Steady run

10km route run anti-clockwise. Was apprehensive about this one as I was knackered yesterday afternoon and evening after the 400s session. Set off today feeling a bit sore in the thighs and hammies but had shaken off any tiredness and was feeling pretty good. Ran a good steady pace the whole way finishing in 41:25. 6:05 for the Manly mile. Much cooler today and a following wind along the beachfront made things easier.

Alternative Pain

3 x 4 x 400m at Rushcutters Oval. Met up with Durante, Tucks, Anthony, Luke, Phil Dove, Chris G and jogged down to Rushcutters in the heat - about 25C today so not as oppressive as yesterday.

Same session as last time - heading off every two minutes (so about 50 seconds rest) but with 3 mins between each set. Times went:

67, 68, 67, 68 - 68, 68, 68, 68 - 68, 68, 68, 67.

Pleased with the consistency and improvement from last time out but everyone seems to be improving at a greater rate! Ran the first set at the front mostly with Tucks. Phil and Anthony appeared at the front more often in the second set but trailed the last set (mainly the last two) behind Durante, Anthony Phil and Tucks.

Crawled home behind everyone else absolutely knackered. Felt quite comfortable when running the 400s though. About 11km all up.

Medium Long Run

Planned to do a long one today after missing yesterday but only had 80 minutes by the time I got out a lunchtime. Started running about 4:20 kms in the 32C heat and rapidly wilted. Cut short plans to run 80 minutes and crawled home after 73 minutes feeling absolutely knackered. Haven't felt so poor on a run in ages. Probably managed about 16km.

Recovery run

10km route (now G-Mapped at 10.2km) anti-clockwise. 44:57. Felt very sore and tired to begin with - put down to the cumulative lack of sleep and a tough couple of training days. Better by Queenscliff.

Long Fartlek

13km (route attached) Fartlek - 2 mins slow and 2 mins fast. 51:43 all up so averaged 3:52 per km. Fast sections must have been well under 3:30 per km. Tough run. Right knee and achilles sore at the end. No wind but quite warm and humid.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1413865

Campbell Road Intervals

Saw the usual email from the Thursday lunchtime squad today and felt guilty about missing Hickson Road so decided to punish myself with some solo intervals instead. Ran 10 x 660m around Campbell Parade off 1 minute. Straight off the bat with no gap between any sets. They went:

2:02; 2:03; 2:03; 2:04; 2:03; 2:00; 2:01; 2:01; 1:59; 1:54

Really pleased with how they went. I think the first few were slower because it's mentally tough running 10 with no gap. Was expecting to slow down after a bad night with Maggie last night - only 5 hours of sleep interrupted twice.

2km there and back for 11km all up.

Not another easy 10km

Same route, but back to running clockwise again. Cool again, but with a headwind for most of the way. Exactly the same time as yesterday (42:07) but 57 seconds slower over the first section to Manly SLSC so proof if ever that I'm accelerating during the course of each of these runs. Have to admit to putting a bit of effort in over the final 2km though. Not sure why I'm over analysing these runs, guess I've got nothing else to concentrate on.

Yet another easy 10km

Same route as yesterday. Felt great today though - finally feel as though I've recovered from the tough training of the past few weeks and looking forward to getting back into it again. 42:07 today. Speeded up the whole way around. 6:15 for the mile along Manly Beach. Most interesting part of the run was overtaking a bloke walking along Pittwater Road. As I did, he spun around with his fists raised as if he was about to clock me. It was pretty impressive although his left fist was a bit low. I took it as a good sign as I obviously wasn't breathing too heavily before I overtook him.

Thanks to everyone for the messages. Maggie is doing well - lost less than 10% of bodyweight in the first 4 days and now feeding pretty well.

Another easy 10km

Yesterday's run in reverse. Not as easy as yesterday though, quicker at 43:09 (confirming the theory that if you run a new course on 2 consecutive days you'll always run quicker the second day) and much hotter at 30C. Legs felt sluggish as a result.

Easy 10km

Struggling with sleep at the moment so just planning to take it easy this week. Will try and do a bit of a Paul Arthur taper for the final Striders 10km, State 3km and JPMorgan trifecta - easy in the penultimate week then a normal week's training leading up to the race(s).

Today was 10km via Campbell Parade, Queenslciff, Manly Beach, around to Shelly but cutting short back to the wharf and then the reverse of the 7.5km route. 44:40. Bumped into Richard H opposite the Corso and tentatively planned an interval session locally on Thursday.

Maggie Rose Highnam

Was born today at 3.30pm, weighing in at 2.8kg and 49.5cm long. As you can see, Kirst and I are chuffed to bits. Bec and Billy show signs of excitement for about 5 minutes before something distracts them, but Charlie doesn't know what's about to hit him.

No time for a run today...

Long run to Work

19km run to work via Queenscliff and Manly with the usual 4 marathon pace stretches. 82:09. Was running quite easily but could feel the effects of last night's run in my legs. My start timing the quick stetches as I have no idea week to week whether I'm running the slow recoveries quicker or the quick stretches quicker. I guess the former as I felt pretty comfortable on each of the quick stretches.

Another lovely morning - cool and clear, bit of a breeze but nothing to complain about.

Run Home

Few too many champagnes last night for a long run in this morning then needed to get home quick this evening so ran the 14km straight home at quite a decent pace adding the three marathon pace stretches on top. 28:10 at Toyota Garage and 54:26 all up. Cool and clear evening - great for running. Felt good.

400s

Rather than Pain suggested a 400's session down at Rushcutters Bay. Good turnout with Tucks, Anthony, Durante, Richard H, Tim C, Chris G, Ray, Christian, Bill and Luke. Bloody hot today (about 29C) so was feeling lethargic and lacking in enthusiasm before we started.

However, once we did get going it went really well. Ran 3 x 4 x 400m - pretty accurately marked out as we measured it on two Garmin's before we started. 50 seconds rest between each rep and 2:50 between each set. Times went:

69, 70, 71, 70, 69, 69, 69, 69, 69, 69, 69, 69.

I should be a pacemaker.

Ran in front for the first two sets and then Anthony pushed ahead in the last 3 and Tucks and Durante pushed the final one.

Please to have done it. Felt pretty comfortable running them (no lactic) but was absolutely spent on the jog back to the office. Not sure whether that was due to the heat (but nobody else seemed to be struggling as I was). Quite a bit of wind on the final bend but it was undoubtedly helping us to start with.

Recovery Run

14km around Balls Head with Serg, Tucks, Durante and Ray. Pretty warm today (26C) but nice gentle run. Feeling the effects of yesterday's run as the legs were pretty tired. 64:30.

Striders Internal Half Marathon

Great event. It's more like a hard time trial than a race. My handicap assumed a time of 76 minutes which I just managed to sneak inside with a 75:50. Not bad given you run by yourself and it's a hilly course (2 laps of the Striders Lane Cove 10km route but going further up the hill at Scribbly Gums). Tucks was the only person behind, starting on 73 minutes. Spent the whole race on the switchback sections working out by how much he was catching me - turned out he was catching quite significantly - running a quick 73:36.

I was in no-mans land most of the way as the people directly in front were Richard H and Tim C on 79 minutes. My 5km splits went 18:02, 36:12, 54:32 and 72:18. Pushed the last 5km as by then I was starting to catch people and the spirits were lifted. Caught Richard H at 20km and realised I need 3:40 over the last 1.1km to beat our handicaps so I told him we had to start working and ran a quick last 1.1km as a result. Tim C had a great run and was probably second fastest behind Tucks.

Beautiful day - sunny, no wind and cool (in Lane Cove NP certainly - bit warmer down on the beach afterwards).

Where was Ray? Where was Uncle Dave after negotiating a better handicap?

Steady run

14km around Balls Head in 60:03 (56:20 for the 13km route I always used to time). Not a recovery run as I had no-one to chat to and needed to get back to the office to do some work. So a steady pace all the way around - quicker to start with before yesterday's session hit my legs and slowed things down.

Back of right knee a bit sore, as was right achilles. Got drenched near the Waverton bowling green in a freak rain shower.

Aerobic conditioning

8 x 5mins off 90 second recovery.

Another big crowd, which gradually thinned as the reps continued. A few dropped out after 4, Durante, Mike, Toby and Christian after 6 leaving Tucks, Anthony, Richard H, Enda and me to complete the 8. They gradually got quicker and quicker such that we ran gate to gate on the final rep in 2:47 (3:03 per km pace). Felt great to start with, number 6 started to feel tiring, no.7 more so then number 8 was run so quickly barely noticed.

Love these sessions. Easy enough to chat along when doing them but you feel as though you've had a proper workout by the end.

1km warm up then 3km warmdown for 16km all up.

Wednesday slog

19km run to work with the usual 4 marathon pace stretches in 82:29.

Beginning to dread this session. Not sure why though as it's never as bad as I think it will be. I think it's the fact that the fast stetches are spread out over the whole run such that you're always anticipating the next one. Today though the quick bits felt fine, that is I seemed to have good form (never know as I don't time them) but the slow sections were tougher, particularly on the hills where the remnants of yesterday's hangover made the legs feel pretty lethargic.

5 seconds quicker than the last time I did this run on 19th September but looking back that was a pretty tough week...

Hangover Pain

3km warm up plus 6km Pain plus 3km warmdown.

Stinking hangover (summer clerk cocktails last night) ensured that I just went through the motions today. Barely changed pace between the fast and slow sections. Apple Martinis were repeating on me at the steps. Shame as it was a good crowd (Dave Clarke 5 and Michael from MBL, Durante, Anthony, Toby, Steve, Luke and even a rare appearance by Keith) although a bit of wind about. The warmdown was a joke, I was almost motionless by the end. Managed to sweat some of the alcohol out though and now fatigue has set in.

Recovery run

14km around Balls Head with Gerry, Tucks, Mike, and Durante in 63:27. Nice and easy (although not quite as slow as I'd normally take it with Ray). Beautiful conditions again.

Long Sunday

25km in 1:58:01. North Head and Balgowlah Heights route but continuing straight on after Tania Park to run down the side of Burnt Bridge Creek deviation to Campbell Parade then home. Beautiful morning for running - cool (about 17C) with no wind. Bumped into Richard Green and others on North Head and someone who looked like Hamburglar near Campbell Parade. Out by 6am as I had to get back to take Bec to her first Nippers. Here are the photos...

Striders 10km Homebush

3rd in 33:30.

This could turn out to be my best race of the season. Went into it pretty low key, just hoping to go and race Anthony and Tucks and not worry about the time.

Started quite conservatively and just tucked in behind Tucks. Tom do Canto had shot off like a hare with Jeremey Horne running one of his tempo sessions in 2nd. Went through 1st km in 3:12 with Tucks and Anthony with Chelli just behind. 2nd km (which includes the long drag) reached in 6:36 and Chelli had just dropped off so from then on it was just like every other training session I do with Tucks, Anthony and I running together. Only difference was the absence of Serg in front and Ray chatting away. Quite missed his conversation today!

It stayed like this until 6km. 3km was reached in 9:55, 4km in 13:20 and 5km in 16:45. As usual for Homebush, the conditions were humid but at least there was no wind. At 5km I thought we'd struggle to crack 34 mins given how the humidity normally drains energy in your legs. I started to struggle up the long drag between 6 and 7km. Tucks pushed at the top of the hill and Anthony went with him. I knew that if I dropped off then the elastic would break and I'd run a poor time so I forced myself to catch up and just sit behind Anthony and hold on without trying to force the pace. Recovered on that stretch between 7 and 8km such that I was feeling good again by 8km, so forced the pace. I could feel that I was dropping them so just continued to pile on the pressure. Tucks had latched on to me again by 9km though so the race was on. Just what I'd been dreading - a sprint finish.

I'd thought before the race that if I could hold onto them by 8km I quite fancied my chances in a sprint. By 9km my thoughts were the exact opposite. We rounded the hairpin to climb onto the bridge for the final 300m run to the finish and sure enough Tucks drew level. I just gave it everything I had then, thinking that if he beat me I couldn't blame myself. Just managed to hold on.

Chuffed to bits afterwards. The time wasn't special but it was never going to be in today's conditions. First time I've beaten Anthony and first time I've beaten Tucks when he's been fit (...I'm ignoring the fact he ran a top quality marathon 2 weeks ago for the time being). Both are easily capable of running sub 33 so I'm sure that will come in time. Great to run this race against the lads - we were saying afterwards that if we hadn't been there to push each other along we'd have all run at least 30 seconds slower.

Good to catch up with everyone afterwards including Springer, Flake, Uncle Dave, Tim L and Chelli. Didn't see TJA afterwards - Tim L suggested he pulled up between 5 and 6km so hope he's OK.

Easy Friday

14km run home from work. Very easy - 60:32. Very sore right achilles which didn't really ease up. However, looking forward to the race tomorrow morning.

Mona Fartlek

5km jog in the morning picking the car up from Brookvale.

Mona Fartlek at lunchtime with Ray, Tucks, Anthony, Luke, Dylan, Fats, Enda and Bill among others. Decided to really try and push the first half today to see how close to the stone gates I could get and then just hang on. Was about 15 yards short, but continued to run well finishing halfway down the Opera House (last sprint just past the gates) despite running the same route back rather than the slightly shorter route around Mrs Macquaries Chair. Ran with Tucks the whole way (he was kind enough to say he was hanging on) and Anthony who fell off towards the end. Dylan is going strong which is great news for the JPMorgan CCC.

3km warmdown for 15km altogether for the day.

Easy Wednesday

Too busy at work for a run at lunch and had to drop the car off to be serviced so no time for a long run this morning. Also convenient as I'm still not feeling 100% (although better than yesterday) so don't want to push it yet. Hope to be feeling back to normal by Saturday morning to put in a good performance at the Homebush 10km.

So 4km around home in 17 mins before taking the car to Brookvale and then 6km running from Brookvale to Manly Wharf in 25 mins. Quick along Manly Beach, legs still a bit lethargic on the hills. Wish this damn virus would disappear.

Pain

Felt terrible after yesterday's run - stiff neck and shoulders, very lethargic and headache. I think I may have pushed it too much coming out of having a cold (mainly through drinking too much on Sunday night). So was in two minds whether to run today but felt OK by lunch so headed out for an easy Pain. Didn't push it, just eased around in 25:32 and easy following Tucks on the Farm Cove rep. Not many out today (last Thursday's session seems to have killed everyone off) - just Ray, Tucks, Chris G, Toby and Dylan.

2.5km warm up and 3.5km warmdown for 12km all up.

Supposed recovery run

A combination of a hangover (out watching Manly lose the Grand Final) and running too soon after lunch meant the run home from work (3pm - it's Labour Day today) was very average. Felt awful - the legs haven't felt so lethargic in months. Started to feel slightly better as the run went on but it's all comparative. Had a following wind most of the way which was about the only way I got home.

32:00 at the Toyota Garage and 59:37 all up. Not bad in the end. Looked at my watch with 1km to go and it read 56:00 so put the effort in to get home in under an hour.