A casual 4 miler

So last night was a little 4 miler in preparation for the weekend marathon. So a total of 16 miles leading up to this weekend, which is probably far more than usual, but given the lack of running int e last few weeks, I decided to do a little more as I really want to use this as just a normal training week really. However we'll see how we go. Will probably do a very gentle 2 miler on Saturday evening just before the race on Sunday to loosen the legs up, and then straight into it on Sunday morning. I think I've decided not to run with a backpack. Given the injury last week with the calf, I don't want to put anymore undue pressure on it, and wearing a backpack with a bit of weight is probably not going to help that. Indeed last night running around I could feel tightness in my calfs, so I'll be doing loads of stretching ahead of Sunday, and indeed have been over the last few days. So we'll see how we go. Just looking at possible times, to do a 3hr 30min marathon, I only have to go at 8 minute miles, and my last long run of 18 miles, I was well within reach of that, and I was wearing a backpack with around 4kgs in it, so kind of makes me hopeful that a good time maybe on the cards, but who knows hey, it could all go wrong with the calfs - we'll have to see!

Another early start

I appear to have the bug, the bug of getting up early and going for a run - I love it. So this morning I was up just after 5am and hit the roads for another 6 miler around the quiet streets of Balmain, just how I like it. I hate running near traffic, and love the peace at dawn over here. It's like when I do road races - I like them quiet, I'm not a big glory hunter as I love the challenge of just me and the road.

It's dark when I set out, but as I'm coming to the finish near my house by the harbour water overlooking Sydney Harour Bridge, the sun is just about to rise and it's simply beautiful. I really should get a picture up here. Running first thing also sets up your day so well - I feel fresher and more alert and the change in pattern means that I generally feel so much better. I go for my run, come back have a lovely breakfast with fresh fruit and generally take my time before getting ready for work, which is a simple ferry ride across the harbour. Previously I would get up right at the wire, shower, change and onto the ferry. The true test though is if I'll keep it up, as jet lag makes it quite easy to get up at 5m at the moment, as I'm waking up and not tired. Although if I keep the routine up, I'm usually in bed by 10pm, so getting up at 5am means a good night's sleep too.

This is probably old hat to a lot of people, but quite new for me, and it means I have my evenings free as well - bonus! Marathon on Sunday and I'm feeling OK about it all. I've had two back to back good runs following the calf injury. This morning it was a little tighter, but to be expected I think given that I havent done a lot on it in the last two weeks. A good sign was that both were tight, so it meant that I didn't get worried about just the one being tight and me being paranoid that it was still not right.

Jet lag can be a good thing

Oh yes it can... I was in bed by 10pm last night having just landed that day back in Sydney, and was wide awake at 5am. Beauty I thought, I'll go for a run. This was the first 'proper' run for a good 10 day or so given the calf trouble. The few 'tester' runs I'd done meant that the calf was feeling good, so I decided to push this one a little. I set out pretty steady as I didnt want a repeat of the calf pull, but all in I did a good 6 miles in just over 45 mins. I was so paranoid about losing fitness in the last few weeks, as I seem to lose it quite quickly, but all felt good today on the run. Plus it's so beautiful where I live, watching the sun come up as you run around the water's edge and then with the stunning views of Sydney Harbour Bridge to boot as well. Really makes you realise why you move over here, having been back in the UK for the last 2 weeks visiting family and friends. Anyway, quite how the marathon will go on Sunday I dont know - not sure if I have the longer distance stamina at the moment to complete in a good time i.e. beater than Canberra, but we'll see. Anything around 3hr 45min would be OK I guess... but OK is never good enough. I want to beat 3hr 30 min!

Back on it

So after 4 days of rest, today was the little 'tester' run before I fly back to Australia. So with great care I embarked on a very casual 5kms, just nice and steady, but towards the last few kms, put some more intervals in and faster strides to test the calf and see how it is. The good news is that it came through well with no aches, tweaks or pains, so it appears that the 4 days of rest has done me good. That said, I've now done very little mileage in the last 2 weeks - just 20 to be precise, so I hope that fitness hasnt suffered as a result.

So after landing in Oz on Monday morning, I have 6 days to get over the jet lag and get ready for my second marathon - which should be a great one through the Hunter Valley Wine region. I'm not expecting much from this as prep has not been great, plus I dont want to push the calf too hard either, so we'll see how we go with this one. But I shouldnt be pushing this one at all - that said I know I'll be arsed off if I dont get near my time at Canberra. The funny thing is that my average minuter per mile is now quite a lot quicker than when I ran Canberra, however I'm concerned by the lack of longer distances I've done since then. The reason for my quicker times I feel is that I've don more shorter distance speed work, which I felt like I've really benefitted from. As a resul though, I've only done one 26 mile trail run, and a couple of 16-18 milers, but have done quite a few half marathon distances, so here's hoping!

Rowing not running

So I@m being sensible-ish and instead of running did a nice load of rowing yesterday. A brisk 2000m warm-up in 7mins 36secs, followed by a steady 5000m at 19mins 37secs and then a 2000m warm-down in 7mins 37secs. Nice to get back on the rower actually as I used to do a lot of indoor rowing. It bloody hurts when you start to go for it, but I think it's a really good one to keep the aerobic stuff going whilst I cant run on my calf.

In some ways the calf injury is probably a blessing in disguise, as it's enforcing me to have a break, exactly half-way into my training, which can't be a bad thing at all. Plus I should technically be on taper for the marathon next week, but to be honest I dont give a stuff about tapering too much now. I'm not even looking at the Hunter Valley marathon as a big thing now. For me, it's another chance to get some mileage under the belt, and I'm going to wear my backpack as well, and test out my kit and load it up with some weight also. Quite what other competitors will make of it I dont know, but hey, all good fun. I do worry about the distance and being able to run the whole way given prep for this has not been great, but I should be OK. I only did Canberra 3 months ago, and I know my fitness overall has increased since then, as I'm running quicker so all will be OK i'm sure - it will just hurt. I have to be careful with the calf as well, which is another good reason not to leg it too much in the marathon. The last thing I want to do is bugger it up more. So the plan is to rest it until Saturday, then go for a 2 hour run and see how that feels. The a couple of shorter runs ahead of Sunday and the marathon.

The all being well after the Hunter Valley, I'll be setting out to do a couple of 30 milers before the Fraser Island marathon in late August, and the biggie... the Glasshouse 100km race! YIKES!

Two posts and one calf pull in a day

Well, nothing for a week and then all at once. Just been out for a run, and just under 3 miles in my calf goes again. It's weird because it was fine on the run on Sagturday morning, but today I could feel it get progressively worse to the point were it just wasnt worth the risk. However I've probably put myself back now a couple of days as a result of running today. Highly frustrating and annoying as the last few weeks have been shite as I've already mentioned - illness and injury. However I guess this is just part of the life of training, and up until now I've been blessed with little or no injury thus far. It still doesnt take away from the fact that it makes me feel even less prepared for the marathon next week now. I'm in two minds about it all. This one is not the be all and end all, so i'd rather get right for the Glasshouse 100km than this one.

I also need to look at the bigger picture and so far training has been pretty good. I've just totted up my total milage and its at just under 1,350 since I started training (properly) back in Oct last year. I'm now exactly halfway through my training so things look good I feel. I guess I'm just going to have to rest the calf for a few days now - I'm not veryt good at doing that!

Manic week

Well I always knew this week was going to be a tricky one. I flew back to the UK last Tuesday, having had a good weekend of training and some decent back to back distances. However with jet lag and then spending 4 days up in Scotland at a wedding, training mileage for this last week has been one of the lowest since I started, although the rest will have probably done me some good - if I hadnt managed to strain my calf running on the streets of Glasgow!

So having landed Wednesday morning and being all over the place, the planned run for wednesday afternoon just didnt happen, I was whacked! Then Thursday I flew to Glasgow for the stag do, and managed 20 mins running in circles by the hotel we were staying at before I felt my calf pull. Somewhat surprisingly for me, I stopped right away and rested it. It was sore, so I rested it on Friday (not that I had the time to do any running anyway), and then on the Saturday morning before the wedding I got up at 6am to head out for a very gentle 9 miler around Loch Fyne which was truely beautiful. The calf was still sore for the first 40 mins or so, but after that it was OK, and I really enjoyed the run.

So after a terrible week on the training front, I now have this week, before the Hunter Valley marathon next weekend, and this following a flight back to Oz as well. Great! To be honest I'm not expecting the world from it - I dont think I'll be as quick as Canberra, even though I know I'm fitter than 3 months ago. I nearly decided to jack in doing the full marathon and just do the half, but I think that's more to do with self-preservation and ego than me thinking I'm not fit enough to run it. I am fit enough to run it, I'm just bothered that I'll go around more slowly than the Canberra marathon. So the attitude has to be that this is just another training run for me, and to that effect I'm not really going to taper for it. I need to keep the miles up. I wont be silly and run 50 miles this week, but I'll probably keep it up at 40, and then a few 4-5 milers next week ahead of the actual marathon as well.

My prepation has not been great to say the least. A nasty chest infection has really hampered my ability to get some bigger distances in over the last few weeks, but the fitness should easily be there to get around in under 4 hrs (I hope!). Plus the bigger short term goal is the Glasshouse 100km race in the middle of September, so really I should just use Hunter Valley as a training run for this little bad boy that will take it out of me! Following the Hunter Valley Marathon, i'm then down for the Fraser Island trail marathon which will be very cool. And then in between all of this I need to get a couple of 30+ milers under the belt before then in the National Park just down below Sydney. So now I have a bit more direction with the training as I was starting to feel a bit all over the place and the motivation was a struggle to be frank - but with an 18 month training regeime, it's understandable that you're going to get frustrated every now and again!