Tuesday same but different

Another shocking night's sleep but, due to the power of social media, I had arranged to meet TB at the Apple Store on the corner of Central Park at 6am.  But wet overnight so more humid this morning.  Great chat to Terence while running 13.2km around the Park nice and easy.

Top of the Rock:

Independence Day

Woke up after a fitfull jet-lagged sleep and did 13.8km around Central Park on a beautiful (Northern Hemisphere) summer's day.  Meaning it was green, lush and cool but warming up.  God I miss home sometimes.

Gold Coast 10km - 21st in 31:35

Well, everything went to plan for once.  Arrived last night (being put up, very kindly, by Jeet and Birchy in a fantastic ocean view apartment in Main Beach), got some food and an early night's sleep.  

Had been feeling great in training over the past 2 weeks and woke up feeling good again.  Achilles has been no concern and all the rolling out has done wonders to how I feel in the early am.  Jogged to the start, got intimidated in the (very plush) elite area seeing Australia's two greatest distant runners milling about (Mona and Benita Willis).  Got to the start area and only mistake was not to jump onto the start line straightaway.  Found myself 4 rows back.  But told myself it was a good thing as I'd be able to accelerate into the race.

I didn't wear a watch.  I told myself I was in good form and would either be scared by the pace of the splits or would stress they weren't quick enough.  So ran on feel just trying to hold on to packs of runners for as long as possible.  Chadi was leading a big group early on so tagged on the back of that.  A smaller group started to pull ahead so tagged in to them until 5km.  Knew things were going well when, looking for the 4km mark, I suddenly saw the 5km mark.  That's a free km in the bank!  Clock said 15:32 as I passed but I was falling off the group of 5.  But, like Gold Coast resident Big Kev before me, I was excited.

Best thing about this race is the strength and depth of field.  As soon as I dropped off I had runners catching and coming past me.  John Dutton came past at 5km and I got a km out of him. So I just jumped on the back of each one to drag me through just one more km (as I told myself).  Massive shout from Coach Gary at 8km which was a great lift and I was closing in on John again.  

The long straight before the final finish tunnel seemed to last forever (but at least not as bad as last year's marathon and I probably covered it in half the time), then I turn and hear the announcer saying something like "Jacob Cocks in 30:40" - does that mean he's sat down eating a b&e roll or has he just finished?!  I turn the corner and see 31:10 on the clock.  Fuck yeah!!  Sprint for the line and do some mad fist pumps and crazy arms aloft.  I think my fellow competitors are a bit bemused.  But I don't care.

So stoked.  Biggest jump in my PB ever. Thanks so much to Coach Gary.  And thanks so much to Birchy and Jeet for the hospitality and brekkie.  A perfect start to my holidays.

Good luck to everyone tomorrow in the Full and Half.  It's perfect up here.

Friday jog

25mins early doors along the beach with a few strides.

Thursday

Started the day by meeting Eljay and Elle for coffee to talk racing tactics for the weekend.  Eljay very kindly said that I was impressively erect.  She claimed to be talking about my running style but I'm not so sure.

At lunch joined the squad at Rushcutters but did 5min tempo followed by 4 x 30s before jogging back with Timmy.

Taper Wed

Very easy 7km bumping into Andy at the Opera House and finishing with a few hills.

Getting pumped about Saturday morning now..

ES Marks Runcrew

4km warm up in the inside of the track with Matt, Keith, Keith's brother Gerald, Hamish, Biggsy and Neil.  Then 3 x broken 1 miles as per 3 weeks ago - that is 1km hard, 300m jog, 300m hard with 4mins between each set.

Wore the flats this time with the achilles feeling stronger every day.  

Times went:

2:55, 51

2:52, 51

2:51, 52

Very happy and felt great.  As Gary pointed out, reps 2 and 3 are at a pace faster than my 1500m PB.

3km warm down for 12km all up.

Monday morning

1. Really enjoying the Manly Dam runs at the moment and hills.

2. Achilles feels better than ever.

So did another run up past Manly Vale Public School and back down the creek this am before adding the 4 x 80m hills up Suwarrow.  Felt great this morning.

Sunday

Too knackered to get out with the boys at 6am after having to stay up to pick up Bec.  Got out later and did another circular Manly Dam route, this time tackling the Northern Beaches longest hill - Warringah Rd up to Beacon Hill.  Quite tired at the end of 20km. 

Saturday hills

Missed Parkrun so ran hard up a hill instead.  Allambie Hill.  Then back around the dam for 13.5km all up.  Nice route.

Hurts Rushcutters

Over to Rushcutters but no Timmy cones.  And to be honest we were lost without them.  Come back Timmy, all is forgiven.  Some makeshift shirts were laid which moved after the first rep.  But anyway, session was 8 x 400m off 2:30, 3 min jog then 8 x 200m off 1:30.

Trailed Barts for the first four 400's then kicked into action and started pushing him a bit.  All were 65/66 on the watch but 67/68 pace in truth.  Then on the 200's I called for a different volunteer to pace each rep which made it interesting and distracted from getting through the set.  Averaged 30's on those (prob 31's in truth.

5km warm down for 13km all up.

Morning MLR

16km around Manly with Lewis and the Cap'n.  Sore after last night.  4:36's.

(Missed Monday)

Can't fail to put this down as it continues quite a good running streak....

14km with Enda, Timmy, Hoey and Co around the wharves to Barangaroo.

RunCrew Tuesday

AM:  7.5km around and about to the ferry wharf in 4:38's.

PM:  4.5km warm up.  2km TT in 5:56 pacing off Hamish and Keith.  Followed by 10 x 300m in 49, 50, 49, 48, 49, 49, 48, 48, 48, 48 (rolling 2mins).  Felt great tonight in the flats.  3km warm down.

Good to see Enda, Christian, LJ and Greta supporting Eloise in what looked like a monster session.

Picking up the car

Out with Kirst last night to a charity function at Balgowlah RSL. Both drank way too much so taxi'd it home, hence the run this afternoon.  Went via Allambie Hill and hit some serious puddles on the trail next to Wakehurst Parkway.

12km, feeling surprisingly good.

Claudie this morning watching Maggie's soccer:

Saturday long

Out early doors with Barts, Scott and Robin V for the usual route but with Barts keen on a fast finish. In fact, he was keen on a quickish start too.  I wasn't.  But just put my head down and ran.  Tired after yesterday's race.  When the boys picked up the pace I was hanging on. Did so for 4km then fell off at Dee Why and jogged home.

Bit of a GPS fail in not restarting my watch after a stop but I think it was 29km in 4:21's.

Mags and Charlie in Parkrun this morning.  New PB for Mags, good news before her Regional XC in Gosford on Friday:

City Mile Dash - 3rd in 4:32

I really didn't want to do this.  1.6km hurts more than a 10km or Half.  And I get more nervous for it as a result.  But I'd promised Timmy i'd turn up for his team (him, Crossy and Quentin - me replacing Durante from last year) so did so.

Jogged down with the winning girls, felt pretty good in the warm up, slapped my face a bit and then we were off.

First 400m - I can't believe how fast everyone can run. Seriously, I feel like I'm redlining it and I'm in 12th position. Ali Najeem is running a 27s 200m, Crossy and Q are well ahead and I'm thinking my days as a middle distance runner are gone.

Then get to 400m and everyone slows down. I start passing everyone and just think, rather than settle for this, why not push ahead.  And so at 800m i'm in the lead.  Turn the hairpin sheepishly, think "I could win this!" And start pushing on,  but feel a bit like a fox waiting for the hounds to pounce and sure enough at 400m to go Q and some kid come past and I can't go with them.  Q sustains the burst, the kid comes back but not enough for me to catch on the line.

Still, earned a pair of Mizunos thanks to Q, Crossy and Timmy.  11km for the day all up and a good hit out which will serve me well.

Thursday easy

...because of the frickin' City Mile Dash tomorrow which I'm really not keen on.  

10km easy up to and aroundCentennial. 

Wednesday Melbourne MLR

Usual route up the Yarra Trail turning at 8km.  Bloody cold again and almost killed by a cyclist on 2 occasions.

16km in 4:32's.  Few strides at the end.  Took Voltaren last night as Achilles was sore.

Tuesday Tan Session

In Melbourne.  Frickin freezing.  Did the whole session with my black thermal top on (which Timmy likes so much) and a beanie.

Jogged the 2km warm up to Morell Bridge then started the 4 x 8.5min Fartlek (30, 60, 90, 60, 30 - same recovery, 3mins between sets).  Unfortunately started the first fast section straight up the Anderson St hill which was to repeat on each of the 3 laps.  Session looks fairly easy but it's a dead leg killer.  Turned out to be exactly 3 laps of the Tan before the 2km jog back.

15.6km all up averaging 3:59's.