9.55 3k TT PB

Last Friday's session involved 4x 1k efforts, Pat grabbed this shot finishing up one of them. Tried to be consistent with 3.20s (my goal pace for the TT) & managed that pretty well. Helped by 1 min standing recoveries.

Before that I ran Tuesday's speed session pretty hard, my intention this month has been to set a PB for the TT & go sub-10 to boot. I haven't been running 'long runs', just focusing on speed & actually not doing that many runs (3 or 4 for the week). This weekend saw Cec & I down at Byron, had one run - a 10 minute jog along the beach after a swim.

Fronted up this morning with a bit of encouraging news - the course has been modified a bit - after the 2k mark we continue along the road & not the footpath. That footpath has always been a bit of a problem, narrow & hard to master... one particular walker likes to walk her poodle off-leash & there was an occasion when I had to leap over it...

The run unfolded close to perfection: held myself back in the first k going thru in 3.18. Enjoyed the new patch along the road & turned in 4.59 feeling good. I settled in behind Damian F & was pretty content with my position - he was going for sub 10 as well. He started to flag just before 2k & I had to overtake at that stage. Pat was at the 2k marker & called out the split: 6.35. I was too focused to look at my watch but it was probably within 2 secs of that time. Knew then that I just had to maintain that pace - my failing recently. But spurred on by trying to hold off Damian (who was getting a tirade of encouragement & cajoling by Pat) & also by the fact that Nick & Matty weren't putting any distance between me, I managed to shatter my PB by 10 secs. My first sub-10 after 2 years of trying & a podium finish as well (3rd).

And now for a well-earned rest.

13k 'long' run

Felt too tired on Sunday morning for a run - had wiped myself out a bit the day before moving furniture & cleaning up. Ended up going for a quick run on Sunday evening after 6pm. About 4.30 pace, dropped T off after 45 mins & kept going for another 15 or so.

On the Friday did the West End 4 min x 2 out, & the 2min & 30 sec return routine.

About 30k for the week.

Keep on ploddin'

Fronted up for this morning's PCRG session with a huge crowd, took a bit of effort to overtake everyone on the warm-up. A Gardens session involving 3 x 2 min efforts, 30 sec jogs; a 30 sec SR before repeat. Then Pat's add-ons : 2 min out & 2 back; followed by a quick 1 min up the hill to the cafe. No problems with my Achilles heel that has been feeling a bit over-used.

Last Friday's run consisted of some out & back stuff along the floating boardwalk followed with some steep hill reps.

Backed up on Sat with a 1 hr 12k easy with T. Did the same on Sunday late arvo after coming home from a shindig up at Caboolture.

Long Run 1hr 55

Determined to have a long run this last weekend & the weather helped, a bit cooler & overcast on Sunday. Slept in & hit the road about 7.50am. Left T behind but it was for his own benefit - now the days are getting muggy I'm worried he'll overheat but just keep running out of a sense of duty. (We went for a run on Sat morning, 11 ks that included 2 swims - for T that is).

I also need to practice running long distances on my own. Running with a dog does tend to destabilise you a bit holding onto the lead. Running free I felt my gait was a bit better & it was good to be unencumbered of the lead & having to stop for T whenever he needs a stop.

Headed down to the Green Bridge, about 3 ks away & then did the 18.4 'river loop', so about 24ks all up in 1 hour 55 mins. Got into a groove early on & it felt pretty effortless heading along Riverside Drive where I estimated I was on 4.15 k pace. Knew it was a bit fast but also figured I had a long way to go so I might as well chew up the ks.

Didn't see many runners & no one I knew. Did a spot check along the Regatta stretch where a k is marked out - 4.33. Hit the hills at St Lucia & predictably the wheels fell off, just started to do the bare minimum, conserving energy, back around the 5 to 5.15 pace. Only had 3 water fountain drinks & back home was pretty dehydrated. Plenty of stretching & today I feel surprisingly good.

Group member of the month award

Won jointly with Margaret & Damien. Didn't even realise I was in the running, but got it for "achieving a PB when the previous PB was at least 4 months ago". Next month I'm going for the "3 consecutive faster performances" gong. Report here:

I try not to miss the Thursday PCRG session after the time trial cos Pat gets the Ship Inn to put on breakfast. But this morning he postponed it due to the fun run last night. Lots of secretly disappointed folks methinks. Instead of the run out to New Farm we headed around the apartments on the other side of the Story Bridge, then over said bridge & back to the Gardens. Only took 34 mins so did a few laps before most people had regathered for the "no watch 1k". Pat asked me to do the timing cos he was watchless, so I hared off keeping in front of Damien clocking up 3.17 & then calling times until handing over to Pat.

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...