Sunday, October 31, 2010

Pain in the butt

Butt was quite sore this week as a result of some new glute exercises I've been given. Other than that and a couple of my normal niggles running is going well and I've started doing some speedwork again.

Week in Summary 85.43k@4:24

Mon 6.61k@4:32

Tues 13.2k@4:09 incl Intervals with JK'S group. Session was 3*800m with 2 min recoveries, 3*400m with 1 min recoveries and 3*200m with 30 sec recoveries.

800m-2:38,2:37,2:37
400m-1:12,1:12,1:14
200m 0:35,0:35,0:33

Pretty happy with effort as pretty controlled throughout. It was good catching up with David Bryant, who impressively cracked the 10min barrier for his 3k race the week before, well done mate.

Wed 6.3k@4:45 Butt was really sore, noticed it in the cooldown from Intervals the night before.

Thurs 17k@4:28 Ran with Biscuitman. The butt was sill pretty sore so didn't do our intended tempo session, instead did 8k @4:15 as the quicker bit. Biscuitman ran the last 2k in 3:36's which was really good especially due to the really windy conditions.

Fri 9k@4:25

Sat 13k@4:11 incl 8k@4:04 which included 8*400m pickups at approx 3:45 pace at start of every km for 8k.

Sun 20.32k@4:25 90 minute run with Epi. Good catching up for run, 1st time in ages. Ran from Matilda Bay and did the Bridges loop and then back to Matilda Bay. Butt and adductor a bit sore in the run, but other than that feeling pretty good.

Good luck to everyone doing races this week, Sugar doing NY, Biscuitman doing PWC 5k and Epi doing 10k John Gilmour, I'll count his laps. Provided conditions are good for each, I expect all to do pb's, go for it guys.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Boston Calling

I was one of the lucky ones who managed to register for Boton, it sold out in 8 hours, last year it took 2 months. Agree with Epi and Sugar that they need to look at the qualifying times to keep it a prestigious event. I'm very happy on the other hand of the increased interest in running which is shown not only overseas but also in local marathons where there are record number of participants.

Week in Summary 71.4k@4:25

Ran every day this week and limited Mon, Wed and Fri running to 30 minutes on a hilly course through the streets of Inglewood and Mt Lawley.

Mon 6.45k@4:39

Tues 10k@4:32

Wed 6.75k@4:26

Thurs 10.35k@4:20 45 minute run

Fri 7.05k@4:15

Sat 13.6k@4:24 1 hour run

Sun 17.2k@4:21 1hour 15 minute run

I'm feeling ready for a bit of quicker stuff so if I get the chance will pop down to JK's session on Tuesday.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Melbourne Finishing Photos

A couple of photos of my finish at Melb, I ended up buying the Digital Super Pack and the DVD.









A great week for runners with the gutsy efforts of the Aussies in the Marathon and in particular that of Michael Shelley. Epi and I were lucky enough in 2008 at the Canberra Marathon Festival to see him blitz the 10k.

Also was lucky enough to go to the Craig Mottram Breakfast put on by The Running Centre. Craig gave a good insight into running and keeping it all in perspective and I took away a couple of valid pointers. The Running Centre has done a great job of giving us access to some world class athletes this year in Monas and now Mottram. I am forever grateful and have certainly learnt a lot from these experiences.

Quick update on my running

43.1k@4:44

Legs and Body feeling pretty good after Melb and ran 5 days, all easy and the highlight was doing a 10k run with Widi including around the tan.

Next couple of weeks will all be easy running and then I'll look at introducing some speedwork into the equation with the aim of trying to do a 5k pb in November at the Pen run. My physio was talking about a strengthening program post Melb which will include some swimming, so I'll touch base with her hopefully this week to look at putting that into play.

Tomorrow I register for Boston, hopefully I'll get a place in the first corral.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Melbourne Marathon 2010

2:53:17

A pb of 6 minutes, so very happy with run, perfect conditions for running.

First Half 1:25:20, second half 1:27:57. Although I had the half only at 20.9k

By Garmin it was 1:26:10, 1:27:07 splits.

Finished 115th out of 5026.

At the 10.55k Mark Position 158
21.1k mark Position 144
42.2k mark Position 115


7k splits- not that I used these whilst running.

28:15
28:46
28:47
28:53
28:55
28:52








Race report

Hardly slept the night before and sat on the loo for much of the morning as the stomach had been playing up with some bad diarrhoea, I said to Trace as I left, don't be too shocked if I'm back in awhile. So I left the room and got to Fitzroy Gardens which was few hundred metres from the hotel and had to go to the loo again and then made it to the start.

Unfortunately I was late to the preferred start and didn't get to hear Ron Barassi or anything else and then panicked when they said there was 30 secs to go and I was at the back of the field. I jumped the fence and then ran along the footpath and got as close to the front as I could and then with 5 seconds to go I jumped the fence again and got settled and then it was time to go.

Settled into a pretty good rhythm early and the km's just went by, I took a full bottle of powerade with me and drunk at regular intervals, I also had some snake lollies with me. The stomach was more of a discomfort than anything and I just focused on being as relaxed as possible and it did the trick. I passed geoffa at around the 7k mark which was around the time we entered into Albert Park and then sat in a group of runners for the next 7k and saw Big Kev in the distance. It was around this time that I lost the group as they'd stopped for drinks and the focus was to now on the fact that we were running along the beach and a very flat portion of the course, St Kilda, Port Melbourne etc.

The km's continued to fly by and I passed Big Kev at 16k and he said he was going quite well and then started chatting to a guy and he was from Perth, Ronald Pang and was aiming for around 2:50. We ran together until the 25k mark, when unfortunately he struggled a bit with the calves and had to drop off a bit. It was not long after this that there was a turnaround point and we were now running toward the runners behind us. I finished my powerade at this point and took a couple of snakes, although these gave me a bit of a stitch, but other than a little bit of leg soreness I was in pretty good shape.

I had a bit of a chat to a guy not long after this and started to do some mental arithmetic to get a guage on what was required for sub 2:55, sub 3 etc. Continued running at th 4:07-4:08 mark and saw Tommy Hafey walking across the road with a paper in his hand and yelled out to him and he smiled and yelled out keep going mate, that pumped me up and the next couple of km, I had a big smile on my face. Had a cup of powerade at the next drink station and then just continued churning out the km's and before I knew it, we were now seeing the half marathoners coming out of Albert Park. We had our own lane for a while along St Kilda road and that was good, before we then merged and it became chaos.

The next couple of km's involved me dodging and weaving and yelling out Marathoners coming through and most people obliged to try and get out of the way. We then separated and I had another drink and a couple of snakes but once again, they caused a little stitch, so I decided I didn't need anything else for the rest of the race. We were now at 37k and the hilliest part of the course came up, although it wasn't that bad at all, I was feeling in good shape bar a little soreness which you'd expect and pretty confident that a sub 2:55 was on its way.

Continued to pass a few people and had one or two pass me, there was a guy at 39k that was in pretty bad shape and myself and the guys I was just passing yelled out to a spectator to get someone to help him. We then merged with the half marathoners again around Fed Square and went through the same issue with me yelling out for people to give way to the Marathoners. We then parted ways with a few hundred metres and then ran along the road underneath the tunnel into the G and then the last few hundred metres to the finish line. Raised my fist as I crossed the finish line and was very happy with a very even paced run. The last 2.2k even though was chaos was run in just under 4:00 pace so was nice to finish like that.

At the finish it was a shambles, got herded like cattle to the underneath area, collected my medal, grabbed a water as there was no powerade and grabbed a banana and an apple. I couldn't find Trace or the rest of the crew and so walked back to the hotel and then phoned Trace, she'd seen me finish but only just.

TB ran but unfort his attemps at pb were thwarted by his calf, next time mate. Sling's injury unfort forced him out, I'm looking forward to seeing him up and firing for 2011 marathons.

Caught up with Tace, Widi and my support team at the hotel lobby and then we headed down for a drink at Transport where we saw TB and then we had a nice dinner at Rockpool that night.

Thanks to everyone for their support and well wishes, much appreciated.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Magpies were awesome

Awesome display by Collingwood in the grand final yesterday, you may not like them but jeez their tackling pressure was incredible and they thoroughly deserved their win.

So on that note, I'm thinking of wearing white and black for the Melbourne Marathon and hoping that it will rub off and I'll finish the only Marathon that I did a DNF last year.

Week in Summary 70.12k@4:21

Limited myself to 5 days running this week and had some physio sessions including acupuncture and a massage. The adductors,hips and back have been giving me a little grief but nothing too bad.

Tues 14.26k@4:12 incl some 250m* 8 at quicker than mp.

Wed 8.8k@4:32

Thurs 15.4@4:12 incl 3*1600m@3:33- 5:40,5:38,5:46. Ran with Biscuitman and did the normal 1600m session on a humid warm morning, 10 days out from marathon with 2 minute recoveries@5:00. Ran a bit quicker than corresponding run just before Perth Marathon, so happy with pace and effort. Last 1600m was a little tough and was slower than the other two, partly because of sore adductor, but mostly because it was just tough, had a little bit left in the tank at the end.

Sat 10.56k@4:21 incl 4k at approx MP.

Sun 21.1k@4:28 Last easy long run before Marathon incl last couple of km at approx MP. Still a bit sore in the normal places but felt better overall ie breathing wise, rhythm etc, the longer the run went. Tightened up a bit in the legs in the last 5km or so but overall pretty happy with the run.

I turn 40 tomorrow but the celebrations will have to wait till next Sunday pm. I'll probably set out at 1.26-1.28 first Half and then hopefully be feeling pretty good at that stage and see how we go from there. I'll wear my ds racers and make a conscious effort to ensure that I take in enough fluids and lollies during the race.

Next weeks running up to Sunday will be very easy and total around 30-35km with 4k of Marathon Pace on Wed. I also have two physio sessions and a massage booked to keep on top of everything.

Best of luck to Sling in the HM and TB in the Full. Looking forward to catching up with you both over there.