Thursday, March 31, 2005

400s.

THURSDAY 31/3/05, 6AM- 10K- WEEK TO DATE 50K

Got up stupidly early to join Vat at Rotary for our old 8 x 400 session with 60 second standing recovery. Humid morning, about 15 degrees. After a desultory warm up, the numbers were thus....

84
86 (I thought "oh no!")
83
84
84
84
83
84

Not bad first time back I suppose, I had no "extra gear" to kick into, as I noted on Tuesday when I was doing hills.

Sort of puts me int he league of high 41s for 10K- I did pretty much the same workout before my 41.54 at LCNP in February. We'll see on Saturday.

I then ran to work via Riverside Business Park, Scribbly Gum and LCNP at a very slow pace, but feeling better by the end.

THURSDAY 31/3/05, 12.30PM- 10.5K (50.08)- WEEK TO DATE 60.5K

Ran to Dunbar, 5K barefoot, ran back. 10.4K @ 4.49min/km. Felt a bit rough at the start (2.7K to the track @ 4.57s- 13.22) but on the track I creaked into a good rhythm (5K in 24.14 @ 4.50- the real number, not the Garmin) and pushed it a bit coming back (2.7K in 12.32 @ 4.37s).

My average pace per run has come down- would do very few Ks slower than 5min/km a the moment. Partly intentional, partly not. I suppose being aware of this is incentive to push it a bit more. As long as I don't come down in an exhausted heap in four weeks, it should do me good.

Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Hill Reps etc.

TUESDAY 29/3/05, 12.30PM, 8K, WEEK TO DATE 19K

Was going to join the crew at Lilyfield but the snooze button won the battle (6 hours sleep), so at lunch I wandered down into LCNP, did a 3.5K warmup and banged out 8 x 45 seconds on thehill between the speedbumpa nd the Ranger's House- runners of the Striders 10K in the Park would know the hill well.

The GPS was all over the park (pardon the pun) as it usualyl is down there but I could tell the last couple of weeks have left a mark- I covered most reps as well as when I dd the same session with MPHaz a month or so ago, but when I really tried to wind it up on the last couple I fared no better.

TUESDAY 29/3/05, 6PM, 10.5K- WEEK TO DATE 29.5K

Ventured out again after work, ran to Dunbar and did 5K barefoot with the cuts from alst Friday taped.

Cool evening, about 16 C. Felt like I was moving really well, as is often the case on second runs for the day.

2.7K to the track- 4.44min/km
5K on the track- 23.11, 4.38min/km
2.7K back to the office- 4.49min/km.

WEDNESDAY 30/3/05, 12PM, 11.5K (53.52)- WEEK TO DATE 40K

Ran from the office to LCNP, did the 10K course, back to the office. Again the snooze button defeated me- was going to do my 14K course before work but had to do this instead. 7 hours sleep.

Wanted to push the pace a bit. Felt a bit beat up from yesterday's double but went around in 53.52, 4.41min/km. For reference I was at the top gate in 3.48, the weir in 25.20, came off Scribbly at 39.00.

Not a hot day but humid as there had been some morning rain but the sun then came out, so ran shirtless.

Was going to run again after work, but I'm doing intervals tomorrow morning so want to be somewhat fresh for those.

Tuesday, March 29, 2005

NSW Mountain Running Championship and March 5K Challenge.

SATURDAY 26/3/05, 6.15AM, 23K- WEEK TO DATE 75.5K

When I awoke at 5.45 and heard the rain drumming on the windows, the head dropped back onto the pillows for a few minutes. But I finally dragged myself out the door and jogged the 6.5K to the start through the wet. Attendance would not have matched the 40 on the list- I daresay the rain kept a few away.

A snappy 11 degrees at the start- autumn has arrived very suddenly.

I felt very wanky from when I got up and wheezed round in 20.10. My feet were bothering me too after yesterday's little training exercise- got home and found a few spots of blood on my socks. Ahh well, lots of excuses.

Looking at the splits, I lost the sub 20 between 3 and 4K...

3.52
7.52
11.46
16.05
20.10

We jogged back to the start and fired up the BBQs. Still damned cold- a few of us gathered round the hotplates just in an effort to get warm.

Eventually I headed off and ran back to my place (just to keep warm!) for a total of 23K for the morning.

SUNDAY 27/3/05, 10AM, 13K (1K warmup and 12K race)- WEEK TO DATE 88.5K

To Mt Kembla for the NSW Mountain Running Championships. 6 hours sleep.

A few weeks ago I asked Warwick Selby about this course, as he ran it at the 2003 Australian Champs. He described it as twice as steep as the Equaliser, and he had never struggled as much in a race. Warwick is a tough character but I thought he must have been indulging in hyperbole.

The course is basically a Y shape, with a climb up the dirt Cordeaux Road from the Kembla Lookout to a junction. Runners turn right and commence a very steep (ie hands on knees) ascent up a rocky fire trail to the summit of Mt Burelli, turn around, bomb down to the junction, then take the left fork up the Cordeaux Rd for a stretch, turn around, desacend back to the start for 4K with 200m of climb and of loss. Repeat twice more.

With a field of 13, most of them gun runners, I realised I was a really good chance of coming last, particularly given recent lack of hill work (Six Foot Track excepted) and the fact that I am a slow, fat bastard.

Anyway, I had to walk a good chunk of Mt Burelli on each lap, fighting and losing a stirring duel for second last with a big muscular bloke. Ben Dubois took off at the start with Ourimbah in third on the first lap, but the King was in second place and closing on Ben by the end. Perhaps if there were four laps...? Compared to the Equaliser course, this course is 2K shorter but took me 4 minutes longer and has over twice the vertical change.

Came 13th and last in 73.28. Winning time was Ben Dubois in 50 minutes.

SUNDAY 27/3/05, 9PM, 10K (52.34)- WEEK'S TOTAL 98.5K

Did another 10K on hilly bike path near my Mum's, an out and back with about 100m of vertical gain and loss. Took forever to warm up but picked it up at around 7K and got round 10.1K at 5.13min/km on a cool evening.

My biggest week, mileage wise, this year, I think.

MONDAY 28/3/05, 9AM- 11K (60.00)

Solid sleep- 8 hurs. Got out for a run on the Shaws Ridge bush loop. Felt very wanky indeed, tired, with sore quads. Mostly effects from yesterday's race I suppose. Felt marginally better in the last few km of the run, but the climb out of Blue Gum to the top of the ridge I was going so slowly I thought I would start travelling backwards in time.

Friday, March 25, 2005

Ouch.

FRIDAY 25/3/05, 1.30PM- 8K (36.37), WEEK TO DATE 52.5K

Good Friday so slept right in after a dinner involving a few too many glasses of wine. When I got up I headed up to Dunbar as I wanted to extend my longest barefoot run beyond 5K.

When I hit the track it was about 18 C with a cool south easterly wind, alternating between dark clouds and bursts of sun. I ended up doing 8K in 36.37, so 4.35min/km without too mcuh effort. For the last 3K the surfaces of the soles of my feet were hurting, and when I stopped I found that both had several small cuts on them which had drawn a little blood. It's still somewhat painful to walk on them a couple of hours later, but they'll get better fairly quickly and my feet will toughen up as a result.

I'd like to work up to 10K barefoot and see how we go from there. Probably a bit of a mental drag to take it much beyond that, as long as I am running on the track.

My left calf has been a little twitchy since Monday. Once I warm up it seems to be fine, but there is a little noticeable soreness for the first couple of km.

I think the average pace of my running has gone up in recent weeks. It'd be interesting to track this.

Thursday, March 24, 2005

Recovery Continues.

WEDNESDAY 23/3/05, 12PM, 10.5K, WEEK TO DATE 33K

Got out in steady rain and 17 C conditions for a run up to Dunbar, 5K barefoot on the grass there, and back, averaging around 5 min/km. Felt reasonable.

THURSDAY 24/3/05, 12PM, 11.5K, WEEK TO DATE 44.5K

Was going to get up early and run my 14K course before work, but the snooze button won the battle this day, and I ended up getting about 7 hours sleep. So at lunch I ran from work to LCNP, ran the Striders 10K course, and back, in 54.47, which is 4.47min/km. That's pretty good. Felt I was pushing it a bit, but not really bashing it. There was a cool breeze but the sun was out and bringing humidity from the rain with it, so it was shirts off and enjoying the sun and wind on my skin.

Got a couple of races this weekend- the CR 5K challenge on Saturday and the NSW Mountain Running championship on Sunday. If I feel all right after those, I'll start bumping up the mileage and resuming speedwork.

Tuesday, March 22, 2005

Recovery Continues.

MONDAY 21/3/05, 6pm- 8K

Cool, about 17 C, as the sun was setting. Ran from work to Dunbar Field, 2.5K barefoot, back to the office, at sub 5min/km. Felt like I was moving really well, very happy. Quads a bit sore after the run.

TUESDAY 22/3/05, 7.15AM- 14.5K, WEEK TO DATE 22.5K

After 5 1/2 hours sleep I got up this morning feeling horrible and battled with the snooze button a bit. Went into work early and ran from the office through LCNP along the Striders 10K course (except I went under Lane Cove Rd on the way out, not across it, which added a few hundred metres to the run) with an extension across the weir, up Bradfield St hill and return.

Felt very wanky but did it anwyay. Went round at 5.35min/km. Quite cool, 15 C. As a side note, Saturday evening's run was, I think, the first this year where I wore a t shirt, rather than a singlet or no shirt. Autumn is settling in.

I think I felt this ordinary because of a combination of delayed post-ultra fatigue (which I've mentioned before), poor sleep in the last week, and pushing it a bit too hard last night, especially after racing Sunday.

Might ease into a few intervals next week. We'll see.

Monday, March 21, 2005

SMC 10K. A BIt Better.

FRIDAY 18/3/05, 1PM- 6K, WEEK SO FAR- 34K

Easy recovery run in 33 minutes from the office to Scribbly and back.

SATURDAY 19/3/05, 8PM- 7K, WEEK SO FAR- 41K

After a heavy Friday night I death marched 7K in about 40 minutes after dinner on Saturday.

SUNDAY 20/3/05, 7.30AM- 11K (1K warmup and 10K race), WEEK SO FAR- 52K

Pleasantly cool weather- 16 C with a brisk south westerly breeze.

I ran the first mile or so with fellow Six Foot Trackers Blue Dog and Vat man, feeling awful- my legs, brain and stomach all seemed full of gunk. The three of us alternated between cracking jokes and wallowing in how bad we felt. Then the other two pulled away.

I hit halfway in 21.45 and looking on target for a shocker, but once I turned around I started feeling much better- my legs had some snap, my stomach stopped churning and my gait was noticeably smoother. I started working my way through the field and my splits for the last 3K were

3.49
4.04
3.52

for a 42.21 finish- course PB by 10 seconds. Not quite sure what happened there.

Had a shower and wandered back to the finish just in time to see the 30K winner come in. We hung around for about an hour chatting and clapping in the 30K finishers before hitting the road.

SUNDAY 20/3/05, 8PM- 12.5K, WEEKLY TOTAL- 64.5K

Was in Emu Plains for dinner, so when the idiot box went on I ducked out for a T shaped recovery run along the Nepean River. Felt awful for the first 8K or so then improved considerably. Cool, about 16 C, Average pace 5.18min/km.

Thursday, March 17, 2005

Recovery.

THURSDAY 17/3/05, 1PM- 8K, WEEK SO FAR- 28K

Felt a lot better today. 17 C and drizzling with a cool southerly breeze, Tuesday I was shirtless in the heat, today I was shirtless in the wet.

Ran from work to Dunbar, 2.5K barefoot and return at sub 5min/km. Not quite 100%, but noticeably fresher. Perhaps because it was the first night since 6FT where I got more than 6 hours sleep.

Wednesday, March 16, 2005

The Recovery Continues....

WEDNESDAY 16/3/05, 1PM- 6K

Same course as Monday, office-> bottom of Scribbly via the Striders 10K course -> return, in 33 minutes. Legs okay today but pretty tired in general. On the return up the hill from the bridge I was going so slowly I was almost running on the spot, and the steep pitch before the rangers house sent my HR sky high- usual symptoms of endocrinal fatigue.

Tuesday, March 15, 2005

Six Foot Track 2005.

SATURDAY 12/3/05, 8.05AM- 45K

Full report later, but here is the summary I placed on CR. Not a bad run, not a good run....


Six Foot Track number 8 down.... no matter how many times I do this race, it never fails to beat the shit out of me. Quite the mental challenge trying to pick the puzzle of the fast 6FT. I manged to fall a few seconds short of my PB (4.50) in a somewhat ugly-feeling performance.

I'd spoken quietly to four or five people before the race about my plans to run 4.40 this year. I'd not run over 25km since early December (Coast-Kosci) or a week over 90K in that time but had years of ultras and mileage in the legs so it didn't seem likely to be a problem and I hoped my recent focus on speedwork would prove to my advantage.

On the day I never actually felt I was running well. Had a great start- hit the sign at the bottom of Nellies Glen in 12 minutes, having never got there quicker than 18 minutes before. This translated to a 1.24 at the River, having never gotten there faster than 1.31 before. From the bottom of Nellies to the top of Pinnacle Hill we were running through fog- very pleasant, although it was soon burnt off by the usual March heat.

All the way down to the river I was telling whoever was with me (RMC for a while, and others included Spud, Coaster, Barry Rutter and Steve Bodnar) that I didn't feel too great and wanted to be conservative.

As a result, I walked almost all of Mini Mini Saddle (except for the flat stretch through the Cattle Yards) yet still caught a lot of people on this hill- Barry, Steve, Phil Hugill, Jim Cryer, O Runner, a wonky-looking MPHaz and others. Hit the Alum Creek Reserve in 2.10, a little behind my time from my PB year(2.08 in 2002) and caught Tim Austin.

Still wasn't feeling too good so walked almost all of Pluvi, dumping Tim, passing Vat_man (big surprise) and Sawdust and catching Spud, hitting the Pluvi aid station in 2.48 (2.51 in 2002- by contrast I ran almost all of Mini Mini and about half of Pluvi that year). I told Spud the 4.40 was still on and we set out to run all of Black Range. Even an easy jog would be enough to make up time.

At about the 29K point I hit a bad patch, feeling flat and with cramps threatening. I let Spud go, stopped, had a leak, then started walking. Sawdust came past while I was walking. I drank some water at the next aid station (felt a bit too queasy for anything else) and started to feel better. At 32K I started running again and ran all the way to Deviation (3.50 vs 3.39 in 2002- lost a quarter of an hour while I was in my funk).

Caught Mohammed between Deviation and Caves Rd crossing, he cramping and looking in real trouble. My legs still felt sensitive and a cramp threatened whenever I took a rough step but doing the maths it seemed a PB was possible still- very marginal, there would be a few seconds in it.

A big surprise was passing Blue Dog just before Caves Rd, also cramping. I urged him to come with me if he could and hit the crossing in 4.11 (vs 4.06 in 2002). Ran almost all the way to Binda Cabins, passing Sawdust back, and arrived at that aid station just as Spud was leaving it.

I stalked the Irishman for the next K or so and ran up to his shoulder just before the last big downhill. 4.50 seemed out of reach but 4.52 was still feasible. I told him to come with me and bombed the last 3K downhill in 11 minutes- unfortunately (for him) dropping Spud in the process. Hit the sealed section opposite Carlotta Arch and my legs screamed with cramp, but after a few staggering steps they snapped out of it and I was able to run under the banner in 4.51, about 40 seconds short of my PB.

had to sit down for about 20 minutes, seeing Blue Dog and others come in and digesting Emma Murray's amazing course record (and who was the first to nominate her as a contender on CR? Me! ), Greeny's win and the fact that, unknown to me, I'd missed nailing Action by only a few seconds.

There were some other gutsy and sterling performances today, most of them already mentioned. A big thumbs up to Kevin and co, Uncle Dave for his portage skills and loaning me use of his floor, Miss Skarmel (chauffeur extraordinaire, who comitted to 6FT next year in front of witnesses) and the dinner crowd last night.

Given I never really felt "on" and did so much walking I suppose 4.51 was okay, but I'm still getting over that missed 15 minutes on Black Range. Not sure why that happened to me, but it cost me a sub 4.40.

Although given I beat Sue Kelly (fantastic run which no one picked) at the February Striders 10K, should I shoot for 4.15 next year....? Not likely!

Well done all. Full report to follow.


MONDAY 14/3/05, 6.15PM- 6K

Shuffled from the office to the bottom of Scribbly in LCNP and back in 34 minutes. Calf muscles really not happy. Saw Glenn Guzzo running the other way at very high speed.

TUESDAY 15/3/05, 1PM- 8K

Ran from the office to Dunbar, 2.5K barefoot on the grass there, back to the office, in 28 C heat. Tried to jog it slowly but this ended up being 5.04min/km (!) and I really battled hard- calf muscles felt better but overall I felt tired at an endocrinal level.

Friday, March 11, 2005

Last Minute....

FRIDAY 11/3/05, 12.45PM- 4K

Barefoot on grass at 4.38min/km. Felt neither particularly good nor bad. Warmish- 24 degrees and about 60% humidity with intermittent sunlight.

Thursday, March 10, 2005

Wonky Sharpener for 6FT.

THURSDAY 10/3/05, 1PM- 7.5K

Slept in this morning so jogged up to Dunbar at lunch to see if I could replicate last week's flying 1K/500m x 3 session. Reasonably mild- 23 degrees with 65% humidity and a cool south easterly breeze- but I felt fairly wanky jogging up there.

1K- 3.45 (went through halfway at 3.35 pace and backed off)
500- 1.47
Got halfway through the next 1K in low 3.30s pace when I thought "I'm really smashing myself here and that's not smart 2 days before 6FT" and stopped. Gave it a few minutes rest, ran 400m in 78 (equal to my PB), jogged back to work. Still felt wanky.

Dunno what to make of that one. Stuffed it a bit by taking the 1Ks out too hard, I think. No idea what the implications are for 6FT.

Hopefully a solid sleep tonight, a few km tomorrow morning barefoot and I'll be set.

A Dalliance with Ingrid...

Cyclone Ingrid that is. Nothing serious, but did make my last few days in QLD humid and windy....

SUNDAY 6/3/05, 9PM- 6.5K
MONDAY 7/3/05, 11PM- 9.5K

Easy recovery runs running laps of the tourist strip of Palm Cove. Felt a bit tired. Averaged 5.22min/km and 5.35min/km. Very humid, both times....

TUESDAY 8/3/05, 10.30PM- 13K

Hill reps. Warmed up with a lap of downtown Palm Cove (again) then jogged over to "Kellyville" and did 10 x 30 second hills in one of the cul de sacs there, in strong winds, drizzle and humidity- 27 C and 75% humidity at 11pm! Warmed down with another lap of the tourist strip. Felt okay. The hill was no Lilyfield Rd but I could tell it was there. First and last two reps were the best (MPHaz would be proud).

Took Wednesday 9/3 off deliberately.

Sunday, March 06, 2005

Mt Bartle Frere.

SATURDAY 5/3/05, 9.30AM- 14K

No ordinary 14K here. The objective was to climb Mt Bartle Frere, at 1622M ASL Queensland's highest peak, from the Joespehine Falls trailhead. Given the trailhead is 40m ASL, this makes it the second highest amount of vertical you can fit in a mountain walk in Australia, surpassed only by the 1700m climb from Geehi to Kosciuszko via Hannels Spur (Australia's only "vertical mile" ascent).

I set off with full length coolmax shirt and pants to guard against stinging trees and other nasties, figuring it would take 8 hours to do the round trip. To my consternation after about a mile's hiking through steamy rainforest I found I had company- leeches, and I'd forgotten to bring salt. Swarming all over my feet and up the legs of my pants.

I tried to forget them as I made my way over the tangle of tree roots (treacherously slippery) that they called a trail. It was well marked- orange tapes and paint markers were numerous- but just damned slow going.

The Bellenden Ker Range climbs directly west of the Bruce Highway, rising directly from the coastal plain, and generates its own weather, being wreathed in cloud most of the time. As I climbed higher I encountered mist, then as I climbed above the treeline into the summit boulder fields at about 1400m ASL I found visibility was down to a couple of metres and hail was pelting down. After some slow progress I decided to turn around at 1470m ASL as the weather was getting worse and traversing exposed, wet rocks in such conditions didn't seem safe or fun to me. A fall would have been disaster. Not a hard decision to make.

As I descended visibility actually got worse and rain intensified, which justified my choice to me- the weather was closing in. I fell a few times on the descent on wet tree roots, but my big worry now was that after every creek crossing, the water squeezing from my shoes was bright red- blood from leech bites.

After 7 1/4 hours I returned to where I started from, got hold of a salt shaker and removed over 25 leeches from my feet and lower legs. Today I look like I have some skin disease from all the bites, especially as they are covered in betadine to prevent infection. But, I'll still run tonight once it cools.

I still got in over 1400m vertical gain and descent, so good 6FT training even if I didn't make the summit. This is a considerably more difficult climb than, say, Mt Bogong of which many of you are familiar- the vertical gain is greater (I did more vertical on Bartle Frere without reaching the summit than you would if you did the entirety of Mt Bogong), the footing is far more treacherous, the weather is poor (heat AND zero visibility in the one day) and Bogong doesn't have that many leeches.

Doubt I'd try it again, didn't have much fun. But good to cop the odd lesson in humility from the mountains.

Friday, March 04, 2005

Kellyville in Queensland.

FRIDAY 4/3/05, 9PM- 11.5K

Got out for a run after dinner and a day at Cape Tribulation. Spent an hour cruising the developments around Palm Cove (the new ones look like Kellyville- lots of cul de sacs which I duly got lost in) and down to Clifton Beach and back. 26 C and 70% humidity after showers earlier in the day. Felt good after a sluggish warmup and getting quicker at the end. Averaged 5.13min/km.

Tomorrow I'm making an attempt on Mt Bartle Frere- 1622m ASL, the highest peak in Quennsland.

Outback Mystery.

This blog comes from tropical Cairns.....

WEDNESDAY 2/3/05, 10PM- 6K

Flew in before dinner and it took some time to get organised. Finally got out for a run on Palm Cove beach (barefoot) late at night with the headlamp. Found the going very unpleasant- nowhere near as good as the running on Merimbula Beach last October. Went out for 3K before giving up and running back. Blinding speed on the sand- 6.40min/km.

THURSDAY 3/3/05, 9PM- 11.%K

This is the really weird one.

Slept in, spent the day around Cairns, finally got out for a run at 9pm. I was down for 1K/500m x 3 @ 1 minute recoveries; and spent the first 5K of my run warming up by looking for a stretch of road that was lit and over 1K long in Palm Cove. No luck so I used the bike lane on Cedar Drive, which has a noticeable but not severe slope, doing the 1Ks as 500m out and back to nullify any gain or disadvantage in doing the full distance uphill or downhill. I set the Garmin's distance alert for 500m and for the 1K reps turned around at the first warning and hit stop at the second; for the 500m reps just hit stop at the first warning.

It was still 26C and 74% humidity when I began and I felt like I was moving fairly well....

3.47
1.50 (downhill)
3.40 (!)
1.47 (uphill)
3.39 (!!)
1.47 (downhill)

Those last two 1K reps are waaaayyyy quicker than anything I've run lately for that distance, and can't be explained away by gradient as all the 1K reps were half uphill, half downhill. I noticed I seemed to be shuttling back and forth between two streetlights, so as part of my warmdown I walked the distance between these posts twice, on the opposite side of the road to the one I was doing my reps on in case the GPS was confused by roadside trees or something. The first measurement was 498m, the second 503m. So it seemed the distance was accurate, but I am still skeptical that I ran that quick based on recent form.

Any explanations? Is the Garmin wrong, have I suddenly hit good form, or do I file this one under "weird workouts"?

Tuesday, March 01, 2005

3K Tempo.

TUESDAY 1/3/05, 6AM- 13.5K

Felt crappy when I got up after 4 hours sleep- definitely would have gone back to sleep if I hadn't arranged to meet anyone. Wandered round to Action's to join him and Cam for a 3K time trial down at the Bay. 20 degrees, 84% humidity. After a lengthy warmup (still felt damned ordinary- 5.20min/km pace felt uncomfortable) we reached the 0K marker at the Rowers, then decided it was too congested to start from here so we kept going round to the 2K marker and commenced. By the time the tempo actually commenced I had run 9K!

Splits were as follows....

3.55
7.52
11.39

I'd thought, based on my 5K on Saturday, something in the range 11.30- 11.40 was what I was capable of, so I was correct there, but still too damned slow in the overall scheme of things.

1.5K warm down along the dog loop and up Lilyfield Rd back to Action's.