Woeful Friday

7km dead slow feeling very average.

HuRTS 200's

The squad were doing 8x800m but didn't want to hurt myself before Sat so sat in the second group with TKS, Renee, Ellie, Lou and JC and did 200m fast on each rep and cruised the rest.

Long warmdown with Barts for 13km all up.

Now properly back at work.  Hrmphhh.

Wellness Wednesday

Same as last week with LF Charlie, MC, Élan and Worswick.  Nice and easy, lemon squeezy.

Recovery not HuRTS

Squeezed in 10km from work this arvo during a busy day.  A few strides thrown in.  One of those runs where you feel infinitely better at the end than you did at the beginning.

Long run home

Out in Manly with a mate from the UK on Saturday night and hangovers are affecting me more these days.  So had a rest day.   Ran home this evening but added the Wednesday wharves run to start with for 30.2km all up in 2:15ish (4:27's).  Bumped into Fats at Darling Harbour and had a good chat.  Handling these long runs fine now, but helped by a rest day the day prior.

Curl Curl Parkrun - 3rd in 16:30

Rocked up with Macca and Quentin.  CT was there, knew he'd go off quick so plan was just to stick to him.  Thing is, he went off very quick and I was a pussy and held back from the start.  Ran with Q the whole way sharing the work.  He made an effort at 4km.  I thought he'd gone early but he held the customary 4s gap.  CT maintained the gap he had by 2km and, just to rub salt into my wounds, beat my course PB by 1s in running 16:17.  Disappointed at the end, particularly as I felt fine running home.  Need to get myself out of this 16:30 rut by committing early on.

16km all up.

To work

Ran to work.  Untimed but very slow.  Few strides and body OK but tired.

110km for the week.

HuRTS Hickson Rd

The crew of Modern Family blocked our usual Park Hyatt route so we made up 1.2kms starting just prior to the Bridge.  Another good crowd with the English Andys, Fats and Enda up front with Tucks still struggling (or deceiving us - no one can quite decide) further back with MC, LJ, Timmy and even Kanser making an appearance.

No idea as to pace as I'd left the Suunto at home.  Decided to sit in behind Enda and Andy C for each rep but halfway around each one I'd feel their pace drop so took it on after that.  Felt great today with plenty of pace.  No doubt I'll pay the price on the weekend.  Did a long cool down with Timmy, MC and Slapstick for 14km all up.

Have entered State 10000m a week Saturday following cajoling from Barts.  Will be my first ever track 10km.  Also going to do The Equaliser on Sunday but not too hard and as part of a longer run.

Bondi

Met up with MC, Andy Cross, Slapstick, Elan and a client of MC's.  Ran to Bondi.  Jumped in the surf.  Ran back to the office.  Only in Sydney.

Highlight of the trip was seeing the reaction of Mikey when he found a $10 note on the pavement at Bondi.  I've never seen anyone swivel and swoop so quickly.  It was like watching the figure skating at the Olympics.

17.5km in 1:25 (4:50's).

HuRTS 14 x 3mins

What I learned today:

1.  HuRTS sessions are mentally and physically tough.  This was my first in 3.5 months and I'd forgotten how hard they are.

2.  The squad just grows and grows.

3.  The old timers are on the comeback!  Great to see Tucks, Fast Charlie, Muz and Phil Dove out there plus the likes of MC, Macca, Enda, Andy, Jeet, Pete W, Louis, LJ and a whole host more.

4.  Muz is on fire.  Seriously so.  He was effortlessly putting 10s into the rest of us over a 3min rep.  Needs a haircut mind.

I struggled early on but improved as the session progressed.  I think it was the mental side of things I struggled with most.  Didn't worry about the pace but tried to keep up with Bart's, Enda and Andy while working the hills and relaxing on the downhills and flats.  The new 3 min route around Mrs Mac Chair is a great improvement.

18k all up.

Super Long Sunday

Over to Centennial early doors for what will probably be my longest run pre-Six Foot.  Did a lap of the park solo then met CT, Barts, Enda, LJ, TB, Renaud, Birchy, Jeet, Young Timmy, BK and numerous others for 38km.  Everyone was running different distances but had company the whole way after the first lap with Terence finishing the last few km.  Real confidence booster today as I felt fine even at 38km and even managed some manual labour this arvo.  Having second thoughts about selling the house now that I've actually put some work into it.

2:51:42 all up (4:30's).

Curl Curl Parkrun - 1st in 16:39

Well, this morning we had scheming and shenanigans worthy of a Game of Thrones episode.  And let me tell you, I was playing the role of the upstanding Eddard Stark and Enda was the scheming Tyrion Lannister.  He has form with dwarfs too.

Turned up having driven the family there (Kirst still in hospital but more on that later) and did a warm up bumping into Enda, Macca and Birchy but found ourselves running out of time.  There was a bit of standing around going on so I popped into the loos while Enda with the hidden agenda hurries the starter to get going.  I wander out of the loo smiling ready to greet everyone with a bit of banter on the start line only to see the backs of everyone running away and my Dad shouting something along the lines of "Tom, you daft twat!".  Well, I was a bit pumped then.  I reckon I lost at least 10s and had to run across the rough ground the catch everyone up.  At 1km Enda was way out front with Big Mikey H still 7s in front of me (I was timing the gaps).  Still running angry I caught them at the 2km mark but Enda immediately just tucks onto my shoulder for a free ride.  Seriously, that guy has no shame.

Started to tire a bit towards 3km with spirits only lifted with the 3 minor Highnams and one Super Senior Highnam cheering from the sidelines.  To be fair to Enda, he did take the lead for about 20m but semed more keen on looking at his watch.  From then on the race was an almost exact replica of last week.  Started to lift the pace with 1km to go wanting to avoid a sprint finish and got a slight gap coming over the bridge.  Pretty rooted by the finish line to be honest.  16:39 on the clock so taking into account the start it was about the same as last week.

Enda finished with a 16:47 to take $20 off me.  Fair play to him, he's running well as times seemed a bit slower this week.  I think the start/finish line was further back than usual - no doubt Otto (who ran the show this morning and succumbed to Enda's pressure on the start line) was trying to protect his PB.

Morning was topped off on the drive home to hear that Kirst's pathology results came through all clear!

Data

Easy 8km run with a few sprints thrown in to stretch the legs.  35:01 (4:22's).  Ran with a heart rate monitor for the first time ever.  Averaged 135bpm - got up to 153bpm on each of the sprints.  Love the stats.

Doing Curl Curl Parkrun tomorrow where I need to stay in front of Enda.

Another long tempo

Same 16.5km tempo as last week.  60:31 (3:39's) today.  Was similar as last week to 10km (36:18) but then lost it a bit into the wind coming back along Manly beach.

Warm and very humid today which didn't help.  But solid session nonetheless.

1km warmdown.

Mater movements

10km from the Mater.  Some great trails through Artarmon Reserve which you don't expect in the middle of a city.  Hilly and tired.  45mins.

Tradey Tuesday

After a day of manual labour around the house I knocked out the 15km Allambie Hill/Seaforth Oval route in the early evening in 68:22 (4:33's) feeling very sore.

Loving the short track speed skating at the Olympics.  It's got to be the best spectator sport.

Long run with friends!

Finally some company after weeks of long runs solo.  Met Andy and Macca at home, caught up with Jamie then met Tiger and Amy at Dee Why.  Up around Narrabeen Lake and back.  36.3km all up in 2:46:34 (4:34's).  We started off very slowly (I still had a hangover from too many red wines) at 6am but Tiger and Jamie were throwing a few quick ones in there on the way back through Cromer.

Very tired now.  I'm still struggling to back up for the long run after pushing the Parkrun the day before.

Curl Curl Parkrun - 1st in 16:28

So this morning we had the Truscotts, Jamie, Macca, Justin, Charlie, Pete W, Big Mikey H and 188 other people for the increasingly popular Curl Curl Parkrun.  Lovely morning with little wind and lots of PBs out there.  Went off quite quick feeling confident and trying to drop CT who's only recently returned from foot surgery (albeit on a 2014 running streak).  Well, the tenacious bugger just wouldn't let go.  I started to lose it a bit at 3km and he took the lead only for me to have another pop going up the hill on Harbord Rd.  On the bridge with 600m to go and he's still on my shoulder.  Keep on increasing the pace and gradually get a slight gap so that there's no mad sprint thank God.

Pleased with the time off biggest week in 4 months (and first mid-week session in same period).  Impressed by CTs time off little training.  Macca went well for another PB in 17:30. ML Charlie also avoided getting chicked by Greta off seemingly little training.  He could go well if he applied himself.

Jog there and back the long way for circa 16km.

Just before 3km.  CT in 2nd, with Big Mikey H and Jamie in the background.

Plod

Very easy jog to Shelley, bumping into Ben and Big Sam swilling beer from brown paper bags along Manly beach.  Felt very virtuous.

10.5km in 49mins (4:36's) which brings up 100km for the week.  Being anal like most runners, there was a reason for running 10.5km.  First 100km week since October.

Tempo Time

Was planning a 2km TT with Barts but he pussied out so I did a 16.5km tempo instead (because it's really similar) - usual route to Shelley Beach and back with an extra loop of the Golf Course.

Bit of wind going down the beach which made me tired at the 9km mark and quite warm (25C) but otherwise felt great.  Finished in 59:44 (3:36's).  Very happy with that - about 10s per km faster than I was expecting.  In better shape than I had thought.

Stats

More easy stuff

Been reading about marathon training and sounds like everything I'm doing at the moment is contrary to an effective marathon training plan.  But, in 2 weeks time I'll be back to HuRTS sessions so might as well enjoy the easy training for a bit longer.

Today was 12km easy in 4:27's with Charlie on his bike.  Charlie provided a constant stream of conversation which avoided any dull moments.

Another pain free run.  This nightly liaison with the foam roller seems to be working a treat. Struggling this evening with big pudding cravings.

Finally, thank God Joe Kinnear is gone.  Now just for Mike Ashley.

Long run in the heat

Only chance to get out today was at 1pm in 30C heat.  Did 34km around Narrabeen with a loop of the Golf Course at the end.  2:29:31 (4:23's).  Bumped into Macca early on so did a few km with him.  Last few km were a struggle in the heat running from bubbler to bubbler but at least the pace didn't slow.  Maybe this sugar free diet is working.

No discipline

Drinking wine until 2am last night so just 12km easy in 4:23's today.  Will do the long run tomorrow.

Ran in my new Wave Rider 17's.  Felt good, but will reserve judgment until tomorrow to see how the various niggles are.

Striders 10km Homebush - 5th in 34:57

Went out like it was a 5km, came home like it was a marathon.  

Felt magic in the first km running with the leaders (Dave Criniti, Neil P and Robin W) but then they suddenly drifted in front and I was running solo.  Aware that someone wasn't too far behind and at the bridge switchback saw that Fats and Quentin were right behind.  They came past at 5km reached in 17:00 and I was ready to step off the course.  It was warm and very humid as ever and I knew the second lap would be a struggle.  Fats and Q pulled ahead but then at 7km they both slowed and I was back on board.  Pushed on with Q who pulled ahead for his customary 7s cushion and I was happy it was all over.

Fairly satisfied given it's off 80km per week and no HuRTS sessions in 3 months.  But need to start some proper work soon.

Nice run by Neil P to win in 33:19 and Macca will be satisfied with 36:50 but not too many other happy faces out there this morning.