Slowly back into it

Amazing to think that the Noosa half course is currently underwater. Didn't feel too bad recovering from last week's effort, just felt like some time off. And the weather obliged, rainy & windy making the decision not to run an easy one. By Friday I was getting a bit itchy for a run so T & I finally hit the local streets - in the rain - for an easy 30 mins.

Saturday we did the 12 - 13k UQ loop speeding up to 4.40s in 59mins.

Today we did a Yeronga extension to the UQ run making it 1hr 19, maybe 16 or 17ks. Finally fine. Took T down to the boat ramp on the Corso so he could have a swim - no hesitation. The photo is taken once he got home.

Noosa HM: 84.30

(Mona from last year's Noosa HM)

Ran a pretty good race but the endurance factor let me down again. No issues with my calf, felt a bit strange but it didn't impede me at all thankfully.

Started out a little more conservatively, 4.05 1st k. As runners started to thin out I got my groove & ran with a group of 4 others. Running about 3.50s pretty comfortably. Conditions: overcast, a bit of wind swirling around, no rain. Ran past the 10 k turn-around (ok the 5k mark) for 600m or so along the river. Good to see the runners in front of me (often you're not sure who's in front & by how much).

Passed 10 k in 39.15 & started to lag behind the others in my group. Coming into the start/ finish area was good - had coach Pat giving me a good plug (helped that I was wearing PCRG clobber) & all the 10k runners lining up for their run were generous with their applause. Pat said we were on line for an 82 finish but I was aware that I was unlikely to maintain that pace.

About 13 ks I'd dropped off the pack & ran on my own for the rest. This was a problem because almost imperceptibly you start to slow - you don't have that group to keep you going. Running into the wind seemed more difficult & psychologically heading out for another lap was challenging. I tend to break these HMs into thirds (7 ks doesn't seem like much) & the 2nd lap is 10 ks, not 11.1 like the first one.

I noted that my 1k splits were lengthening, I think 15k was 59.40 & the next ks were all on 4 min pace - 64, 68, 72. Of course, the HM k markers were 100m short of the actual distance, so the 9k marker for the 10k race meant I had that longed-for last k. Went thru in 81 so needed a blistering 3 min k to get me under 84 - no way. The crowd on the bridge & near the finish were good, I had some great support & picked up the pace - just wish I'd had that earlier. Came home wheezing like a steam train, 20 secs outside my GC time. As per usual with these events, the distance was questioned - Keith S bristling with Garmins on each arm claimed it was 300m long. Oh well, I've had 2 short races, it was about time for the long one.

Recognised the race winner coming my way as I walked the long 2ks back to the campground. Sandile Lembetha, from South Africa, a 2.18 marathoner who pulled a hamstring at this year's GC marathon. I congratulated him & he told me he had a pretty slow 2nd lap but just managed to hold off Mona by 5 secs after having a huge gap (over 1 minute) at halfway. Winning time: 69 mins. His phone went off & he excused himself - probably the race organisers wondering where he was for the prize ceremony. These elite athletes - so small & light, no body fat.

Ok, I need to start running 5 days a week & increasing my mileage past the 40-50ks I'm currently doing... Next HM, Melbourne.

Got my B2B photo

Note the easy, fluid action, the relaxed face muscles & unclenched hands as I stroll thru' the finish at New Farm...

Noosa HM coming up on Sunday morning. Feeling a bit ordinary, my left calf has a knot that I can't get rid off. Had a few run thru's at Yeronga park this morning, 200m efforts, nothing flash. Took Thurs off because of my calf, only about 5k today & will take tomorrow off as well. Hopefully ready by Sunday.

Wed 15th An easy 12k effort to UQ in 59 mins.

Tues 14th PCRG Gardens session, 30 sec efforts (fast / jog) with a couple of 1 min fasts thrown in. And for added masochistic 'pleasure' a line of plastic cones placed on the unpaved path meant an obligatory fast...Inevitably just after a hard 1 min I timed it for the cone section straight after. A tough 15 min session, 3k WU & WD as well.

Sun 12th 12 k around Yeronga.

Sat 11th 10k

Fri 10th PCRG 3k WU to the Storey Bridge. Then 2 x 4mins heading out to New Farm, 30sec rest, 8 mins back. Pat usually has us doing this at West End, so was a nice change. Funny running hard on the floating boardwalk & dealing with the wake of a passing Citycat.

River Loop Run

Plotted this morning's run using the ' measure: path' tool on google earth. Came out around 18.4ks which we did in 88 mins (about 4.45ks). My first "Wednesday Long Run" as organised by Matty with a start at 5.30am at the Ship Inn. Also joining us was Beth who I recognised from the B2B 45min pace group. A whole heap of other PCRGers milling around, almost thought Pat was going to make an appearance, but they headed off on their own long run.

Tenz came along & was keen to make an impression. He can start to flag on the hills but I strategically placed him behind the others to give him a target to chase. It was cold enough that we only took 2 short stops for water at fountains.

Beth did the Everest trek in Nepal earlier this year & it reminded me of the origin of Tenzing's name. The first time I trekked up Kalar Patar on the Everest trek I was accompanied by a black & white dog who was keen to show me the way. I was reminded of that guy when I saw T & rather than go the traditional Scottish naming theme for a Border Collie thought we'd do the non-traditional Sherpa / Tibetan option.

B2B - 10k & 12k PB

(Shot taken last year).

Had taken the last 2 days off with the reprise of my cold. Didn't sleep too well, visions of the race unfolding; paranoia about sleeping in; anxiety about my 'elite' entry & whether I could make the grade...

Made sure I got to the start early after last year's late effort. 'My' street was closed this year but no matter, extra warm-up time. Carried a bag of warm stuff to put on at the other end but this wasn't necessary as it turned out. Managed to put the bag on the baggage truck that left last rather than the one that was up front. Discovered a road that loops underneath the Gateway Bridge & managed to run a good warm-up there. Met a few other PCRGers. Noted Dickson Marwa was back to defend his title. He had a great couple of weeks last year when he won B2B, C2S & the Noosa HM. Started his campaign well with a 34min winning time.

Very nice to have a 'blue' entry. About 50m had been reserved & no one was lining up, everyone skulking by the sidelines. Saw Felicity Abram was back to defend her win from last year. Instead of the 6.50am start they kept us back until 7am. Managed to be 3 rows back & was pleased to be running freely unlike last year when I was dodging traffic for a couple of ks.

Surprised to see the 45min pacers catch me going down the bridge. I'm a shocker for going out too fast but these guys were right there, balloons in my face. Equally surprised to be overtaking Claire Geraghty around this stage, I was either having a blinder or she was having a shocker. (I had heard the Qld champ was injured / or had the flu so she was probably just using it as a training run). Had to move out of the pacer's way & go past them at the 3k mark & stayed marginally in front of them until 7k.

I had the 1k split times written on the back of my hand, a goal of 45min meant 3min 45 sec ks. Pleased to be right on pace, legs were good, just had to try & relax my breathing. Chris Gale, one of the pacers, was great with his encouragement & calling out the splits. A group of probably only a dozen. I love it when the pacers are able to talk during the race & regularly call out "Good morning" or "G'day" to spectators & friends. The rest of us are quietly grimacing & unable to talk...

I wasn't too phased when the group overtook me, I managed to hook on & use the peleton to draft me along - yeah right. 4ks to go is a milestone, it doesn't seem too far away & generally you know if you're still traveling at a good pace you should be able to almost maintain it until the end. Also, I tend to factor in a last minute surge/ sprint if possible.

Its hilarious really, but I was so focussed on the end result that I didn't even realise I had run a PB for 10k - 37.15. I haven't run a 10k race since Good Friday & my PB stood at 38.00 set last year at the River Run. I ran the Doomben 10k in June but the course ended up being 8.8k after a marshal turned us around early by mistake. I ended up with a none too shabby 32.32 & estimated I would've come in in the high 36s. Must've been a bit delirious at that stage & was dropping off by 10m or so.

1k to go & the fella next to me offered some encouragement, we were by now the back markers of the 45min group. I did manage to pick it up a bit. Unsure of the actual finish cos they'd changed the route again. Finally saw the clock & it was in the 43s, couldn't believe it, stopped my watch at 44.05 meaning the last k was run in 3min 5, highly unlikely. That last k definitely seemed short & I heard it mentioned that a Garmin measured the course as 11.75ks. Anyway, a big PB of about 2 & a half minutes on last year. Unlike last year I didn't have to stop for the stitch with 500m to go. Managed to avoid this scenario by steering well clear of the drinks stations & by not eating anything first thing.

Spent the obligatory half hour queuing for my bag & stood up on the bus all the way back. Back to the harsh reality - off to work, but at least I'm smiling.

123 ...testing

Got my B2B number in the mail, hard to forget & it will be testing. An 'elite' entry looking for sub 45 but I'm still not fully over the flu. Applied for it online by providing a recent 'official' time to prove my elite - worthy status. Naturally I quoted my 'official' Doomben 10k race time, 32.32 - a huge PB, run in June. Those in the know realise that race turned into a bit of a debacle as we were turned early in the course by an over-zealous marshall. The actual distance was 8.8ks. Still, I was determined to get a better position at the pointy end of the B2B start after arriving a bit late last year & getting stuck behind 'traffic'.

Was a good hit-out at the 3k time trial on Tues. I was a bit paranoid about over-doing it but really wanted to run quick again after a lot of slow runs. The legs felt good but the lungs were hopeless. Ended up a pretty even paced run, 5.12 to the turn around & finished with 10.25 (18 secs off my PB).

Today T & I ran an easy 12k in 1 hr to UQ.

Last Saturday we ran an interval session: 2 mins fast, 2mins slow for 10ks. Haven't done that for a while. Sunday I ran 16ks @ 4.45k thru' Tarragindi up to Toohey Forest & out to GU (Griffith Uni). First time on that route & knew it was gonna be hilly - left T behind. He doesn't mind a few hills but that session was non-stop & I knew he'd be dragging the chain after a few ks.