HuRTS 3 x 2km

Smallest crowd in memory today with everyone resting for Sunday.  Just me, MC, LJ, Crossy, Kaley, Gus Mac, Adam, Craig P, Ray, Adam and the 2 Gregs.

I ran with MC and LJ at 3:50 pace with a few sprints thrown in.  LJ was providing sparkling conversation and entertained us throughout.  She then gave her list of predicted times for Sunday which surprised me, but this is what I can remember:

Tom:  72:11

CT:  72:37

Fats:  74:44

Enda:  75:14

Dicky P:  76:10

Phil Dove:  77:20

Macca:  78:22

Big Kev:  79:59

LJ herself:  cagey, but I reckon she's thinking 80:00

Timmy:  81:52

Jeet:  82:15

Erika:  83:55

Kilted one:  84:25

MC:  84:44

Anton:  85:00

Elle:  86:37

Renee:  87:44

Jacqui:  89:17

So she fancies the Irishmen but we shall see.  I think she was just being diplomatic  giving me the nod over CT.

C'mon England!!!

Lucky 13

Very easy 13km Centennial route with LJ, Big Kev and Greg.  Tired after yesterday.

HuRTS 2 x 20mins

Low turn out today, not sure why.  We normally get a pretty good showing the week before a big race.  Muz, Fats and Gus Mac were upfront with me and CT.  CT said something about only doing 5 mins of the second rep and promptly put his foot on the gas going around Farm Cove leaving me running solo.  Managed to get to the corner of Hickson Rd with CT about 50m in front.  He said he averaged 3:19's so I must have done about 3:21's.  Ran together until CQ on the way back when he pulled aside and bid me on my way so I had to work hard solo to catch anyone.  Finally did so going by the ABC Pool to finish in 20:10 (3:23's).  

Pretty rooted after that.  Going well though.

Nice warm down around MMC with MC and TB (can I include any more acronyms?) for 16km all up.  TB has given out some free samples of his Race Names (c) for the SMH Half on Sunday. They look good.

I liked this:  http://www.buzzfeed.com/chrisstokelwalker/the-north-east-responded-in-the-best-way-possible-88k0

Particularly no.40.  I've been calling Kirst "pet" since I met her and wondered why she was so confused.

Moody Monday

Knackered after yesterday.  Was in a massively grumpy mood this morning and felt so lethargic walking to the ferry wharf.  I put it down to a tougher run than expected yesterday and, more importantly, not getting any nutrition in me until 2 hours after I'd finished.

Very tired running today.  Cut short at 11km.  Need to freshen up for Sunday.  Big crowds as we get into the heart of the Winter racing season - MC, TKS, Charlie, Enda, Crossy, LJ, Renee, Jacki O, Erikakaka and Elle.  New Churchill/Sands recruit Phil was looking super smooth running the opposite direction.  Irish vice-captain Kanser less so.

Mothers Day

Gave Kirst the honours this morning so headed out from The Spit after dropping Billy off at MHYC for sailing.  I had 2 hours and 15 mins so basically ran a slightly shortened version of the Middle Harbour Picnic (missing some of those nasty bits in Balmoral).  Came back on 2 hours 18 mins.  Forgot how hilly the bloody route is.  Felt pretty good though.

Curl Curl Parkrun - 1st in 16:44

Jogged over with Macca.  Plenty of hellos then into it.  Went off fairly quickly but just can't push myself when I'm going solo.  Slowed quite a bit in 3rd km.  Beautiful morning with mist rising from the fields as we arrived.  Jogged back with Macca and Jamie for 15km all up.

Where was Renaud?

Friday frolics

11km very easy with Enda, Ray, Birchy, Damon and Paul H. 

111km for a good, solid week.

Enda has agreed to a 2:34 headstart for SMH Half - $20. 

HuRTS Pyramid

Had a few jars last night at trivia night at The Australian in The Rocks.  Sample questions:

1.  Name 3 countries which start with a letter of the alphabet that no other country starts with that same letter.

2.  Which 5 vegetables make up a chiko roll?

3.  Who was the oldest Formula 1 World Champ?

Ended up feeling a bit dusty this morning, so treated myself to a bacon and egg roll at 11am.  That was a mistake.  But other than feeling as though I wanted to barf, today was one of those sessions where you feel full of running and everything is easy.  Had my Tudor on so no accurate times but I think one of the 3 lappers was 4:04 and the 4 lapper was 5:28.  Darien was gliding around like a superstar when he felt like putting some effort in.  CT was struggling with his legs today.  Tucks is coming back into form but training performances of the day went to Young Timmy who stuck with Group 1 with some good consistent times and Young Erikakaka who was smashing it out at the front of Group 2 on the final couple of reps with MC and LJ.  In fact, with the more attractive Truscott putting in an appearance today we had a phalanx of Sydney female running talent at the head of Group 2 in LJ, Gretstar and Erika with Elle, Renee and Jacki close behind.  The girls are showing us how it's done.

Wednesday and pumped

Finally feeling a bit better!

Nice 13km loop around Centennial with Enda, Crossy, TKS, Liam and Elan.  Then did an extra 3km MMC loop with Crossy. All very easy pace.

I received an email from media for SMH Half for the elite entrants asking to fill in a biography.  I think they may be confusing Seeded entrants with Elites, but I asked my secretary to have a go at filling it out in any case.  This was her attempt:

HuRTS 4 x 10mins

A few of the big boys missing today but HuRTS #1 Tucks and HuRTS wannabe #3 CT more than made up in quality what we lacked in quantity.  MC had his usual posse, Dad to be Phil Dove was looking like Adonis and Charlie had shed his traffic lights so all was well with the world.

I planned to cruise the reps and push the hills trying to engage the glutes.  Fine on first rep (2.8km - about 3.30s).  Much quicker on rep 2 with CT taking off (about 3:22's).  I pushed rep 3 feeling great in about 3:20's then decided to ease off on rep 4 as I knew I was tiring from the weekends efforts - about 3:38s.

Good banter, nice session.  3km warm down for 15km all up.

Moon Boy Monday

Just the usual 15km today with a cast of thousands but spent most time chatting to MC, Tucks and Crossy.  Took Voltaren last night (first in 3 weeks) and as a result felt magic.  

The cold still lingers, but none of you miserable buggers give a rats arse about that.

Centennial Sunday

Over to Centennial this morning for 28km around and about the park.  Big crowd including Barts, Timmy, Kanser, Enda, CT, LJ, Renee, Birchy, TB, Jeet, Renaud, Big Kev and Elle.

Plenty of banter with Renaud taking a bit of stick for his pyrrhic Curl Curl Parkrun win and no-one having a bar of my manflu excuses. They'll see, just you wait.

Achilles was very sore the whole way.  Took some Voltaren after a heart-stopper of a greasy spoon breakfast and will hammer the eccentric loading over the next few days.

Sydney10 - 30th in 32:37

Showed up not feeling confident at all and still feeling the effects of the cold.  But decided just to give it a go and hang on as far as I could.  Did a warm up with CT and then the usual hellos to all the HuRTS lads and lasses and we were on the line.  I was a few rows back as they were introducing all the elite (men and women).  The gun went and I found myself trying to pick my way through scores of people.  But soon enough I could see Barts and CT in front so the plan came into action.  By 2km CT and I had latched on to a group of Barts, Geoff Arnold and Robin W.  No idea as to times but I knew it was quick as Peter Costello, Dave Criniti and Vlad only appeared to be a short way up the road in front of us.  

Sure enough I was through 5km in 15:53 but CT and I had become slightly detached from the group.  I was feeling OK, certainly less desperate than I normally feel when running that quickly but was worried about how the cold was going to effect me later on.  Decided just to plough on as long as I could.  CT and I swapped positions until 8km (without him I'd have run 20s slower) when we turned for the long drag up past the ANZ Stadium.  At that point, Nick Bellemore comes past and we both trying to jump on to him, but I'm starting to give up.  They gap me a bit, then some chick (Gwen Jorgensen - 6th in the London Olympics triathlon) comes flying by me at 9km but I'm coasting.  Finally start to make an effort when I enter the stadium - ridiculously only to stay within 25s of Barts and win a beer from him as I could see him crossing the line when I enter the home straight.

Very happy with the time - if you'd offered me 32:37 on the start line I'd have grabbed it.  Disappointed I mentally gave up at the end blaming the effects of the cold when in truth I reckon it had no physical impact whatsoever.

Great run by Enda to smash his PB in 33:46.  Other massive PBs by Birchy, Renee and Erikakaka.  Timmy is finally getting back some form with a 37:02.  Tussle of the day was between Muz, Dicky H and Richie P all finishing consecutively within 3 seconds (Enda having overtaken them at half way).  Quentin will be disappointed with his 33:16 and Fats his 34:25 but both we're suffering colds and obviously worse than mine.

Quote of the day from Dave Criniti.  Was having a chat about marathons and he said he was planning on doing Gold Coast.  I said I was planning on a couple of Halfs and then the "full at Melbourne".  "There's a full at Melbourne?" he responds.

Around about 4.5km...

Results:

Told you it was hotly contested!

Friday

So, the sore throat niggle turned into a full on cold.  Wednesday working at home and Thursday feeling sorry for myself.  Finally managed a jog on Friday for 10km with a few strides to see how I felt.  Ok when running but got the chills afterwards.

HuRTS 45min Fartlek

Showed up today feeling pretty good and intending to give it a bit of a go.  Partly to sense again how it's going to feel on Saturday morning (haven't done a quick session in a while) and partly to see where I'm at.  Well, with Barts, CT, Quentin, Enda, Tucks, Fats and Muz all turning up the big boys were in force.  

Went quite hard from the beginning but there was a big crowd just behind me and everyone was chatting away so just kept on pushing on.  Just about got enough rest on each float to push the minute fast sections each time.  I think Enda must have dropped off around Circular Quay and when we hit Hickson Rd with another fast section still remaining I knew we'd gone hard and would turn further than ever before.  It was just shy of the final traffic calming device before the road where we stop the old Hickson Rd reps.

On the way back I was having to work pretty hard but sensed everyone was too.  CT said something about getting to 10km and that was my excuse to up stumps too, which we did just entering Farm Cove.  It would have been a struggle to carry on and I would have slowed so it wasn't worth it with the race on Saturday.

Pretty rooted after the jog back home for 16km all up.  Quentin sent through some Garmin stats which are hard to follow but it looks like the fast sections averaged 3:12's with the floats averaging high 3:40's.

So another good session but I'm getting a sore throat.  Echinacea and gallons of water for me.  Been peeing all evening.

Makeshift Monday

Sunday - rest.  I contemplated a run and then quickly dismissed such foolery.

Monday - 7km solo but bumped into LJ and ran with her whilst we bemoaned our respective achilles' then 15+km with the squad (Tucks, Charlie, TKS, Renee, Erika, BW, JW, James L, Adam and even Crossy for a bit) then 4+km solo for about 27km all up.  Felt dead easy and averaged about 4:25's but achilles sore running in the Wave Riders.

Seal Rocks

Monday - rest

Tuesday - 14km steady, pushing the hills.

Wednesday - 13km steady, pushing the hills.

Thursday - 15km steady, pushing the hills.

Friday - 14km bit quicker than steady, pushing the hills.

(96km for week)

Saturday - 10km easy.

Saturday night - 45 beers and a tequila shot at Sammy's 40th.  I was going fine until the tequila shot. 

Long fast finish

Barts, Quentin, Ray and Dicky came over this morning for the Narrabeen route with a fast finish.  Did a loop of the Golf Course at the end for 32.5km all up.

Nice and easy to start then we pushed the pace from Cromer onwards.  And push we did, may have started easier than pre-Berlin last year but we finished quicker.  The final 12km was a little over 3:30 pace.  

Felt great this morning - beautiful day for it.  Richie was first to drop off having done Parkrun yesterday.  Ray was very strong but eventually dropped off near my new house.  Quentin fell off with about 2km to go leaving Barts and I pushing towards the end.

All up 2:13 something (4:07's) and a real confidence booster.

Sack Pardew

6km super easy with Maggsy on her bike.  Done later on when the hangover had subsided.

Go Fat and Go Early

Now you might have imagined that this was my race plan for Sydney10 but that I'd mis-spelled "fast".  But no.  This, apparently, is Birchy's pick-up technique for the ladies.  "Avoid the rush later on" he explains, with a straight face.

Found this out on Friday night, over a few impromptu beers with Sam, Charlie and out better halves, plus Timmy, Q, 'Lil Jimmy Matthews and Birchy plus Sam's sister and mate from London.  Turned into a big night but a great laugh. 

This was after 14km very easy to Shelley Beach and back avoiding the royal watchers.

110km for the week.