Canberra Marathon

Now then, just seen an interesting thing on the Canberra Marathon news letter that's just been sent through to me. They put on pacer runner... i..e people who run with a flag in their back for a certain time, thus enabling people to get that time. Interesting concept and certainly a great idea. However which one do I 'align' myself with? Based on the training I've done to date, and my longest run time, which is roughly 21.5 miles in 3 hours... it suggests I'm around the 3hr 45 mins mark.

Now, I've always said that first and foremost, the goal is to break 4 hours... but without wanting to tempt fate, I think a 3hr 45mins marathon is very achievable for me, so am thinking I should park myself just behind this pacer, and run with them. However, part of me wants to get into the 3hr 30mins if possible, this is my stretch goal, so I'm wondering should I park myself behind this one instead? The only problem is that a 3hr 30min marathon might be pushing myself a little bit too hard, and whilst I reckon I could keep that going for 15-20 miles, I think I might 'die' a little towards the end. Saying that though, it's 8 minute miles for a 3h 30min marathon? Achievable? Yep... certainly in the long run, but not so sure about now. Anyways, I think I'll wait to see how the 23 mile training run goes tomorrow, and then I'll know more about where I'm at. Although not sure this will be a fair reflection given that I'm only just over illness too, and my route is very hilly... and Canberra is very flat. Anyway, loads of factors to consider, but let's see how we go this weekend, and then on one or two other 20+ milers before I make the final decision... however it's oh so tempting to park myself behind the 3hr 30mins guy, because even if I fall behind him, I'm likely to break 3hr 40mins, which would be beyond my expectations at the moment! Hmmmmmm decisions decisions...

Bouncy Bouncy

I wasn't going to go for a run last night... the sensible head in me was saying rest up as the calfs were a little on the tight side, but I got back and thought, well a nice easy 4 miler, which some hills sprints will be OK. And they were... i race dup some of the really steep hills, took it easy (around marathon pace), but when I got back, the right calf was very tight just below the muscle. So really going to rest it up in preparation for the big 23 miler tomorrow and get mentally ready for it all tomorrow. Slightly concerned about the calf, as another MDS competitor, Rich has suffered from this too, and I'm a little concerned that I do too much hill running. Well I run up and down hills on all of my runs as there is very little flat around where I live. So the run tomorrow is going to get as much flat in as possible just to help a little, but I am concerned about the long term and what I do there. Sydney is a very hilly place with little flat, and the only true bit of flat is the Bay run near where I live and I'll be damned if I'm going to run around in circles for the next 12 months, pretty as it is! So we'll see... all being well tomorrow and my 7 miler recovery run on Sunday, I'll break 60 miles this week, which will be a new high for me, and something that at this stage I would not have thought that possible, so pleased with the training thus far... however let's see how tomorrow goes!

Slightly sluggish

Well, fourth night on the trot, and it felt like it... I only wanted to go out fairly slowly anyway, and did so... 7 miles in just under an hour. Nothing to set the world alight, but given the last 4 days have been 7miles, 10, 10 and another 7 tonight... not too bad, and considering I've been getting over illness as well, not to shabby. So a 22/23 miler planned for Saturday and I have the option of two days rest before, or I could go out and do a casual run tomorrow. I might just do that as I want to break 60 miles for the week.

However we'll see. More thunder and lightening tonight... what's going on in Sydney!?!?

Torrential!

So an 11.5 miler planned tonight. Got warmed up, went downstairs and I have never seen rain lashing down so hard as it was today. There was literally a river 2-3 inches deep running down my road. I live at the bottom of a hill, which runs into Sydney Harbour so when it rains, it all floods down the hill. For 20 minutes it hammered down, together with the most tremendous thunder and lightening.

However it subsided, and a window of sunshine came through so off I went. Again I took it easy, as I'm not totally 100% but almost there now. However about 9 miles in, the heavens started to open again, and given that I'm up early for another run tomorrow morning (work commitments tomorrow night), I didn't relish the thought of having to pull on wet trainers tomorrow morning. So I cut the route short by a mile and a half, to take total to 10 this evening. I'm not overly bothered as that's three runs on the trot (7, 9.5 and 10), with another 7 miler to come tomorrow morning, so good back-to-back runs. The main thing I'm focused on for this week is the 23 miler I have planned for Saturday, although I must check the weather as I pray it's not humid like it was today before the rain. I'll then follow this up with a 7 mile recovery run on Sunday.

Feeling good

Well maybe not 100% yet physically, but it was a good run tonight. Covered off 9.5 miles, again untimed as I didn't want to push myself, and I know when I take my watch I tend to push myself too much. Given the fact that I'm still getting over a cold, I don't want to push my heart rate up too high and put too much pressure on my body just yet. So plan is to take it really steady this week in preparation for the big 22/23 miler at the weekend, so the priority is to get that one spot on.

Saying that though I felt really strong in the last 2 miles, so opened up a bit and really got into a zone with the strides... so good that I'm feeling strong on this length of run, despite being ill slightly. Got a 11.5 miler planned for tomorrow night, and then a 7 miler Wednesday, before 2 days off and the big on on Saturday.

Back.... I think :)

Well I was still feeling really quite rough this morning when I woke up at 6:30am to watch England play France (we won! yeah!)... but I went back to bed after the game and woke up to feel a million times better. So I went off and had lunch in a lovely little Deli just up the road from me. Lovely pasta, with Italian sausage and a beautiful tomato sauce... was really lush, and very light as well.

So I felt so much better that I even went for a run in 25 degrees, but the difference was that it was dry heat and hardly any humidity, and that makes a massive difference. So off I went and it went well, untimed, but I felt good within myself, and considering how bad i've felt the last 4-5 days I was pleased with the run. So all in, 18 miles for the week, which at the end of the day was only 7-8 off what I was going to do anyway for a light week, so I'm relatively happy at the moment. However we'll have to see how this week goes, a scheduled 58 miles with a 22.5 miler planned for the weekend, so fingers crossed this really is the last of the illness.

Bon chancés

Getting there...

Well I'm getting better, but still have a lingering sore throat and tickley cough. I'm pumping myself full of drugs to prevent a full cold coming out, and the good news is that I dont think I have a chest infection (fingers crossed). If I had that it would be another week out at least. As it is... I'm still deliberating going for a run tomorrow to at least make sure I've done 3 runs this week, and a total of around 20 miles - Not ideal, but then it won't have been such a write-off. But I'm going to see. I've got a big load of milage to get through next week, and I need to be ready for that - and if that means a day off, then so be it.

I'm not going to be 100% by the start of next week I know, but come Monday it's just time to push on through and just do it. So I'll take a call on it tomorrow evening and see how I go.

Blurghhhhh!

Still ill... sore throat worse, can't train again! I HATE IT! I HATE IT! I HATE IT! I really hope I start to feel better tomorrow as I want to try and get at least one more run in this week before I ramp up again for next week. It's a biggie (58 miles and where I'll peak for the next 3-4 weeks before taper... come on! GET BETTER! NOW!

Worse

Hmmm, knew I'd feel worse. Went to work but was so battered. It's funny, I've not god a cold, just really achey, headache and a bit of a sore throat, which to me suggests more of a flu. Anyway, the Nurofen do their job and keep me perked up. So I'm not going for a run tonight. Had planned an 11.5 miler... but will see how I feel tomorrow, and planning to do it then, but again will see. After this week, it's back up to full training milage of 58 for the week, including a 23 miler and its more important to be ready for that. However I still hate being ill and think that by missing a session I'll lose fitness. I know I wont, but it's a big thing for me... I'm in such a groove and habit that I dont want to let this slip. It's funny I was thinking that I started to feel ill on Tuesday afternoon, yet I went out and ran a really quick 7 miles in 54 mins... anyway... rest up today, hopefully the acheyness and headache will go and I wont get a proper cold... think positive!

Hmmmmm

Well I didnt feel great when I woke up this morning and thought running would certainly be out of the question, but as the day went on I felt better, but not great. I've not got a full on cold, but I'm not 100%, still chesty, bringing up flemy crap as well. But as it was interval night I decided to do them. The reality is that I probably shouldnt have. I felt crap after the 5th 200m (I do 8 x 200m sprints at around 75-80%), but tonight I did them at between 60-75% instead. However I did them, but I wonder if there was much benefit in doing it. I guess with me it's mainly psychological again, and the fact that I've stuck to my schedule. I'm really proud of the fact that I don't think I've missed a session since October last year. I may have switched some days around, but I've done everything I said I would in terms of mileage. And I want it to stay that way!

Fitness tells

Well this week is the lighter week for me, 30 miles and of course I'm taking it easy with the runs. Well that's what I thought... i just have an inability to control my speed sometimes. Especially after Ive had a rest day, I'm full of beans. So I did my 7 mile loop, and took it real easy for the first 5 miles... or so I thought, and then opened up a bit on the last two, coming in at 54mins and 30 secs... around 7:45 min miles, which again I think is pretty quick, but the reality is that I'm probably just getting fitter, as i dont feel especially tired.

However I do feel a bit rough s in chesty and headache... came on a bit this afternoon at work and I went through 3 litres of water today at work which is a bit more than normal and also probably a sign that I'm not 100%. Will take it easy and get the Nurofen down me too over the coming days. Good job its a lighter week this week if I am a bit ill. Hmmmmm annoying!

Speed work

Last night was some nice and easy intervals... something I actually quite like doing and I've done loads of previously with rugby training. It was a good time to do them as I was out on Saturday for the Good Vibrations Festival in Sydney and got a little bit worse for wear. But I dragged myself out on Sunday evening and did 7 x 200m sprints, with jog recovery and a mile run at each end. Actually felt really good doing them, and like I said, something I enjoy as for a big guy, I do have a bit of pace on me.

So this week is a lighter week, and whilst it is welcome, I always feel really paraniod about doing lighter weeks thinking that I'll lose fitness. The reality is that I know I wont, but again its a psychological thing more than anything. So I reckon I'll cover around 30 miles this week, and my long run will peak at 11.5, which for me is a pretty normal run now during the week. Then back on it for 5 weeks before tapering down. Oh I so can't wait for the next long run... going to attempt 23 miles next week and see how we go with that... yikes!

Nice and easy

Well yesterday was a little recovery run from the 17 miler on Friday night. Again I really didnt want to go out there and do it, but I forced myself to, a bit like I'm feeling right now. I have in my schedule to do some interval training, but am going to wait til later... it's been quite humid here again today. So yes, back to yesterday and I took it very easy doing the 7 mile recovery run... literally going round at a canter, but surprised to see that I went round in 60 mins... again a sign of the fitness ever increasing I think. So with the interval training tonight that will be 45 miles for the week. It seems a bit poor compared to what I was doing, but I have to take into consideration the slightly shorter long run, and the fcat that I've built in an interval training session in too.

Next week is a 'lighter week' of 25-30 miles as I really need one. Then it will be full on for 5 weeks, before tapering down for Canberra... Yikes!

Back on it...

So after a day's rest, I decided to make tonight after work my long run for the week. As I did a 21 miler last week, this week was my shorter long run if that makes any sense! So off I went for a 17 miler, and took it real steady, conscious of the shin splints. To be honest, for the first 4-5 miles they were bit sore, but after that any soreness just disappeared which was a real bonus, and makes me happy that it was probably a one off... he hopes! So yeah took it real steady, but ended up going round in 2hrs 20 mins, which is actually pretty quick for me! Either I'm getting fitter or I ran faster than I thought. To be honest, I'm sure its the former as I thought I was going to go round nearer the 2hrs 30 mark, but hey who am I to complain!

Also, I think ive broken the first mental barrier. A couple of weeks ago, I would have been dreading a 17 miler, but there's a massive pyschological thing going on as well I reckon. Tonight I thought nothing of it, and I even refer to it as my "shorter long run!" But I guess that just comes with building up the distance. One thing's for sure is that 26.2 miles doesnt intimidate me now. Next week I was a lighter week of about 25-30 miles (and boy do I need it - havent had one since xmas), and then I'll do a 22-23 miler. I think then we'll know how ready I am. Have got 3 more 22-23 runs left to do before Canberra... can't wait!

Worked it out

I now know why my calves were sore last night, and why my shins started to hurt... lack of warm-up.

I realised that before I went out running I did very little in the way of warming my calves, which for me is critical given my shin splint history. Which is why ultimately they ended up feeling quite sore. Yes, the run from Tuesday would have played a part, but the reality is that I have to really warm them up, and I guess months of being pain free made me a bit complacent on the matter. So, going to take tonight off, which was a planned run and just rest them. I find this so hard, because it is in my schedule and I feel like I have to do it, but all I'm doing is switching the run to tomorrow when I'd normally take a rest day. I seriously need my head seeing to as I'm obsessed with sticking to a ridgid routine... I have issues :)

Running on nothing!

I guess it was quite predictable really. Having done one of my quickest ever runs last night, it was quite obvious that I was going to suffer today. I ran last night as if I was doing a 10km dash, doing 4mins 50secs kms over 11.5 miles... so evitably I was going to feel it tonight, and boy did I.

I also started to get sore shins again, which is a bit of a concern to be honest, which is why I only did the 6 miles instead of the seven. I dont know why I've got sore shins, maybe its because I had to run quite a bit of the the run last night on pavement which I hate doing as it's made of concrete, instead of the asphalt on the road which is about 10 times softer, so that could have contributed, as well as running like a bastard!

Oh well... was planning a run tomorrow night, but I think I'll postpone til Friday night and just rest up tomorrow, make sure I get rid of the sore shins. God listen to me being Mr. Sensible!

Running on gas...

I so wasn't looking forward to going for my run tonight. I woke up this morning and just couldn't be arsed. Then I got into work and I got an email from my old boss back in the UK. He'd read my blog and was saying how amazing he thought my training was, and what I was doing. To give you an idea, we used to take the piss out of each other cronically when we worked together. I dont think we actually said one nice thing to each other in two years of working such was the amount of piss take that took place! But his email really lifted me, and I was really looking forward to going out on my run after that. Amazing how the little things perk you up!

Anyways, tonight was 11.5 miler. I'm now increasing my weekly runs to two 11.5 milers and one 8.25 miler... to start building up even further. The strategy was to do a fairly quick run, take the first 4 miles steady, then on the 4 flat miles (for a change!), open it up and run at 60-70% threashold. Then just see how quick I could do the final 3.5 miles. Well that was the strategy. I opened up after 2.5 miles, but I slowed down at "head-down" hill (the name I have for the steady 3/4 mile hill on my route)... then when I got to the flat 4 miles around the water I opened up the afterburners. I went round 8 miles in an hour... bloody quick for me, and boy could I feel it! The net 3.5 was a case of just going for it, and I went round the whole 11.5 miles in 89 mins... which works out at 7.45mins miles... which is really quite quick for me. To give you an idea, I did 11 miles last week in the same time, so a big improvement for me. Really feel like I turned another corner with this run, and I think a 1hr 40 min half marathon could be a possibility for me. However we'll see how we go... I've got 4 days for running now... and what's the bet that tomorrow will be hell :)

The follow-up

So... no long run is complete without a recovery run the following day in my opinion. So whilst it was great to do the 21 miler on Saturday, it was equally important (as far as I'm concerned), to make sure I did a 7 miler on Sunday. I so didn't want to. Not because I couldnt, but because I couldnt be arsed. You feel pretty chuffed with yourself when you've done a good run like I did on the Saturday, and going for another one on the Sunday is just plain stupid in most people's eyes... but out I went for my usual 7 mile loop around Balmain at a very steady pace. I went round in 60 mins, which on a normal day I would have been horrified at, but it was a nice even steady pace, which equates to roughly 8min 32sec miles... so all in all not bad. Plus I even managed to do the last 2 miles doing intervals. Admittedly not at full tilt like I normally would, but it's a good sign that I can alternate my pace like that in the final 2 miles of a recovery run the day after a 21 miler.

So all in, a shade under 54 miles for last week, so nearly hitting peak milage. I've now got 7 weeks of intense training to go before the big one on April 11th. I've got another 52 mile week planned this week, with a 17 miler on Saturday as the long run, before I'm having a lighter week the week after (around 30 miles). Then it's five weeks of going for it. I'm alternating my long runs every other week like I mentioned before. So one week 20+ miles for the long run, then the next week the long run will be at 17 miles, and so on... so all in, 3 more 20+ miles, peaking at 23 miles I think for the longest run... the last 3 miles will be pure dogged determination me thinks for the actual race!

This kind of pattern I think I'll keep for the next 6 months leading up to October, and then it's ramping up time for the final six months leading to March 09. When I got back from the long run on Saturday, I actually broke out in hysterics because I realised that whilst I'd done 21 miles, this is essentially what I'll be doing everyday for 6 days, with a full backpack on, and another 20 degrees of heat throuwn in for good measure. I'm really happy with my progress to date, but there's an awful long way to go.

It also makes me wonder what it is I'm looking for from this race. Initially I was purely after a finish, make sure I complete. And to be honest this has to be the goal first and foremost. However I think I also went into this a little blind in terms of the amount of training that I had to do, or to put it correctly, the amount of training that I would be doing. If I'm honest, when I first started training, never in a million years did I think I'd be training at the level I am right now. I honestly thought that I'd probably peak at around 50-60 miles a week, but then I had the mentality of 'just finishing'. Whilst I always remind myself that this has to be the be all and end all, part of me wants to make sure I do this to the best of my ability. And I'd be lying if I said that I didnt want to finish top 300/top 250. I'm a competitive little sod, and seeing how others have trained (Lloyd that includes you!), has really pushed me on harder than I thought I would do - so it's all really positive. However, I dont know how realistic a top 250 place is. For instance I had a very good friend do this last year. He's a 3hr 15min marathon runner and he finished 399, a great achievement, but I want better. Yet I hear other stories of what we would regard as normal people like you and I, who finish top 150. It's strange and I guess there are loads of factors to consider, like the heat, how I will react to that, will I get blisters (something I seem to escape at the moment), and all sorts of things. However I have to stay focused on finishing this damn thing first and not get ahead of myself. I think the best lesson to learn initially is to respect the desert and what its capable of, then when you've sussed it out, that's the time to see if you can push it further. I read an account of one guy who was a top 50 runner first 3 days, and then suffered from a 'mysterious bug'. Morelike he ran too hard too soon and suffered through heat exhaustion I think... so you always have to respect the desert. Anyway's far too much ramblings from me...

Great success!

Well today was the big run. I've decided to do one big long run every two weeks, just to allow my body to recover, and then every other week, just make sure the long run is up at around 15 miles, then for the big one, push out to 20+.

So today was the 20+ day, and I've never been above 18.5 miles before. So I went out really steady, nice and easy... and had with me just under two litres of homemade drink, with some pine nuts as well, just to keep me going. Overall the run went really well I felt, post 15 miles I did walk up the really steep hills as it would have been pointless to run up them as I would have been going the same speed as walking up them. However, I never really hit the wall so to speak. Last time my legs really felt like mush at around 16 miles, when I did the 18.5 mile run, but this time, taking it slow and steady I think paid off, as although I was tired at around 16 miles, the legs felt good (well as good as they can do!).

Admittedly the last 3 miles were tough, and did include some bitch'in hills towards the end, which I had to walk up, but I got round. It's not helped that I do loops which go past my flat. So when I got to 18 miles, it was very tempting to leave it at that, but I told myself that I had to carry on and do the 21. And I'm so glad I did, overall I went round in a little over 3 hours, which I was really surprised at. I didnt take my watch, but I know I left the flat at just gone 3:30pm, and got back just gone 6:30pm... Personally, I thought I was gonna come in at around 3hrs 15 mins, so was quite surprised to see I came in at 3 hours. This is really positive for me, considering the hilly nature of the course I run, and doubly because I felt like I could have carried on - although who knows what the final 5 miles would feel like! But overall, really pleased with the training today, and going to try and top it all with a very gentle 7 miler tomorrow, which should take me up to around 53 miles for the week. However we'll have to see how the legs feel tomorrow!

I did have a litre of Powerade when I got back and it's amazing how it does aide your recovery after a long run like that. Need to purchase some Rego though, and start trying all that. In fact, I need to start buying all my proper nutrition and drinks, as at the moment I'm probably not being as conscious as I should be at the moment. Anyways... laters.

Mental training

Well tonight was another night of horrible rain and wind, admittedly not like England where its cold, but when it rains here it really does hammer it down torrential style. The mental part of tonight's training was the fact that I was knackered, not in the mood, calves were sore and my trainers were soaking wet from last night. So did I fancy it? Did I heck!

However I dragged myself to put my wet trainers on, socks soaked as soon as I put the trainers on. I get out the front door and then what, it hammers it down again. Needless to say I didn't time the usual 8.25 mile loop tonight. It wasnt great, but the fact is I got round when many would have called it a day and left it until tomorrow...

I think I also am feeling the affects of training 5 days out of 6, and am really looking forward to the rest tomorrow, before the big run on Saturday. Let's hope it stays dry, coolish and not humid!

Thunder... all through the night

Well it's Sydney, so what's going on? Thunder and lightening! I started out in light bit of rain and by 5 miles in it was quite literally shitting down... soaked to the bone! Plus I wasn't liking the whole thunder and lightening thing going on as well. It was very close and I started to get a bit paranoid, so probably ran the last 2 miles or so quite quickly. Was gonna do 7 miles, but cut off a 1/2 mile loop as it was just raining too hard and I was so wet! PLus it was a recovery run, so I didnt have anything to prove by doing an extra half mile (but it will annoy me!). Anyways, another run tomorrow... 9 miles me thinks with 5kg backpack.

Recovery run?

Well after a great week and a day's rest, tonight was meant to be a nice easy 8 mile recovery run. I was so loaded up with carbs (I realised that my last three meals were chicken and pasta), that I was flying round and decided to increase to 11 miles and went round in around 89 mins. This included walking up two steep hills as well. Admittedly not long hills, but still... it was a great run and I felt strong right til the end, even opening up and increasing the pace for the last 2 miles.

It really it home the value of loading up with carbs a few days beforehand. I read somewhere that its good to do this and you will find that your legs feel slightly heavy at the start, which they did. But between 5-10 miles my legs and calves felt like they had rocket blasters attached. Anyway, a good start tot he week. A 7 miler tomorrow, and then an 8 miler Thursday. I've got a nice little strategy going on at the moment 3 days on, one day off. Then 2 days on and one day off. Anyways... signing off...

50 miles... yipeeee

Well I did it. It's been a very tough week on the legs as humidity has averaged around 85%, but I've stuck at it, raised the number of sessions to 5, and I feel good. Again, today was like all the other days, crazy humidity, but not as hot (24 degrees), so made it slightly bearable. I had the intention of doing 15 miles and to be honest I really wanted to bail at seven, but I kept going, and felt really strong over the last 2 miles, which is a good sign, as I could have carried on, but called it a day at 15 miles, going around in approx 2hrs 10. Not the quickest, but again I had to go slow and walk up some of the really steep hills, otherwise I wouldnt have made it round.

Another week next week!

Ughhhh

I got wasted last night... first time in a while, but a great laugh. Went to a leaving do and it was themed Golfing Pros and Tennis Hoes. Awesome night playing pub golf and had a blast, but jesus did it take all day to recover! I wasnt too bad to be fair this morning, so have justbeen for an 8.25 mile run, to take me up to 35 for the week now. Want to try and do a 15 miler tomorrow, and do my first 50 mile week. We'll see how we go :)