Another Easy Run

5.0k 28:57. HR Avg 140 Max 158
Course: Teneriffe Reach.
Start Time: 5:30 pm Temp 18C.
Session Type: Easy Run

Another easy run tonight. Did about Kilometer at close to race pace twice just to get the feel of the pace. A nice steady drizzle of rain as well.

Short Easy Run

4.0k 19:57. HR Avg 130 Max 149
Course: To All That Dance and Back.
Start Time: 5:30 pm Temp 18C.
Session Type: Easy Run

Just an easy run to get the legs moving a little.

10k Time Trial

10k 42:00. HR Avg 174 Max 183
Course: BRRC 10k.
Start Time: 6:30am Temp 15C.
Session Type: Time Trial

My final Time Trial before next weekends GC Half. Set out to try to do 4:10 pace which would have given me a 41:50 finish. Started out well and kept under that pace for the first 5k going through in 20:47 (Hr Avg 171). The sixth K was my slowest at 4:20 but it is slightly uphill. Managed to to average 4:13 for the last 4k to come home in 21:13 (HR avg 178) for a finishing time of 42:00. Not much left in the tank at the end though.

So after finishing my base conditioning phase in mid April, I have had eleven weeks of strength and speed training including these Time Trials.

Week 1 - 10k 46:04
Week 2 - Half 1:41:20

Week 7 - 10k 43:07
Week 8 - Half 1:37:16

Week 11 - 10k 42:00
Week 12 - GC Half ???.

From those time progressions and with a taper this week, I should be able to sneek under the 1:35.

Friday speed training

11.6k 1:02:58. HR Avg 145 Max 1768
Course: Teneriffe Path by River.
Start Time: 5:20 pm Temp 15C.
Session Type: Speed Intervals

Jogged down to end of the Path on the Teneriffe reach of the river. Did five runs along the path at close to top pace and then jog back to the start. The intervals measured 925m. Was able to run them very consistently.
3:32 (HR avg 158)
3:27 (165)
3:28 (166)
3:28 (169)
3:29 (166).

This equates to around 3:45 pace.

Then jogged back to work. A very satisfying work out.

Wednesday Tempo Run

9.6k 42:20. HR Avg 155 Max 169
Course: Work to Sydney St and Back.
Start Time: 6:00 pm Temp 17C.
Session Type: Tempo Run

Out in 21:19 (HR 149) and back in 21:01 (HR 162) for an average pace of 4:21 m/k. Pushed it most of the way without going to hard. Don't know if I will be able to keep that pace up over 21k but it is not far from the money. Feeling confident now that I can run 1:35 at GC Half.

Tuesday Car pick up.

5.4k 26:03. HR Avg 144 Max 159
Course: Work to Windsor.
Start Time: 6:30 pm Temp 16C.
Session Type: Easy Run

Ran from work to the Eager's Servicing Centre to pick up car which was having some work done. Unfortuantely the car was not ready. So will have to do it all again tomorrow. Just an easy run. Legs feeling no effects from last nights hard effort.

Monday Hill Training

8.9k 49:49. HR Avg 141 Max 179
Course: Tilquin St .
Start Time: 5:45 pm Temp 17C.
Session Type: Hill Intervals

A 1K warm up, the five times hard up Tilquin St which is aroud 700m and a 2% gradient, and 1K warm down.

The times were 2:53 (HRavg 150); 2:49 (160) ; 2:49 (164) ; 2:45 (166); 2:44 (169). Nice to have done each one faster but doubt whether I could have done another one faster.

Saturday Hill Run

9.4k 41:54. HR Avg 160 Max 174
Course: Home to Jubilee Tce and Back.
Start Time: 4:50 pm Temp 17C.
Session Type: Hill Run

A good hard run over my hilly course in 41:54 (avg pace 4:22 m/k). Two minutes faster than Monday night. Can feel a lot of strength developing in my legs and speed slowly getting faster.

It was the last soccer match this morning ( we lost again) before two weeks off. So with no football training before Gold Coast this will reduce my risk of picking up an injury.

Friday Easy Run

9.4k 56:18. HR: 122 avg 138 Max
Course: Work to Sydney St Ferry and Back.
Start Time: 4:25pm Temp 17C.
Session Type: Easy Run

Took tonight's run really easy at 5:48 pace. With John and Chris. Chris had new orthotics which were uncomfortble so we went pretty slow. I could have raced off but after Wednesday's hard run an easy night tonight was just fine. Weather has turned cold at last. A beautiful temperature to run with tonight.

Wednesday Riverside Run And Qld Loss

14.6k 1:03:33. HR Avg 156 Max 165
Course: Work to Riverside Centre and Back.
Start Time: 5:05 pm Temp 18C.
Session Type: Tempo Run

Really great run tonight. Wanted a fairly hard hit out. Out in 33:26 ( Hr avg 152)and back in 33:07 ( Hr avg 160) for an avg pace of 4:33 m/k. This is just over what I am aiming for in the GC Half. Being able to do this at only 156 Heart Rate indicates I may be able to do a little better than this on the day. It was a lovely cool night which made for very pleasent running conditions.

sadly. a Qld loss in SOO 2. Bring on the decider in Brisbane.

Monday Hill Training

9.2k 43:33. HR Avg 157 Max 174
Course: Home to Jubilee Tce and Back.
Start Time: 4:45 pm Temp 23C.
Session Type: Hill Run

Didn't want to go flat out tonight but still a bit moe than an easy run. Suprised at the "quick" time of 43:55. Only four weeks ago, I was having to run to the max to get that sort of time. Feeling much stronger on the way back and had lots still left in the tank.

Sunday Tempo Run

6.8k 28:51. HR Avg 158 Max 172
Course: Home to End of Cycle track and Back.
Start Time: 4:15 pm Temp 24C.
Session Type: Tempo Run

Haven't run this couse for six weeks. Ran 48 seconds faster today with a 5bpm less HR avg. Out in 14:30 and back in 14:21 for an Avg pace of 4:14m/k. I'm pleased with that effort and how the preparation is going for the GC Half.

It still continues to be very mild for this time of year. An indication of this is, after only twelve days of winter my first jonquil flowered today.

Friday Night Long Run

22.1k 2:05:48. HR Avg 131 Max 155
Course: Work to Riverside Centre and Back, then To New Farm Park and Back.
Start Time: 4:10 pm Temp 23C.
Session Type: Long Run

Ran first 15k to Riverside with John and Rod, in a leisurely 1:28:41 (5:51 pace HR avg 126). I then went and completed a further 7ks in 35:25 (5:05 pace HR avg 146).

Thursday Tempo Run

7k 33:35. HR Avg 144 Max 172
Course: Work to New Farm Park Ferry and Back.
Start Time: 5:10 pm Temp 19C.
Session Type: Tempo Run

Back feeling a lot better today. Decide a 7 k run with John would be OK. Out in 17:43 and back in 15:52. Was feeling no discomfort fromm my back, so really stepped it up in the last K.

Gym Bike

42:00. HR Avg 124 Max 157
Course: Work Gym.
Start Time: 5:35pm.
Session Type: Gym Bike

Back is feeling very tight today. Decided not to run but do a session on the gym bike.
Five minute warm up , then a set of 16 by 30secs hard efforts with 90 sec intervals and a five minute warm down.

Tuesday Easy Hill Training

9.2k 47:36. HR Avg 153 Max 169
Course: Home to Jubilee Tce and Back.
Start Time: 6:30 pm Temp 19C.
Session Type: Hill Run

Legs still feeling a little tight after Sunday's run. Jumped up and back to catch a ball at football training tonight and felt a twinge in my back. So decided the run tonight would be an easy one. Out in 23:42 and back in 23:54. Suprised the time was 2 minutes faster than last Tuesday night. Must have taken it real slow that night. Back still feels stiff after finishing but didn't bother me whilst running. Must be careful at footy training the next few weeks, as it is the most likely place I'll pick up a serious injury.

The photos from Sunday's run are now available. I was horrorfied at how bad I looked. Seem to have a tilt to the right and a slouching forward in all four shots. Must pay more attention to my form. They used to say if you wanted to know how you would look in twenty years time, then take a picture of yourself at the end of a marathon. It now looks like this applies to the half as well.

Half Marathon Time Trial

21.1k 1:37:15. HR Avg 171 Max 182
Course: Qld Half Marathon Doomben.
Start Time: 7:00 am Temp 15 - 19C.
Session Type: Time Trial

Finally feel I am 99% over my cold. The plan for today's race was to try to run at 1:38 pace (4:40m/k) or slower if this was not comfortable. I did not want this to be a 100% effort as I wanted to be able train strongly this coming week in preparation for Gold Coast. Under no circumstances was I to try dig deep and "race" anybody over the last few ks.

The race got underway in nice cool conditions ( for an afternoon trainer like me anyway). I was bit suprised when I got to the 1K marker in 4:25. A little faster than I wanted to go so thought I should slow down a little even though it felt very easy. I was more suprised at the 2K marker, when I had speed up to 4:20 pace on the second K. I definetly had to slow down! Managed to get to 4:35 pace by 3K and basically kept that pace till halfway where I turned in 48:05. Managed to latch onto another runner and together we did 4:30 ks till the 15k mark. Then started to slow a little and started doing 4:40 pace. The guy I was running with was trying for 1:36 and stepped it up a little around 18k but in keeping with my pre-race promise, I did not try to match him at this point and was satisfied to do a few 4:48 m/k before speeding up slightly in the last K.

A very pleasing finishing time of 1:37:15. I didn't mind the course. I know people who hate it. It is flat and boring and a bit rough in a few places and the constant turn arounds don't help your rhythm. But lots of water stations and all well manned (and womaned).

My time was 4 min 5 seconds faster than my Previous Half Time Trial six weeks ago and done with a slightly lower average Heart Rate. 1:35 now looks to be the logical target for Gold Coast and I am pretty confident with three weeks training and an easy taper week I will give it a good shake.

Friday Tempo Run

9.4k 48:37. HR: Not recorded
Course: Work to Sydney St Ferry and Back.
Start Time: 4:45pm Temp 23C.
Session Type: Tempo Run

Out to half way with Rod in 26:15. Came back by myself in 22:22 (4:38 pace) which felt very comfortable. Almost completely over my cold now.

Wednesday Easy Run

9.5k 57:15. HR Avg 122 Max 130
Course: Work to Sydney St Ferry and Back.
Start Time: 4:50pm Temp 20C.
Session Type: Easy Run

A very easy run at just over 6m/k pace with John, Chris and Rod. Don't want to push it until I'm sure I'm completely over the stuffy nose.