Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Tuesday, 27 May 2008

Interesting session with Brian tonight. Again late to the track, having to jog the 8 minutes from the station. This actually adds 2 km to my total distance on training days, but i never record it

Three sets in the session tonight - a 3 km, 2 km and 1 km. The 3 km set was just a straight out 7.5 lap run with two laps to be run quicker on Brian's whistle. The first quick lap for me came after 900 metres. It was hard to settle back into the steady rhythm I had before the whistle and I suspect it was a tad slower. The second whistle happened when I was 2.5 kilometres in, so almost made it into that last lap. Brian must have been watching! Didn't take times for the quicker laps, except to say they were definitely quicker than the steady pace sections. On the watch I had 10:34 at the finish, so probably doing around 86's for the steady pace bits

Having been the first to finish the first set, my recovery was a bit longer than everyone elses at around seven minutes, so pretty fresh for the second set, which was five laps of float 100 metres, then steady 300 metres. Brian's idea of float this time was a bit different from mine in that float was just backing off the pace a tad. I know Brian knows what float means but i guess he was trying to make it easier for our fun runners. My "float" was getting slower through the five efforts. I only timed the last three for 56, 56 and 54 on the last one. Noice!

About five minutes recovery and we were over at the 200 for the 1 km start. The legs were feeling lactic after that second set. This set was 1 lap easy, 1 lap medium, 200 metres hard. Brazza very kindly said to Josh, "you stick with Jeremy". Just great! Mind you, the kid stuck to the game plan until with 250 metres to go he thought he had a sniff of outsprinting me to the finish. He cut on the inside of one of the slower runners (while I did the right thing by going on the outside) and went for broke. I got the arms moving, made sure I was running high on the balls of my feet and left him behind with 150 metres left. To his credit he kept having a crack and kept me honest to the end. Congratulations were forthcoming from Brian for Josh for the way he kept coming - in the past he has preferred to drop off and I think is a coming of age thing for Josh

TOTAL DISTANCE = 7 kilometres (including warm up and jelly legged warm down)

Monday, 26 May 2008

Was hoping to leave work a little earlier than usual today, but yet again got stuck with something

A very ordinary run today for two reasons. One, was that i didn't set my watch properly at the start and the other was soreness. Near the start of my run I could feel my right foot was sore with every stride.

And then halfway through the run my shins got very, very sore. And wouldn't you know, just when you need to hit a few red traffic lights to stretch I got green lights all the way through. Managed a little stretch at Lygon Street on my way through Park Street. Felt like there was a lot of resistance there in the muscle. Had a longer stretch at Merri Parade before the long climb up St Georges Rd. This worked an absolutely treat and I was able to finish the rest of the run (another 12 minutes) almost pain free

So don't know the run time all up but I would guess at around 45 minutes. Not quite the 50 minutes I was supposed to go for, but then halfway through my run it didn't look like I was going to finish at all

TOTAL DISTANCE = about 9 kilometres

Sunday, 25 May 2008

Rest day today. At least it should have been a 50 minute medium run with fartlek sections in it, but we had a bit to do in the house then we had Kylie's brother Andrew and his long term squeeze over for what turned out to be a late lunch and then dinner. So will have to get to it tomorrow

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Saturday, 24 May 2008

We had a club run today - an 11.2 km Handicap run with Collingwood Harriers. I know this run fairly well as have run it the last three years. The first time I ran I did 39:13, the second time it was 40:28 so I was keen to try to get closer to that first year's effort. Also, Collingwood have a very well stocked beer fridge and i was looking forward to a can or three as a reward

By 2:30 pm when I started the weather was beautiful and you would not have known we had our coldest May morning for 20 years. Tried to start off nice and steady and not run my race in the first couple of kilometres.

However after about a kilometre it was clear that I did not prepare as well as I should have and needed to go to the toilet. I came across one at the two kilometre mark and wasted 30 seconds having a wee and washing my hands. Then it was off again

Reached the first nasty hill just over the river and did not attack it, rather just went for a nice steady rythm up to the top. It was pretty steep. And so it went on. An extremely undulating course but nice in that for all the long uphills there were long downhills

About 20 minutes out from home and I see the bridge going over the Eastern Freeway. Alarm bells ring as I know there is a very long uphill to get to the crest whereupon you go down towards that bridge. Pass a few runners near the top of the hill and spend a few seconds shortening the stride to recover from the effort once over it

So we get to the bridge over the Eastern and I remember that once over the bridge there is another long uphill section before you get to Chandler Highway. Doh! Luckily this is the last major hill to speak of, and I work my way past more runners up towards Heidelberg Road.

Things move pretty quick from here. Its about three kilometres to the finish, but as a backmarker suddenly you are encountering packs of front and middle markers. As I knew it was pretty flat to the finish, I force myself to keep a good pace going even though I just want to ease off a bit. Pushed all the way through and passed quite a few burgers on the way including 2006 and 2006 winner Diane Brimacombe. Finally get to the line and see about five Harriers already there.

My official finish time was around 40:44, but considering the 30 second loo break it was closer to 40:15, so I'll take that. Three beers afterwards plus a bonus can while I pretended to Kylie that I was saying goodbye to people while she put the pram in the car. Maybe long run tomorrow. Need to keep the miles up and these consecutive days of running. Plus, with La Trobe 15km next Saturday, I want to be as fresh as possible

TOTAL DISTANCE = 11.2 kilometres - yep, no warm up or down

Friday, 23 May 2008

A 30 minute recovery run today to work - and pay day. yay!!

Got out around 8:00 am and it was cold, cold, cold! Luckily the first thing i did when i got out of bed was put my running socks on and shoes. and clothes of course!

Ran from home, along the normal route down St Georges Road, then across Park Street. While I had been enjoying the run to this point, suddenly I kind of felt like I was pushing a little. Really tried to slow things down a bit and I am not sure but its possible I was surging in sections so really have to concentrate on keeping things nice and slow for these runs

Got to Royal Parade but instead of heading for the city, I went under the road along the bike path through to the Zoo and the station. I stopped here for 32 minutes on the watch which was all I wanted to do. At the station, find the next train had been cancelled! So onto the tram and into work by 9:10 am which wasn't bad going

Kylie was off to the movies tonight so I had to make sure I was home by 6:00 pm, so unlike last Friday night those two pints I had tonight really WERE just two pints!!

TOTAL DISTANCE = about six kilometres

Thursday, 22 May 2008

Training was with Brian tonight. I was pretty late as I had to get a few things done at work. We have got quite a bit on with some workers in Bendigo getting screwed over with their entitlements only to find out their jobs are about to be shipped off shore! And of course we are bargaining at the moment with one of Australia's largest employers who are also very anti-union and have had AWA's in place since 1999

Anyhoo, enough of the politics. Got to training just in time to do the run throughs part of the night and was happy to get there even in time for that. Pretty easy session tonight, on what was a very cold evening - the sort where mist shrouds the track and your hands are numb

We had 3 x 600's with 200 recovery then a break. After that we had 3 x 600's with 200 easy, 200 medium, 200 steady and jog recovery between each. I managed to knock over the first set in consistent times (i think all around 1:57 from memory)

After that a short break and straight into the second set. I was glad to get those out of the way so I could head straight inside where it was warm and the beer was cold. I selfishly drank four of the last eight beers before I got a lift home with Rey

TOTAL DISTANCE = about 6 kilometres including warm up and down

Wednesday, 21 May 2008

Long run home tonight. Was on the clock as Kylie had to leave at 7:00 pm for a meeting

Did not end up leaving until 6:15 pm and then I fair dinkum got caught at every red light on the way home except I think for four - and two of those were the last two

Thought I was running reasonably strongly without really overdoing it. Got to Park St & Royal Pde with 19:30 on the watch. Ended up running 45 odd minutes overall. Feeling more confident now about running consecutive days if I can keep feeling good like this

TOTAL DISTANCE = about 9 kilometres

Tuesday, 20 May 2008

Training with Brian today. Interesting session this one, in that the lights went off halfway through

It called for 4 minutes with two minutes recovery, repeated three times. Then a break and the same again but with 3 minute intervals

After my disappointing run at Sandown I was keen to have a good training session. Managed a consistent distance for all of the 4 min efforts at around my 5 km pace. Then, on the last effort all the lights went out and we were dodging each other in the dark!

After a bit of stuffing around Brian says do six easy laps. But i thought stuff that I have amends to be made. So I called a core group of us together and we finished off the set as described but in the outside three lanes of the track.

I must admit, while we were organising all that, we did end up with more recovery before starting the second set than what Brian would have planned. Still, I really tried to push the second set and certainly didn't leave much out there

I was rapt that one of the dads of the little aths girls with us trained tonight with us, which was great to see

TOTAL DISTANCE = about 6.5 kilometres including warm up and down

Monday, 19 May 2008

Rest day today. Not much to report except that hammies are still sore. And that I caught up with an ex-umpiring mate from my days at the VFL. Turns out the VFL are promoting guys to the AFL who are struggling to meet the minimum fitness requirement of 4 km in 18 minutes. yikes!

So the boss of the AFL put a rocket up the boss of the VFL who in turn placed that rocket fairly and squarely up the goalies boss. The result? The VFL time trial is now 4 km instead of 3 km and only guys who have a proven fitness record are umpiring senior football. About time!!

While I had a good run at the VFL, it is my belief that had that policy been in place while I was there, I could possibly have racked up close to 50 VFL senior matches rather than the 30 odd that I did over four seasons. Not to worry, I enjoyed my time there but gee I enjoy my running more

Sunday, 18 May 2008

The club had a fun run on this morning, so we (the family) all went down and helped out. Kylie looked after the computer stuff while I made sure the children ate their breakfast. My hammies were a bit sore, which was odd

Once all the runners were off and I had started the clock. I went out for my own run. I went out on the Merri Creek bike path for 20 minutes south towards the city. This took me to the "Golden Domes" which is an orthodox church around the corner from CERES near Separation Street in Thornbury

Then a 40 minute run back which was 20 minutes to the club rooms then as much again on the bike path. From here just 20 minutes back to the club rooms

Great to get the long run out of the way early. Fell asleep on the couch at home

TOTAL DISTANCE = about 17 kilometres

Saturday, 17 May - AV Winter Round 3

Round 3 of the Winter Season today with a 10 km road race at Sandown. After training fairly strongly during the week, I was fairly confident of a good time. Alas, that's not how things transpired

Did not get to bed until 12:30 that morning so not a great start. The morning dawned and it rained, and it rained, then it rained some more. In fact it did not let up the whole morning. John Braszell picked me up promptly at 12:30 pm and we were off to Sandown

On Springvale Road and we're listening to the weather reprt on the radio and they say it is 7 degrees! Yikes!!

A short warm up in the rain and we go to the start line. So many bodies there, that it is actually quite warm amongst all the body warmth, although not very sweet smelling. after pushing really hard at the start last year, this year i wanted a nice steady start with as even a split as possible. Maybe 3:18 through the first km was not the way to go.

Felt reasonably strong on the second lap, and kinda felt like I was really pushing up that front straight. Still, went through 5 km in 17:24 when I was hoping for something closer to 17:10. Really started to feel the pace from hereon in and did the last 5 km in 17:43, so only about 19 seconds difference. didn't have much left at the end for what I reckon is the longest finishing straight in AV running - all 800 odd metres of it

i was a bit disappointed with my 35:07, but its probably not that bad. After going through my blog entries I see I have only been back in full training for about five weeks following my two week break after Stawell. Which in itself I only had three full months training for after being injured for half the summer

Coburg Harriers had arguably their strongest ever winter season women's team competing on Saturday, so that was pretty exciting, although they finished third last. One of our 16 year old boys ran 39:30, a massive PB for him. And one of our other juniors did a massive PB in the 3 km race and we had a 16th in the U14 girls race. Some very postitive signs for the club

So I look ahead to an 11.2 km run at Collingwood next weekend and the 15 km AV Road Race the week after. And more immediately, an 80 minute run tomorrow morning

TOTAL DISTANCE = about 11.5 kilometres including warm up and down

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Friday, 16 May 2008

Rest day today ahead of Sandown tomorrow The most exciting thing that happened was that while Kylie was waiting for me to come home so that she could go out for her borther's girlfriend's birthday dinner, I was continually getting shouted pints at the pub The game plan was to buy two pints straight off the bat, drink those two and leave at 5:50 pm to catch the tram. A further three pints later its 6:40 pm and Kylie is already ten minutes into the time she was supposed to leave. My bad! Ignoring my phone I rockup on the doorstep at 7:15 pm. She left, I had dinner, hopped onto the computer, finished my bottle of red from last night and fell into bed at 12:30 am

Not the ideal preparation for Sandown, but this is a tried and true method. i generally PB on this sort of prep. Don't ask me why, but it works and who am I to change a winning forumla

TOTAL DISTANCE - the 500 metre sprint from the tram stop to the door step

Thursday, 15 May 2008

Training tonight with Brian. Thought it was going to be an easy session and if I had run it as he intended, it probably would have been

We had to do 3 x 500's, 4 x 300's, then 6 x 150's to finish off. Did the 500's a bit too quick at 3 min/km a pace and I deviated from the game plan even further after that. Did the 300's at just under my 5 km race pace and didn't bother timing the 150's

And even with all of that, I was not alone. Liam Magee our new guy pretty much pushed me the whole session, and I was happy to sit behind him for a few of those reps

Young Josh Persson was funny though. I could tell he was running within himself on the first four 150's. On the fifth one on the back straight he put in a strong effort and I thought that was cool. On the last one, like the true hero that I am, I showed him the sort of effort he will need if he wants to try that sort of stuff on me. Left all comers in my mighty wake. What a man!

A relaxing beer or two afterwards than a couple glasses of red as we toasted Harold Steven's 80th birthday with a function at the track. All the children in bed after 9:30 and they were pretty ratty on the way home

TOTAL DISTANCE = about 4 kilometres including warm up and down

Wednesday, 14 May 2008

Ran into work today. Brian wanted me to do 45 minute run with 10 minute surge through the middle

Set off from home and like all the other runs to work recently it took a good 17 minutes for my feet to warm up and not feel like I was hitting the pavement with bare feet. Still not sure about those shoes

When it came to push time after 25 minutes, it was hard going at first but got easier once I'd worked my way into it. It started pretty much at Park Street (at Lygon Street), continued along Park Street, left into Royal Parade (alongside Princes Park) and I had got to the end of Princes Park (and 7 minutes into my run) when I hit a red traffic light. So that was the end of that

All up 45 minutes into work. Felt really good that night and might not be long before I started training twice a day a couple times a week

TOTAL DISTANCE = about 9 kilometres

Tuesday, 13 May 2008

Training at the track tonight was a 6 km time trial, which I was a bit surprised at and a little aggrieved considering I could have done that on the way to or from work

It is in preparation for Saturday's AV 10 km winter season round 3 race at Sandown

Did 3 km splits of 10:18 and 10:23 so hopefully that puts me in good stead for Saturday

TOTAL DISTANCE = about 7 kilometres including warm up and down

Monday, 12 May 2008

Long run home tonight from work. After last Monday's slip up with the timing I was better prepared this time around

Got to Princes Park where I did a complete loop, then did a little out and back to add what I thought was the extra time I needed

Got to St Georges Road and headed off down the Merri Creek bike path from there. Got to where I needed to turn off for the road home (about six minutes from my door) and I still needed to make up four minutes. A couple laps of the footy oval there and I was right

All up 75 minutes and it felt reasonably comfortable. Pleased with that

TOTAL DISTANCE = about 16 kilometres

Sunday, 11 May 2008

Rest day as mother's day today. Kylie's present from me was a sleep in. What a guy!

Went over to my mother's and took her out for lunch. We rather overspent at a little place on Canterbury Road. Then it was off to see Kylie's grandmother. Father and children were getting quite grump with each other at this late stage so off home we all went at 4:00 pm

Hamish fell asleep in the car close to home and he slept right through to the next morning

Saturday, 11 May 2008

My club hosted the Athletics Victoria All Schools Cross Country relays today, although it was more like an All Private Schools event. Very few government schools represented unfortunately - I think I counted too and even one of those was Melbourne High School

Afterwards we had a hill session and a tough one at that. We had to do three long hills at kodak hill, three medium length hills back closer to the track and then three short hills from the pylon

Philip ignored Brian's instruction and had everyone start a quarter way up the hill. Brian set the session out so that we were supposed to start at the bottom and work up for 200 metres. In the end Liam, Warren and I did the longer hill. My legs were feeling very heavy from the start and the last two reps were hurting quite a bit. Liam finished far stronger than I and he was ahead on the last two reps

Then we moved back to the hill at the back of the track outside the fence. Three of the longer ones and I seemed to go better on those and on the three smaller ones

To finish Brian wanted a 3 km warm down. Liam, Bernie Ledden and I turned that into a 3 km medium effort. Funny, as there was no talking for all of those 7.5 laps, just grim determination to finish

TOTAL DISTANCE = about 5.5 kilometres including warm up and down

Friday, 10 May 2008

Woke up feeling very sore and sorry for myself this morning after last night's session

Helped Kylie drop older child off at Kinder, then it was a thirty minute run towards work. Took me ages to get into the run and only in the last ten minutes or so did I feel comfortable

Followed the Upfield bike path from Batman station (on Gaffney Street), and a nice straight run to where I finished just outside the zoo

Although I got to work quite late, it was nice to start off the day with a run and not have to stress about what time I am leaving for home

TOTAL DISTANCE = about six kilometres

Monday, May 19, 2008

Thursday, 9 May 2008

Training with Brian tonight at the track

Main set was reasonably tough. Funny, as when Brian was describing the session to the group there were loud moans and groans. Surprising, as we'd done a session similar to this a few weeks ago

It called for 200 metres easy, 200 metres medium, 200 metres hard with walk across infield recovery. To do seven times. My were remarkably consistent at just a touch under 2 minutes for each rep.

Unfortunately Josh Persson was all over the joint, wanting to run faster or keep up with me. His first four were okay, but he must have thought he felt good on the fifth one and wanted to push the easy part of that set. I finished a bit ahead of him. The sizth one was better, but again on the last one, he wanted to push the easy part. I was way ahead at the finish, which was really disappointing for him as you have to question what benefot he got from the session. Had a chat to him afterwards and will send him an email tomorrow

TOTAL DISTANCE = about 6 kilometres including warm up and down