Settling in

I could get used to this camping malarkey. Sit around all day then start drinking at 4pm, in bed by 9pm.

Yesterday was 29km to the end of Yagon beach and back - 5km of fire trail then 19km of soft sand followed by 5km trail. Struggled to run 5min kms on the soft sand - when I got back on the trail again I was running 4:10's for the same effort. Glutes got a great work out though. 2:17 or thereabouts.

Today was 10km in the twilight on the trail to Yagon and back. Convinced I could hear dingoes tracking me in the words so ran most of it quite quick carrying a large stick.

Snakes alive

Almost stood on one. He snarled at me. Looked bloody dangerous too, short but fat and with big fangs. On my way back some goons were poking a stick at it.

56mins. Felt crap to start with but ace at the end.

Toppity

Beautiful morning - cool, clear and still and just enough time to squeeze a quick run in before setting off to Seal Rocks. Did the Manly 7.5km route. Stomach still a bit dodgy but felt a bit of energy returned today. Pushed the Manly mile hard to add just a bit of quality. Did that in 5:08 feeling lightheaded at the end. Finished in 30:45.

92km for the week.

What the feck

Tried to run to work as a tempo. Stomach started feeling dodgy again at 2km. Could barely run 4:10's without feeling massively lethargic so pulled the pin and caught a taxi. Claudia is sick and I think I must have some low level bug. Holiday tomorrow so plenty of chance to recuperate.

Kipchoge and Dibaba

Two of my favourite distance runners.

Kipchoge (Eliud) because he has stood the test of time. He rose to fame in the greatest showdown in any Olympic 5000m final where Bekele was facing El Guerrouj. Kipchoge was barely mentioned amid the fanfare of the duel between the 1500m and 10,000m Gold medallists, despite being the reigning World Champion at the distance at the time (aged 18!). He came very close to upsetting them both. Unlike a lot of Kenyans though, whose star shines brightly but briefly, he's withstood the test of time and went on to win silver in the World Champs in 2007 and silver again at the Beijing Olympics.

Dibaba at her best is just a class above all the opposition, has a devastating kick and a great ass.

Both are coming back into form and ran the Carlsbad 5000m at the weekend, Kipchoge coming third and Dibaba winning. Looks like they are timing their run into the Olympics well again.

Today was the usual Wednesday route with Big Sam, JW, Marty, Mr Ace and another new chap. Felt knackered to start with, really struggled up Ocean Street, felt marginally better around Centennial but had the gut issue again. Pleased to crawl back home. It was pretty warm out there and others felt similar. I know I'm tired though as the stride length was very short with increased cadence. I was taking 2 strides for every one of Big Sam's bounds. All up about 1:24 so it wasn't too slow.

HuRTS 45min tempo

Big crowd which I had to corral again with MC still absent but a bith thinner upfront. I'd planned on not pushing early on and J-Fen had the same idea so we ran together. Tucks ran with us wondering why noone was pushing the pace before he drifted off around Circular Quay. We were doing about 3:40-3:42's going out and I don't think I could have gone any faster. Breathing was fine but the legs were just dead. Then when we turned at 22.5mins (6.1km) I kicked into action a bit and J-Fen and I ran back together at a better pace finishing in 44:29. I almost pulled the pin at CQ on the return with a dodgy gut. Safe to say there was no risk of me not holding my core while running up the hills at the end.

All up 12.2km at an average of 3:38's. Very warm again today but I'm generally just tired. The holidays can't come soon enough.

Good to see Timmy and Enda back and the Fairlight crew going strong.

Shock! Company to run home with!

Caught up with Dickyboy to run home with someone for the first time in 9 years of running back to the Northern Beaches. Added about 20s at the start of the run meeting Dicky at Customs House and then set off on the usual route. The pace picked up all the way, probably going a bit quicker than I should have - 30:40 at the Toyota Garage and 56:25 all up. Felt pretty good though. Won't kill myself tomorrow trying to freshen up a bit.

There's truth in the old sayings

I've been rolling through the 32km Sunday runs quite easily recently. But they say that 32km is only the half way mark in a marathon and anything over 32km is a struggle. That was proved this morning. Caught up with Sam at 6am and we did the 36km Narrabeen circuit, without gels again (taking a leaf out of Fats' book).

The first 20km felt great - a beautiful cool morning, chatting away. Sam pushed on a bit after the water stop at Narrabeen SLSC as usual but still felt fine until Cromer golf course. From then the pace got consciously quicker trying to run Sub4 min kms. Felt OK until Dee Why but then the Griffin Street hill punished me a bit and I just tried to drag myself home from there. By now it was 8am (9am in real money due to the clocks going back) and pretty warm in the high 20's. All up 35.8km in 2:31:24 (4:13's).

Sam's looking good for the London Marathon. Every time I'd thought I'd finally broken him he'd pop up in front again pushing the pace. I'm predicting a 2:44.

Finally, congrats to the Tiger last night in running 1:59:08 (still not quite good enough to save himself from owing me $200) and Macca running a great PB of 33:31 in the 10,000m knocking 30 odd seconds off his old mark.

Monstered

Haven't felt this weary in 2 years. Legs just dead today. Crawled around 13.1km with Timmy, Tucks, Kanser and new chap Joel in an hour, wishing at every moment that the run was over. Yesterday really took it out of me. Good news though is that the body feels better than ever, no aches or pains to speak of.

124km for the week including 3 big sessions so canny pleased with that like. Would be 138km if I counted junk miles with the kids.

The Mongrel

First up, took Bec and Billy out this morning for their usual Thursday speed session. I told them it was "hot laps" (3 x 500m) but secretly intended to add a 4th after they thought they had finished. Well, they weren't too pleased. Both started crying. Billy downright refused to do anymore. I said, fine, you needn't do it if you want to be a quitter. I wasn't favourite (or exemplary) Dad at this point, but what the hell. Billy then proceeds to tear off in a fit of rage and does the 500m in 1:59, a new record. So there is some mongrel in him!

Having done 4km with the kids and quiet at work I did the Rushcutters pyramid session intending to take it easy but with Jason I and new foppish haired chap Darien pushing the pace (with me unable to resist) I ran 89, 2:54, 4:24, 5:50, 4:16, 2:42 and 81 for the laps (averaging around 3:08's).

Then turned up in my running kit for the third time in the day unannounced to the final biathlon in the Thursday nighttime series with the sole intention of beating Young Timmy. This is understandable given the amount of crap he gives out on my swimming. Well, suffice to say Timmy was beaten by a breastroker. See pic attached. Many enjoyable beers followed. I felt crap on the run but did 12:59 for the 4km then did my standard 6mins breastroke for the 300m for a 19:26 PB.

Wednesday MLR

Usual route with Mr Ace, King James, JW and Big Sam. Felt very weary in the legs to start with, suffering the after effects of yesterday. Nice easy pace though and body had adjusted by the end. 18.5km in 1:27:17 (4:42's).

Laid another bet with the Tiger this morning after massage. He's keen on a head to head so I foolishly agreed to give him a 7 minute headstart at SMH Half. This was after he persuaded me that he'd struggle to run sub 80mins. But with a PB in the 75's, I think I've been duped.

HuRTS 45min Fartlek

Huge crowd today and with MC on the physio table I tried to bark out some instructions but just gave up and set off. Hardly anyone ever completes this session in any case.

Tucks, Bartles, J-Fen, Macca and JB were all running upfront, and with a big gap until the next group, I decided to go with them rather than do my more recent Tuesday thing of taking it cautiously to start with. It was a very consistent session with all the km splits with 3secs either side of 3:30 per km. JB gapped us on the way out but ran with us coming back until we splintered a bit towards the end with J-Fen and Macca stopping at 10km. Was pleased to feel good coming back up the hills in the final 2km to just miss getting back in time - doing 45:06. 12.8km all up doing 3:30's on the way out and 3:31's on the way back. We were doing the floats in 4:00's so I'll leave you to do the maths to work out what the fast sections were run at.

Warm out there today so a good session. Did a 2km warm down with J-Fen and Andy for 15km all up.

Easy Monday

Out with the Monday crew including the MBL women's team (Aine, Laura and Emma), Springer, JB, Jason I, Tim C, Marty and loads more. 15.8km in 1:09:42 (4:24's). Legs very weary from the weekend to start with but felt much better by the end. Plenty of talk about the Melbourne IM and the amazing times being recorded. The conclusion we all reached was that the course was short. Those Victorians have form.

Beautiful Sydney day out there. Gotta love Autumn.

Sunday solo

Struggle running long alone but with most of the lads running the Sri Chinmoy half in Centennial today I was up at 5.30am to pound the streets alone. Just did the same route as last week to avoid having to think. Rolled through the kms fine in the end. Spotted a couple of familiar figures at around 22km and, sure enough, ran past the Hamburglar and Paul shortly afterwards. picked up the pace again towards the end doing the final 10km in just under 40mins. All up 31.3km in 2:12:42 (4:14's).

Saturday tempo in Manly

Just too busy at work on Thursday and Friday to get out. Not often it happens. Coincided with drinking lots too.

Today was one of those perfect days where everything just feels magic, probably aided by 2 days rest. 14.1km tempo with Billy on his bike in 49:52 (3:32's). Billy earned himself a pair of Skins this morning after I said I'd buy them for him if he could do the 5km from Queenscliff to Shelley and back in under 26mins. He managed 24:58 so fair play to him.

Wednesday MLR at pace

Missed the squad setting off by 10mins so tried to catch them up. Was running sub-4's from the bottom of Ocean St onwards until I eventually caught them (MC, Russell, Geoffrey), coming back down Ocean St at the 15km mark. Then took a much needed breather for the final 4km home. Copped some abuse from a hooligan in a car in Centennial but just tried to ignore it and not respond.

All up 1:18:05 which is 4:10's despite the easy final 4km. Buggered now. I need an easy day.

Interesting stat:

Countries With Olympic "A" Qualifiers In Men's 10,000 - Sub-27:45.00

Kenya - 33
Ethiopia - 5
USA - 4
JPN - 3
GBR - 2
ERI - 2
AUS - 1
MEX - 1
FRA - 1
ECU - 1
ITA - 1

And yet Kenya haven't won Olympic gold in the 10,000m since 1968. Also puts Benny St in lofty company (ex Kenya).

HuRTS 2 x 20mins

Good crowd but down on the usual numbers. Young Timmy missing again - he seems to have given up on HuRTS since his form dropped rapidly. No Kanser and no J-Fen. Good to see Emma back though and plenty up front with Tucks, Bartles, Fats and Macca. I was holding on to them on the way out pushing ahead of Macca and Fats towards the end. Bartles was way out in front with Tucks about 20m in front of me. The watches seemed all over the place but I think I averaged about 3:27's. I ran with Tucks on the way back - he pushed ahead coming around Farm Cove and on the first hill but caught him on the final hill with him clutching his side in pain. Looked like a twanged heart muscle to me. Must be going to the same Doctor as Timmy and MC. Speaking of twanging, Fats' hamstring seemed to do the same thing around the Park Hyatt. All I could think of was the Tigers' dry needles. Hope you're alright mate.

Got back in 20:03 but started further back from where I finished the first rep so I think I averaged 3:26's. Felt good until Farm Cove and then had to put some real effort in from there to get home.

Note another new Blog is on the scene from JB - we can no longer accuse him of sekrit training!

Same again Monday

Run home after a very nice client lunch at Felix (Prawn Cocktail, Steak Frites and Alaskan Bombe downed with a glass of NZ Pinot).

56:29 after 30:21 at Toyota Garage. I'm planning on buying a car from the oft mentioned Toyota Garage to replace our rust bucket. Felt surprisingly good today after the hearty lunch and yesterday's hefty run.

Sunday accelerating

Out with Macca at 5.30am with Big Sam on the sidelines nursing an Achilles issue. Very slow first km in the pitch black (5:40) before we started to get moving. We did the usual route up to Narrabeen caravan park but came back through Cromer and then stayed on Pittwater Road until returning via Campbell Pde and Manly Golf club with Macca keen to avoid the hills to protect his own Achilles. We'd been running 4:10's to 4:20's most of the way and I was feeling comfortable when, at 22km, Paul suddenly puts his foot down. The last 10km was run in 37:30. Not sure where that came from. I guess it combined a missed tempo session from yesterday with a long run. Paul looking as strong as ever.

All up 31.4km in 2:09:30 (4:07's).

Part 2

13km on the treadmill in 50:28.

65.9kg.

100km for the week.