HuRTS Progressive tempo

Charlie, considered your advice, but then made a $50 bet with the Tiger giving him a 30s headstart at the State 5000m in February, so decided to do some training.

Small crowd today what with Christmas and all (and MC confusing us all as to what session we were doing). Set out very easily at 4:27 pace with JF, Luke, French Ben, English Andy and Dicky H, picked it up to 4:00's then 3:50's then stretched out a bit with Rich over the final 15 minutes getting back in 44:15. We turned only just past the start of the Hickson Road reps though so it was a very easy first half.

Nice to be back out again though.

Stuffed

Been stuffed at work. Knackered at home. Just want to sleep all the time and have lost my running mojo. Haven't done anything since last Thursday. Had a Carl session this morning with more plyometrics work so ran there (4km) but he advised against running on to work afterwards due to the intensity of the session. My legs were wobbling by the end of it so I heeded his advice and got the bus.

Billy's homework

 

Just been reading Billy's homework book for the year and noticed this entry from mid-August!

Runs to work

Wednesday: Ran to work via Carl. Carl wasn't there, did some core work in the Gym and continued on to work. 57:36. Got to work prior to 9am, logged on to Six Foot website to register for the race, couldn't get access, finally got access at 9.15am and it had sold out. So I'm waitlisted. Not happy.

Thursday: Ran to work. Decided to put some effort in and make it a tempo. Did the first km in 4:05 (which includes the first 200m of trying to get the legs to function) but then hit the hill at Balgowlah and my legs were dead. Continued to put some effort in but every hill I hit (and there are a few) my legs were goooone. Perhaps it's a good job I am only waitlisted for Six Foot. 25:44 at Spit Junction and 53:46 all up so not a bad time all things considered.

Good luck to Benny tonight at Zatopek.

HuRTS 14 x 3mins

Knackered and run down after another broken night with Claudes so rocked up to the HuRT session in the heat with intentions to take it very easy. Ran with Mike Race for the first few reps and soon realised that running with Mike Race is no longer easy. Fely OK albeit a bit tight in the legs and pushed on a bit chasing Quentin over the final 4 reps. Another big crowd and even MC doesn't recognise half the group these days. It was Quentin followed by French Ben, Mike Race and Enda towards the front though.

Pleased to get through them unscathed, probably at the pace we're supposed to run them at (MC was saying Benny St thinks we do these reps far too quickly). I guess the last 4 were at 3:25 pace with the earlier ones at 3.35 pace.

Easyish Monday

The usual route (no Liners today so all the way down Barangaroo) with a big crowd including MC, Clyde, the Chairman, James V, Brendan K, Luke and French B. Easy to start with then the Chairman picked the pace up on the way back, with only me, Luke and French Ben running with him all the way. 35:00 on the way out and 31:45 on the way back for the 15.8km. Struggled towards the end though - lack of mileage is affecting me. Hot out there. Singlet was dripping wet by the end.

Not happy Jan

Really busy and stressed at work at the moment and with Claudia not sleeping well at night it's starting to hit me. Came down with the same sinusitis thing I've been having intermitently all year on Thursday. Felt rotten yesterday. Just about better today so crept out for the short Manly route this afternoon after spending 6 hours in the sun marshalling the Queenscliff Nippers Carnival this morning.

Felt crap for first half then gradually better in the second. 31:35 (4:12's).

HuRTS Gate to Gates

Muggy today, had a bit of a headache and generally lacking any mojo but headed down with Jules mainly just to run with some mates. Tucks was taking it easy so ran with Dicky H on the first two reps and a bit ahead on the others apart from the last where Tucks put some effort in and blew us away. Others there included Andy, Todd, Bill, Clement, Ray, Anna, Luke and French chap Ben. Times went:

2:52, 2:51, 2:47, 2:49, 2:47, 2:46, 2:42

It's 909m so that is averaging 3:04's. Felt pretty comfortable on all but the last, but was still wondering how I ran them 10s faster per rep prior to JPMorgan. Then following Tucks on the final rep I realised how - you have to go full bore from the start and hurt yourself during each rep. But I wasn't up for that today.

We were supposed to do 8 but everyone seemed pretty happy to call it quits at 7. Very Conwayesque behaviour and he wasn't even there.

Wednesday slog in the rain

One of those days where it would have been much easier to roll over in bed and forget about it for the day. Instead, put my kit and rucksack on with a gore-tex jacket over the top and ran the 4kms to Carl at Spit Bridge. Did the session with him (no bounding today due to the weather (and my body)) but instead more core strength stuff - he even emailed me with the details:

*Wk 2/4 Race recovery program full ROM PN demand high x10-15 reps
-S (55) single jacks
-S (55) double prone jacks with S chest support (no hold)
-S (55) LB roll out (oblique focus)
-D full squat
-B kneeling R woodchopper x13.6kg

Then followed up with the 10km jog to work feeling very heavy-legged, especially on the hills. Absolutely soaked as it was a downpour. One of those days I used to love in the UK as I knew I'd be training when some of my competitors wouldn't be. Unfortunately my competitors out here seem more hardcore than me.

Put a link up to Carl's website on the left for anyone that is interested. Highly recommended. Got me over my achilles problems and will be my not-so-secret weapon for next year...

HuRTS 45mins Fartlek

Looked out the window before lunch and it looked cloudy and cold so put a long sleeve top on. Step outside and it's warm and humid. The top was drenched by the end of the session.

Fair crowd today (including AAR recruit Ali) but good upfront with Dicky H, Tucks, and new chap Quentin but with me doing all the work. Turned about 20m after the second speed bump on Hickson Road so a decent distance but slowed a bit with the effects of the humidity on the way back. Dicky dropped off just before the Opera House and my legs were gone as soon as we hit the hills with Tucks and Quentin pushing ahead. Got back in 45:54. Legs affected by the lack of a long run in training at the moment.

Good to see RMR justifying his Most Improved trophy for HuRTS with a 2.5 minute PB over the Half Marathon at the weekend.

Run home

Legs felt a bit heavy today but the breathing was good. Quick again, 15:41 at Ben Boyd, 29:05 at Toyota Garage, 47:02 with 2km to go and 54:10 all up. I've concluded that when you do no tough sessions (particularly the long run and intervals), the average pace of your normal runs quickens to compensate.

Short Sunday again

Same as last week but a bit quicker - 41:03 at 10km and 61:59 all up. Perfect running weather - 22C but a slight drizzle. Thighs still sourish, they'll probably recover just before Wednesday's repeat session.

The pain was bearable

Suffered like never before from Wednesday's strength training. Couldn't even touch my glutes without being in agony. Not helped by two nights on the booze on Wednesday and Thursday. Wednesday was the HuRTS Awrds night, where the following were annointed 2010 winners:

Best performance: JB (Gold Coast Half) with Heyden as runner up (Comrades and other ridiculous Ultras)
Most Improved: Mike Race with Laura as runner up
Serg Award: Conway. No one else got close. Enda got a few protest votes for constantly having a cold.

Thighs and glutes could just about stomach a run today so did the Manly 10.2km in 43:57. The only person I bumped into was my own daughter, which was a bit weird.

Heavy duty Wed

Training with Carl at 6am where we've started a new program outside involving loads of bounds, squats and drills. Legs were shaking like jelly all morning as a result. Then went out at lunch with MC, RMR, LF Charlie, King James, Craig and others (Rob joining mid-route) for two laps of Centennial and back (19km). Longest run in a month and felt fatigued as a result. Saw my female nemesis doing reps around McKay Oval.

HuRTS Awards Night tonight. The big event on the annual runners calendar, after the Laureus Sports Awards.

Run to work

Another grey run. 26:43 at Spit Junction and 55:55 all up. Legs felt weary to start with, probably a bit due to last night but probably more because I hate morning runs. Until I finish them.

Very brief clip of my sprint finish at JPMorgan here. Confirmed as the winning Mixed team today so we're off to Singapore in April.

Run home

29:42 at Toyota Garage and 55:42 all up, last 2km in 7:30. One of those "grey" runs that all training guides tell you to avoid, neither too hard nor too comfortable, but sometimes it's just the pace you go at.

Steady Sunday

15km in a steady pace. 43:00 at the 10km mark. 65:02 all up. Will have to start doing some proper training at some stage.

Easy Friday

Easy 61 minute run with a big crowd at lunch including MC, Wildman, Dicky H, Laura, Luke, King James, Craig W and many more.

This was after my "executive health check" this morning where I was forced to do the fitness test, basically increasing the pace and gradient on a treadmill until I could stand no more. I got up to 30 minutes with my heart rate at 170bpm and blood pressure 185/50 before I pulled the pin. All cholesterol levels were very good, still a bit heavy (66.6kg, the devils weight) so there's more improvement with a couple of kgs to lose. Haven't done a long run in 4 weeks though. By comparison, when I did this check in 2008 I was 64.7kgs and in 2007 I was 64.2kgs. However, my "effective age" is 28 which made me happy.

Tri Tim put to the sword!

Those keen followers of Young Timmy's blog will be aware that the fella has recently been riding like Lance and swimming like Phelpsy so it was with trepidation that I fronted up to tonights ABC Pool biathlon for a sportsman's bet head to head with the all rounder. Those aware of my swimming abilities wouldn't have been too confident, but I reckoned that if I could get a minute on him on the run I might be able to hold on in the pool.

The biathlon involves a 4km run then a 300m swim (6 lengths of the ABC Pool). CT (recovered from last week's cold) set off quick and didn't let up. Some young kid went with him and I was struggling in third, thinking I'll come good in the second half. Slowly reeled in the kid by half way but he was stubborn until 3km when I finally gapped him. Finished the 4km in 13:03 (well behind CT in 12:43) but by the time I'd stripped off all my running gear (everyone else ran topless and in budgies) I was third in the pool. Managed 20m of freestyle before I switched to breaststroke. Seemed like an eternity of struggling up and down the pool with guys coming flying past whilst I desperately checked if any were Timmy. But eventually finished in 19:29 for 7th place. Not bad for a Pom, but best of all Young Timmy was chicked in finishing in 20:48. The poor fella was well ashamed afterwards, sobbing into his beers in the Woolloomoolloo Bay Hotel, dreaming of elaborate ways to eventually beat me in a bet.

Buggered afterwards. The run was tough and there's no way I could have gone with CT but the swim afterwards just fatigues every bit of you.

Bruising Wednesday

Training with Carl at 7.30am so rode my bike to him for the first time in 9 months then on to work. It was slightly damp and coming through the Mosman cut through I took a stack after my rear break locked up. Hit the ground hard and badly bruised and grazed my right hip and right elbow. Bit shocked for five minutes then rode on to work. Out for 71mins at lunch by myself to Rose Bay and back feeling a bit sore. Then Tiger massage and now not looking forward to a ride home feeling very sore.