Striders Lane Cove - 5th in 34:33

Was pretty underwhelmed coming into this race.  Weather was crap with teeming rain but more relevantly, I was nervous after feeling so average on Thursday morning not helped by too many beers on Thursday night.  Didn't want my legs to feel so dead again so decided on taking it easy early on then feeling my way into the race.  Did a 4km warm up with Justin, Macca and Dicky in the pitch black.

Lined up a few rows back and set off behind Timmy and LJ feeling pretty comfortable.  Shortened my stride going up Scribbly Gums and found myself in about 8th spot and picking people up as I went.  However, as soon as pushed just a bit too hard the legs felt very average so I figured I was doing the right thing.  1km in 3:25, 2km in 6:54, 3km in 10:34, 4km in 13:57.  Not sure of 5km (it's on the steep hill and I'm concentrating here) but I'd guess 17:40.  From then I could see Robin Vonk, Lewis and Alex R up ahead so concentrated on trying to catch them and worked harder to do so.  Caught Robin at 6km then Lewis at 8km.  Got closish to Alex but he was cruising and upped the pace when he heard my slapping footsteps.  So a good negative split but just need the body to recover and work to calm down.

Nice run by Barts to get close to Dave C but otherwise times were pretty average today.  Timmy won $20 after staying ahead of LJ.  One more months training and she'll have him.  'Lil Jimmy looked resplendent in an England football kit.  Justin and Dicky need to stop running together the whole time.  Macca came home strong picking up a number of places and CT was forced to time trial for 3rd place.  Thank God that's all over.  

Friday Filler

Big night of beers last night first at work after a very challenging week and then in the Woolloomooloo Bay Hotel for the final Biathlon of the season celebrations.  So felt pretty average today.  Got out in the afternoon for 8km feeling better every step I took.  Shelly Beach and back running around Lakeview Crescent at the end to make up the distance.  34:10 (4:16's).  A grey run but what the hell, just running to feel.

108km for the week (largest for a while) but really disappointing sessions.  Not sure why this is - may be the stresses at work.  Will race tomorrow but not sure how I'll play it.  I don't want my legs to feel as they did on Thursday morning.

Beaches Crew 800's

Up bright and early again for 800's along the beach.  Just Jamie, Macca, Amy and Anna this morning, with the 6 x 800's to run off a rolling 4 mins.

I felt crap from the word go.  Just couldn't get the legs moving today, and when I did try to speed up I would start to go lactic.  Reps went 2:35, 2:33, 2:31, 2:32, 2:30, 2:30.  I was pretty much running with Jamie for the first half of each rep then pulling ahead slightly in the 2nd half.  After this mediocre showing I had to do something to make myself feel better so called for two extra 400's.  Ran those in 71s and 68s, feeling marginally better.

Long warm down with Macca, Jamie and Amy for 13km all up and my worst session of the year.

Wednesday MLR

Out early in the dark with Justin and Dicky.  Couldn't find my trainers so had to wear an older pair without orthotics.  Amazing how much lighter and bouncier you feel without them.  But the downside was my achilles was tight even early on.

Honest pace as ever with Dicky leading the way but he turned back at the roundabout up to North Head so Justin and I dropped to a more comfortable pace without him.  17.6km all up - 4:37 pace.

Kirst is on a dairy free, low sugar diet and I discovered this amazing yoghurt that fits the bill.  Seriously, it's nicer than any normal yoghurt I've tasted.  Had a massive dollop on my Weetbix post-run:

And this one's for Timmy - Fog on the Tyne:

More of the same

No chance of getting out at lunch so ran to work (same way as ran home last night) putting some effort in.  But when the first km pings out at 4:21 you know things aren't going too well.  It's a bloody tough run to work (more so now I've moved) as I was telling Enda and Jackie O after bumping into them in the City at the end.

57:59 all up.  9 minute improvement on 12 hours earlier and legs rooted, but nothing spectacular there.

Stressed man

Stressful day at work with no chance to get out so ran home like last week.  Felt ok -and that's about it.  67:08.

Same old Sunday

Huge crew this morning.  As a result, Justin was sweating early on as he had the credit card for getting breaky in afterwards.

Back to the old route and chatting the whole way with Barts, Macca, Lewis, Craig Mc, Jamie, Erika and Darren in addition to Justin.  30km in 2:14 (4:28's).

Nice dip in the ocean after if a bit nippy.  Everyone may have been laughing at my long sleeve top when I fronted up this morning, but they weren't after the ocean  swim.  

Saturday suffering

Couldn't get out Friday but then had another massive night at a leaving party for some friends.  So that was two nights in a row as Ronan's was a 2am finish too.  Not able to cope with that these days.  Just about managed 10km in the late afternoon in 43:58.

Thursday on the Beaches

Up and out early for 4 x 1 mile along the beachfront.  Macca, Justin, Jamie, Dicky and Lewis were there along with Amy, Emma and Anna.  Ran the first with Lewis but he was recovering from sickness and came into a tough session too early.  So ended running the rest solo.  Times went 5:08, 5:09, 5:06 and 5:09.  Hard to get the legs going so early to be honest but did the job.

Warmdown for 13km all up.

Then out in the evening for Ronan's charity trivia night.  Great night all round but foolishly agreed to a $50 bet with Macca with him supporting his man Craig Mc ahead of me at Gold Coast Marathon.

MLR that nearly wasn't

Out of bed at 5.50am due to meet at the Boy Charlton at 6am.  Got to Queenscliff lagoon entrance and assumed I had missed everyone.  So ran solo towards and along the beach with a reassessed plan of doing 5km, goin back to bed then running home with Jimmy this evening.

Turned at 2.5km but then shortly bumped into Justin and Erika so turned again and ran with them.  Justin told stories of Shanghai while Erika and I commiserated with him.

17km all up. 

HuRTS 45min progressive tempo

Funny old day today.  Got out of the office to find it pretty hot and humid.  But then just as we finished the session the temp dropped and the rain started to fall. 

Made for a tough session with plenty of sweating, particularly wearing a T-Shirt.  Set out with Barts, CT, Tucks, Fats and The Other Manly Tom (TOM Tom).  Felt pretty good on the way out and we turned after 23:15 at the first traffic calming device past the bridges.  I pushed the pace after we turned conscious it would be tough to get back in the time available.

Barts went ahead at 30mins (hitting Alfred St at CQ) with just me and CT left. Started to feel the pace here a bit and we were at the OH gates at 34:15.  10:00 to get back going via the middle path which is solid running, pretty much finishing together.

CT running well again.  Some tired bodies out there today.

Ran 3+km this morning to the wharf and a long warm down with Barts and Andy for 20km all up today.

Monday

Ran home from work very, very easy.  In fact, it was Hoey training pace.  One of those runs where you feel better at the end than the start.  Still working out the quickest way home.  Today involved Burnt Bridge Creek where I ran into a massive fruit bat.  That was weird.

Great run by Benny St on Saturday night getting back towards top form with a 13:33 at Melbourne over 5000m (World Champs qualifier) to finish 2nd.

Sunday

Major hangover following curry and beers with the Manly runners in Freshie.  Top night, but was capable of nothing more than 6km very easy on Sunday afternoon.

Long Saturday

Beers and curry tonight so a long run today.  Met up with Barts, Dicky and Macca with Charlie D joining us in Dee Why for 10km or so.  Solid pace from the off and Macca wanted a fast finish.  Ran with him letting Barts run off ahead.  

Legs were rooted and I struggled to stay with Macca.  Still, 30+km averaging 4:10 so pretty solid.  The B&E roll tastes good after that.

Fit It In Friday

A very easy 12.5km with Kanser, JBo and Bruce.  Got an earful from Kanser slagging off Aussies.  I don't think he realised Bruce was an Aussie.  You'd think the name would give it away.

Hey Timmy, coincidentally I took an office shot this morning.  Here you go:

HuRTS 10 x 400m

The classic session on a beautiful, if slightly too warm and humid day.  We were teased with the early onset of Autumn.  This was still Summer.

Over to Rushcutters where Timmy had his cones out.  CT and Barts were in attendance alongside a massive crowd for a Rushcutters session.  Had a good chat with LJ on the way over and great to see her back out regularly again.

I felt pretty good today.  I think 3 days virtual rest since Sunday did the world of good as every rep would run the same course of CT and Barts taking it out hard for the first 200m while I tried to hold on then I'd come past and push the pace for the final 200m.  Did the first 5 in shoes looking forward to running the second 5 barefoot. 

Not sure about Timmy's 400m distance markings but we ran them all in 65/66's, the final in 63.

Although I felt fine running, legs feel rooted this evening so I think it was all down to the rest since Sunday.

Had a shock this morning to find they'd changed the artwork in our office overnight.  For some reason, this is what I've been given:

Someone is trying to give me a message.

Wednesday recovery

Very easy run and necessary as my legs are surprisingly still very tired from the Half.  Maybe a bit of jet lag in there too.  Just 11km all up averaging 5 min kms.  Bumped into Hoey and ran most of the way with him, chatting about the pain of Six Foot.  He's vowed not to repeat.  We shall see.

New York Half Marathon

Spent all day yesterday stressing about the prep for this race.  What should I wear?  Should I wear a watch?  How do the corrals work?  Will they have enough toilets?

On the last question I needn't have worried.  I've never seen so many portaloos.  Always one free.  Sydney could learn a lesson there.

In the end I wore my usual kit but did wear a watch.  Threw off my extra clothes into the donation bin at the last minute (a Tommy Hilfiger long sleeve top and a fleece - each bought for only $9.99 yesterday in Macy's - clothes are SO cheap here).

I lined up early and, after some podgy Mexicans pushed in front of me, started about 6 rows back from the front.  The siren goes and it's a bit of a scramble but I get away and into running ok.  An early hill sorts people out and we're through the first mile in 5:28.  A bit slow. But then the pace picks up as I pick up a group of 5.  Second mile in 5:08.  Km splits are all over the place so I give up on the watch other than checking mile (and 5km) splits.

At the top end of Central Park there's a cool section where you run along 110th street in Harlem, come around a big roundabout and back into the park.  Gives you a great chance to see the leaders (all Kenyans) and top Americans like Meb, Bumbalough, Tegenkamp and Ritz.  5km in 16:30 and I'm feeling good.  Then the big hill in Central Park comes, and it's followed by a load of rolling hills.  I come out of the park and our group has split apart.  I hit 10km in 33:40 and I'm floundering, wondering where it all went wrong.  Run down 7th Ave to Times Square (which is surreal) but it's into a headwind and I realise the whole length of the West Side Highway will be the same.  I'm feeling pretty low here, but then my saviour arrives.  He's like a Yank Hoey.  Someone to drag me through the second half.  I jump on his back and immediately we start catching and overtaking all the group who dropped me in Central Park.  Each one tries to jump on as we go past but drop off shortly after.  Down the West Side Highway and as Yank Hoey slows a bit, I take up the slack but, given its into the wind, my turns are shorter than his.  I keep on saying (to quote Farah) "One Mo Mile" before I drop off.  But then we're at 11 miles, I see Freedom Tower and it's all getting close.

Through some massive tunnel and I'm fighting hard here, thinking I can save something by getting a sub72.  Then out in the clear, more cheering by the NYPD and Firemen and over the line in 71:32.

Pleased to have recovered after I thought I was down and out.  A 70:xx is definitely possible on a good course in good conditions.  But this was an amazing experience and that's what I'll mostly take from it.  Everyone in the city supports it.  The hotel porter high fives you when you come back in.  Australia could learn from the enthusiasm everyone shows.

 

2nd Over 40:

New York #4

Just an easy 30mins on the treadmill as it was pissing with rain outside and not the nice sort of refreshing rain you get in Sydney.

Then caught up with TB for some pasta and red wine.  He fits right in in NYC.

When I was a kid I had this sort of encyclopaedia called "Fact Finder" (actually it was probably one of my brothers) which I was a bit obsessed with.  I never read novels as a kid, just fact books and maps.  I was a bit of a nerd.  Anyway, in Fact Finder they had a piece on a sculpture called "Bird in Space" by Brancusi.  I thought it was really cool as a kid.  So yesterday I wander into the Met and in one of the rooms, there I see "Bird in Space" in the flesh, so to speak.  It made my day.

New York #3

Stepped out of the hotel in the usual running gear (2 long sleeve tops, full length skins, shorts, thick socks).  Ran 50m, turned around, back to Hotel and put a thick hoody on as well.  Absolutely bitter this morning, -1C but with a windchill to cut straight through you.

But a beautiful day and the usual route but coming back down 6th Ave.  Got overtaken in the park this morning.  Didn't like that.

Good luck to all running Six Foot today - I'll be tracking results from 4pm my time. Go Quentin!  Go Tucks!  Go Fats!  Go Jono!  Go Hoey!  Will be a great battle up front.