morning I did the session that I did on Saturday at the track, but half the distances (1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4) and a little quicker for the repetitions (72 & 70 for the 400's), on average between 2:55 & 3:00 m/km pace (so short sharpies @ 1500 pace. Hopefully things are in place for a solid Saturday and a sub 5 mile on Tuesday night.
I have a day off today (hence the early morn. speed session @ the track) but I'm hostage in house until the furniture guy comes regarding our coffee table. It's a very minor problem easily fixed, but the table is a new purchase and the issue of being unable to attach a table leg due to a few millimetres of inaccurate drilling shouldn't be the responsibility of the consumer.
I'm mentally wrestling with the idea of going to tonight's Zatopek, I'll just have to see what else is on & who else is going.
Au revoir.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
There was was this one time, in hospital...
What an interesting couple of days to say the least.
Thursday morning I go downstairs to discover Kev has a cut ON his eyeball which has split it open...BAD BAD news. Naturally, he and young Jeffrey had been scuffling and Jeffrey, with either sharp claws or his teeth, had perforated Kevvie's eyeball. The end result? Kev went into surgery and is now a one-eyed Guinea Pig. Scary huh? Fortunately he has recovered really well to date and everything should be back to normal (as normal as a one-eyed guinea pig can get) in a few weeks. Vet bill? Let's just say "significant".
The other beneficiary of emergency services was the author of this very blog. Yes, last night I ate something without looking at the wrapper and naturally, when I started to get a strange feeling, I read the packet and saw the word 'tulled Sesame seeds", to which I have an allergy. So yeah, I had an allergic reaction, enough for a ride in an Ambo and some drugs into my arm at the Western General. I was discharged at about 2am this morning. How did this situation arise? Long story, but in short a presumptuous error of judgement.
Nothing too exciting on the running front, but I'm getting there. A brief summary as follows:
Wednesday: 5 x 6 minute efforts with 2 minute jogging recoveries, including warm-up & cool down. Ground covered - From school to Shaws Rd bridge & back along the river (those in Hoppers will know the route well).
Thursday morn: 4 laps of Newport Lakes (some nice climbing), 40 minutes in total.
Friday: easy run to base of Somerville Road, over bridge & back home. 35 minutes.
Today: Run to & from Gym. 5 x 90m strides on track. Track session as follows:
200, 400, 600, 800, 600, 400, 200, 400, 600, 800 with varying rests from 40 seconds to 100 seconds between the longer reps. Most reps were done at approx 3:10-3:15 m/km pace, which is a smidge faster than my 5k pace at the moment.
I'll try to get in a long run very early tomorrow - nothing strenouos, just to clock up the kms and time of my feet, with the aim being two hours. My next lot of races should be the 5K & 1500 for AV on Saturday, touch wood.
Thursday morning I go downstairs to discover Kev has a cut ON his eyeball which has split it open...BAD BAD news. Naturally, he and young Jeffrey had been scuffling and Jeffrey, with either sharp claws or his teeth, had perforated Kevvie's eyeball. The end result? Kev went into surgery and is now a one-eyed Guinea Pig. Scary huh? Fortunately he has recovered really well to date and everything should be back to normal (as normal as a one-eyed guinea pig can get) in a few weeks. Vet bill? Let's just say "significant".
The other beneficiary of emergency services was the author of this very blog. Yes, last night I ate something without looking at the wrapper and naturally, when I started to get a strange feeling, I read the packet and saw the word 'tulled Sesame seeds", to which I have an allergy. So yeah, I had an allergic reaction, enough for a ride in an Ambo and some drugs into my arm at the Western General. I was discharged at about 2am this morning. How did this situation arise? Long story, but in short a presumptuous error of judgement.
Nothing too exciting on the running front, but I'm getting there. A brief summary as follows:
Wednesday: 5 x 6 minute efforts with 2 minute jogging recoveries, including warm-up & cool down. Ground covered - From school to Shaws Rd bridge & back along the river (those in Hoppers will know the route well).
Thursday morn: 4 laps of Newport Lakes (some nice climbing), 40 minutes in total.
Friday: easy run to base of Somerville Road, over bridge & back home. 35 minutes.
Today: Run to & from Gym. 5 x 90m strides on track. Track session as follows:
200, 400, 600, 800, 600, 400, 200, 400, 600, 800 with varying rests from 40 seconds to 100 seconds between the longer reps. Most reps were done at approx 3:10-3:15 m/km pace, which is a smidge faster than my 5k pace at the moment.
I'll try to get in a long run very early tomorrow - nothing strenouos, just to clock up the kms and time of my feet, with the aim being two hours. My next lot of races should be the 5K & 1500 for AV on Saturday, touch wood.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
good news and a pasting from Geb...
Good news re: stress fractures. Right now, they're not there, but there's ongoing maintenance of the lower leg to ensure they don't appear. Orthotics have been purchased and will be worn religiously, and the treadmill will be off the agenda at home, maybe just some speedwork at the gym. Some stronger anti-inflams and a bit of common sense should set it right.
Some solid running between this post and the last - including, lo and behold, a session on the track IN SPIKES. Sunday's Great Australian Run went almost to plan and is a fair indicator of where I'm at right now. 55:32 for 15K's, even-ish 5K splits and minimal niggles with the shin and a free massage made for a good day. Oh, and I got within 13 minutes of the great Haile Gebresalaisse.
Off for some interval work at lunch, as I drank beer and ate curry instead of doing this session last night.
It's on man, it's on.
Some solid running between this post and the last - including, lo and behold, a session on the track IN SPIKES. Sunday's Great Australian Run went almost to plan and is a fair indicator of where I'm at right now. 55:32 for 15K's, even-ish 5K splits and minimal niggles with the shin and a free massage made for a good day. Oh, and I got within 13 minutes of the great Haile Gebresalaisse.
Off for some interval work at lunch, as I drank beer and ate curry instead of doing this session last night.
It's on man, it's on.
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