Good weekend

So after a solid week of shorter runs, it was time to hit the weekend with some longer runs. Things didnt get off to a great start as my stomach took the word 'runs' a little too literally and I had a bout of 'runs' on Friday night after a very hot curry at the local thai - with this in mind I was debating whether I should do the long run on Saturday or Sunday, but decided to play it by ear and see how we went. In the end I did a half-way house and ran 11 miles on Saturday, all very steady and surely in around 1hr 30 mins, nothing to set the world alight, but all good. Sunday was then to be my longer run, and about 3 miles in I could already feel thee 11 miles from the previous night, and with the lovely sunshine, this was hard. I almost thought about call it a day at 12 miles, but you have to push yourself, so I did 16 with a nice 2 mile recovery walk home, taking the total to 48 miles for the week. So pretty pleased with that given I was still feeling the chest infection in the early part of this week. It's amazing how much it does affect you as well, but glad that week is out of the way and I can now focus on one or two bigger mileage runs back in the UK now ahead of the Hunter Valley marathon.

Pounding the pavements

So another day another session. This time a nice 7 miler around Balmain, but with 7 x 1 minute faster strides int eh run also. I've taken to mixing things up a little, so instead of running a straight 7 miles as I normally do most nights each week, I put in some sprints and strides, not only to mix it up, but to also help vary the pace at which I run at. There's nothing more boring than running one pace mile after mile! So pleased with the first 3 runs of this week, and I appear to be back on track now, following that god awful chest infection last week. The true test will be the 20+ miler I have planned for tomorrow. Hopefully all will go well, but I'm a little worried having not done a big mileage run for 5 weeks now. I'm sure all will be OK though.

Definitely back on it

So tonight was the first run over 4 miles in over a week and whilst still feeling a bit chesty I was definately feeling a lot stronger, so decided to thrash this one out a bit and push myself (mainly to see if I've stil got it). It's crazy but after 10 days of illness and only sporadic training, it makes me think I've lost fitness. Stupid I know. But fear ye not, I busted a gut to do 7.5 miles in 55 mins, so pretty pleased with that, and I started out pretty slowly, but really motored from about 2 miles onwards. One thing that does concern me is that I haven't done a long distance run now for 5 weeks, and by long distance I mean anything over 13 miles. I've done a fair few half marathon distances, but really need to get a few 20+ milers in, so am going to have a bash at one on Saturday whilst the missus is at yoga. Not sure if I'll be ready, but will take this pretty slowly as I really need to get one in. Then it's a few days and I'm back in the U of the K for a few weeks. Nice...

Back on it... pretty much!

So, despite still not feeling 100% I've decided that enoug is enough and I'm not going to take anymore time off from running. So, with a throat full of green crap, I got up at 5:45am this morning and proceeded to go for a run in the fresh Sydney morning. It's truely beatiful here first thing in the morning, silent and lovely and fresh in the middle of winter (seems really strange saying that in June!). The first 100 yards were not nice as the jogging motion saw me bring up pretty much most of the horrible green stuff that has been inhabiting my chest for the last week, and it is truely disgusting when it does come up - almost makes me want to be sick. Within minutes I was sweating quite a bit, and all through out the short 4 mile run my legs felt pretty drained of energy, but it's a start. So, after going round in just under 35 mins I was pretty happy. Not lightening quick I know, but I've had enough of this damn chest infection and I've decided that it's going away - period! (As the yanks would say).

I'm still in two minds whether to do the merathon in a couple of weeks. It's not the end goal, but I know I'll treat it like a proper race, whereas it should just be part of my training. As such I dont really want to do too much taper for it, and just carry on as normal and not look for a great time. But I know me, and me wants to do a great time. Hopefully over the next 2 weeks I can get two 20+mile runs in which would set the confidence up a bit higher, but with one planned for this weekend (plus I'm moving house) - I'm worried that my body hasnt recovered enough yet to go out and run 20 miles. Only having a crack at it this weekend will tell, so guess I just have to grin and bear it and try it. Another early morning run planned for tomorrow - slightly longer this time, so I can't wait for the coughing and sluttering along the streets at 6am tomorrow - beautiful!

Illness... Blurgh!!!

Well the illness has really knocked for me six over the last week. I've still managed to train, and indeed, whilst I was ill I did do some running. However the cold turned itself into a chest infection which is every runners worst nightmare. I can generally run when I have a cold, it doesnt affect me too much. But as soon as the chest becomes infected and I start bringing up loads of crap, that's when running becomes impossible. Essentially the last two weeks training have been dessimated by my illness, which whilst frustrating is just a fact of life I suppose. I took a lighter week the week before last as I was feeling incredibly weak towards the end of it, and thought the rest would do me good. Which it did. However that then manifested itself into a head cold, but I carried on training (and did some bloody quick times), however by Thursday last week it all started to go wrong and before you know it, all this horrible green shit comes up each morning.

So after 3 days of coughing like a madman, I attempted a long run on Sunday, but just 3 miles in, and despite taking it very slowly, breathing was very difficult - so I called it a day realising that trying to attempt a 15-20 miler was just going to do more damage than good. The plan then is to rest up today (as it would have been my rest day anyway), and then get back on it tomorrow. I'm getting there, but it's bloody annoying. That's now two weeks or pretty low milage (23 and 28 miles respectively), and I have another marathon in 4 weeks, so really need to get a couple of longer runs in. However c'est la vie, that's the way it goes and at last it's not a physical injury and just an illness!

No trails...

Well not there that isnt any, just that the bloody train to get me there is not working this weekend due to track work! What a load of bollocks, anyone would think that we're back in the UK again! Hmmmm, will have to re-think the strategy now - might have to head to the Blue Mountains again and kill myself up the massive climbs again!

Illness and training

Well I knew it, I knew I was getting ill. You can always tell and a couple of day before you get ill, because that's when training is the hardest - I personally blame the rain at the Manly Soft Sand Classic! A few days afterwards, I was really struggling on my hill sprints and intervals, and feeling very weak - now I know why. This Monday saw the damn thing start to flush out, coughing, chest infection, the lot. But does it stop me running? Does it heck. I've actually pulled in a pretty decent time over 8 miles last night. I've also changed my course again. I think I was getting horrendously bored with the route I'd been taking and not varying things up enough. I'd do the same old course week in week out and it was starting to do my nut in. So this week I've reverted back to my old route, which is back on the country lanes of Balmain where I really feel at home. Monday was a gentle 8 miler in 64 m ins, Tuesday was 5 miles in 40 mins, and last night was a speedier 62 mins for 8 miles. I've been taking it fairly easy this week, as on Saturday (illness depending), I want to head to the national park about an hour south of Sydney and do the coastal run, there and back, which is around 30-34 miles, depending on which route you take. I really want a crack at a longer distance than 26 miles. And with another marathon coming up in a month, it's time to crank out one of two 20+ milers before the real thing. I'm also going to really push myself in mid-August to mid-September with 2 trail marathons and a 100km race to cap it all off... God knows what state my body will be in. Despite being ill I feel like my pace and strength are pretty strong now. I'm running 8 min miles very comfortably, and now I'm wondering if I could break 3hrs 30mins at the Hunter Valley marathon in a month. Although I know that if I do try and push this, I'll be buggered for a few weeks afterwards - we'll see. I'm stupid, so I know I will try and push it!