3k TT PB

Only by 2 seconds, 10.05, which is a bit disappointing. Just felt a bit flat today. Still there's always next month & a tantalising 5 secs to lose.

Went out ok & was only a few seconds behind Matty at 1 k in around 3.15. Got to the half-way turn-around in 4.56 but by 2k I was down to 6.39 (2nd k 3.24) & last k was 3.26. So need to practice my endurance, something I've done little of since Melbourne, only running around 30k weeks at the mo'.

That's all I kneed...

Fronted up last Sunday but had a sore glute, shuffled along miserably then called it a day.

Tuesday's speed session was an 8x 500m & then 1x 1k under the Story Bridge. Felt pretty good. A group of 6 in front of me but after their initial burst I kept them at the same margin thru'out.

Thought I'd do a bit of sharpening up for next Tuesday's 3k TT so headed up to the school oval on Wednesday evening after a 15 min warm-up jog. Did 4 sets of 800m with a 2 min recovery walk between (covering 200m).The cricket oval has a 400m 'track' marked out on the 'grassy' surface, but it's very rough. Quite patchy from the lack of rain, little maintenance & weekend cricket matches. So I noticed on the bends I was a bit unsteady, poor light by this stage compounded things & ended up with a sore right knee (my previously injured one).The 800s BTW weren't that fast, just wanted to maintain a steady pace for both laps but invariably the 2nd one was a few seconds slower, around 2.48s.

Took Thurs & Fri off. Feeling better this morning headed out on a very easy 11-12k run at about 5.15 pace. Started too late, around 8 & it was quite warm on the way back, my shoulders getting a bit of sunburn. Tenzing's tongue practically on the concrete we went home via the boat ramp & I thought I saw steam come off him as he immersed himself into the grey-green greasy Limpopo river...

Recovery mode

Taking it pretty easy the last couple of weeks. Had 4 days off after the HM before fronting up to a PCRG Friday session where I ran pretty conservatively. Followed that with a 1 hour Sunday run with Tenz. He seemed ok on the run, had his 'reward' swim next to a waterski boat, but next day he pulled up a bit lame. Hard to tell whether it was a result of the run or an injury of his own making (he does tend to tear around the yard when school kids are leaving or returning for the day). A couple of days off for him & he's pulled up well.

This week I've only run at Pat's on Tuesday & again today, Friday. Pat is definitely developing a sadistic streak: the intense sessions are morphing into extreme. Today it was 4x 2mins with 30sec recoveries out; 30/30s all the way back. Ran pretty much with Damien on the way back which helped with maintaining an honest pace. Taking tomorrow off before a longer run on Sunday hopefully with Pete & Dave.

I feel my running base has reached a comfortable level now after 3 years that I can take the next step: marathon 2008, Gold Coast.



PS Received my Supersportimages.com Melb HM photos & have added them to my HM post. Interesting to chart my ordeal from comfortable to "please let it be over!" See below...

Melb HM 83.16 PB

Saturday 6th October , William Barrack Bridge - the calm before the storm

Hit the Fitzroy streets first thing Sunday morning - walking - to the MCG start. 4 hot air balloons descended in quick succession, seemingly from my angle straight into the G. Dropped my gear off & headed out into the chill. Fine but fortunately no breeze. Did some easy warm-up run thru's before lining up close to the start.

Start was delayed due to St Kilda road traffic issues, five to ten minutes that blew out to around 20. Finally the race was about to start when we had to observe the national anthem, haven't done that at a race before. Impatience was rewarded with a quick start downhill, not too many issues, no-one really slow getting in the way.



Crowd thinned out by the 2k mark. Got into a groove going down St Kilda Road, enough to have a conversation. Once the other fella realised my 'marathon' pace was half-marathon he accepted that he had to back off.

Around 7 k got into a bunch of guys running a similar pace. This was what I needed, I seem to run better when I push myself to keep up. Monitoring my kilometre splits I was doing 3.55s. When I ran a 4.00 realised I had to put on a bit of a spurt to keep my goal within sight.



So there was a bit of to-ing & fro-ing as we headed down Beaconsfield Parade alongside Port Philip Bay. I think the 11k split was 43.10. No issues with splitting off from the marathoners around the 13 k mark. No officials shouting at me to go the other way, so pleased I didn't have to explain myself.

With about 5ks to go my left shoe was getting loose, couldn't see any shoelaces flailing around but it got worse & I was determined not to stop & lose my momentum.

2ks to go & I could see the 10k runners joining us from their run around the gardens. Because of our delay there were more 10k runners out there than I was hoping for. William Barrack Bridge proved a real hurdle. Suddenly the change from level ground really seemed to slow me & I started to run into traffic.



There'd been no HM 1k markers since the 15k mark & I'd given up trying to estimate distance & time. Just gritting my teeth, but did finally look at my watch & was relieved to see 1hr 17 - leaving me with 6 mins to get to the finish. Spent my circuit of the MCG outer calling out to people to move to the left.

Finally the tunnel - can't remember it - & onto the hallowed turf (no track laid down) to complete a 3 quarter lap, fortunately separated from the 10k runners. Sped up here, as you do, rather than soaking up the atmosphere & finished thru' the chute on my own stopping my watch at 83.20. (Official time 83.16).



Rob DeCastella was on hand to present me with a HM medal which was a nice touch. Finished 76th overall & 6th in my age category. So a 1 minute PB from Gold Coast & achieved my goal...but, knew I could do better. The bridge & the congestion at the end slowed me a bit but it is my lack of long running to build endurance that is letting me down (just a bit). Always good to recognise potential improvement huh?

Taper is on

Had my last run before the race this morning. About 13 k all up. Consisted of the PCRG Thursday 'long run' after that month's 3k TT. Ran for 30 minutes heading over the Story Bridge & along the River Walk to New Farm then turned around & headed in to the Gardens along the Riverside side. Ran in a group of 4: Perky, Robbie & Pat.

At the gardens we headed off to the Goodwill Bridge on our 'no watch 1 k'. You nominate a race pace & attempt to come in as close as possible to that. I must be pretty fit, my 3.50 estimate came in at 3.37. Maybe I was just on a high after speeding past our power-walking PM...don't know what the reception was for our Premier, she of the running persuasion - I doubt he would've recognised her.

Anyway, fly down to Melb tomorrow at 5pm. Will take Saturday off as well & hopefully front up Sunday morning fighting fit with the other 16,000 competitors.

Speedy work

Ty, Dec & T

Spent the weekend with my nephews who were up from Melbourne with Friday arvo at the beach on Bribie: frisbee, soccer & swimming.



This after that morning's PCRG session of 2x 2km efforts at West End. Felt pretty controlled, first one in a perfect split: 3.24 / 6.48.

Saturday spent the day wandering around Seaworld. Came away with a sore neck from tensing up on the "Corkscrew" roller coaster. Even Ty went on it after measuring up to the 122cm height limit. That morning T & I met up with Luke to do a Yeronga/ UQ easy session, about 15ks in 74mins.

Last Tuesday's speed work consisted of a pretty torrid 8x 500m session. At least we had a generous 1 min recovery between them. Did my usual miscalculation: hit the 6th one hard thinking it was our last effort. Clung on for the last 2. Did manage one effort up "Gold Coast" hill with Glenda. Despite our leading no-one followed...

Followed that the next morning with a 12 k interval run in 58mins. Started off with a quick 4 mins (mainly to keep in front of another runner who turned up just behind us). Then down to 2 mins 'fast', 2 mins jog. The 'fast' became progressively slower as we both ran out of puff.

Yesterday I ran an easy 6k after taking Sunday off, the first day of my taper towards next Sunday's Melbourne HM.

This morning fronted up to the monthly PCRG 3k TT. My last solid hit-out before my race. Wanted to run a pretty measured 10.15. But headed out feeling surprisingly quick, thought I'd try & maintain that to half way. Turned around in 4.58, my first sub-5 min for that run, just a bit behind Matty. Started to slow up on the way back & paranoid about not straining the knee or doing the calf just tried to keep it together. Good to see Matty move away from me, take the lead from Mat C & cross first in a PB 9.48. He didn't appear to be that far in front of me but it took me a while to finally come in, 20 secs behind in 10.08. That was only 1 sec outside my PB so I'm obviously in good form. If I can keep this level of fitness together will try & have a crack at the 10.00 barrier next month...