Friday Easy Run

14.8k 1:28:30. HR Avg 130 Max 143 Avg Pace 5:58
Course: Work to Riverside Centre and Back.
Start Time: 5:15 pm Temp 20C.
Session Type: Easy Run

Music Started with "Buggin'" by The Flaming Lips
ended with "Kolangoman" by Salif Keita and Les Ambassadeurs International.

A storm passed through just before going out for the run tonight. It cooled things down but humidity was close to 100%. Did the first 3.5k with Sami and his wife Val. It was a very easy pace of around 6:30m/K. I then continued on by myself. Out in 46:34 (AHR 126) and back in 42:06 (AHR 135 Pace 5:45).

I will do my long run on Sunday morning again this week and next week as well, as preparation for the Sunday 16th Oct BRRC 25k in a fortnight. Next Friday is another home game for the Qld Roar so I would not be able to do a long run that night anyway. But I don't like disrupting my schedule as I find having a routine is the key to consistency. And consistency, especially in the conditioning phase is the key to improvement.

Thursday Sub-Lactate run

14.8k 1:11:03. HR Avg 155 Max 166 Avg Pace 4:46
Course: Work to Riverside Centre and Back.
Start Time: 5:20 pm Temp 23C.
Session Type: Sub Lactate Run

Music started with "Jilli" by Miles Davis
ended with "Show Room Dummies" by Senor Coconut Y Su Conjunto.

Out in 35:28 (avgHR 148) and back in 35:35 (HR 162). Tried to keep the pace up on the way back and the Heart rate was up a bit. Ideally at that pace I would like to see little drift in the heart rate. Although not quite as humid as Tuesday, it is certainly warming up and I was sweating profusily during and after the run.

Tuesday Easy Run

14.8k 1:24:38. HR Avg 135 Max 150 Avg Pace 5:43
Course: Work to Riverside Centre and Back.
Start Time: 5:30 pm Temp 23C.
Session Type: Easy Run

Music Started with "This" by Brian Eno (from his new album)
Ended with "Moods for Moderns" by Elvis Costello.

The legs were still feeling a bit tired from Sunday's run so just an easy run tonight. It was very humid though and a large storm front was building up from the south.

Out in 41:08 (AvgHR 136) and back in 43:09 (135). Even at the slow pace, I found myself really sweating tonight.

I left a little later tonight and so it was dark by the time I got to the Story Bridge and it was all lit up with pink lights. I have since found out it was a show of support for Breast Cancer Awareness. Anyway it made a spectacular scene, the bridge lights in the foreground and the flashing lightning in the background from impending storm.

Out of the common place and into the rare

30.1k 2:51:34. HR Avg 139 Max 160 Avg Pace 5:42
Course: Home to Newmarket and then two loops of Gap Cycle Path.
Start Time: 5:50 pm Temp 16C.
Session Type: Long Run

Music started with "Brule La Meche" by Lo'Jo and finished on "This one's gonna bruise" by Beth Orton.

Woken up by the alarm at 5:15am and out the door at 5:50 for my long run for the week. The plan was to run at around 135 Heart Rate and go just over 8k towards Newmarket and then turm back to home and then do two loops of the Cycle Path. This should get me just over the 30k mark.

It was a beautiful morning and a very pleasent temperature starting out but it warmed up considerably by the end. Luckily there is a lot of shade on the bike path.

The initial 16.6 k I did at 136 HR. The first loop on the Bike Path I did in 38:25 at HR 141. The second loop I did faster in 37:53 but the heart rate crept up to 154. This shows I still have a fair bit of work to do to build up the conditioning in the 70 - 75% of Max HR Zone (HR 131 - 140).

The legs felt great and could have easily gone on for more. I have been looking back through my Training Records and this is the furthest I have run since 26/7/1988. That was at the GC Marathon and I pulled out at the 35k mark. That day I went through the 30k mark in 1:59:10. So a way to go before I get up to that level of fitness.

Total this week 74.5k.

Friday "Quick" run

14.8k 1:11:25. HR Avg 155 Max 163 Avg Pace 4:49
Course: Work to Riverside Centre and Back.
Start Time: 4:05 pm Temp 22C.
Session Type: Sub-lactate Easy Run

Music started with "Last Chance" by Jet and finished on "Sinebar" from Youssou N'Dour.

No long run tonight. My Wife, Ducky, Kewell and I are off to the Roar v Sydney FC game tonight so only had time for a quick 15k. I started just after 4.00pm and it was warmer than it has been for a long time. Out in 35:17 (HR 154) and back in 36:07 (157) which was just a little slower than Monday night's run.

Rest Day

Rest day.

I am changing some of the tracks on my music player tonight. (It doesn't seems right calling it an MP3 player when 99% of what I put on there are WMA files).

Two songs I replaced I want to single out for special mention. They both have been on the player since I first got it so have had an extended run.

"Kawa to Bere" by Nigerian super star King Sunny Ade from his 1998 album Odu. This track always made we want to whistle along to it when I heard it. Quite tricky whistling when running.

"Gasoline Alley" by Rod Stewart from his 1970 album of the same name which never failed to make me want to sing along with the chorus. On many occasions after checking that no one was close by, I did sing out aloud with Rod.

Wednesday Easy Run

14.8k 1:21:15. HR Avg 135 Max 146 Avg Pace 5:29
Course: Work to Riverside Centre and Back.
Start Time: 4:45pm Temp 19C.
Session Type: Easy Run

An easy run tonight. Aim was to average 135 Heart Rate. First 5k with John. Out in 39:29 (HR 135) back in 41:45 (136), so was spot on with the pace.

Music started with "Look What You've Done" by Jet
ended with "Totally Together" by Jackie Mitto from "Keyboard King at Studio One".

Monday Sub Lactate Easy Run

14.8k 1:10:53. HR Avg 154 Max 167 Avg Pace 4:49
Course: Work to Riverside Centre and Back.
Start Time: 5:05 pm Temp 19C.
Session Type: Sub Lactate Easy Run

Music started with "Stranger in Paradise" from Kismet
ended with "Blast Nuff" by Hard Blasters from Rough Guide to African Rap.

Same training session as last Monday, a sub-lactate run at around 155 HR. Just like last week there was a more than gentle breeze but still managed to run 1:18 faster than last week which I find encouraging. Out in 34:43 (HR152) and back in 36:09 (HR156).

Below is a picture of the snake I came across on Friday night's run when it parked itself on the verandah recently.

Sunday Recovery Run

11k 55:48. HR Avg 143 Max 151
Course: Home along along Gap Cycle Path.
Start Time: 8:05 am Temp 19C.
Session Type: Easy Run

An easy recovery run this morning. First in a new pair of ASICs 2100. Always a pleasure, the first run in new shoes.

The cycle path was littered with branches and leaves from the strong winds from yesterday.

69 ks for the week and first full week of training since being sick.

Music started with "Muzina" by Tabu Ley Rochereau
ended with "Starsky and Hutch" by Trinity.

Friday Long Run

28.0k 2:40:12. HR Avg 145 Max 162 Avg Pace 5:44
Course: Home Along Cycle Path (x2) then to End of Ashgrove Av and Back.
Start Time: 5:10 pm Temp 20C.
Session Type: Long Run

Music Started with "No Aphrodisiac" by The Whitlams
Ended on "Between the Bars" by Elliot Smith.

Got changed into my running gear at work and went to put my shoes on to only discover I had two left shoes. So had to abandon my run from work and drive home to get the "right" right shoe.

The weather was looking a bit wild and there appeared to be a huge storm rolling in from the west. So decided to do a couple of the 7k loops along the cycle track to start with and keep close to home in case of a major downpour.

It was very humid but I was taking it fairly easy. The light was fading rapidly on the return journey of the second loop and there are no lights along this section of the cycle path. But in amongst the bushes by the side of the track was a wonderful display of fire flies glowing like endless strings of fairy lights for quite a distance.

At about 60m from home, I turned into the street at the bottom of the hill up to my place and suprised a 2 meter python that was on the road. He arched his head up quite a way as I gave him a wide berth. A couple of weeks ago, this same snake ventured up on to our verandah one afternoon.

By this stage the clouds had rolled on, helped by the wind that was now picking up. So I decided that the 14k out to the end of Ashgrove Av was doable. This is a hilly course and though I was taking it easy, my legs felt better at the end than they did on my shorter and flatter long run last week. It must be 12 years since I've run this far. 30k here I come.

Wednesday Riverside Run

14.9k 1:12:10. HR Avg 153 Max 161
Course: Work to Riverside Centre and Back.
Start Time: 4:40pm Temp 21C.
Session Type: Sub-Lactate Easy Run

Music: Started with "Sahara" by Taj Mahal & Toumani Diabete.
Finished on "Mercy" by Pavlov's Dog.

Was all geared up for an easy run tonight ie sub HR 135. Had packed my older shoes.
I usually have two pair of shoes on the go at one time. An older pair and a newer pair. I will generally do harder runs and long runs in the new pair and easy runs in the old pair.

Started out with Gary and Oli from work who were only going out to the 3.5k turn around point and coming back. They went out a bit faster than I was planning, so I was up to HR 160 by the time they had turned back. I tried to slow down but kept around the HR155 mark for the rest of the run. So it end up being pretty much the same time as Monday night just a little faster going out and a little slower coming back (35:03 Avg Hr 151;37:07 AvgHR 155 ).

It was also warmer tonight than it has been for a long time. Hope Summer is not coming early.

Monday Sub-Lactate Easy Run

14.9k 1:12:11. HR Avg 152 Max 160 Avg PAce 4:50
Course: Work to Riverside Centre and Back.
Start Time: 5:10 pm Temp 20C Windy.
Session Type: Sub-Lactate Easy Run

Tonight is what I am calling a sub-Lactate easy run. The aim is to keep the heart rate below the Lactate Threshold Level, so I am aiming at around a 155 HR average. I will be doing this type of run a least once or twice a week from now on.

It was very windy tonight and at times it was a struggle into the wind. But as the course meanders along by the river, it changed from head wind to tail wind quite regularly. Out in 35:35 (AvgHR 149) and back in 36:36 (AvgHR 155). So once I got upto being consistently over 150 HR after 20 minutes, I was able to keep a fairly even pace without the HR drifting up. This indicates that I am running under my Lactate Level.

I have included the uploaded run from my Polar watch. The red line is HR and the blue is pace. The stop at the turn around is my water break.



It is lunchtime on the final day of the Fifth Ashes Test, and play is just about to restart so gotta go. Could be a late night.

Sunday Rest

After a late night Saturday, and a couple of hours playing soccer and cricket with Kewell on Sunday afternoon, decided to miss the scheduled session today and have a rest instead.

Friday Long Run

24.7k 2:13:31. HR Avg 147 Max 158
Course: Work to Riverside Centre and Back , Sydney St and Back.
Start Time: 4:40 pm Temp 19C.
Session Type: Long Run



This is the course for my run tonight. The inital 15k is from work to the Riverside Centre and back. The second 10k (in green) is from work to Sydney Street Ferry and back. It is mostly on paths by the river and so avoids traffic and is very scenic.

The first loop I ran with John in 1:21:19 (avgHR 138, 5:30 m/K). The second loop I did alone in 52:12 (avgHR148 5:22 m/K). So speed up a little by myself but still running very much within myself.

Today was the end of my two week course of antibiotics, so it was good to celebrate my recovery with a long run. And one less tablet to take in the mornings now. Now only have to down the Headache pill (isoptin), the multi-vitamin tablet, the 1000mg Evening Primrose capsule, the 250 mg Vit B5 tablet, the 500 mg Vit C tablet and the 10g Glucosamine/MSM powder in apple juice drink!

Wednesday Easy Run

15k 1:23:34. HR Avg 127 Max 137
Course: Work to Riverside Centre and Back.
Start Time: 4:40 pm Temp 18C.
Session Type: Easy Run

Today ran all the way with John and Katie. Out in 41:04 and back in 42:30.

I'm really pleased with the run tonight. It was done at an easy pace but also my HR stayed very low all the way (AVG 127). I take this as an indication that I have recovered from my pneumonia and I haven't lost much fitness from the two weeks off.

I now feel I can get back on schedule and focus on my goal of getting upto 100k a week by March next year.

Monday Easy Run

9.7k 53:26. HR Avg 133 Max 146
Course: Work to Sydney St and Back.
Start Time: 4:50pm Temp 18C.
Session Type: Easy Run

Another step back into the routine. Went out with John and had no trouble at all on the run, except for my HR Monitor registering 234 for the last 3k. No feeling close to 100% recovered. Out in 26:37 , back in 26:49.

Back running at last

6.8k 35:27. HR Avg 143 Max 156
Course: Gap Cycle Path.
Start Time: 7:50am Temp 19C.
Session Type: Easy Run

Finally back out for a run. Took it nice and easy and happy how I felt.
Out in 17:33 and back in 17:53. No coughing on the run which is a good sign. Suprise suprise, my legs feel very rested.

A Brisk Walk

Went out for a forty minute brisk walk tonight and it doesn't appear to have had any negative impact on me at this point three hours later. If I'm feeling Ok tomorrow may try for a 5k run.

Only three weeks ago when one of the father's of a boy in my soccer team died suddenly, my thoughts were on the tragedy of one losing their life so young and so suddenly and how we should be really trying to live life to its fullest, as you never know when it could be taken away from you.

But last week, when I was sickest. When the head ached, and the body burnt and just breathing was painful, I found myself speculating on the will to live. I remembered my grandfather who had a stroke in his mid-forties and was told he wouldn't make it through the night. He did and survived for another 30 years. He was not always comfortable or pain free and any over exertion caused him to have to pop angina pills. But his will to live kept him going but in the end he eventually found it too much and stopped fighting and passed away.

Lying on my sick bed, I pondered on how bad would I have to feel before making that sort of decision. It may not have been this time but how more years before that could happen - 10 , 20 , 25 years. And what if after those three really bad days I would have had another three bad days. How low do you have to go for it to be appealing?

But I am getting better and am looking forward to easing back into it and knuckling down to training and going for that Marathon time in 2006.