Making it up as I go along

Chest feels a bit better each day. Decided to give it a proper test by doing a few fast sprints along Hickson Road. Hooked up with JC in the changing rooms (that doesn't sound right) and jogged down together. Was expecting a couple of guys who aren't racing this weekend but was greeted by a cast of thousands. Just cruised through each rep in 3:40 pace but put in a fast sprint for 30 seconds on each one. Did each rep in 4:06 (3:30 pace) which, if nothing else, was a masterclass in even pacing. Only did 4, then jogged back. 9km all up.

Chest a bit tight after but better than yesterday. More confident about Sunday as a result.

My predictions for the weekend:

Marathon:

1. Quentin: 2:32:50
2. Tongey: 2:34:20
3. Binfield: 2:35:25
4. Heyden: 2:36:40
5. Ray: 2:37:35
6. Dicky P: 2:45:50
7. Big Sam: 2:48:48
8. The Burglar: 2:53:49

Half:

1. Lara Tamsett: 1:11:10
2. Tucks: 1:11:21 (sorry mate, she's just too strong)
3. Enda: 1:15:59
4. Young Timmy: 1:16:01

10km:

1. Old Man Sweeney: 33:09
2. JF: 33:58
3. Kanser: 36:01
4. MC: 36:10

So there you have it.

Bad Tom

Was feeling slightly better so headed out with MC, Wildman, Craig and client Frik for a very easy 10km run in 45:00. Chest still a bit tight but much better than yesterday. Will test it again tomorrow with some sprints.

Check out THIS LINK to send messages of support (or abuse, as you like) during Sunday's (hopeful) marathon. Move your mouse to the right hand side of the screen for the supporters message service. There will be big screens at certain checkpoints on the course and when I run over the checkpoint mat your message of support/abuse will pop up on the big screen. How cool is that.

The Times

Was worried about the lingering, wheezy, chesty cough this morning so checked into the nearest doctor I could find who had availability. Mr Miyagi was a nice chap. But he told me I might die if I ran the marathon on Sunday. Apparently I've got a viral chest infection. I told him that I hadn't done all this training and come this far to be side-tracked but some vague threat of imminent death. He seemed sympathetic to my position, prescribed me some steroids and told me to come back on Friday for another check (and another $185 cheque).

So no running today.

Big news of the day was the establishment of Enda's Blog. "The voice of reason" has been promised for quite some time so I hope it lives up to its pre-billing. I seem to have copped a spray already. Poor Young Timmy is in tears. Also adding a link to Keith Bateman's blog, just so I can keep track on his training. Bit too much pulpit preaching on the barefoot malarkey for my liking, but the fella's results speak for themselves.

Monday plod

Crikey. Cast of thousands today. Monday is becoming the most popular HuRTS meeting day. Perhaps it's because it's run at such an easy pace. Is HuRTS' popularity at the expense of its quality? Though good to see Emma and Laura spearheading the female HuRTS (perhaps they need their own name; "Lady HuRTS", "HuRTS Ladies", "HuRTS the Girls" or "WHuRTS"?).

Chatted to Mat K (getting back from injury), MC, JF, Springer, Ray and Dicky H. Just 11.5km at 4:30's. Still got a bit of a chesty cough. Feeling very lethargic now. Should try to fit in another massage this week pre-Thursday.

Sunday easy

Out at 6am for a very easy run solo for a change. 24.4km in 1:48:28 (4:26's) around and about generally near Dee Why. Reached the top of Long Reef just as the sun was rising (probably spoiling the moment for a romantic couple wrapped in a snuggie hugging on the rock, especially when I cleared my nose). Magic morning though - calm, cold but crystal clear - one of those days you enjoy being out there.

Sat Steady

Didn't know what to do. Promised the kids a bike ride so did the 14km route. Felt good at the start so turned it into a marathon pace session. Quick chat with Dickyboy near Shelley. All up 13.95km in 51:47 (3:43's). Felt comfortable running 3:43's. Felt slightly uncomfortable running 3:42's so I think I know where my threshold lies. Very even paced with splits of:

3:42, 3:44, 3:44, 3:43, 3:46, 3:41, 3:40, 3:42, 3:43, 3:40, 3:42, 3:42, 3:38, 3:44.

More easy stuff

12 noon - log on to Co-Sport (Australian Olympic Tickets site), pick up tickets for 3 athletics finals day (Mens 100m Final day, Mens 1500m Final/Womens 100m Hurdles Final and Relays Finals). Maybe I'm just jammy, but can't see what all the fuss is about not getting tickets. Unless someone tells me that Co-Sport is a Nigerian registered company.

12:45am, catch up with Wildman for an easy 11km. Bore him with the details.

Sick note

Monday, sick. Tuesday, sick. Wednesday, kind of sorry for myself pretending still to be sick. Thursday, slightly tight chest, otherwise fine, decide I need to move my arse if I'm to do this marathon next week. Put on one long sleeved top, one vest and one t-shirt and run outside to discover the sun's shining and it's pretty warm. MC and JF are baring their chests for God's sake and I'm looking like the Michelin Man and starting to sweat.

Fair crowd with MC, Young Timmy, Tucks, Bartles, Enda, Clyde, JF, Ray, Jason and a heap of others fronting for the pyramid session over at Rushcutters. Fast Charlie used the distribution list to attempt to lead a renegade group of hill climbers over the bridge but MC (having learned from his spanking last time he tried the same trick) assured us he sent a stern warning email to our flash friend not to try such backhand tactics again.

The boys did the 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1 lap session looking sprightly. Ray and I jogged around. I told Ray he wasn't allowed to talk to me during GCM as I'm a miserable bastard when I race. He said he'd probably be following a few yards behind in that case. He said JB was planning to go out at 3:40s and expected me to be with him. Maybe for 10km I reckon. Getting excited about the marathon now. Will be especially so when I clear my lungs.

Kanser's sick. My money may yet again be at risk. Although MC looked to be struggling to stay with the boys today...

Mini-Mos - 7th in 34:40

Kanser swears by the central governor theory. Essentially, the theory goes that your body performs to the expectations that your mind (your central governor) places on it. I predict I'll do something close to my course PB (34:39) and end up with 34:40.

Did a long warm up of 7km. Rocked up to the start after a brief chat to Wildman to find the money-men had sorted out the places already. Harry Summers, Scott McTaggart, Wildman, Kevin Batt, Tom do Canto and Vlad were all there. They ran off. I was left running with a chap I didn't recognise, he then pulled ahead at 4km when I started to struggle, took a gel at 5km to see if I could stomach it running at race pace, started to come good again at 7km and that was about it. 34:40 felt much harder than I thought it was going to. It's a bloody hard course but others don't seem to struggle with their times as much as I do. I think it's all the hills and corners that disrupt your rythmn which doesn't suit me. Kevin Batt pulled out. Vlad, who was a long way behind the leaders and isolated at 5km ran a very strong second half to regain contact.

Did a 4km warm down with Wildman and Scott McTaggart for 21km all up.

Easy Sat

Felt fantastic from the start running 3:51 and 3:52 for the first 2km just coasting along. Slowed down a bit for the kids to catch up on their bikes and finished with 11.11km in 44:32 (4:00's).

Looking forward to Mini-Mos tomorrow. Always a testing run but hoping that the strength from the Marathon training will pull me through to a course PB (34:39).

City Mile Dash

Wildman was excited. The emails started arriving at 8.30am. Durante and I wanted to pull out, Wildman wanted us to run with the elites. Tucks said he was tired. Wildman said he was feeling great. Sauntered over at 12 noon with Durante and Tucks, arrived to find Wildman buzzing around the registration tent telling us he'd already put us in the elites and we'd only have to run once to count towards the team award so we reluctantly agreed.

Then bumped into JF, JB, Pete W, Rob, Enda, Eoin, Eamo, the CBA and MBL girls teams from Singapore which almost made it a reunion. Had the world's longest warm up. Got incredibly nervous. And we were off. And then I finished. A mile really isn't a very long way. Planned to sit behind Tucks which I did to start with but then felt good so pushed on. At the half way turn Wildman and Hugh Williams (World Cross Country Rep) plus some stranger (Mitch Dean - turns out he's a former pro-triathlete) were about 20m in front and I was in fourth, feeling good and as though I was running away from the rest. Then I hit the wind. Then Tucks came past. Then something looking like Zebedee came past which turned out to be Durante. Legs were feeling slightly jelly like at this stage. Tried to stick with them but to no avail, Tucks finishing his customary 4 seconds in front and Durante 3 seconds. Results here. I can't run a mile in 4:23 so I think it was closer to 1500m. Wildman of course won. I don't think Ryan Gregson would have beaten him today he was that gee-ed up.

With 4 in the top 6 we won the team prize by a country mile. $260 worth of Mizuno shoes, $240 worth of Alanic sportswear and a load of other goodies so not bad for 4 mins of effort.

Everyone proceeded to cough up a lung afterwards. I don't think we do enough lung busting stuff.

Blinkin' Nora

Meeting at lunch and State of Origin this evening so did the 19km MLR with marathon pace stretches run to work. However, every time I came to do a marathon pace stretch (other than Military Rd) I seemed to be running into a gale. So the marathon pace stretches were like 3:43 then 4:06 with a 4:19 average pace up Parriwi. Hardly setting the world alight. That's a bit of an excuse really though as I was really tired from the word go in any case. Just one of those runs you have to get through.

What made the run the worst though was the fact that I couldn't get the tune "Watch out, Beadle's about" out of my head. Only the Poms out there will understand this issue.

All up 18.54km in 1:19:57 (4:18's).

My secretary just sent me this photo as a potential solution to my limp wristed hand problem during races...

HuRTS Progressive tempo

Still had yesterday's run in my legs so decided not to set off too hard today. Wildman, Tucks, Ray, Bartles, JB and Scott(?) went off super quick with Richie H, Enda, Pete W, the Judge and myself in the next group. The Judge pushed on, Pete dropped back and Enda, Richie and myself made our merry way around the course together chatting about Richie's weak ankles, how we're going to smash the Irish in the City Mile Challenge and the bloody awful weather.

Pushed on a bit from the Opera House onwards (noting JF's shortcut) and got home in 44:36 just holding off Wildman who had run about a km further. Exactly 12km all up so 3:43's average. Had to work hard over the final 2km but otherwise feeling OK.

Tis done

Yesterday was a write off. Just too tired in the morning - slept on and off until late afternoon (Quentin said the same thing). Then planned a jog but we had a power cut so my day was done.

So met up with Quentin and Jamie for the long run today. They only wanted to do about 80 minutes so we did a loop around Cromer and Dee Why before coming back to Manly where I headed off up around North Head then back to Queenscliff and home via Campbell Parade. Didn't have my Garmin (power cut put paid to that) but time was 2:38:38. I'd guess at 37km. Pace was fairly honest with Quentin and Jamie and I did the last 10km in under 40minutes trying to push the pace home.

The long runs are done!!

Monster Saturday

Friday

Easy 7km in the evening feeling bouncy. Nice chap. 111km for the week but feeling like I bludged it after missing Tuesday's session.

Saturday

Met up with Quentin and Jamie for the Chloe Tighe session I did a couple of times last Spring. 5km hard (4mins), 8 x 1min hills (4mins), 5km hard. Ran the 5kms in 17:17 and 17:15. Felt pretty comfortable on the first with laps of 8:36 and 8:41. First lap of the final 5km I was feeling it (2nd km in 3:34) but then suddenly felt good on the 2nd lap and came home strong with laps of 8:41 and 8:34.

Durante has entered a team for the City Mile Dash next Friday lunchtime because there's about $500 of ASICS gear for each of the winning team members. It's him, Wildman, Tucks and me. I'm the weak link.

HuRTS Mona Fartlek

Bloody cold today so it was the hardened runners only, i.e. Timmy, Kanser and MC were absent. Was secretly hoping that the fast guys wouldn't be there as I didn't quite fancy a tough session today but rocked up to see Bartles, Tucks and Wildman bouncing around looking raring to go so resigned myself to a tough slog.

Set off pushing the pace. Got to the gate in 2:51 and into the virtuous circle of hitting the tops of the hills on the floats. Wildman was playing around running ahead and jogging back to us. He and Tucks pushed on a bit towards the turn but Bartles and I still reached the gates in 9:43. Again Tucks and Steve pushed ahead on the way back with John and I keeping each other company all the way. Felt better again on the 30's. All up 6.02km in the 20 mins (3:19's).

Did the route again as a warm down with JF, JB and Tucks. 14km all up.

How about this for a trophy! Better than the crappy medals we used to get...

Wednesday MLR

Missed yesterday's session giving a talk at lunch. Had planned to do a tempo run home but work dictated I had to have a few beers with a client to celebrate a deal win so that went out of the window. Not good to be missing key sessions at this stage. Maybe Kanser's right.

Today did the usual Wednesday route with MC, RMR, the King and Wildman with Stevie and I drifting ahead fairly early on to do the marathon pace stretches. Wildman's gut went wild mid-run so did a few detours via the Gents. Pace up Ocean street was 3:56 and 3:46, for the lap of Centennial it was 3:24, 3:28 and 3:28 but we had a strong headwind in parts. Caught up with MC's much swollen group now including JF, Kanser, Andy and Big Sam and ran back with them. Andy, Big Sam and I did the final fast stretch together.

23km all up as I did a 3km warm up feeling guilty about yesterday.

Easy Monday

Out for the usual Monday route with a cast thousands. Wildman, Durante, MC, Kanser, Andy, Ray, Craig and loads others. Stevie almost turned his ankle near the start and shades of Wildman rose to the surface as he started shouting indiscriminately at fat, slow blokes with no right to be running getting in his way. I tried to smooth things over by explaining that there was a place for everyone in this beautiful world that God has given us but he just growled at me.

Anyway, the pace picked up at bit after that as angry Steve hit the front. Kanser couldn't stop talking about Timmy. He's getting pretty obsessed. The world is collapsing around poor old Demolisher Dave. First, he sees me marching on inevitably to smash his marathon PB at the first time of asking, and second he sees Young Timmy disappearing out of contention - the realisation dawning on him that he will have to content himself with bets as to whether he can finish within 60 seconds of our iPod wearing polar explorer.

All up 15.92km in 1:08:34 (4:18's).

Plenty of great photos from the race (Gerry's got real talent for this):

Tom putting some effort in with Tongey with 150m to go:




Sam and Tim at 6km:




Jonny Binfield at 4km:




From left at 6km: Blue singlet chap (dunno), Jonathan Hew, me obscured by Bleasel, Tongey, Lara Tamsett, Tucks, Keith Bateman:



Andy at 6km:



Tucks and Tom at 4km:



Terence Bell and Richie P (cut down the middle) at 6km:

4 weeks to go

Out with Big Sam for the same route as last week. Came back over Queenscliff this time though so couldn't avoid the horrendous hill which turned my legs lactic after 35km.

Tired to start with but got into it, with Sam dragging me home from 30km onwards. All up 36.07km in 2:30:36 (4:11's).

Back from the run straight to Bec's soccer game where she scored her first ever goal, and followed it up with a second.

State 10km Road Champs - 29th in 32:41

Perfect morning. Cool and no breeze. Rocked up to find a cast of thousands from the HuRT Squad. Everyone but the injured was there. Did my usual pre race drills and was feeling great which boded well. Lined up next to Chadi and Tucks and we were off. It's a lightning quick start. Very wide and slightly downhills which lends itself to a charge of the light brigade. I was chatting to the Tiger afterwards and he said something which I had been thinking earlier this week - if you want a fast course for 10km, it has to have a fast start so that you get into the rythmn of running quick. It's why North Head is now slower since they changed the course, and why Lane Cove is relatively quick despite the hills. Anyway, none has a faster start than this one.

Fortunately I wasn't wearing a watch as Bartles said we went through 1km in 2:59. At that point I felt great and actually pushed on through to 2km. At that stage we had a group formed dominated by Striders - Tucks, Keith, Thamal, Tongey, Bleasel, Lara Tamsett (the only non-Strider!) and myself. Someone shouted out 9.28 at 3km. Still felt good. But on the drag between 4 and 5km past the Olympic Stadium I started to suffer. Keith said we went through 5km in 16:04 and I was still in touch. However, at the U-turn I just couldn't hold the pace despite everything I told myself before the race. It wasn't mental, I just didn't have it. They slowly gapped me between 5 and 7km where I told myself I could either put it all in or slowly drift away. Concentrated on catching Tongey who had become detached from the group. Caught him at the turn after 8km and then concentrated on Keith who looked as though he was starting to drop off the group too. Had a strong finish to drop Tongey but Keith was too far ahead, beating me by 6 seconds. Chuffed to bits with the time though. Only 4 seconds shy of the PB but I was spent - I don't think I could have squeezed any more time out of the race.

Some great times out there - Terence with 34:01, Timmy getting his dream with a 34:51, Andy running 33:45 just in front of Clyde (how does he do that off minimal training?), JB with a 33:21 3 weeks after Ironman (gives me hopes for C2S post GCM yet) but run of the day was Wildman. 30:37 to finish 5th, just failing to catch Scott Westcott! As Tiger said, it's amazing what can be achieved with a bit of class and determination.

Special mention to Young Timmy. We were all rootting for you mate. Walked back to the car with Big Sam after the race and he said that as soon as he crossed the finish line he went and gave Timmy a hug knowing how much it meant to him. Plainly a bit of Richie High behaviour going on there.

Also should mention Lara Tamsett's performance. Never great being chicked but 32:27 for a road 10km puts her in world class territory.

Results here.

I wasn't bad with my predictions. See the post below for the actual results versus predictions...

Plod City

6.5km jog around the Domain and CQ, bumping into and running with JF and Big Mikey H along the way.

More drop-outs for tomorrow with Dicky H suffering from a dicky ankle. However, the big news (and a major blow for the English contingent in the ongoing battle for the Ashes) is that Wildman is running. So I've updated his estimated time below. Based on my predictions, the 3 man Aussie team will beat the 3 man English team by a whopping 2:XX (feck, nearly gave the game away with my own predicted time).

72km for the week.

They're dropping like flies

Quentin out (that jettisons race plan #1). JF doubtful. Andy doubtful. It's the big race pressure. Only MC seems to be reacting in the right way, running angry after the naysayers predicted him conservative race times. Young Timmy's scared. Chances are our Stoke FC schoolboy reject will be developing Enda style flu in the next 24 hours.

Busy at work again but popped out this evening for 8km with five 40s - 60s fast patches interspersed. Felt good.

It's a drug

Managed 2 days off (and didn't feel like running at all) but was bouncing around my office this morning and persuaded myself that a gentle 6km would be a good idea so that I could have a good stretch afterwards. Bumped into JF (still with the lingering effects of the flu) and Andy along the way and ran with them.

Lots of trash talking going on about Saturday's race. This race, the C2S and JPMorgan are the three big HuRT Squad races of the year. Poor old Mikey is copping a fair bit of flak. And I'll spare him none here. These are my honest predictions based on people I know are running (assuming favourable weather conditions):

(Actual results in brackets)

Wildman: 31:37 (30:37) - doops
Quentin: 32:40 (DNS)
Tucks: 32:48 (32:32)
Bartles: 33:15 (33:01) - I know how that feels
JB: 33:25 (33:21)
Rich H: 33:43 (DNS)
Andy: 33:45 (33:45!)
JF: 33:49 (DNS)
Big Sam: 34:24 (34:56)
TB: 34:35 (34:01)
Dickyboy: 34:49 (DNS)
Richie P: 34:52 (34:40)
Young Timmy: 34:53 (34:51)
Jamie: 35:10 (DNS)
MC: 35:42 (36:15)
Kanser: 36:52 (37:14)