Thursday, August 31, 2006

Another Run Home From Work

Now that I am getting up to appropriate distances again, I ran home from work yesterday. 12.5km. It was quite warmer than 5:30am with a top of 24°C today and even though I thought I drank a lot at work today I felt like I became dehydrated very quickly and wouldn’t you know it forgot my water bottle. Luckily the last 4km home are all downhill so I could basically roll home from there. So it was tougher than I remember but then again I did run it more than 5 mins faster than last time, it was hotter and I was coming off a half marathon last time.
All good excuses, but all still bodes well for a sub 72min C2B with that course having a gentle downhill gradient as apposed to rolling hills.
Wow, reading back through some posts you can really tell when my brain is scatty and when it is focused…today it is scatty.

Oh yeah it is the end of the month! It has been a steady comeback from injury this month with surprising totals as it included no long runs and a longest run of well 12.5km last night!
August 135.9km in 14.2hrs.
Average weight for August 116.5. (still on the slide but has been on the improve the last week or two, helping the average)

YTD 854km in 94hrs (ooo getting closer to the millennium! Maybe I will break through it next month! I’M EXCITED!)

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Not Faster. Just smarter.

5:30am this morning and 5°C outside I went out for a supposed recovery run. It started out at a reasonable pace to try and warm up, especially the fingers and once I was warm I made the conscious decision to slow down, well my brain did anyway, my legs interpreted this as - Go Faster. They were still in top gear from Sunday and changing down to the recovery gear was proving elusive. My pace had dropped down to 6min/k and with a few downhill sections the 7k recovery run ended with 42 mins on the clock (probably a route PB - haven’t checked yet), so much for the recovery run.

Now to yesterdays thoughts, I have compared my three 10k races and come to the conclusion that I have not got faster, just got smarter!
OK the first 10k, my first real race, the Carisbrooke Classic, I took off and went out way too hard especially in the second kilometre then crashed in the middle part holding on for a time of 1hr 2mins.
The second 10k and my second race I again went out even harder (got sucked in by the crowd and my overconfidence) started crashing but put in one last effort in the 9th kilometre to ensure breaking the hour, and coasted home as I was stuffed.
Now for Sunday, obviously with another 4 races under my belt I new how I should go, I went out easy gradually increasing my pace until a last flourish over the last 2km (instead of the first 2). Therefore I conclude my argument that I have not got Faster or Fitter, just Smarter with more experience to draw on.

Monday, August 28, 2006

Purging my brain of all thoughts running related

OK, reflection time, thoughts on yesterdays run.
1) I was disappointed that I didn’t get to run the half, it all looked so exciting, but it was also nice to watch the marathon etc finishing, and the fact I ran a PB for the 10km certainly helped to quell any disappointment I was feeling.
2) The difference between this 10km PB and the last was most definitely the final 2km. Last time I was basically running by myself for the last 5km and yesterday I always had people to chase and as such powered out the last 2km shaving over 1min off my PB with a 5min last km (Maybe I will add a comparison split chart here on an edit tonight). This basically comes down to the fact that I also ran a smarter race, I started out slow and built up the speed saving the big effort for the end and not going out too fast and just trying to hang on.
3) What the hell am I doing in Corporate Cup? I just ran 10km at an average of 5:40min/km, my fastest time for the 4.32km CC run is also about 5:40min/km? Just looking at my splits from yesterday, I ran the last 4ish kms at an average of about 5:25min/km and that was after all ready running 6kms! So that’s it! That is the difference, I need to warm up first, a good 6k hit out! OK that might be a little overboard but I think I might do a short 300m warm up next time and now that my brain knows that I can go faster, maybe the rest of me will follow!
4) Next target and my reason for running, nay! My reason for living! Bettering my City to Bay time of last year, ok unless I succumb to some kind of mid run injury I will better that time (80mins for the 12k), hell I hope to break 70mins (traffic permitting) It has been a year since I started my running quest to C2B 2005 began and boy has it been fun, my only regret is that this might be the only goal time I achieve for 2006. Not that I am complaining, I just ran a 10k PB off what I thought was being under prepared, and I am more than half way to my goal time (55mins) my first 10km race was 1hr2mins in late April.
5) Powermax running tights of the short variety, I wore these yesterday in the 10km. I must be getting used to them as I didn’t seem to notice any restriction and damn my legs feel great today. They were achy last night trying to go to sleep but today they are awesome. I washed the tights yesterday and am now wearing them to make sure recovery is good. I might yet buy some full length ones for recovery and keep the shorts for running in.
6) Damn I am thoughtful today!
7) The plan pre and post C2B. I might go for a recovery 7km run tomorrow morning and then an easy run home from work on Wednesday and a 9km easy run on Friday, Sunday I would like to get a long run in (15km), but might settle for a hilly one in…the hills. Next week will be mostly an easy one with CC on Wednesday and then the C2B on Sunday. Following the C2B I might keep my focus on the 10-15km range with some fun runs and a goal to improving my CC times and including more runs home from work…and stay on top of niggles.
8) The next big thing…well I haven’t scoped out the horizon yet but it will probably be next year and most likely the Green Belt Half Marathon for my 2nd taste…then I might think about the big one…going all the way!

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Race Report - Adelaide Marathon Festival - 10k

Well after Rachel pulled out I headed down to Adelaide oval by myself to enter the 10k. I was a beautiful morning and I tried to keep a little warm by standing in the sun waiting for the start. The field looked about 50-100 strong for the 10k and we set off. I took it slow to start with falling in behind a line of runners. After about 1km I was feeling comfortable so started overtaking a few following another runner doing the same. Gave CR Sunni a wave before the turn around at about 2k and the headed back the other way still following the same runner, they appeared to be slowing a little so I put in a bit of an effort and was well past her passing the 3k. Up ahead there was quite a large group and I prettty much stayed 100m behind them over the middle 5km, picking of the stragglers as they got dropped from the group. Gave Sunni a shout across the river at about 6km then with 3km to go started to think about increasing the pace again. After the drink station at about 2.5km from the finish I started to motor a little more and caught what was left of the big group. Then it was on, I powered over the last km reeling in a couple of people before finishing with a 5min/km split and a PB of a tick over 57mins. I must say, I ran the last 2kms pretty hard and for the first time actually felt like having a bit of a chuck over the finish line but a few deep breathes latter and I was fine.
I thought the race was great. My 5km split was 29:12, which meant a nice negative split to finish. Great to see some other CR caps out too, Wardman, RunDave, Nando (I think and looking a little worse for wear)
Everything is looking good now for my goal time in a couple of weeks at the City to Bay.
Splits according to Garmy - only 200m off, not bad

Friday, August 25, 2006

Early morning speed test

After a late night babysitting one of Miss Simlin's neices I was up at 5:15am (OK I confess that I didn't actually get up till 5:25am) for a 9k hit-out before Sundays 10km race. Eased into the run and the legs felt free not wearing the tights compared to Wednesday. I still felt really good coming home in the last 2kms so did a bit of a speed test cranking up to a sub 5min/km to finish. Average pace for the run was a litle over 6:20min/km.
Expectations for Sunday: not sure a PB is on the cards as I have only had one run of 10k or more since the disasterous River Run. I will probably go out at 6min/k and see what happens (obviously this could all go out the window on race day). Undecided on wearing or not wearing the tights, I have worn them for two short runs and found that they give me the feeling that I am working too hard. It would be nice to fly home on the last two kms like this morning but that means I haven't given it my all in the preceeding 8kms.

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Crisis Averted!

So after spending yesterday in the ICU being poked and prodded by electricians Garmy pulled through and is now fully charged.
I think I panicked a little because the "Charging in Progress" didn't appear when in actually fact I had run the battery completely flat and it didn't have the power to show it...just needed to be patient...don't I feel like an idiot.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Corporate Cup - Run 2

Distance 4.32km

Run 1 - 24mins36sec, pace 5.41 min/km

Run 2 - 24mins30sec, pace 5.40 min/km

Well the talking down and excuses started yesterday, oh I am so sick, I am so injured, I don’t think I will be able to run, and as such quite a few people no-showed for the second run, my team reduced to three runners, But we all improved on our times.

Decided to do something different today, I went out at a faster pace than last time and tried to hold it, and increase it if I could on the second lap. Well I only managed a slight negative split (I think) and came home in about the same time as last time (but with Bill in tow this time). I think the difference on the second lap was that I had no one to chase, plus the feeling half way around the second lap that my legs couldn’t sustain the pace. I say I am only guessing here because Garmy, bless him, is giving me the Sugar Honey Ice & Tea! I plugged him in last night to charge and nothing…no charging in progress message…nothing…bought the powerpack to work for an electrician to test and it works fine…damn WHY DO YOU MOCK ME GARMY!!!!! Now I am at a loss as to what to do, but I think I might buy another power pack and see, or maybe a proper Garmin one for $60.

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Incremental Time Building

Have the new shoes done the trick?
Is it the stretching finally paying off?
Have my compression tights performed a miracle?
Or was I just having a good day??

All these questions need answering after an ordinary run this morning at 5:30am. I stepped out onto the porch to put my shoes on and noticed the ground was very wet and the sound of running water was prominent in the still pre-dawn air. Thrusting an inquisitive hand out from under the shelter of the porch I determined that it was not raining and I didn’t get out of bed for nothing. Other thoughts flashing through my mind at the time - “I could go back to bed for another 1hr…mmmm bed.” - “If I get rained on my white t-shirt will become completely see through”.
And then there was Garmy, only 1hr of battery life remaining, do’h, ok 7km it is.
For the first 4km I felt like I was taking it easy, but struggling still, and they went by in 28mins or 7mins/km, I started to pick up the pace on the 5th Km, helped mainly by the inertia of my 117kg and the slight decline in elevation, the 6th km was at the fastest pace for the run completed in 5min45sec again helped along by inertia and the increasing decline. I slowed it down for the last km not wanting to put too much strain on anything down the steepest decline. All up 7km in 46mins, so why all the questions?
The ITB didn’t feel as tight as normal this morning, it was quite bearable. I reflected on this while I stood outside my house in the dawn light, steaming up the atmosphere and doing some stretches. It never ceases to amaze me how good it feels after an early morning run with the rest of the day ahead and the blood all ready powering through the body and brain. In terms of answers to my opening question, I will use the phrase: “A little from column A, a little from column B”:

Second Corporate Cup tomorrow, in light of the 10k race on Sunday and the way my legs felt after the last Cup run I might take my camera, op for an easy run and snap lots of photos.

Note: Incremental Time Building or ITB is my new motto for getting back up to HM distance.

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Pain in the Back

Woke up this morning with a sore back, but still dragged myself out of bed at 8am for a run. Slipped on the new shoes, CR cap and Garmy and was out the door on a glorious day, the plan was to do 10k but in all it was a shade under 11km. I started up very slow and gradually built up the pace despite feeling the niggles. After the run I stretched and put on the compression tights,

Edit: went to some open inspections of houses and ended the afternoon digging trenches for the footings of Miss Simlin's Sister's house. Needless to say my blistered hands are feeling a lot worse than my legs at this point, damn desk job.

Now as promised my new shoes.


Brooks Beast
Size 13
Use 14km
Age 1 day




Nike Running Shoes
Size 13
Use 690km
Age: 1 year
Bought these shoes before the city to bay last year to replace some crappy xtrainers. They got me through my first Half Marathon and I am quite happy with the milage I got out of them. Scape Goat for niggle in left knee.



New Balance 719s
Size 13
Use 200km
Age 3.5 months
Bought after the HM and found them uncomfotable at times, especially down hill when my toes were painfully sqashed causing a black toe. Scape Goat for ITBS in right leg.

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Grrrrr!

Grrrr! that is the snarl of my new shoes. Guess what I went for? (Photos to follow tomorrow)
I also finally bought some compression tights, with the performax ones going for half the price of Skins, I was sold without a fight. So this afternoon I went out for a test drive of the new shoes and tights. The shoes are a little heavier than my old ones, but the cushioning is heaven! So 4kms just to break them in. I am yet to be sold on runnning in the tights, for now I think I will just wear them for recovery.

Friday, August 18, 2006

Frustration

I am getting frustrated at the persistence of these niggles, I can only hope that some properly chosen/fitted new shoes will do the trick and I will make a concerted effort to get out and buy some this weekend (current pair at 800k). I also promise to take a camera to my next 10k (in a week and a bit) and take some photos thus updating my profile piccy, that one is getting old too!
Today I got up at 5:30am again and went out for 7km nice and easy except that the niggles still bothered me and making me doubt that at the moment I can go longer that 60mins without succumbing to them.
Seeing as yesterday I committed myself to work longer hours at work to try and bring forward the finishing date of one of my projects (from end of march to at least January) I am a bit worried that my running time will dwindle, luckily summer is approaching fast and these early morning runs will become easier. I can see myself getting up at 5am eventually to fit them in!
Time will tell and the extra doe-ray-me will be fantastic.

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Touche

Touche! Sparkdriver Touche! your wit astounds me. Now that I have said it (touche) 3 times (In my head, damn now 4 times) it kind of sounds like a ballet costume.
Was so keen to be motivated for a 9k run this morning that I woke up at 4:30am...which meant rolling around restlessly for another 55mins before I got out of bed and out the door. This mornings route was the reverse of the last 9k run and held a few bad memories from a previous failed run, but this morning the going was easy even up the hill. The right ITB was a little tight by the end but I was more worried about the left knee, which is still got the niggles one week on, I think this weekend it the time for new shoes.
With the 9k out of the way this morning, my focus is now on a 10k run on the weekend following a 7k easy run tomorrow or friday. This increasing milage slowly is so frustrating, but nescessary, I don't think my legs could have handled it any other way.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

*insert some witty title*

Well I settled on a 5km run yesterday evening, mostly because of my lateness home from work but also due to the flatness which kept me in bed in the morning and this morning I might add. Now I plan to do the 9k tomorrow morning, after the relaxing last couple of days I figure if I am not motivated enough to get up then my body must really need the recovery time.

Monday, August 14, 2006

I snuck one in

It was a very busy weekend for me but I did manage to sneak a run in on Saturday morning, it was time to step up to my 9km course and I took it very easy, which meant the hills at the end weren't too tough. Slight aggravation of niggles both below my left knee and my right ITB meant I skipped a planned run on Sunday. Saturdays run was followed by half an hour of stretching and then icing and elevation. While in this position a friend rang and asked if I could help them move, so the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon were taken up with furniture removal before hitting the town.
Sunday was taken up by house work and open inspections of houses, haven't seen anything worthy yet, all too expensive or too run down, we are not too serious at this caper yet and I think it is about time to sit down and seperate our needs from our wants.
This morning I was planning to get up at 6am with Miss Simlin, but alas the mind was weak, instead I stayed in bed and watched Sunrise for an hour, oh well, either a 5k or 7k tonight, haven't decided yet. I want to do another 9k before the weekend because I am keen to get a 10k in on the weekend (The Adelaide running festival 10k on the 27th is looking a little too close for comfort).
This morning I finally got over my laziness and added some more bloggers to my bloglines feeds...so watch out (if you are reading this) some random comments coming your way!

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Recovery

Went out tonight for a recovery 7k, recovery mainly because I have a niggle below my left knee following yesterday and I don't wnat to aggravate it. The run started out pretty eventful, I darted out into peak hour traffic on Main North Road to help some guy push his car off the road into a side street, then I started running again but forgot to push start on ol' Garmy, not to worry, when I checked to see my split at the 2k mark I noticed that Garmy still said 300m! luckily it is a basically a straight line from where I pushed stop to the 2k mark so sportstracks was able to calculate the rest. The niggle is still there, it is tender to touch with a little pressure but I do not notice it walking around etc. I iced it and will keep it under close observation, but for now it is not hampering running, the ITB too seems to be on the improve with stretching and icing seeming to do the trick!

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Corporate Cup - Run 1

So today was the first corporate cup run at Mawson Lakes and I was entered as doing 2 laps totalling 4.45km. 14 people from my work making up 2 teams entered and despite being quite a friendly affair, reputations were on the line. Pre-race banter had me tussling with Bill and Shaun for supremacy of the slower runners. (ie not sub 20min runnners)
We all lined up together and were away! And yep, a bunch of novice races, boy did they go out fast. Needless to say I hung of the back and went at my own pace. After a 300m or so Bill looking around couldn't find me and dropped back to run with me but Shaun was away like a whippet and I remarked to Bill that I would catch him by the finish. So after cruising relatively easily around the lake for the first lap at 5.50 min/k pace I stepped it up on the second going for a big negatice split and to reel in Shaun. Bill could not go with me (but did take a little while to shake as he was cutting every corner possible) and I caught Shaun 3/4 the way around the second lap. I was wll and truly cruising now at 5.20 min/k pace and Shaun tried to go with me but blew up and had to walk. I crused it to the finish without feeling the need to hit top gear over that last couple of hundred metres...got to leave some room for improvement.
So rounded out the 4.45km in 24min36sec at an average pace of 5:31 min/k(which would have given me a 5k time of about 27min30sec but I think I could have cracked 27 at the pace I was going!).
The event was very fun and although I was the only one cheering and shouting encouragement across the lake at fellow team members I am looking forward to the next one. Hopefully someone will recognise the Cool Runner Cap and give me a yell of "GO COOL RUNNER!" but I think that is a little too much to ask.
Now onto the bigger questions: what should be my target time for the last run in 12 or more weeks? I would love to hit the 20min mark but I will be too busy training for longer events and I think that is unrealistic. Maybe just to finish at an average pace of 5min/km. That would give me a target time of 22min15sec.

Edit: ok Garmy was a little out...due to the erratic nature of the course around an irregularly shaped lake, not surprising. I just checked the official distance as measure by Life Be In It and it is 4.32km, so that gives me an average speed of 5:41min/km

Monday, August 07, 2006

Road to recovery

hopefully a little more substance today in my post.
My road to recovery seems to be going smoothly, today was my second 7k run this week after 4x5k runs last week. After a few stretches of the ITB I was out the door taking it easy clockwise around my 7k route. ITB felt mostly good all the way around and hopefully is on the mend. Now I just have to stick to my recovery plan, including another 2x7k runs this week followed by 4x9k runs next week. After next week I will assess my recovery and prepare for the 10k at the Adelaide Running Festival at the end of the month. (I have a secret desire still to do the HM...shhh don't tell anybody...but hopefully cool heads prevail)

Oh, yeah...Garmy pulled his finger out too and made it the whole way around...good on you Garmy, I knew you could do it.

(wasn't really much substance, sorry)

Sunday, August 06, 2006

step up

Stepping it up this morning, just a little, to my 7k route. Nice and easy. Garmy froze up after 6km, don't know why, wish I did.

Friday, August 04, 2006

Un-winding

Since the ITB I have run all my runs clockwise (where it used to be anti-clockwise). This morning I decided to un-wind and run anti, mainly because I didn't want my left ITB to suffer the same fate as my right and it was a little niggly yesterday. THe left knee was beautiful this morning but the right ITB did feel a little more uncomfortable than usual.

I had forgotten what a wonderful relaxing feeling it is to finish off a run and stand out the front of my house stretching in the per-dawn light, birds singing, the air crisp and clean. I gazed up at the sky this morning post run, steam gently wafting from my face. The serenity was intoxicating, now if only I can move to a rural area where I don't have to run on footpaths next to noisy, stinking hunks of metal with their lights blazing as they rumble down the road. The cold starkness of bitumen and concrete reflects the lonely desolate isolation of urban life (no wonder depression is so common), give me dirt, bushes, trees and wildlife anyday.

Daily summary: 5km 31min20sec

Ellie: your progress over the last couple of months has put me to shame
in the end i did the 5km (5.03 to be precise according to freddy - but that could be my slowness in pressing 'stop'!) in 26.21 which was an 8 second pb

I can only dream of a 5k PB like that and such a prolific blogger too! Can't wait for your C2S report as I can't wait for everybodies...I really will come over and do that one day.

Thursday, August 03, 2006

August Already

Where have the last couple of months gone?
I started August with a flurry of activity, on Tuesday (1st) I completed a 5k run after work at a comfortable pace. The stretching/massaging/icing routine I have been doing to aid the ITB seems to be working. The first couple of Kms were fine and the last 2 I definately noticed that my ITB was tight but it was relatively pain free (except for a troublesome swollen toe).
Wednesday (2nd) was my second stretching and strengthening day. I started with a 15min warm up on the exercise bike, followed by 15 min of stretching and then 15 mins of strengthening exercises followed by some more stretching. The massaging involved lying on a rolling pin, which I still have trouble with due to poor core and upper body strength, and results in carpet burns on my ankle and elbow and bruising on my outer thigh. Finishing off with Ice applied from the knee to the hip while the leg is elevated.
Thursday (today) I decided that winter was on the way out and so I got up at 6am for my first morning run since the start of winter. Another 5k in 30mins followed by 15mins of stretching then icing all went well except for the distinct feeling now in my nose and sinuses that I am coming down with my one cold for the year. It hasn't quite got me yet though!

So where to from here: more stretching, strengthening, and increasing km of each run starting with a 7k run on the weekend.

On related news, Corporate Cup is heating up. Last year only about 3 people competed consistently and this year we have 2 full teams. The talking up has begun around the lunch table, but I hope they don't expect too much out of me, I intend to take the first one or two rather easily and gauge where everyone is at before I start talking myself up against some of the back markers. :) I dare say there will be a few wagers.

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Here's to beginnings II

So to start off my 101st post I decided to go back and look at my goals from my first post.

Goals to achieve this year.
Get Fitter.
Get Healthier.
Get Lighter. (currently 125kg, lost 5 kg since I started running but still haven't got a handle on that healthy eating lifestyle)
Complete the City to Bay in under 72mins.
Lofty Goal...complete a half marathon.


So what have I achieved.

I am now fitter, (well you have to be to run over 50k a week, but I feel I have lost a bit since those days).
This in turn makes me partially healthier, but my food intake is still disgraceful.
I am definitely lighter, averaging about 116kg on the scales at the moment
My lofty goal was not so lofty. I completed my first HM, it is the second one I am struggling with as my running since the first one has been stagnant and sporadic.
Which leaves 'Complete the City to Bay in under 72mins'. This is my main goal for the next couple of months, but first I have to beat the ITB curse. Hopefully I will start reaching some of my PB goals along the way before the year end.

Now, I said my food intake is still disgraceful, but it is far better than this time last year. I only have occasional relapses into stupidity, my diet at work is great (mostly fruit) it is just at home that I need to improve especially on weekends.