The important things in life

Well, that was disappointing.  After feeling  everything was coming together, I came down with a fever on the Friday before London, which turned to a bad cold and then sinusitis.  Still on the heavy duty antibiotics now.  Wasn't going to stop me watching Barts, Macca and Sammy though and doing so made me vow to come back.  The crowd support was huge and the atmosphere electric.  Barts did us all proud with a fantastic run in 2:29:18.  He approached it perfectly in a very controlled fashion.  The man accused of a heart of flint even shed a tear at the end, as did I.

12 days off and, despite still being bunged up and blowing stuff out of my nose that scares the kids, I ventured out this morning for an easy 10km.  Beautiful morning along Manly Beach and I just soaked it up enjoying what I've been missing out on. 

Was very upset about missing London after 6 months injury and sickness free but in the end there's always another race and the real reason I do it is morning s like these and the camaraderie I enjoyed with Barts, Macca and Sammy in London.

Black bogeys

After 5 days in London I've fallen foul to the London black bogey syndrome.

Last proper run yesterday was 41mins continuous - 15min warm up plod to Southwark Park (when I'm tapering for a big race I seem to be unable to run quicker than 5min kms) then 6 x 1min on, 1 mins off around the park and then plodded back.  One other runner in Southwark Park as I was darting around - Scott Overall (top British marathoner and no doubt running on Sunday).

All set now, just have to mentally prepare myself.

Caught up with Barts in the evening and the poor fella's a bundle of nerves.  But he's in good shape.

South Bank Saunter

Just an easy 8km over Tower Bridge and along the South Bank before breakfast.  Not sure I managed to get under 5min kms.  Breakfast consisted of a bacon & egg brioche roll, croissant filled with chopped banana and flat white all from Pret a Manger.  Which is conveniently at the bottom of my serviced apartment building.  Best. Breakfast. Ever.

Leg stretcher

Just 10km but included 5 x 3min strides. Finally feeling as though the legs are going well again after nearly a week of jet-lag.

Monday Bow Bells

Early morning jog to Victoria Park, run around and back.  Impressed myself by getting there without getting lost.  Even more impressed by Victoria Park and the surrounding canals. A beaut of a morning if fecking freezing.

14km in 4:40's.

Sunday in London

Arrived in London on Saturday and had a rest day as I met the extended family for lunch with a couple of beers.

So Sunday was the 5km tempo.  Jogged to Southwark park (along the route for next week - eek!) then got into it.  Well the legs are still jet lagged and buggered.  I thought I was running 3:15's.  First km split was 3:27.  Then the next was 3:30.  WTF?!  Then suddenly it seemed to come together - 3:20, 3:21 and 3:05.  Thank god.

3km jog back along the marathon route getting excited.

Last day in Berlin

Friday was 14km in Berlin, finally finding a decent route through the gardens and along the river.  98% of the run was fantastic, but then I failed to outrun a massive storm (hail and all) and got drenched in the final 2 minutes.  

14km in the hour.

Tiergarten session

Out at 7.30am and it's freezing and raining.  This is why I don't live in Europe anymore.  You can go and stick your fancy buildings and ancient culture up your ass.

3km warm up finding a route around the Tiergarten and then into the 3km tempo. Gary said keep it controlled and don't overdo it.  I ran 3:25's and honestly don't think my jet lagged legs could have gone any quicker.

Then a short rest and into the 10 x 400m.  Again, controlled but would have hated to have had to push any harder.  They were done at about 74/75 pace.

14.25km all up. 

Berlin jet lagged rust buster

After a 29 hour journey due to delayed flights, I finally arrived in Berlin.  Definitely still grittier than the rest of Germany that I've seen but more interesting as a result.

Had a meeting straightaway then headed out to stretch the legs.  The hotel is right next to the Tiergartens so I just ran around them, getting lost every now and then.  Planned on an hour but let's just say that running is the best cure for jet-lag constipation.  10km all up in 4:34's with the legs feeling like cactus.

Tuesday Half HuRTS

Couldn't get out in the am, found a gap at lunch before my flight so went down to HuRTS where the session was 4 x 10mins.  Certainly wasn't going to do that so settled on half the session.  After much toing and froing on the route we settled on the original and were off.  With me only doing half the session I was out ahead solo.  Reached the gates in 9:40.  On the return I was soon running with Andy who pushed the pace on.  I then had the whole squad to overtake and hey all seemed to appear on the hills.  Ended up with 9:36 - a PB for me over that much run segment.  But who the hell is Michael Bath?

Short jog after and that was me done.

Monday morning

10.3km very easy with Lewis at 6am.  Much cooler this morning - Autumn has arrived.  But stunning along the beachfront.  4:37's.  Amazed by a woman doing a complex yoga position on the beach.  It was quite something.

Last long(ish) Sunday

Out with Barts, Lewis and Ben at 6.15am (no early morning extras today thank God) but picking up Emma, Tim and Toby along the way.  Just the standard route and cutting across the Narrabeen Caravan Park which made it mentally much easier at 27.5km than the recent 38km monsters.  But it's still 2 hours of running.  

Beautiful morning chatting the whole way and Barts and I shook each other's hand at the end remarking that our work was done.  Obviously forgetting Tuesday's double session and sprints on Thursday. 

Then cycled to Queensie for a dip before retiring to Emporio to pore over the results from Canberra.  A brilliant run from Hoey to take 2nd just behind Rowan Walker in 2:29:15.  He really has a knack for the marathon.  Other great runs included Jeet's PB in high 78 in the half - he's running PBs every race at the moment.  CT battled for the lead inthe half before having to settle for 3rd.  Craig sounded a bit disappointed with his 5th place in the 50km.  I think he suits (and copes very well with) a higher mileage than he's been doing of late.  Looked like a great weekend and I'll try to get down there next year.

Broken 5km plus Fartlek

Was supposed to be done at Parkrun but with 5 kids sports commitments starting at 7.30am that was never feasible.

Session was 2km hard, 1km easy, 2km hard.  Then a brief recovery before 10 x 1min on, 1min off.

Did a 2km jog to the golf course loop then started running clockwise (interestingly, nearly all Strava records are measured anti-clockwise) for the first 2km hard.  Times went 3:10 then 3:11.  Jog was a 4:05 before doing 3:06 and 3;09 for the second 2km.  Stoked with the times as I was expecting the 2nd 2km to be slower given I didn't feel brilliant to start with.

Then an 800m jog before starting the Fartlek. Wanted to run these controlled and did so but was stoked to see I was doing kms in 3:38's including the easy sections. 

Probably my most encouraging session of the year so confidence is high.  One more session on Tuesday before I fly out.

15km all up averaging 3:51's.  

Best of luck to Hoey and Vonky in the marathon in Canberra tomorrow.  Would love to see Hoey take out some big names.  And especially to Craig in the 50km'er.  He knows what he needs to do.

60min tempo

Bumped into Kanser as I was about to start warming up so we jogged together talking about his sickness but how he'll still smash Timmy in the Canberra Half on Sunday. Then straight into the tempo.  

Not much to report.  Started at 3:25's but settled into 3:29/3:30's for the first half.  Had a couple of aberrations around the wharves on the return where the Garmin reckoned I was Jesus and spat out a 3:43 and a 3:40 but then back to 3:32's.  Pushed the hills on the way back as I felt full of running today.  All up 17.1km in the hour (3:31's) despite the errant middle couple of kms.  All set.

Warmdown for 20km all up.

Wednesday SLR

60mins very easy on another beaut of a morning with Erika, Darren, Robbie and Lewis.  13km.  Seemed to spend the 2nd half of the run high-fiving people (Joel, Cap'n, Skins) - just one of those days I guess.  

Can't believe how busy Manly beach is at 6am in the morning.  People need to have more sex.

Double Tuesday

AM:  up early but not early enough as by the time I arrived at Graham's Reserve (for the 6 x 1km off a rolling 5mins) Darren, Erika, Lewis, Quentin, Jamie, Justin, Ben, Emma, Burkey and Charlie (amazing crowd!) had started their first rep.  3km warm up then joined them on their second.

Was very glad Quentin was there to keep Lewis company as I wasn't feeling up to the task.  Sure enough, each rep Q and L would dart off leaving me 5m behind.  I would sense their pace drop at the 400m mark and go past them, only for Lewis to respond and come past me with 200m to go.  Kept me honest though.  Garmin always reads funny when running in circles and sure enough the clockwise reps averaged 2:54 while the anti-clockwise reps averaged 3:05.  3:05 felt about right.

Beautiful morning and great to see everyone out.  5km warm down for 15km all up.

PM:  7km very easy with Erika around the city.

Last double day pre-London but I'm fairly accustomed them now.

Last long one

Took 3 lots of Maltodextrin yesterday then had a huge meal at Toby and Alex's last night.  Just felt so much better today. Much brighter the whole way.  

We had a huge crowd today - the Manly Sunday Hardcore really is becoming the place to be seen.  Barts, Tim P, Toby H, Macca, Craig, Erika, Darren, Lucy (Erika's mate), Lewis, Scotty and Even Benny boy.  Only Special Q and the Cap'n were missing.  Pace started pick up coming around Narrabeen Lake and the last 15km was under 4min pace.  But a nice confidence booster finishing the 38km with a 3:25 with Barts.

A few more sessions (Thursday's hour tempo is looming) but otherwise the work has been done so now time to try and get myself in the right mental state.

Saturday

17km squeezing it in mid-afternoon after driving kids all morning to various sporting commitments.  1:15 finishing at Pace Athletic to pick up some socks and gels and Billy's BMX.  Jamie wasn't impressed by it.

Friday

Had a couple of beers with Gleeso Thursday night.  After our wives failed to chase us, it turned into a few more.  And then karaoke in The Ivanhoe.  One of those random nights you can't predict, but a great laugh. 

So Friday lunch with a great crowd of Enda, Erika, Burkey, Jeet, Birchy et al I managed 5km before needing to spew.  Toughest 5km of the year.  My secretary told me I was still emitting beer sweats in the mid-afternoon.

140km for the week.

Double Thursday

AM:  9km run to the wharf, picking up my backpack after 6km.  Actually quite nice way of getting to work.  Commuter on the ferry didn't appreciate my pheromones though.

Lunch:  79 Continuous.  Tough bloody set this one.  Hard to work out the average pace but I think I was close to 3:20 for the tempo (much faster than usual) and 3:29 for the Fartlek (about usual).  Ran solo but feeling the fitness at the moment - despite starting every session tired I come alright by the end.

29+km for the day.  Monster monster.