Longer Wednesday

Headed out with MC, Indrajeet, Marty and Tim C towards Rose Bay. I cut short towards the end for about 17km at a very easy pace (4:50's). Crossed paths with LF Charlie doing Warrior on the Woolloomoolloo steps (he obviously chickened out of a proper run) but he was concentrating too hard to respond.

Hurts Progressive tempo

Actually, it's more like running halfway at steady tempo than turning and trying your best to get back. Ran with Ray, Clyde, Andy and Tim C with Ray and Clyde pulling ahead by 20m at the turn. Ray and Clyde came past strongly pretty soon after the turn and left Andy and I running together for the return. I struggled up the hills towards the end when Andy came past.

Very warm today (high 20's) but not so humid. Still feeling the weekend work in my legs. Averaged 4:00's on the way out and 3:40's on the way back (11.82kms in the 45mins for 3:48 average). Finished 30 seconds short of the Stone Gates.

Easy Monday

Had the day off work with Bec being ill so headed out in the early evening for a very easy 8km around Manly. Felt terrible for the first 2km but felt great by the end. Bumped into Richard Green half way around and had a chat - said he was nearly a minute slower on Sat than he was expecting.

Dehydration

Went out for my 2 hour run at 4pm after sweating all day in the humidity. Really didn't feel like it but forced myself out. Ran the same course up to Narrabeen as last week but went via Long Reef going behind the dunes on Dee Why beach rather than on the road. Felt great until 16km, running 4:10 - 4:20's feeling really relaxed, but then suddenly became dehydrated running back up the hill to Long Reef headland. From then I was hanging out for every bubbler. No matter how much I drank I still felt thirsty. Still do now, 2.5 hours later. Feeling pretty queasy too. Bec has a virus so hope I'm not in the early stages of that.

Held it together OK to run the 26km in 2:00:01. How's that for sticking to schedule?

Bring on Autumn.

Striders 10km North Head

Woke up to find no wind but a humid morning after all the recent rain - similar conditions to last months race. Jogged over to the start, but having moved it to the car park at the end of North Head is much further to jog there than it used to be. I realised this about half way there when I'd already started sweating quite a bit. Caught up with Ray beforehand for a jog and we were off.

CT, Jan-Willem and another chap shot off and I was next, wanting to make an aggressive start. Enda was alongside with Ray, Thien Vuong and another. Basically ran with them until the turn at 3km when Ray and Thien started to pull ahead on the drag back up after the Stone Arch. After 5km Wayne Bullcoh came past and I let him go aswell. Lost a lot of time in the middle of the race between 4km and 7km - just don't have the confidence at the moment to push on through. After the turn at the Stone Arch for the second time I decided it was time to put some effort in so concentrated on catching Wayne. Got into a good rythmn here and pushed on past him between 8 and 9km to finish strongly. 35:28 all up. Ray finished on 34:58. A bit disappointed but it's still a minute improvement from last month so I can't complain. Body feels fine now.

Sort of Mona Fartlek

Sean's session for today was 6 x 30s with a 30 second rest. HuRT Squad session was Mona Fartlek. So I ambled around the back of the HuRT Squad until Clyde caught up with me on the final 1 min stretch before the six 30's started. I then ran the 30s with him which fitted in perfectly. Bashed them out pretty hard and I was pleased to finish them.

Others there were Ray (taking it very easy before Sat morning), Andy, Luke and Dom. MC had got there early and assumed we'd already set off. At least that was his excuse.

Dave - Sat morning is the next Striders 10km up at North Head, my local.

Easy Wednesday

Just an easy 10km plus a few sprints at the end - first half with Mike Race. Weather cooler but clear. Looking forward to Autumn.

Tempo Run Home Again

Missed HuRTS with a meeting so decided on a tempo run home. Felt great from the word go after yesterday's rest day so pushed all the way. 14:30 at Ben Boyd, 26:52 at Toyota Garage and 50:21 all up after a 6:50 final 2km. Only 1:36 behind my PB set just before City to Surf in 2008. Hope I haven't overdone it before Saturday.

Sore Sunday

Schedule today was 26km in 2 hours. Woke early and set off at 6.15am feeling absolutely terrible. Really bad night's sleep due to the heat and humidity but also very tired after yesterday's session. It was a case of one foot infront of the other to start with, and even at 5km I thought I was never going to get myself out of it. I basically just ran up the coast to Narrabeen lagoon and back again. It took a push up Griffin Rd to Dee Why to get the heart pumping and breath some life into my legs. Km splits tell the story:

5:10, 5:00; 5:58; 4:42; 4:35; 4:39; 4:35; 4:29; 4:39; 4:21; 4:24; 4:25; 4:18; 4:23; 4:20; 4:12; 4:24; 4:20; 4:24; 4:26; 4:40; 4:22; 4:26; 6:17 (Freshwater beach and those bloody steps up over Queenscliff); 4:35; 4:22.

26.07km in 2:00:57 (4:38's). Achilles is sore for the first time in ages. Right hip flexor also tight.

Bumped into Richard High (second time in 2 days, he's stalking me) and Pete W.

Centennial 8km

Out with Sean's squad on a beautiful cool morning. Ground was very wet though which made things quite heavy underfoot particularly on the second loop. Warmed up with Keith and then did 8km tempo followed by 10 hills. Ran the first lap with Vlad who is recovering from illness and injury. He dropped off on the second so just tried to keep Sean within sights from then on. Laps went as follows:

6:55
7:10
7:14
7:08

28:27 all up (3:35's - exactly what I was told to do again). 9 seconds quicker than last September. Hills were fine.

Old Skool

Very easy 10km today with the old skool of HuRTS runners - MC, Ray, Springer and, wait for it, Serg. Headed around the new pedestrian path at Barangaroo which looks purpose built for HuRT Squad sessions. They've even got a blue line with a painted runner on it. Cooler again and light rain making for perfect running conditions.

84kms for the week. Hip, knee and achilles all great.

HuRTS Gate to Gates

Hangover. Very stiff legs from yesterday's core strength session. Only turned up hoping to bump into Indrajeet (work issue) and because the session (8 x 909m) was very similar to what Sean had planned for me (7 x 800m). Then started the session and felt surprisingly strong. Was running at the head of the front group consisting of me, Fast Charlie, Ray and the Judge. All the reps were run in around 2:52 (3:09 pace) other than the first and the last which were a bit slower - about 2:58. Ray and Charlie came past half way around the last rep and the elastic broke. I did 7 of them as per Sean's plan. Beautiful day. Cooler than recently but perfectly clear and a little headwind on the "out" legs.

Fitting it in

Missed HuRTS with another lunch so just ran home. Tried to pick up the pace a bit and attack the hills to make it tougher, but it was something a little less than a tempo. Bottom of Ben Boyd in 15:33, Toyota Garage in 28:33 and 53:34 all up after a 7:14 final 2km. Felt pretty good from top of Ben Boyd onwards. Still got some slight concerns about my hip. Not sore when running but aware of it when sitting down.

Late Sunday run

Photo of Bec in the Flags. The keen observer will notice me in the background.

Tonight was 22.67km easy run home in 1:43:51 - averaging 4:35's. Was going much slower until I reached Sydney Rd to start the loop around Manly when I decided I'd better speed up and get home before Kirst started to get worried.

State Carnival Weekend

Thursday night headed up to the Nippers NSW State Carnival. Had a fantastic weekend, capped off today with Bec making the final of the U8 Wade. She was going well in the middle of the pack until three-quarters of the way through when she swallowed a whole load of sea water and struggled home. Nonetheless, she made her parents very proud.

Struggled to fit in the runs, rested on Friday. Got out Saturday afternoon in the baking sun having spent the morning and early afternoon in it. Did what was on the program - 4 x 2km plus hills. Found a 2km loop around some ovals behind ourt hotel in Newcastle. Was very reluctant to do them but told myself just to grind through them. Times went 7:25; 7:15; 7:09; 7:00. ould only do 6 hills due to lack of time. Caught up with Richard P for dinner with our families and headed out on Sunday morning with him and two of his running buddies for 15km very easy at 6am along the beautful Newcastle coastline.

Will try and fit a long one in tomorrow although my hip is a bit sore. Couldn't do any of my usual exercises in the hotel.

Thurs run home

Same two glasses of wine at lunch, same time at bottom of Ben Boyd (16:02), almost same time at Toyota Garage (29:38) but quicker in last section for a 55:55. No legs for a 3:40 finish though.

Wed run home

Felt a bit dodgy to start with after a couple of glasses of wine at lunch but soon settled into it. Pushed all the hills which lead to a slightly quicker time - 29:43 at Toyota Garage and 56:40 all up. Puffing hard up the hills but then would feel great after. Last km in 3:40. Followed by 5 x 100m at 90% effort.

HuRTS 4 x 3km

Actually, 4 x 10mins on way out, 2 mins rest then return to the start.

Was working until 2am last night and was struggling this morning so set off pretty tentatively, trying just to ease my way into it. I think everyone was doing the same thing as there was a lot of banter going on for a rep session. John, Tucks and Fats out front (the Judge dropping in every now and then), me, Ray, Andy and Enda in the next group with Derek and Clement popping in and out. Reached the edge of the bus stop outside the Art Gallery for the first rep (same point as I got to on Mona Fartlek two weeks ago but felt as though I was running a lot slower today). Back in 9:30. I pushed the 3rd rep, running with Fats, Ray and Andy and pushing up the hills. Reached the big tree half way between the end of the bus stop and the statue. Back in 9:35 including a big pick up in pace over the final 300m tussling with Andy.

Andy had the average pace as follows: 3:50, 3:37, 3:42, 3:33.

Very pleased with the session. Getting stronger.

Load of people out there today. Even saw the mighty Serg going for a jog.

Sunday Valentine

Headed out this afternoon for 90 mins with Ryan (nothing to do with it being Valentine's day). Ran around and about including up to North Head. Covered the 20km in 1:29:42 - 4:29 pace. Probably a bit faster than I would have done by myself to be honest, but felt very relaxed. Also easier on the legs doing the slightly shorter distance - again at Sean's suggestion.

Saturday session

Missed getting to Centennial this morning following a late dinner out last night so headed out at 4pm to do the session Sean had suggested. I was down for 6km at 3:35 pace followed by 10 hills.

That's what I did. Covered the 6km (2 and a bit loops of my 2.5km circuit) in exactly 21:30 although had to push the last 2km to do so. Kms went:

3:33
3:35
3:37
3:37
3:32
3:32

Then just rolled through the hill reps. It was very humid (we had 70mm of rain last night in an hour) but no wind. Vest was sodden by the end. Might have lost a few grams as a result.