Fast run home

Missed the lunchtime session with work calls (very busy at mo) and knew I'd have to do a hard run home instead. So it made for a miserable afternoon as I hate the hard run home. Not helped by a cold front moving through in mid-afternoon bringing back the persistent rain.

Anyway, the session was set. My run home is the run I do more often than any other. If I get under an hour it counts as something more than just a shuffle. Under 58mins is a fair effort. Under 56mins requires a bit of work. I've been under 50mins three times previously. April 2008 was the first when I ran 48:51, July 2008 (just before I set my City to Surf PB of 46:34) was the second when I ran 48:45 then in January 2009 (just before I took 8 months off injured) I somehow managed to run 46:21. Still not sure how I did this, especially when I compared the spits today. I must have been flying.

Worked hard the whole way today but felt heavy legged on the hills compared to Saturday when I bounced up them (i had to grab the handrail at the top of Spit Hill). 13:25 at the bottom of Ben Boyd (13:00 when I set my PB) - I gave up chasing the time at that point. 25:40 at the Toyota Garage and 48:51 all up. So equal third fastest and a fair go.

Wet Wet Wet

Holy cow. 36 hours hours of constant heavy rain and Sydney can't cope. Tried to run to Shelley Beach and back but the Quirk Road cut through was a no-go as it was a lake, so skirted along Roseberry Ave to Campbell Pde but that too was a one foot deep lake. So ended up running up to Seaforth and just gaining height. Massive torrents along what are usually babbling brooks. Took it very easy running with Billy on his bike and covered 11.5km.

Back on the trails

Just Dicky and I again today with Sam a no-show. I think Dicky wanted to punish me for yesterday so took me on every hilly and rocky trail he could find, even random ones that didn't seem to go anywhere. We did a big whole loop of Manly dam then headed down to Spit Bridge to run the Spit to Manly. Dicky stopped at his place in Fairlight but I continued on into Manly, along to North Steyne and back home via Pacific Parade.

27km all up in 2:15:25 (5:02's). Doesn't even count as a run in the Easy Tiger rule book but felt like it. Not used to the trails and suffering the after effects of yesterday so I'm dead tired.

Finally, looks like Dibaba handled Defar (who has been neck and neck with last year's no.1 Cheruiyot) with ease last night. An afternoon on the sofa watching the athletics could be on the cards. For all the doubters, that is why Sally Pearson won the IAAF female athlete of the year last year. Cheruiyot's main opposition was missing.

Hilly tempo

Caught up with Dicky Green on another beautiful day. Absolutely perfect running conditions - clear as a bell, completely still and cool. We decided on the hilly 20km up to Seaforth, through Balgowlah Heights, around Tania Park and back the same way finishing with a loop of Manly Golf Course. Long drag up to Seaforth, a few steep hills in Seaforth and plenty of false flats in Balgowlah Heights but equally you get the benefit of running back down them on the return. I did a few hills twice circling back to pick up Dicky.

Full of running today and all up 20km in 1:11:26 (3:34's). Bit of a confidence booster.

Another perfect day

Ran to work. That's 13km every day since Sunday. Beautiful day today and it was a pleasure, especially feeling much better the further from Sunday I run.

55:30 today. 118km for the week.

Sydney weather

Too busy at work to get out for any of the HuRTS sessions so squeezed in a 10km tempo around the foreshore. 34:54 with the kms going 3:26, 3:28, 3:32, 3:28, 3:38, 3:27, 3:25, 3:27, 3:31, 3:28.

Beautiful Sydney winters day and felt great running controlled until the final 2km up the hills where I had to work hard. Said hello to Fast Charlie, tried to high five Bartles and slapped Lisa's bum.

Hexham weather

Too busy at work to squeeze in 22km this morning so just ran straight to work in 58:09. Planned to run home to make up the kms but in the end I couldn't be arsed.

Oooh, 2 new bets with the Tiger:

1. $50 on him not going sub 34:10 at Gold Coast.
2. $50 on Mo beating Lagat in the 5000m at the Olympics. Wasn't discussed but I'm declaring now that if Lagat fails to qualify for the US team I win.

HuRTS 45min tempo

The cold front held off until 2.30pm thank god so we managed our session in sunshine and relative warmth.

Bartles went straight to the front and disappeared out of sight running very quickly. I ran with Macca and a resurgent Clyde still going pretty well as we hit the Stone Gates in 10:11 but my legs were like lead weights and I couldn't have turned them over any quicker. This was shortly proved when my cap blew off approaching circular quay. I spent 10s chasing it to pick it up and, try as I might, I couldn't bridge the gap back to Macca and Clyde. Turned just before the second speed bumps and ran back with M&C, me doing most of the work. Kept on trying to drop them but to no avail. Clyde played a Get Out of Jail Free card by claiming he was going to stop at Mrs Macs Chair but then just continuing on. Eventually pulled ahead up the hills to finish in 44:22, big negative split and 10:00 for the final gate to gates. 3:32 average pace for the 12.5km.

Clyde finished shortly after. Macca (who has never met Clyde) looked dazed and confused, wondering who the 80kg bloke was who had just dropped him on the hills! Bartles came in on 45:00 running very well. Good to see Tucks back out and MC (running 12km at a pace quicker than his North Head 10km) impressing all the ladies with his injured hand.

I need a rest soon. Constantly tired when running at the mo.

Easy recovery

Just an easy run home in 58:53. Stared at a lunar eclipse running down Parriwi Road.

Final long one?

Out at 5.45am this week with Big Sam, JB and Macca for what could be the final long run prior to GCM. Legs felt very heavy this morning after yesterday and, to be honest, it was just a question of putting one foot in front of the other for the first few km desperately waiting for Narrabeen where I could take the first gel. Felt a bit better after that. Pretty damp around the lake and we had no plans to pick the pace up over the final 10km but of course we did out of instinct - the first 5 of them being just over 4:00 per km and the last 5 just under. Good chat all the way though even when picking the pace up with the boys all running well after tough races yesterday. All up 36.8km in 2:38:33 (4:18's).

Came back to see some great results from Eugene in the Prefontaine Classic. Mo winning the 5000m in 12:56 and beating Bekele and all the Kenyans in the process. Collis ran a great PB of 13:10 with Mottram well back. My favourite female athlete, Tirunesh Dibaba, also won the 10,000m by a whisker - no doubt relying on her kick. Can't wait to see the races.

Bad news was that I got an email from Dad yesterday claiming that he was checking his old running diaries and discovered he ran a 10km in South Shields in 1988 (aged 46) in 32:04. All sounds very dodgy to me but I guess I have to trust him, given he's my Dad.

Big Saturday

First up an early rise for the North Head Striders 10km. I'd had a few beers at Friday night work drinks and wasn't the best at 5.45am. Felt fine when I got there though doing a warm up with MC, Mr Ace, et al. I was pacing Rob C and we had a few others along for the ride too, including Liz Miller and John Bowe. Had fun shouting at the front guys and there was the usual battle between Bartles, Scotty, Bleasel and Tongey. The aim was to get through 10km in 38 mins and we set a course for that. We seemed well up in the first 5km going through each km in about 3:41/3:42 but I noticed the Garmin was increasingly beeping shorter of the official km mark each time. It was muggy today and the second 5km slowed but still on pace overall according to the Garmin. Unfortunately, the Garmin measured the course at 10.2km and Rob missed his target running 38:35. I think Action may need to get his measuring wheel out as everyone came back with the same measurement. Still, it was a nice start to the day.

Then on to Miranda after watching Billy's team sneak a 2-2 draw against Brookvale in a thriller. The kids were on at 12noon in light rain. It then got heavier and heavier. By 3pm the course was well churned up and runners were slipping over on every tight corner. I ran 3rd leg of the 4x4km relay for the Open team. Went off a bit too fast chasing down the two runners in front of me and paid for it on the hills on the second loop. Ended up with 13:39 which was OK but nothing special. Great news though was that a strong final leg from Tongey brought us back to 3rd place overall! This is the best result the Striders have ever achieved. We'd have won the Over 35's if we'd entered that team (we're all over 35 - our average age is a scary 44) but our official Over 35's team (consisting of Timmy, Nick B, Andrew Wilson and CT running a second leg) was 3rd too.

Some other sporadic results were:

Chadi: 13:20
Tongey: 13:23
CT: 13:29
Nick Cope: 13:34
Richie Roberts: 13:40
Chamkaur: 13:44
Keith: 13:49
Sean Williams: 14:12
Tiger: 14:42
Timmy: 15:27
Laura: 15:34 (Oh Laura, why couldn't you find 8 more seconds and make my year!)

Love these events. Great atmosphere and a smattering of world class athletes too. Harry Summers (a 28:13 10km runner) ran 12:22 looking very easy but fastest time of the day was James Nipperess (an 8:35 3000m Steeplechaser) who ran 12:13. I guess the course and distance aligned with his pet event.

Finally, many thanks to Laura's mum for her fantastic scones with jam and cream. A perfect post race recovery. Unfortunately Timmy had drunk all the tea before I arrived.

Friday amble

Easy run in to work in 57:53. I reckon part of the reason I'm feeling better in the mornings is my improved nutrition. Last might was a Crust Supreme pizza (less the olives and half of the final slice) followed by a large heaped bowl of rhubarb crumble and ice cream, swilled down with two Coopers Pale Ale. Tiger, do I win?

Ran up Parriwi Road where this cyclist overtakes me and slows down to start studying my running form. Thought it was a bit weird until I realised it was Mark Green from The Body Mechanic! Good chat with him for a few minutes before he rode on.

111km for week. Solid off only 6 days. One more big one before I start to wind down.

HuRTS Hickson Road

The old session. I was in the front group with CT, J-Fen, Big Sam (running very well), Andy, Enda and a few others with MC taking it easy in the second group in prep for North Head and his big showdown with Timmy.

Felt good again today following a massage with Amanda this morning. We all nearly died on the first rep narrowly avoiding a car and I couldn't tell where the official end spot is with roadworks going on so the time was off. Settled into it after that with CT pushing me all the way and making a break on the final one.

Times were:

3:48 (off)
3:31
3:39 (still slightly dodge)
3:31
3:36 (about right)

Jog back for 11km all up.

Wednesday MLR

3.4km tempo with the kids (Billy, who is getting stronger every run, 15:46, Bec, 17:03) around the Golf Course from home. Then ran to work via Queenscliff lagoon. Felt pretty good today although some of those hills are pretty tough.

All up 22km in 1:39:46 (4:32's).

HuRTS 14 x 3mins

Big crowd today with lots of the speedsters upfront. Fast Charlie, J-Fen, Macca, Fats, Young Timmy, the mystery fast chap who no-one knows the name of, Truscott, Bartles, Ray, MC, Big Sam, Mr Ace plus a host of GCM participants like Sonya, Emma, Indrajeet and Laura. Birthday boy Tucks was sipping wine in the leagues club, JB was flying solo and Kanser was having another rest day but otherwise pretty much everyone in attendance.

I felt OK in the ,owning but after a couple of reps my legs felt like lead. Still settled into a pace of 3:20's or thereabouts with everyone trailing in CT's wake. Macca and I briefly trailed in Fats' wake until he gave us a taste of one of Amanda's vegetarian curries and his recent home brew. I picked up the pace over the final 5 reps running 3:10's or quicker. Legs felt just generally fatigued at this stage but warmed up. Cadence was good.

Pretty tired this arvo. In fact, I feel permanently knackered at the moment. But that's marathon training.

No Geb

Just an easy run home at the end of the day in 59:29. Need a massage on my poor hip flexors.

Bec won the 800m in her School Athletics Carnival today. Thing is she came home disappointed because I told her this morning she should try to get under 3 mins. She ran 3:04. When I told her I was proud of her and would put it on my Blog she cheered up no end. So here you go. This Blog is spreading happiness.

Go Geb!

With news of Macca and my infamous long run reaching far and wide, I was up at 6am this morning to meet Macca along with JB, Bartles, Craig Mac and his Irish mate Tom Buckley Thank God Enda and POD didn't know about this chap as he'd have shown 80% of the Irish team a clean pair of heels if he'd run last weekend.

Very cold to start but soon warmed a bit and it was a pretty uneventful easy paced 25km chatting until the end of Narrabeen Lake when we started to speed up. From then it was a 37:45 final 10km, pushing it a bit through Dee Why to finish in 2:32:59 for the 36.8km (4:09's). Felt great this morning after yesterday's rest day. All the boys looking strong with Bartles in particular very impressive given this was 11km further than his longest run all year.

Spent most of the final 10km considering the palindrome that is The Voice contestant Rachael Leahcar. Tried to think of other music palindromes but could only come up with Abba. I was pretty tired mind and the brain slows down when the legs speed up.

Run home

Buggered at work. Found myself at home at 3.45pm so ran back to work in 58:24. Bit average feeling.

Now out with the boys for the Striders dinner. Could be a big night...

Somehow managed to cobble together 90km for the week.

HuRTS 400m reps

The smallest and most select group today of Bartles, Young Timmy, Pete W (telling me that he's decided that the way to beat Timmy is to train like Timmy) and myself.

First rain of May and pretty cold but Rushcutters was as pristine as ever. Straight into it and for every rep Timmy and Bartles would go out hard with me chasing them with Pete. For most reps I'd nudge ahead of Bartles by the end other than a couple which he held on for and the last when both he and Timmy were burglars. I had a go at Timmy about this and he got very upset. I've never seen him lost for words before.

Reps were very consistent but noticeably down on the last time we did this. No doubt SMH Half still in our legs. Amazing how many people I've heard from who are still suffering the after-effects of it.

69, 69, 68, 69, 68, 68, 68, 69, 68, 69

I like the 400's. Not while doing them of course, but you recover fairly quickly and feel virtuous.

Workout Wednesday

Watched Billy coming 17th in Zone XC this morning. He was in 10th at halfway but obviously has his Dad's stamina.

Then ran to work easily in 58:24 feeling as though I'm finally recovering from the weekend. Beaut of a day. But stuffed at work.