Roller coasting

Wednesday, October 31, 2007
7km | easy

Uncle Hal had me down for 7.5km last night but it ended up to be a tad short. Usually I plan my route ahead but didn't have time, so I just got out there and winged it.


I headed up through Randwick again and down to Coogee. Rather than climbing Arden Street like last Tuesday I opted for Carrington Road to take me home. Carrington doesn't have the steep climbs as Arden does but it's still a constant climb. I finished feeling better than I started. Maybe I took it too easy.




Heartbreaker

Saturday, October 27, 2007
17km | easy

I didn't get out for a run on Thursday. A new lounge that The Bride purchased arrived and the night was spent shuffling furniture. Not my favourite sport !


So I was really looking forward for a spin this morning. For a change I ran through Bellevue Hill and Rose Bay which led me to New South Head Road (aka Heartbreak Hill). Surprisingly, it didn't hurt much at all (at plod pace anyway). I felt pretty good all the way and was soon at Bondi Beach where I ran along the promenade and topped up my fuel belt bottles. It was pretty hot by then and the run up Bondi Road (aka Arsebreak Hill) was really tough. My legs are feeling trashed after all that but thankfully I'm pretty much niggle free. Fingers crossed it stays that way !



Coogee Beach

Tuesday, October 23, 2007
7.5km | easy

My legs have been feeling fatigued since the weekend. Two runs on consecutive days takes its toll on this old man. ;-p


Uncle Hal said it was 7.5km tonight. I managed to get out the door about 9.30pm and decided to head south for a change and take in Coogee Beach. Coogee is a bitch of a place because it's nestled at the bottom of a steep valley. So running down to Coogee means that the run out will hurt. And it did. I arrived home feeling like I had run 27.5km ! I know that some runners would probably run Arden Street up to Bronte easy, but I found it a chore and was in first gear running little fairy steps all the way. Best do a flat run on Thursday me thinks.


Park Run

Sunday, October 21, 2007
5km | moderate


I had to do a short run today at half marathon pace. Rather than muck about with times and such, I just went out a little harder than yesterday. It was late afternoon before I was in my kit and ran into the park a little after 5.00pm. I was moving quite well towards the racecourse end but then ran into a mega headwind which stayed with me up the rise to home. It was like running with a heavy backpack on and any chance of running the 5kms "at pace" was over. I got home feeling pretty stuffed, so it's got to be good for you in the long run I guess.


Good too see the horses back in the park too. I hope they're feeling much better after their break.

Vaucluse / Bondi.

Saturday, October 20, 2007
15km | LSD

It's been a long time since I've run a longish run, May actually. Just quietly I've been excited all week about this. The Bride thinks I'm off my rocker, but getting out at 6.00am on a Saturday and running for an hour or two on a perfect spring morning is what it's all about.


Whilst Uncle Hal had the distance capped at 15kms, I thought that I could make it interesting and take a hilly route north to Vaucluse and back via Bondi Beach. That would take in Old South Head Road (mini Heart Break Hill) and Bondi Road. Anyway, I felt pretty good all the way. Up Dover Heights way on the back half of the C2S route I was feeling right in the pocket. Listening to good music and winding my way down to the Beach - great stuff. As always, the haul up Bondi Road was a slog but I managed to plod my way home finishing a tired but very satisfied chap.

Bondi or bust

Friday, October 19, 2007
7km | easy

I had a 7km tempo run on the program last night. However I thought that was boring so I decided to run down to Bondi instead. I needed a change of scenery I think and I knew that that hilly run would compensate for the tempo bit that was cruelly imposed by Uncle Hal.


I was feeling pretty good for most of the run however the long haul on the way back up Bondi Road/Birrell Street really took it out of me. Even The Bride commented that I looked stuffed when I got home. I'll blame driving a desk for 11 hours and then running after dinner with a full tummy I think. Looking forward to a LSD on Saturday morning when I'll be (hopefully) feeling nice and fresh !

Tuesday

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

We didn't get to do the Maroubra Fun Run on Sunday. On Saturday arvo Jackson developed a cough which meant that he had to pass a fitness test on Sunday morning. Unfortunately it resulted in a late scratching with The Bride ruling him out just after breakfast. We'll have to look for another run for him in the coming weeks.


Last night I had 7km to do and ran the outside fence of Centennial. It was cool with a light breeze - just perfect running conditions. I finished the loop feeling a little wasted, but that's normal for a Tuesday night as my energy levels are always pretty low. No niggles to report.

Art Gallery

Saturday, October 13, 2007
13.8km | Easy

There was 13km on the Uncle Hal program today. Jackson wanted to go for a little run as well as a warm up for the Maroubra Fun Run tomorrow. So I decided to do a shortened version of my Opera House run and then swing home to pick him up for a 2km loop.


The shins and achilles were feeling sweet, with no residual effects from Thursday. The run down to Sydney Hospital felt OK although the paved footpath on Oxford Street is pretty hard on the legs. The hard part of the run is the long hill of Bourke Street from Woolloomooloo up to Taylor Square. I was pretty stuffed after that and found the run into Centennial to home a drag.


I then ran past home and picked up Jackson and we did a loop of Queens Park. Pretty happy with today's run.

Need for Speed

Friday, October 12, 2007
7 x 400m | 5km pace

Uncle Hal has this silly idea that we should do speed work in a program. He's mentioned it before but frankly I have ignored it in the past in favour of an easy run (or if I was running without niggles, I'd swap it for a hill session). Not because I'm lazy ;-) but moreso speedwork in the past just hurt my bits and made me injured.


Anyway last night I decided that I'd give it a whirl. I ran a 1.5km warm up to North Randwick (Dangar Street) which is one of the few non-creepy flat stretches of road I could find.


McMillan said that a conservative 5km pace for 400m would be 1:50 so I tried to do that. The first was too fast, the second too slow - all over the place. Was I supposed to do a standing rest ? Who knows, I did anyway. Towards the end the gods were getting angry and there was lightning about with some distant thunder. I did the last rep in the pouring rain and headed for home. I got to about Moriah College in Queens Park when - HOLY CRAP ! - the biggest MFing thunder clap I have ever heard was right over my head. LOL I actually jumped into the air and let out a yelp. I then launched into Osafa Powell pace for the final few hundred metres to home !


My achilles is a bit tender this morning. Not sure if I will listen to Uncle Hal next Thursday.

Bogong Run

Wednesday, October 10, 2007
7km | easy

Uncle Hal had me down for 7km, so I ran the outside fence of Centennial. It's conveniently 7km but much if it is also on grass/dirt so it's good for my old legs. I've had a few "pings" in the shins of late and I know I have to be careful not to aggravate them and get shin splints whilst in my building phase.


Those pesky bogong moths were out in force and I copped one right in the gob as I ran past the disused Racecourse. No, they don't have a pleasant nutty flavour by the way.


It was a tad nippy out and I elected to run in a short sleeve dri-fit. Bad move as I was way too hot by the time I got to Anzac Parade. So it was a shirtless run from there until home. Apologies to the motorists.


In other news I've started skipping. Got myself a speed rope and had my first session on Monday in the Nike Frees. I was pretty unco for the first few minutes and basically got the hang of it by the end. I did 10 mins and was a little puffed after that and had a good short workout. I intend to skip on the non running days and will apply the 10% rule to my sessions so as to avoid overuse. I've got a link to a web page for drills etc but I won't be able to go there until I can be proficient enough to do the simple things like switch from leg to leg and arm cross overs. That will take a little time methinks.


Sydney Striders - Olympic Park

Saturday, October 06, 2007
10km | Race | 49:54

Well I said it would be hard work and boy was I right. In fact I can't remember ever feeling quite so stuffed after race.


I went out with the intention of trying to stay ahead of Brian the 50 minute pacer and did that for the first 5km, going through the halfway mark in 24:11. After going out of the carpark for the second time there is a hill which runs up alongside Acer Arena and that really took it out of me. By the time we got to the Wentworth Common I was goooooone. The 50 minute pack caught me at around the 8km marker and I bumbled my way home with them. The last 1km really hurt and I struggled with the demons in my head to finish with the pack.


It was a fun racing again and I really missed it. It's a shame that next month's Lane Cove Race is the last for the year. Whilst doing my first marathon this year was great and a huge personal achievement, I can't help but think that it came at a cost. You only have to see how many DNS's there are in my 2007 race calendar (right hand column) to see that I missed 7 Striders races (9 if you include The Equaliser and Internal 1/2M). What even hurts more is missing the C2S, again. Let's hope that 2008 will allow me to do more regular racing.

Tempo Run ?

Wednesday, October 03, 2007
5km | tempo
Uncle Hal (yes we have rekindled our relationship) said 5km Tempo Run was required. Only problem was I had no idea WTF that was. So I referred to his notes and he says "This is a continuous run with a buildup in the middle to near 10-K race pace." Fair enough, so basically you bludge for the first 3rd, build up to a quick pace for the middle 3rd and then bludge home. Twice as much bludging than running fast ? Yeah I can do that. ;-p


Striders 10km on Saturday. Might take it easy and make sure I don't snap something.

Park Run

Monday, October 01, 2007
5km | easy
I took Jackson out for a 5km spin around the Park in the late afternoon. It was a hot one and I could see that he was doing it tough. Very red in the face etc. We stopped 3 times over the journey. Twice for a drink at a bubbler and once for a little walk rest. I don't blame him as I was pretty dry in the throat as well.


We'll be doing the 4km down at the Maroubra Fun Run next Sunday morning. Should be a good run for him as long as it's not too hot.