Saturday's 5k Challenge

Arose to a cool but pleasant Sydney Saturday morning.

Dropped the other half off at the start point, drove the bus to Timbrell Park and parked it so she could pick it up on the way back. Jogged the 2.8k back to the Drummoyne Rowers, was decidely junky initially but felt a bit better as 26.2 miles caught me on his bike and I met up with Gasher who was warming up as well.

Usual chatting went on before I went off with the 19 minute group. I initially hung at the back of the main pack, but had the feeling they'd gone out pretty hot and fell back to around 10 seconds behind. I got through the first km in about 3:47, so they must have been well under 3:40.

Had a solid, if fairly slow rhythm going through to about 2.5km, and then, going by my splits, had a bit of a doze from there to about 4km (apart from a brief burst on the downhill after the left turn on to Dobroyd Parade) - effects of the last two days training coming through, with 'dead' quads. Put in a half decent last kilometre to finish at 19:22, which I'm a little disappointed with, but still, given the 20.5k from Thursday and the hard 3 x 2k yesterday it was never going to be brilliant, and I was certainly never stuggling aerobically, just didn't have the leg speed.

Then, the typically 'hard' easy jog back to the start to chalk up another 5k back to breakfast and Blue Dog's excellent blueberry pancakes and a bit of chat. Had to scamper, though for our second wedding in a week up on the Central Coast.

Friday morning 3 x 2km intervals

Joined Fats and djl at the 1km marker of the Bay Run 5k challenge for a 6:30am kick off, the session being 3 x 2km intervals, with a 2 minute rest in between. Looking at my program for May, I figured the first two at 10k pace (around 3:50 per km pace), and the last at 5km (3:40) pace.

Got through a junky warm up (still feeling yesterday morning a bit) getting over there, and then waited for Mister G, who was a red wine fuelled (allegedly) no show after the informal CR drinks at the Sackville last night - I was good and stuck to sparking mineral water (my god, what is happening to me!?!).

Once moving at pace felt pretty good, and got through the first 2km in 7:38. Target pace was around 7:40, so that was pleasing. Got through the second 2km in 7:37, and felt I had pretty decent rhythm, but suspected I was going to feel it a bit through the second 2km. Got through that, though, in 7:30, so although not quite 5km pace, which would have been 7:20, I was pretty pleased to drag out another 8 seconds.

Certainly feeling the difference of adding carbs into the diet in place of some protein and fats. It's easier getting up, and I'm feeling a lot stronger through my morning sessions. Weight is starting to come down, too.

Mid-Week morning longish run

Running a day late courtesy of our trip to Brisbane, so what would normally be a Wednesday run to work took place on Thursday.

Managed 20.58k in 1:43:32, from Gladesville, through Drummoyne to the Bay Run, up Lilyfield Road, across the Anzac Bridge and through Pyrmont into town, across to the Harbour Bridge, over to North Sydney and up Pacific Highway to St Leonards.

GPS jumped around a fair bit through the city and North Sydney. I thought the pace was more like 4:55 or so, and I felt I put in a good even effort, feeling fairly strong at the finish through Crows Nest and into St Leonards.

What was noticeable was I didn't cop the mid or late run 'slow down' this morning. I didn't have breakfast before the run, and only had water during, so to not get hit with hunger pangs or a light headed period was pleasing.

15 minutes of 30 on, 30 off

Dragged myself out of bed this morning (although I didn't feel as rubbish as usual, so a promising sign there) and ducked over to Mowbray Park, which pleasingly had been mowed and remarked. Surface was fairly damp with dew, though.

After a 3 lap warm up and two 100m of long strides, got through 15 minutes of 30s on, 30 off, managing around 3.5k in the quarter hour. Felt pretty strong on the sprint sections and managed a half reasonable jog in the short break periods, so came away from the session feeling pretty pleased. Ran a three lap cool down to finish off.

Beginning of a brave new world

A critical day in my running career today, for two reasons.

Firstly, I visited a dietician in Lane Cove, a Michael Tesoriero, and had a run through my diet. Basically, I don't eat enough carbs, and I tend to eat too big portions of protein/fat to make up for it. As a result, blood sugar is low in the mornings (hence I find it hard to get up) and the late afternoons (don't want to train in the afternoon), and I crave fatty foods (Shakespeare's Pies and chocolate!) to make up for it. So, add in carbs, cut down portions. Got my little plan set up, and I'm good to go. Very much a case of modifying the existing structure, rather than wholesale changes.

Secondly, I got my first training plan from Sean Williams, for May. The speed sessions, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, look tough, as I guess they need to be, with lots of pace rehearsals (2ks at 10 and 5k pace, that sort of thing), with the speed increasing as the session draws to a close. He also tends to look for time running, and also 4-5k warm ups and cool downs, so it'll be some early starts! Still, hopefully it will be easier to get up. Haven't gone through the plan in great detail, but mileage doesn't look too bad - until you factor in warm ups and cool downs! Oh well, good to have a plan. That kicks off on May 1.

I'm also not to do much in the way of upper body weight work - just 30 to 40 push-ups. Instead, the focus will move to core strength, abs, lower back, as well as leg work outs. I've had to get hold of a book on medicine ball exercises, so I'll put together a little program around that as well.

...and in other news....

Yes, four entries in one day. Calm down.

As part of my refocussing, I've enlisted with the Sean Williams SWEAT Sydney program, and will get on-line coaching from him - I'll look at attending sessions a little bit down the track, as it's a pain in the arse to get over to Centennial Park and back to St Leonards for work.

I got my details over to Sean last week along with my goals and intended races for this year. The first paragraph of his reply was to tell me that I needed to see a dietician straightaway, and to lose 10kg by September. Ouch! It took me 4 years to lose 15!

So, it's off to see a dietician tomorrow morning! I'm seeing Michael, from Nutrafit in Lane Cove.

I tell ya, when I go for a change in life, I don't muck around. Should be interesting. I think it's acheivable - Sean's told me to stop doing upper body weights work (I'm allowed 30-40 push ups), so muscle weight will come off there, and my body fat could stand to come down significantly, which I imagine doing long runs without breakfast or gus will deal with fairly effectively, not to mention the speed and interval work I'm probably going to cop.

Anzac Day

Got back from Brisbane Sunday night, and enjoyed a bit of a lie-in this morning.

Hit the road at around 8:40, intending to run around 20+km with no breakfast or gus. Felt a little beaten up from Sunday (left knee inparticular had an odd 'kink' in, like I'd been lying on it strangely - it became apparent last night, and was quite painful on the way home) and started off pretty slowly, running from Gladesville over to the Bay Run, did a couple of laps of Timbrell, down through the dog park, up to Lilyfield Road and did a rep of the hill, and back to the Iron Cove Bridge (seeing Silver Fox out with his little ones on the way). Started to feel hungry at around the 17k mark, just after I left the Bay Run and started to make my way back to Gladesville.

Started to feel it a bit mentally as well, and I guess this does highlight the degree to which I'd neglected this important part of my endurance training. Went a little light-headed at about 19k (something else I'd forgotten about) which made the climb over the Gladesville Bridge interesting, but managed to regain focus by the time I hit Huntley's Point and finished off reasonably solidly for 21.1k in 1:44:21.

Knee feels a lot happier, although the right hip was a little angry during some of the climbs. Still, good start to the week.

Brisbane's Lest We Forget 8k, and a jog back to St Lucia

From Coolrunning:

On arrival at Southbank I turned on the Garmin to the message of 'battery low'. Hopefully I left it on after my run on Saturday, otherwise it's back to GME Electrophone...

With respect to the track, I'd read the map and had a good idea of the layout, and then at the start Steve promptly announced a course change, and rattled off a series of street names and landmarks that to me were pretty well meaningless.

Course was certainly varied, with a right turn over Victoria Bridge, a right turn down to the riverside walk way on the CBD of the river (with a tricky little chicane) and then a decent climb up to the Botanic Gardens for what I think was a kind of figure 8, then over the Goodwill Bridg, a left turn around a marina with a docked naval vessel, and then back west along the south bank of the river and back to the finishing area. It pitched and rolled, with a lot of direction changes, making it a bit difficult to get into a rhythm.

I was hoping for something a bit closer to 31 minutes, but to be under 4 min/km pace two weeks from Canberra over an unknown, technical course is pleasing, and a sign that speed is gradually seeping back - quads are still unhappy at attempts to maintain speed when going up hills, but have certainly improved.

Enjoyed a pleasant cruise home at around 4:50 pace back to St Lucia for a pleasant 40 minute recovery, although I was pleased to get off my feet - DS Trainers and predominantly concrete and paved surfaces aren't fantastic for your feet!

It should also be noted I behaved myself at the wedding, restricting myself to two light beers, a glass of wine and a glass of champagne. I did have a fair bit to eat though.

Saturday in Brisvegas

Saturday was a pretty full on day, with us flying up to Brisbane to attend a friend's wedding in Yatala, a place apparently famous for pies. After arriving at Brisvegas at around 10:30, we dropped my partner and her mother off in town, and continued on to Intraining at Milton to enter for Sunday's 8k, where I caught up with Tesso, Clairie and Runner in the Hills all busy packing post-race bags for Sunday.

After some lunch, managed to sneak a 5.5km hit out at around 2:30 along the dirt track that runs along side the river, next to UQ. Good place for a run, although the path is a bit short, but managed 25:23 for around 4:36 per k pace. Felt I had reasonable rhythm.

Friday morning intervals

Joined Fats, KT and djl at Timbrell Park for Friday morning intervals - for something a bit different, a session of 3 x 1000/500s, with one minute breaks between reps. There was a fairly thick mist over the oval section of the park, lending an ethereal feel to proceedings.

Speed seems to be coming back, with estimated times (I buggered up the timing) of:
3:38
1:42
3:44
1:44
3:40
1:47
Nearly fell on the turnaround during the second 1km, so that was a highlight. My series VIII DS Trainers don't like wet surfaces.

Thursday trails

Couldn't get up, so was resigned to running at lunch.

After a tip from Mister G (flowing on from a whinge about hating running on treadmills), I wandered down to the gym and headed off to Smoothey Park, next to the rail line between St Leonards and Wollstonecraft. A path leads from Russell Street and hooks into the trail near the footbridge, which runs along Berry Creek into Gore Cove.

The trail is narrow single-track, and quite 'technical', with rocks, roots, variations in surface and elevation, and plenty of branches. Apart from a fern in the eye early in, it was good fun.

The track comes out near the Berry Island reserve, so I did a loop of the trail there, and hooked back into the trail through Smoothey Park.

It was fairly slow, 5.1k or so in 31:31, but good fun and fairly intense.

I have a few gripes about life in Sydney, but being able to duck out of work and run on a genuinely technical trail during lunch hour is pretty cool.

Mid Week Update

Tuesday ended up turning into a bit of a schamozzle - couldn't get out of bed, sudden meeting called at lunchtime, and I arrive at St Joeys to find the sportsground locked and the grounds across the road full of footballers. So, the bike to and from work, plus some very light weights, is all I ended up doing.

This morning (Wed) ran into work. Rain opened up as I hit the Anzac Bridge. I was at 4:50 pace until I hit the city, and the GPS went a little odd through town as despite running strongly I hit the Harbour Bridge at 5:07 pace. Oh well. Still feeling it a bit up hills, but managed 15.55km in 1:18:32. Felt reasonably strong.

Monday - the 'easy' day

Well, I guess it was, except I rode the bike to and from work (total 17.6k from Gladesville to St Leonards return, so not the easiest of terrain) and a good little half hour weights session in the morning.

Got home at around 5:50pm, and took advantage of the beautiful night to cruise a very gentle 3.8k in 19:58. Actually felt like running when I got home.

SMC 10k and a pleasant brain-off Sunday recovery

Out of bed at 5 (after a lovely meal at the Rangood Racquet Club in Crows Nest on Saturday night - highly recommended) for the SMC April round. I had nominated the 10k during the week, as the prospect of running at race pace for more than hour wasn't particularly appealing.

I got out for a little 5 minute jog at about 5:30 and felt stiff and and bit busted up - better at the end, but certainly feeling Saturday afternoon's effort and some lingering impact soreness.

Settled into around 4:00 - 4:05 pace pretty quickly, and as seems to be the case at the SMC the 10k field thinned out pretty quickly. I ran with a blonde woman named Kim, and we to'd and fro'd all the way through the race, although she didn't know the course and asked about hills and such - we had a bit of a chat during the run. She seemed to be breathing heavier, so I suspect that if we were close at 9k I could probably scuttle away from her.

And so it proved - I managed a 3:47 last kilometre and finished 7th outright.

Odd run - it felt a lot faster than 40:29. I seemed to have no real 'grunt', relying instead on high leg turnover to maintain pace - imagine a high revving high powered 4 cylinder motor compared to a low revving V8 with good low down torque - today, I was the four cylinder. Bit frustrating.

Still, I actually enjoyed the race, and was pleased I'd stayed 'in the throttle' all the way through the race. Aerobically, I was fine - it was just leg strength.

Got home, did some shopping, mowed the lawn and washed the car - usual urban stuff - and pottered down to Rotary Park late in the day for a pretty relaxed, 'brain-in-neutral' 5.83k of laps in just under half an hour. Shirt off, MP3 player going, warm air and the dying embers of sunlight in a bush setting on a grass setting. Mmm.....starting to enjoy it again....

A morning cruise of the Bay, and and 8k race with the West Met in the afternoon

Got out to the Bay Run at around 8 and cruised a lap (7km) in a bit over 33 minutes, starting slowly from Timbrell Park and gradually working the pace up as I settled into a rhythm. Felt fairly good once loosened up.

In the afternoon, met up with Mister G at the park along Hawthorne Parade, basically the last kilometre of the Bay Run 5k challenge. There, West Met Aths was holding its weekly cross country event, basically a couple of races of between 1-8km. Ran the 8km (which we suspect was about 200 metres short) in 31:29. The course was about 85% grass, and fairly high cut soft grass at that, so it wasn't conducive to speed. Still, a nice soft surface, good for speed, and a quite enjoyable hit out. Don't know if I'd recommend a 7k hitout 7 hours prior as an ideal warm-up, though.

Friday morning intervals

Managed to lever myself out of bed and headed over to Rotary Field. Thought I'd try something a bit different and ran the following:
4 x 200m - times around the 37-39 second bracket, 30 second rest
4 x 400m - times around the 81-84 second bracket, 60 second rest
4 x 200m - all four at 40 seconds.

Still feeling last Sunday's effort in the upper legs. Right was leg was better this morning, but not great, but I guess an improvement is moving in the right direction.

It was good to get through the session. I guess this breathlessness from doing speedwork is something I'm just going to have get used to, if not learn to love...

Leaning towards to the 10k at the SMC series on Sunday. The prospect of being out at some race pace for over an hour is not particularly attractive at the moment.

Thursday April 14

Was planning to run this morning, but the top of the right leg felt 'graunchy', so decided to take the bike in via River Road, a more cardio intensive route. Rode home this way as well.

On getting home, actually worked through some 200 metre repeats at the St Josephs sports ground on Ryde Road. Did four repeats until the aforementioned right leg suggested that would be sufficient. Times were around 35 to 37 seconds. Surface there is pretty good, although there's a bit of a rise in the middle. Well, it'll be good until we get some solid rain and the rugby season gets into full swing...

Canberra Marathon and Catch-Up

Okay, busy couple of days:

Saturday, April 8
Easy run of just over 5k at around 5 minute per k pace just to ensure any stiffness in the legs was run out. Left from Timbrell Park, up the back half of the 5k challenge course and back, plus a lap of Timbrell. First time in ages I've been around the Bay and not seen any other Coolrunners.

Got to Canberra around 1 and went to watch the 5 & 10k events.

Sunday April 9
Marathon day. Up at 4 for something to eat, up again at 5:30 to get dressed and go for a little jog - interesting to see the crew setting up at the start. My race report from Coolrunning is as follows:
--------------------------
3:25:17 today, and contrary to the listing I finished line astern with Blue Dog - take note, O Runner.

Went out with the simple plan of running 5 45 minute 10kms in a row. Blue Dog, Superflake and I rolled along pretty well on schedule at 4:30 per km pace until around 27-28k where we just started to bleed a couple of seconds here and there.

Blue Dog fell off at around 32 or so (outbound at the tunnel) and I let Superflake go as it became apparent the quads had decided they'd had enough and left the hips, hammies and calves do the work. I made the decision at 34km to not do the 50. I gradually ground down slower and slower, finally cracking it under the bridge at 40km where I started to alternate walking and running.

Blue Dog picked me up again with about 1km to go and forged a gentleman's agreement to cross line astern, and so we did.

I was pretty knocked around for a while after the run and really didn't get back on an even keel until I got a litre of Endura Optima into me.

It was a tough second half of the event, particularly the second loop of Parkes Avenue, and I didn't come across a lot of people happy with their run.

For me, this will be the last marathon I'll do for at least a year. I didn't particularly enjoy the last 10km, and given how far I've slipped since last year, I really need to go, get some coaching, and find some serious 10k speed before heading back out there and righting some wrongs.
--------------------------
I might write something more detailed later.

Monday April 11
Had the day off from work. We headed home from Canberra Sunday afternoon (with the great company of Kev and Uncle Dave). Got over to Rotary Park and shuffled out 13 laps of Lane 3 in just under half an hour, so probably around 5.3 - 5.4k. Felt okay towards the end, although the outside of the right calf is a bit angered up. Otherwise, not too bad - I've come up worse from some half marathons!

Tuesday April 12
Had intended to rise and do some early intervals, but needed the sleep. Didn't end up running - figured I was probably due a day off. Had a pleasant 20 minute walk part of the way home from the bus stop. Dropped an e-mail to Sean Williams (SWEAT Sydney) about initiating an on-line program.

Wednesday April 13
Ran to work - 10.5k at about 4:58 per k pace. Right calf still a bit angry, and still conscious of impact soreness on the lower legs. Might head for Rotary Park for some intervals tomorrow. Legs are moving okay - suspect conditioning from Six Foot track has helped, although I've been trying the Endura Optimizer and I think that's had a hand in it as well.

Friday morning intervals

Agreed to meet Mister G at Timbrell Park at 6am this morning. Was woken at 3am by the sound of rain which was fairly heavy, but it had pretty much eased back to drizzle at 5:30 when I somehow managed to lever myself out of bed. Suspect the prospect of getting the e-mail equivalent of an earful from Mister G during the day was probably it.

After a 1k warm up jog, got through 5 repeats at 3:43, 3:47. 3:48, 3:51 (copped a bug in the eye), 3:48. Not particularly fast, but given Sunday's activities (Canberra Marathon and probable 50k) didn't want to push my luck. Legs felt okay, definitely the best since Six Foot, which given I had a good hilly workout yesterday is pleasing.

Lunchtime hitout

5.3k in about 4:22 per km pace doesn't sounds like a lot, but through the hills of Wollstonecraft and Greenwich, it was pretty hard going. Good hit out on a fairly warm day, though, so fairly satisfying.

Sunday and Monday

Ran a easy but entertaining 17.8k short deviation of the Mosman Reversed STaR. Good length, and ideal for the week before I line up for more abuse at Canberra.

...and yes, Action, I should have trusted you on the length. But your track record on this sort of thing...

Didn't do much on Monday. Went to the gym at lunch and did some light weights, but no running. Little bit of soreness in the right ankle - bit of an odd thing, probably just slept on it funny or something.

Will attempt 15 minutes of 30 on/30 off tomorrow morning.

Striders 10k - The Domain

Huge crowd on a gorgeous morning - cool but mild, with a clear sky.

Huge turnout of 310+ runners saw the narrow course get crowded. I was a fair way back in the back, and as a result got through the 2km in about 8:30. Managed to get that back under 4 min/km pace by about 4 or 5km, but it had taken a bit out of me, and with Canberra next week I couldn't see the point of flogging myself for a 39:59, given I'd drop the result at the end of the year anyway.

Came home in 41:07 or so. Reasonable hit out, I guess. I think the course was well beyond its capacity this morning, and whilst the course is scenic and central to the city, I have to wonder how much longer it can last whilst the Strider 10k series continues to draw the numbers it does.

Doesn't help when last minute course changes are forced on the club, too.

BURN OUT - There, I said it

Okay.

It’s time say the word, and admit what happened in mid-February, and why it’s been a month and a half since I posted to my blog, and why Six Foot didn’t go well.

Burnout.

There. I said it.

Looking back on it, I never really gave myself the chance to recover from doing Six Foot in October. The first danger sign was blowing up during the second run in November, the second danger sign was blowing up during the Fat Ass run on New Year’s Day, and the last danger sign was the general lethargy through February. You could see the pattern – unable to complete speed sessions, inability to get up and train, general lethary, etc.

Fine. Lesson learnt. Put in the databank and move on.

I have given my Six Foot Track account at Coolrunning, but will go through it again now.

Drove up to Katoomba on Friday morning and my partner and I spent the bulk of Friday helping Kev out at The Edge, along with Blue Dog and Bernie G, handing entries out. Got to Jenolan Caves around 3 or so, meaning I missed out on seeing the Caves AGAIN! Had dinner at Caves House on Friday night with my partner, Blue Dog and Bernie G, Aunty Karin and Truckie, Bandanna, and Alison.

Got up early on race morning and went for a quick jog. Headed down to Katoomba with Blue Dog, Bernie G and my partner. Met up with Sarge, and walked to the start. Great, nervous tinged atmosphere, with a real feeling of people united to tackle a common foe.

Took it pretty easy down the Nellie’s Glen stair case. Cruised to Cox’s in 1:23 or so, and felt like a million bucks at the drink station there. Took it easy on the long hard climb to Pluvio, arriving at 1:53, having had numerous people pass me. Didn’t feel fantastic, but thought a bit of a feed would see me right. First stop out of the drink station, WHAM! Cramp in the right vastus medialis. Hobbled along, got this sorted, and then the left one went. Also got one in the right forearm for my trouble.

It was pretty well musical cramps all the way through the Black Ranges through to the forestry roads before the campgrounds at Deviation. I didn’t feel (relatively speaking) too bad through the new section, got across Caves Road, struggled through the trail section, before coming reasonably good on the downhill of the Mt George firetrail where I passed a lot of people. Managed to battle home in 5:20:25, about 50 minutes outside what I was hoping for – and on reflection, was not capable of.

A lot of lessons to be taken about training and in-race nutrition to be learned. I won’t bore you with the details here.

Focus now is to get through Canberra, and then focus on getting my weight down and finding 10km speed. I’ll get in touch with Sean Williams in the weeks after Canberra and move on from there

So, I’m trying to ‘get back on the bike’ at the moment. Easter went pretty well, with a pretty reasonable 55km covered over the four days, and I’m back at the gym, back on the bike to and from work, and back in the pool. The enthusiasm’s slowly coming back – as always, it’s the people I run and share running experiences with that will help with this process.
Cautionary example indeed.