HuRTS 8 x 5mins

It was stinking hot again.  My shoulders were still sunburnt from the weekend so had to wear a sleeved top.  My only clean one was black.  So in black shorts, socks, t-shirt and hat I ventured out into the 30C heat.  Managed to hold on to Quentin, Hoey and Crossy for the first 3 reps (all about 3:20 pace).  Then started to feel it on the 4th.  On the 5th and 6th I was a wreck and down to 3:32 pace.  I was in no mans land.  Hell, even Enda was in front.  Took my top off for the final 2 and, bingo, felt fine running with Q and Muz.  

Jumped into the harbour to cool down after which was magic.  Got a bit scared about sharks though.

Affected by the heat in the afternoon.  Thank God it's supposed to cool down tonight. 

15km all up.

Speaking of sharks, Wildman - despite criticising me for training crap over the past 2 weeks and brimming with confidence himself - refuses to give me more than 30s on Saturday morning.  Honestly, it gets to a point when the only fair bet you can get is from Timmy!   But fortunately one of the lawyers at work has agreed to a 5minute head start at JPMorgan for a 6 pack of Coopers Pale Ale so should get some redress.  I don't think he'll manage 4 min kms.

Seal Rocks recap

Saturday was an easy 14km at Seal Rocks.

Sunday was zilch.  Drank too much red wine around the campfire on Saturday but in truth I don't remember anything after someone passed me a floppy looking cigarette.

So today I got out early for a lap of Centennial before meeting MC, Clarkey and JW for a run to Red Leaf pool, a quick dip and a run back.  Would have been fine but for the fact it was 30C.  Struggled big time in the heat and felt pretty drained for the rest of the arvo.  But 27km in the bag.

Self flaggelation

Was supposed to meet Macca and Justin for some 10min reps this morning but once again I had a drinks reception last night and at 5.30am my body was telling me 2 more hours sleep was much more sensible.

So headed out at lunchtime for the same Centennial route as yesterday, but decided to run it quickly as punishment for my morning laziness.  19:51 at Oxford Street/Centennial. It's a punishing first 5km of hills and steps.  A couple of sub 3:30's around Centennial finishing in 46:09.  Measured it at 12.28km (I thought it was closer to 13km?) so 3:45's average.

What are all these accurate times and distances I hear you all cry?  He is normally naked of the wrist.  Well I'm heading to Seal Rocks now and need to measure my long run so managed to fix my Suunto last night.

My Suunto, looking a bit like Paul Ince circa 1997:

Thursday amble

Summer clerk calibrations over lunch so popped out at 4pm for a loop of Centennial.  Bit more bounce there today.  Plenty of snot.  That's about it.

Short MLR

Wednesday run with Dicky, Erika, Justin, Ben and Quentin.  Cut short down Darley Road (so about 15km) as I wasn't feeling great.  Legs feel tired now.  Amazing how a few days rest makes them soft.

Beaut of a morning though.

The Fighter

They might as well have been playing Rocky's Theme as I emerged from Deutsche Bank Place today for the HuRTS Fartlek session.  But they breed them tough in the North East of England and I wasn't going to let a minor bit of flu and a grade 2 lung infection bring me down.  

Plodded over with the legs about to give way from under me and met the huge squad waiting.  Fortunately everyone was taking it easy today post the Half on Sunday so found a good group of Smolly, Jeet, Erikakaka, Timmy and others to run  with, with 'Lil Jimmy Matthews appearing at half way after nicking a motorbike having forged some keys this morning.

I'd like to say it was fun but it wasn't.  But coughed up some rubbish so hopefully took a step on the road to recovery and back to HuRTS #1, the people's favourite.

What went wrong

Friday did 11km catching up with the squad while at my partners conference in Sydney. 

104km for the week.

But I was starting to come down with a sore throat.  Felt rotten by the evening.  Saturday was a write-off.  Took some of Kirsten's heavy duty pain killers which worked a treat.  Sunday felt sorry for myself checking out everyone's times at the Sydney Running Festival.  Good to see Barts back on top and Neil running a PB.  CT and Timmy should be ashamed of themselves. 

So not sure where to go from here.  A promising season has been wiped apart by a foiled trip to Melbourne Marathon and sickness for the big Half.  Will have to use the ever reliable JPMorgan CC to motivate me again.

Wednesday MLR

Usual North Head route with Dicky, Quentin and Justin, but didn't add the Golf Course loop so only 17km.  It didn't rain!  In fact, it was a beautiful sunrise running along Manly Beach.

Dicky led us out so it was quick (close to 4min kms around North Head).  Quentin was puffing a bit on the hills so plainly has been on fat farm back home in the US of A.

HuRTS 2 x 20mins

Bit stressed at work.  Knackered from the weekend.  Found a gap to run out the office today but felt lethargic and unmotivated from the get go.  

Muz cruised ahead.  Took me almost 2km to even overtake Timmy.  Then ran with Michael Ho (looking very smooth), Macca, Andy and Ray reaching about 5.5km (original start of Hickson Rd reps). 3:38 average pace I think.  Felt a bit better on the return just holding on to Hoey (which he will now be called) all the way back in 19:10 (3:29's).  Hoey gave Charlie a pat on the back at the Art Gallery as we passed him. So I did the same.  This seemed to make Charlie sprint so plainly he didn't like it.  Finished with someone dry-retching as they reached the gates.  So Tommy's performance of the day goes to him.

3km warmdown for 15km all up.

Moody Monday

15km very easy with a large group including Tucks, Enda, MC etc.

Choppidy chop

15km in the arvo.  The Adios Boosts feel more comfortable by the day but still a choppidy stride without my orthotics.  Up around North Head for 15km all up.  Then entertained Macca, Charlie and next door neighbour Jason and wives for a dinner.  Are too much sugar.  Am now buzzing...

This morning we did the Retro Cycle Ride around Manly:

Catch up

Thursday

Timmy combo of 20mins continuous hills plus 5km tempo.  Seem to go alright on the continuous hills, albeit make up most of my time on the downs rather than the ups.  Crossy and Barts were a bit behind, but Crossy was closing in from halfway onwards.

Then on to the tempo.  Legs tired to start with as usual (and as the session intends) but got into a rythmn and finished with Barts in 16:04 (10s quicker than last month).

5km cool down for 15km all up.  Tough session.

Friday

Birthday drinks on Thursday night.  Everyone kept buying me rounds.  So on Friday I was hungover.  Nowt.

Saturday

31km.  First 10km easyish with Macca, Ben, Justin, Craig and Barts.  Then Erika joined us for 20km at her marathon pace (4:15's).  Ended up doing 4:10's I think and she was chatting the whole way.  I can only grunt when I do 20km at marathon pace.  She will smash 3hours in Melbourne and will go sub 2:55 I think.

Had to run in the Adios Boost with no orthotics as I left my usual trainers at work.  Short choppy stride with high cadence as a result.  It's tough on the calves but actually feel less fatigued overall.

Birthday run

Out at 5.45am and 21km done and dusted by 7.16am.  Perfect start to the day.  With Justin, Dicky and Erikakaka.

Stevie was complaining yesterday that he's not on the Head to Heads.  I said you need to beat me to qualify (hence Enda's absence) but in anticipation of his imminent return to form, and the fact I can look good for a while, he gets added.

HuRTS Hour Tempo

So Barts is upping the ante.  He sends around an email (and sensibly has it ok'd by CEO Mikey) to have some people buy into an hour tempo instead of 45mins.  Well, when I say some people, I mean me and Barts as we were the only ones who finished it.

Another good turnout, especially at the top end, with Wildman, CT, Muz, Fats, Crossy and Clarkey all there.  Even Enda showed up, but not sure what he did.  Pace felt solid enough on the way out.  CT had a 'comfort stop' around Barangaroo which had the rest of us running circles for 5 mins and Crossy and Muz had had enough to head back.  So Wildman, CT, Barts and I headed back together.  Somewhere along the line Stevie called it a day and then CT decided not to do the extra 3km loop around MMC, recovering still from his. 50 exploits.

To be honest Barts was pushing the pace for a lot of today and looked very strong. Plainly he was bludging at North Head on Saturday.  I pushed ahead a little after turning at Mrs Macs Chair but was rooted at the end.  All up 60:25.  Last lap of MMC about 10:13 so kept the pace solid.  Legs haven't felt this depleted after a session in a long time.

Told the boys I can't do Melbourne Marathon because of a conference I have to go to in Phuket.  Barts then announced he's only running the Half.  We're going to have to reassess the Highnam/Truscott/Bartlett Super Series.  CT seems to think he's still in the lead.  I told him I wanted an independent auditor appointed.

Fog on the Tyne:

Wassup

Sunday - 3km very slow.  Too hungover and it was Fathers Day.

Monday - 11km slow.  Missed start of run due a call.  Think I'm losing my mojo.

North Head Striders - 2nd in 32:47

So it was raining again.  And a bit windy.  Altogether pretty miserable.  The sort of day Michaels Durante and Conway would turn up for a race and immediately drive home again.  But it didn't prevent a big HuRTs turnout for what is traditionally the fastest Striders 10km of the year (ignoring State Champs). 

Fats, Andy, Barts, Clarkey, Timmy, Muz, Jamie, Justin, Angus, Ben, Jeet, Jono, 'Lil Jimmy - all there.  Girls were lighter on the ground with only Sonya showing from the squad.  Interest for the day was going to be seeing how Thurston would fare.  Standing in the toilet queues out pops Dave Criniti so Barts shouts out (having told me I should be going for the win) "Oh well, silver Tommy!".  Other guys up front were going to be Neil and Alex Rogers.  I didn't count on the latter being in such good form.

Gun goes and immediately Alex shoots off.  Neil, Dave, Wildman and myself follow.  By the roundabout we've caught Alex but he pushes on a bit.  Pace is very fast.  No idea as I'm not wearing a watch but I can tell I'm working hard.  At this stage I'm just wanting people to drop off to work out who I'm really racing, but Alex, Neil and Steve are still in the group.  Towards the far end of the course I'm struggling a bit and dropping a couple of yards off telling myself I've got to hold on.  Meanwhile Alex is taking in the views from North Head looking very comfortable.

Coming back up the hill I catch them again and gain a bit of confidence, knowing they're struggling a bit on the hills.  Stevie starts to drop a bit here - thank God.  At 3km I'd have put my money on him for the win.  At the turnaround at 5km it's Alex, Neil and myself clear with about 30m on Steve and Dave Criniti - argh, Dave!  If anyone is going to come home strong it's him!  But we're all still working hard.  See Clarkey and Muz going the other way, Muz is going well.  Then get a huge shout from Barts.  Fair play to him, never fails to give 100% in his support!  Then Fats and Andy then head down and time to work again.  Feel Neil dropping off here but Alex is relentlessly pushing on.  Near the far end of the course (7km) the elastic breaks and he pulls ahead.  Now I can hear Neil breathing down my neck.  Try to regroup and really work the hill at 8km.  From there just hold on and try to keep the form ok.  

Very pleased with the time.  Only my second time under 33 in a Striders race.  Stevie held on well to beat off Muz who had a very good run.  Great run by Sonya to take 3rd female.  But news of the day was hearing Timmy's time.  When we have a bet it's normally close.  Originally we said 4:20.  Then Timmy agreed on 4 mins, only to renege and finally agree on 4:10.  But it was 4:24.  He'll be disappointed not to have got under 37mins, especially with Jeet running 36:47.  So 4:10 was fair.  

Nice morning topped off with coffee and and omelette with the crew down in Manly.  

Friday plod

10km from work very, very easy.

Race tomorrow should be interesting with Wildman purportedly joining in.  He could run anything between 31 and 35 minutes.  Timmy has rorted me again.  Despite agreeing to a 4 minute buffer (and even putting it on his own blog yesterday), he's now reneging on the deal and said it should be 4 mins 20s.  I've caved in and reluctantly agreed to 4 mins 10s, just to stop him moaning on.

121km for the week.

Melbourne

From Sebel in Docklands ran to Southbank then up to the Tan, 2 laps of the Tan and back.  Ran anti-clockwise which appeared to be bucking the trend.  16km.  Second lap of tan was 16:13 which is 4:15 pace which sounds right.  Despite a big night last night I felt great today.

Melbourne.  Very runnable city.

Got sent a photo of Newcastle by one of my schoolmates today.  Brings a tear to my eye:

Wednesday MLR

18km early doors up around North Head with Macca, Justin, Erika and Ben.  Nice and easy but my legs were tired after yesterday's session.

We stopped for water (just the once) at Shelley Beach and Erika remarked "those Eastside boys seem to stop for water every couple of kms!  And they run so much slower."

Second World War broke out 75 years ago today.  And it was my Grandpa's birthday.

HuRtS 14 x 3mins

Held back to start, reps 9-13 were quicker at about 3:10 pace then eased up again.  Back around MMC for 17 odd km all up.  Was that Kanser I saw out there?

Monday recovery

Easy 15km (actually, not as easy as it should have been) with MC, TKS, Clarkey, Enda, JW, Elle, Renee, Ray et al.  Plenty of talk of Tucks' exploits and plenty of Stankard High Intensity Training talk from the man himself.

Spring has sprung!  23C today and sunny!  But it's due to rain tomorrow.  Can't wait to hit sunny Melbourne on Wed.  Not many people say that.