race report

well a sunny start to the race, not a cloud in the sky, great to see soo many australians at the starting line.

hung in conformtably with a pace group (not sure what pace it was), but was around the 2,13 14 pace and we had mag, nick harrission, phil sly, kym gillard in the group and it was smooth sailing for me until about 18km, then it felt like a pick up in pace and I dropped off with another with the others in sight about 20 to 30 metres ahead until about 25km.

Really struggled or battled to maintain form until about 32km trying to keep a good pace going and probably did all my leg damage with this effort. Passed Rod, then Mag at about 32km and I hit the wall soon after, more or less just shuffling very sore in the glutes and not much to give. This was probably due to missing all the gatorade stations and my gu gel. I cant believe they didnt serve gatorade until 29km, and only cold tea until this point!!

So was battling on, and got hit by the lead womens car as it came through, and then pulled over and arse over tit, when the Kenyan pushed me over. This actually spurred me on for about 2kms. Battled on but very disappointed. A lot to learn, time to reflect and some time off the track for a while.

Nick Cope ran very well in his debut and some great results from Andrew Letherby, Shane Nankervis and Phil Sly, considering the warm conditions.

5km 15,46 10km 15,56 15km 15,59
20km 16,03 25km 16,45 30km 17,01
35km 19,30 40km 22,25 and last 9,19 = 2,28,47.

sorry about the german keyboard.

getting closer...feeling fresher

Well it has taken ages to get to an internet cafe that is not out of order!!!

Well getting closer to the race, just want to get out there. Looks like a warm day on Sunday with a top of 25 degrees but hopefully the sun will take sometime to take effect, and it looks like plenty of shade out on the course.

Mon pm
Fast 17km in 61minutes.
Tues am
32min 8km - then walking tour all day
Wed am
Mona Fartlek
Wed pm
68 minutes - 16km
Thurs am
32 minutes - 8km
Thurs pm
8 by 1m on and 1m offr
Fri am
32 minutes - 7km

All done in Tiergarten, too bloody close to the hotel and sooo nice.

So from here, will not be posting anymore, one more very easy 30 minutes Sat am. Tonight off to pick up my race number tonight and Pasta, then Sat just relax and stretch, while wife goes out and sightsees..

Auf weidersen and guten tag! thanks for all the great wishes of encouragement from all the other bloggers!

a few posts short

after finding the internet, eventually.
Fri pm - 60 minutes around Nth Head, b4 massage.
Sat am / 3 by 8minutes progressive around a wet Centennial park with Jan-Willem and Chris.
Sun am 1 hour 45 minutes around the dirt trails of Hunter Valley. Enjoyed the change of scenery.
Weekly Summary - taper 2 of 3
143km, very happy with the way things are going. Still a bit stiff in glutes and a bit of residual, will work on flexibility and leg conditioning.

Mon am - arrving in Berlin, the hotel very close to Tiergarten and an easy 40 minute run at 11am after getting to the hotel. Was very cool running through the trails. What a great place to train.

36 minutes, 9km around Epping

mona fartlek - rotary track

Was planning on doing 8 by 400m, but all the young kiddies had lanes 1-5 used, so I decided on a Mona Fartlek. Was tough into the wind around one of the straights. Felt good afterwards in slightly warmer weather than I am used to.

80 minutes run home from work.

Going around to Penshurst St from Chatswood, up Mowbray Rd, lapping several times around the Rotary Track, then home up Bridge Street, Vimiera Rd and Eastwood. Really hit the first 40 minutes and cruised on from there. Covered 20km

mowbray-gnw-blue gum ck loop

49 minutes - 11km.

20 by 1m on 1m off around the Bay

Windy night for a session, felt good, clocked up a lap of the bay, from the top end of the Canal, right around the Bay, including Balmain Shores around the last Palm tree. Covered 20km for the session in total.

42m 10km trundle around Chatswood

Glorious weather.

Chilly breeze

But not as cold as Melbourne...yesterday.
Enjoyed Terry's Creek Walk and around Eastwood returning home in 61m = 16km.
Off for an hours massage.

weekly summary taper 1 of 3

197km - Feeling good throughout this week. Need to be less stressed at work and get more stretching. Encourage by Saturday's session and the ease of the Sunday run. Looking fwd to some shorter, sharper sessions this week.

weekend in melbourne

Sat am - 3 lap progressive tan track. 13:09, 11:59, 11:55. Held up with Rod De Highden for the first 2 laps, he ran a solid last lap in 11:26, but I didn't give 100%.
Sat pm - 10km easy from Ivanhoe to Bundoora.
Sun am - Dandenongs, 31km, 2:10.

cruisy 10km in 44 minutes around LCNP

8 by 1m on 1m float

6:15pm - Quite a fast session looping around Nth Epping oval, was supposed to do 10, but needed to use the toilet.
Fast warm-up and warm-down. Covered 15km.

36 minutes easy, 9km

81minutes, progressively faster

7:45pm - Was supposed to do, 3 by 30 minute sections, progressively getting faster. 81 minutes though covered just over 21km, so was moving well, but hungry!

easy 11km around the bay

with DB, nice and easy...

3 sets of 1600 and 6 by 300

5:20pm - Homebush session on a cool night, light winds. Ran with Chris Truscott and Jan-Willem
20 minute warmup outside, then 3 sets of steady 1600 lapping in 72-73, then 400 jog, and then 6 by 300 in 49-50s with 100 jog.

4:49, 50, 50, 49, 49, 50, 49
4:45, 50, 51, 49, 49, 50, 50
4:42, 49, 49, 47, 49, 50, 50

Minimal warm-down, slow 12 minutes. Covered 17km for the evening.

easy run

6.15am - nice 43 minute run from Epping, to Browns Waterhole and up Terrys Creek then Epping Rd. Covered 10km. A bit tender from the massage last night.

evening run

an interesting one, going north to roseville, back through Chatswood East, Artarmon, Crows Nest, St. Leonards and back to work. 66 minutes, 16 kms.

gnw loop

12:15pm - 11km, nice after some rain.

weekly summary

190km for the last speed week in the program.

Was a good end to the week after feeling a bit down in confidence, managed a good 10k, running relatively even pace and Sunday run was good except for the shaffing and nipple bleeding.

Head into taper mode now for 3 weeks until the big race. Will probably keep the mid-week run long this week, close to 2 hours and in Melbourne next weekend, so a Dandenong run of about 2 hours. Hit the track on Tuesday and a MonaF on Thursday, Threshold on Sat.

38km long run

from home, down to homebush and back. 2:40 covered 38km, last really long run.

north head and evening run

well coming in not feeling too good, more stiff and down in confidence. I felt good going out in 2:57, 5:58, 8:58, 11:58, 14:58, 18:00, 21:09, 24:09, 27:09(? not sure), 30:06.
The k from 6 to 7 really hurt on the second large loop, great support out there. Was kinda weird exiting the circular bit on the second lap and seeing second place still entering the circle.

followed up with evening run in the drizzle 38 minutes, 9km.

run to st.leonards

well feeling better this morning after a good stretch before the run. Ran to St.Leonards from Epping through the back of North Ryde in the Nike Free's. Covered 16km

mona fartlek

Lane Cove National Park tonight for a Mona Fartlek, ironically I ran for 10 minutes from the starting line, turned around and finished right on the finishing line of the normal Striders 10km course.

flying around the bay

Well Wed night was a cracker, seemed to cruise around the bay 2 laps in 47:30 and managed a couple of k, a bit slower after that and some striders.

Thurs morning again feeling good running around Nth Epping, 48 m = 12km.

Looking forward to a Mona Fartlek in Lane Cove at lunchtime. The weather is back to its usual Sydney best.