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Jonathon's Racing Attacks and Adventure Packs!

Amazing racing and training adventures on roads and mountainous/hilly TRAILS, freewaybikehike and triathlons. Dreams of a SIX FOOT 45km finish,(DONE 2011,2013,2014,2015!),then ULTRA-TRAIL AUSTRALIA (50km DONE 2016! 100km DONE 2018!!!), memorable Melbourne Marathon and Gold Coast racing. Over a decade dreaming of a SUB 3HR MARATHON, sub 18min 5k, sub 38min 10k, sub 90min Half marathon etc...(shattered? or still realistic?)

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Location: Perth, Western Australia, Australia


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42.2km SB; 2004; 3.55 2005; 4.02 2006; 4.18, 2007; 4.10 2008; 3.55
2009; 4.11 2010; 4.05 2011; 4.02 2012;3.49 2013; 4.12 ... 2014; ; 4.08 ...2015; 4.00
2016; 4.11 2018; 4.15 2019; 4.25 2020; 5.38 ... 2021; 5.44 ... 2022 DNF at 37km
More ongoing GOALS;
***PB's pursuit; 5k 21.49, 10k 41.01 21.1k 1.41, ...42.2k 3.49

MM and the G!...

In recent years I have been enjoying races like;
December; 6-INCH(46km offroad)2005;--6 hrs 25 min...
2006; 7hrs 04 min 2008; 7hrs 00min...2009; 6hrs 16min
...2010:--5hrs 49min..2011:---5hrs 30min..2013---7 hrs 24min... 2014--- 7 hrs 06min 2015--6hours 43min ...2016---6hours 41min... 2017--7hrs 3min?... 2018-7hrs ... 2020 8hrs 19 ... 2021 8hrs 51
October; Melbourne Marathon 2007; 4hr 10 . 2008 DNF at 23km..
2009 4hrs 11. 2010 4hrs 05min...2011;4hrs 02min...photos
2012; 3hrs 49min 52secs PB!... ..2013; 4.12 2014; 4.08 2015; 4.05... 2016; 4.53
Rottnest Marathon 2004; 4hr 32min ... 2013; 4hr 16min... 2019; 4hr 41min 59secs
August; City to Surf most years since 1997 see HERE for details,photos.
PERTH C2S PB's; 4K;17min 25 (2002) 12K;52min 52 (1997)
21.1K;1.54.20 (2007) 42.2K; 4.00.20 (2015) (2010 video..45secs into it)
Perth City to Surf Marathon finisher 2009,2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019.
June/July;
GOLD COAST; 2012 HALF; 1.44 2013 HALF; 1.47 2014 HALF 1.49
2015 4.11 ..., 2016 4.11..., 2019 4.25
PERTH Marathon(42.2km)
2004; 3hrs55min
2005;--4 hrs 02 min. 2006; 4hrs 18min 2007;4hrs 33
2008; 3hrs 55 2009; 4hrs 41min 2010; 4hrs 30min
2011; 4hrs 12min 2012; 4hrs 6min 2013; 4hrs 19min 2014 4hrs 48min 2018 4hrs 15min
2019; 4hrs 28min
2021 5hrs 44min
May; Ultra TRAIL AUSTRALIA;
2016 50km 9 hours 50min 956th
2017 100km DNF CP4 57km
2018 100km 24hrs 33min 15 913th
2019 100km DNF CP3 46km 2021 CP2 DNF (severe back injury)
April;TWO DECADES of Bridges racing; 1997; 43min 43 1998; 41min 01
1999; 47min 29 2000; 46min 47 2001; (5km) 30min 01 2002; (5km) 22min 48
2003; 42min 40 2004; 48min 50 2005; 44min 40 2006; 48min 07 2007; 49min 16
2008; 50min 42 2009; 49min 54 2010; 48min 39 2011; 52min 55 2012; 47min 02 2013; 54min 45 2014; 48min 47 2015; 49min 53 2016 52min 20
March;6 Foot Track 45km;
2011; 6.53 2013; 6.54 2014; 6.47
2015; 6.14!!! 2016 DNF


As of October 2022; 37 road marathons finished (Perth x14, Melbourne x9,Perth City to Surf x7 Gold Coast x3 Rottnest x3 SunsetCoast x1)
Have also finished 20+ ultra races; 6 inch 47km ultra finished 12 times, six foot 45km ultra 4 times, Ultra Trail Australia ultras 2 times, Truth 50km ultra once within cutoff (and once outside cutoff), Lark Hill 50km ultra, 6hour track race, 24hr track race.
Also completed the Bloated Goat 31km (1500m Vertical gain) 2 times which is similiar effort to a 46km ultra.
DNFs in UTA100km, WTF50miler, WAMC40miler race, Truth 50km, Six foot and 6 inch.
The first 3 DNFs were after covering more than 42km, and with Truth one was a 25km DNF and the first one I finished the full 50km but was 19minutes outside cutoff battling an ankle injury for 36km.
In road marathons 3 DNFs one at 23km in the 2008 Melbourne Marathon due to severe ankle injury in the first 1km, and PC2S @ 30km, also 2022 Perth Marathon at 37km too fat and slow

Most races October 2009-October2020; >
30/10/2020 50th John Gilmour 10,000m track race 58min
20/09/2020 XTR Sunset Coast Marathon (#36) 5.38
30/08/2020 Fat Lamb PTS 20km
02/08/2020 Perth Half Mara 2.04
11/07/2020 Jumbuck PTS 3.39
08/03/2020 Darlington Half Marathon 2.07
01/11/2019 John Gilmour 10,000m Track race 51min
06/10/2019 Perth Marathon 4hrs 28min. #13 see here
01/09/2019 Rotto Biddi 3hrs.09.44
25/08/2019 City 2 Surf Marathon 4hrs 48min
17/08/2019 TW Parkrun 5km 24.29 (5th)
3/08/2019 Truth 50km DNF (at 25km in 4hrs 26min)
28/07/2019 RunMelbourne Halfmarathon 2hr 03min
21/07/2019 Champion Lakes R2R Halfmarathon 1hr 55min (32nd)
7/07/2019 Gold Coast Marathon 4hrs 25min
16/06/2019 Rottnest Marathon 4hrs 42min
18/05/2019 Ultra Trail Australia 100km DNF at 46km (CP3) 8hrs 58min
17/03/2019 Fat Lamb 20km 3hr 29min 49th of 70
02/03/2019 Lark Hill 25km 3hr 54 (Night race forgot headlamp)
24/02/2019 Swissmurdie 2hr 35
09/02/2019 Busselton Half marathon 2.13 (Late start actually 2.05)
20/01/2019 Chi Gong 1hr 58 134th of 158 finishers
16/12/2018 6 inch 47km 7hrs (12th finish)
21/10/2018 Rottnest Half 2hr 03 min
16/09/2018 Fremantle Half 1hr 58min
04/07/2018 Truth 25km 3hrs 11min 55 (PTS)
24/06/2018 Eagle 22km 2hrxx(59min officially, but 43min on my watch as started late)
17/06/2018 Perth Marathon 4hrs 15min
19/05/2018 Ultra-Trail Australia 100km 24hrs 33min 15secs 913th of 964 finishers
218 withdrawals
03/03/2018 Lark Hill 50km
17/12/2017 6 inch 48km 7hrs
06/08/2017 Truth 50km 8hrs 22min 59
16/07/2017 Jolly Jumbuck 21km 2hr 54min (94th of 129)
02/07/2017 King of the Mountain 16km 1hr 41min
20/05/2017 Ultra-Trail AUSTRALIA 100km DNF (at 58km and 10hours 38min)
26/03/2017 Bloated Goat 30km 5hr 18min
18/12/2016 6 inch 48km 6hrs 41min
16/10/2016 Melbourne Marathon 4hours 53min
25/09/2016 WTF 50 miler DNF at 55km
14/08/2016 Truth 50km DNF at 25km
3/07/2016 Gold Coast Marathon 4.11
14/05/2016 Ultra Trail Australia 50km 9 hours 50min
3/4/2016 My 20th consecutive Bridges fun run 10km 52.20 (hammy strain)
12/3/2016 Six Foot Track DNF at 30km 5 hours.
---------------------- 20/12/2015 6 inch 47km 6 hours 43min
15/11/15 Bloated Goat 30km Trails race (1600m Vert) 5hrs 43min
18/10/15 Melbourne Marathon 4.05
13/09/15 Fremantle 10km 47min 22
30/08/15 Perth City to Surf Marathon 4 hours 00min 20 secs.
05/07/15 GCM 4.11
24/05/15 R4R Half Marathon 1hr 46min 13secs
12/04/15 Bridges 10km 49min 53secs.
04/04/15 Perth Trail Series Truth & Consequences 50km ULTRA 8hours 49min
14/03/15 Six Foot Track 45km 6hrs 14min 11secs Smashing PB!!! (32min)
21/12/14 6 inch Trail 47km 7hrs 06min 30secs
12/10/14 Melbourne Marathon 4hrs 8min (8th fastest marathon in 25 finished)
14/09/14 Fremantle 10km 49min 26 (first K 3.47 5k split 23.02)
31/08/14 Perth City to Surf 42.2k 4hrs 34min
06/07/14 Gold Coast Half Marathon 1.49
15/06/14 Perth Marathon 4.48
01/06/14 Elleker Half Marathon 1.59.
21/04/14 40 miler DNF (28miles)
06/04/14 18th Bridges 10km 48min 47secs...since 1997
08/03/14 6 Foot Track 45km 6hrs 47min 02. (824th) A PB!!! :-)
09/02/14 Snakes and Ladders 15km 2.05
15/12/13 6 inch Trail Ultra 7.24
27/10/13 Rottnest Marathon 4.16.41
13/10/13 Melbourne Marathon 4.12.55
25/08/13 Perth City to Surf Marathon 4.13.28
11/08/13 Perth Half Marathon 1.54.05
28/07/13 Fremantle 10km 50.06 (very sick but first 1k in 3.55)
07/07/13 Gold Coast Half Marathon 1.47.29

16/06/13 Perth Marathon 4hrs 19min 55secs
My 10th consecutive Perth Marathon...Click to see -> how I became a SPARTAN...

19/05/13 Joondalup Half Marathon 1hr 58min 26secs 310th of 495.
07/04/13 Bridges 10km 54min 45seconds.
09/03/13 6 Foot Track 45km 6 hours 54 minutes 20 seconds. 740th of 804...blog post or ...photos! page.

24/02/13 Perth Trail Series Qi Gong 14km 1hr 37min 04 Placed 79th of 117 finishers.
09/02/13 Busselton Half Marathon 1hr 51min 58 secs 219th. full Busso results here
02/11/12 John Gilmour 10k track 47.17 ..see here
14/10/12 Melbourne Marathon 3hrs 49min 52secs ..(777.)
16/09/12 Fremantle 10km 47min 16
26/08/12 City to Surf Marathon 4hrs 42min 41 secs
15/07/12 Lake Joondalup 10km 47min 30.
01/07/12 Gold Coast Half Marathon 1hr 44min 49 secs. 1668th of 9035 finishers

17/06/12 Perth Marathon 4hrs 6min .. (post and photos here)
20/05/12 Joondalup Half Marathon 1hr 47min 01secs. (151st of 313 finishers)
15/05/12 Masters 5000m 21min 58secs
13/05/12 Bunbury Half Marathon 1hr 46min 45 secs. (76th of 240 finishers)
22/04/12 PTS Ellis Brook 21.8km trails race 3hrs 12min 28secs. 39th.
01/04/12 Bridges 10km 47min 02
25/03/12 17.3km (690m ascent) Swissmurdie trails race 2hrs 19min 17secs 54th of 60.
20/03/12 MastersWA 1500m in 5.56, 100m in 14.3, 400m in 76.4, 5000m in 23.33.
26/02/12 WAMC Swan Twilight 5km 24.32
26/02/12 Perth Trail Series Qi Gong 14km 1hr 44min 08 secs 70th of 102.
04/02/12 Busselton Half Marathon in 1hr 49min 31 secs.
18/12/11 6 inch 46km 5hrs 30min PB!
09/10/11 Melbourne Marathon in 4hours 02minutes 49secs...photos...

12/09/11 Fremantle 10km in 45minutes 50 secs.
7/8/11 Perth Half Marathon in 1hr 47min 46 secs.
17/7/11 Lake Joondalup 10km in 46min 33secs.
19/6/11 Perth Marathon in 4 hours 12min 54secs (351st of 547.)
12/6/11 Lake Monger 10km in 48min 09secs
22/5/11 Bunbury Half Marathon 1hr 51min 44secs 109th of 261 finishers
10/4/11 Bridges 10km 52min 55
12/3/11 6 foot 45km in 6hrs 53min 07 secs...819th...of 877...33 DNF's...4 outside 7hr cutoffRace Report and race photosPre & post race photos,initial ELATION
Note; Completing 6 foot is a major goal achieved which I have had in mind since 2005!!!!!!!

4/3/11 3000m in 12min 40 (19th of 19 finishers)Momentum building a little,sub 13 done! :-)
18/2/11 5000m in 23min 31 (20th of 20 finishers...4 DNF's)..results
5/2/2011 21.1km Busselton Half in 1hr 51min 41 secs for 124th of 218 finishers.
19/12/10 46km 6 inch trails race in 5hr 49min (63rd of 79 finishers)
10/12/10 5000m in 22.43 18th of 18!
5/11/10 John Gilmour 10,000m in 47min 36. (23rd of 31)
10/10/10 Melbourne Marathon 4hrs 5min...2895th of 5027 finishers...
12/9/10 Fremantle 10km in 46min 53...a big SB and my best time since 2005!
29/8/10; 42.2km in 4hrs 15min for 537th of 830 finishers...my 6th best of 12 M. finishes.
19/8/10; 5000m in 22min 06.0 secs (SB by 0.6 of a second, & Stan did a SB also that night)
22/7/10; 5000m in 22min 06.6 secs. (SB and 17secs off my track PB)
20/6/10 Perth Marathon in 4.30.
13/5/10; Masters 2000m 7.55 (first sub 8min run since 2005) & 5,000m 22.42
22/4/10; Masters 800m 2.46 & 5,000m 22.29!~(2nd best ever track 5,000m, track PB is 21.49,)
3/4/10; Australian Masters 35-39yrs; 4th in 1500m 5min 34secs. see here...
28/3/10; Bridges 10km in 48min 39secs. 388th of 1646
25/3/10; 300m in 47.6, 600m in 1.57.0 100m in 14.6
18/3/10; Masters 1500m in 6.03 & 10,000m in 49min 35
28/2/10; 4th place in 6 hour Track Race at Coker Park; 45.003km
6/2/10; Busselton 21.1km in 1hr 52min 50 secs
20/12/09;6 inch 46km 6hrs 16min
15/11/09; Peninsula 5km 22min 5225th of 73.
6/11/09; John Gilmour 10km 48min 39
11/10/09; Melbourne Marathon 4hrs 11 min 33 secs
4/10/09; Freo funrun 5km in 22min 53 secs
... ...
2011; 5hrs 30min 6 inchPB!! 2012; 3hrs 49min PB(Melbourne Marathon)!!2014; 6hrs 47min PB! @ 6 foot!

The next big things racing wise maybe;


6 inch 47km
on 20th December @ 0430hrs, countdown (activated a few days before?) is;


Kathryn and I welcomed our daughter K into the world May 2015 A.D.!

Kathryn and I welcomed our daughter J into the world June 2010 A.D.!
Kathryn and I welcomed our son J into the world in late July 2007 A.D.!
Our challenge is to be good parents with the Creator Gods help!



... 2004 ...2005 ...2006 ...2007... >...2008...2009...2010 ...2011... 2012.

but for the most important thing in life;
there is only 2 ways to live!...Bible Gateway...

Friday, April 28, 2006

Railway cycle attack

Friday 28/4/06 Cycled 14.5km in 43min 50. HR-159. Splits; 23.54/19.56... (The first half I lost 2 minutes stretching, had troubles with an insect that flew into my eye and just wasn't quite as sustained in my attacking.)

Took the railway route, but did not ride the river detour section as I wanted to stay on a straight flat course and just concentrate on attacking the ride a bit. Was great to do a higher intensity session.

Forgot to stretch beforehand so I had to stop at the railway line and spend 2 minutes doing a few quads and hammy stretches, as I was very tight and a bit stiff and sore to begin with from yesterday.

Most of the ride I felt "in the groove", and it sure felt good. Really enjoyed pushin it out a bit.
Had Tourniquet Tire Kicking and"a little bit of Lee Harding "Almost anything?" tickin over in my head, especially the aggressive riffs and drumming of Tire Kicking... Click on http://www.myspace.com/tourniquetrocks to have a listen... Trying to be nice to my trusty worn out MTB by not giving it too much of a hammering cos its got to last for awhile longer yet, but made sure I spent a bit of time going hard in top gear as much as possible. A good ride to blow out the cobwebs and sweat it out a bit. Been needing and wanting a session like this for a week or two....yeah!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday, April 27, 2006

52km Tonkin ride recharging the batteries again

Thursday 27/4/06; Cycled 52.75km in 3 hours 15min 30. Heart rate 138 at end. Pretty tired by the finish. Took 3 short drink stops during that time. Didn't have any carboshotz this time so was a bit tougher but it forces my body to burn fat as a fuel with little carbs available in the system, so good from a training point of view. Just slow enoughin intensity for the low carbs fuel levels to not be too tough to cope with...

Threw in some fast surges from Thomas Rd to Albany Hwy along the Tonkin Hwy. Had an excellent tailwind on return and its relatively flat or downhill for most of the way. This was after about 70 minutes of pushing into a solid headwind on the way out there. The Tonkin Hwy route was 45.25km all up, with splits of 1hr 27min/1 hr 18min so its easy to see how much quicker I was on return with the tailwind surges, which gave me a 9 minute negative split despite the lack of carbs locking things up and fatigue (heavy legs) setting in towards the end...Right knee soreness present early, but not so much a problem this time...saddle soreness was present towards the end but ok not as bad as a few weeks back. The last 7.5km I did my short railway route course turning at Albany Hwy, which was a bit of a grind but I needed it to get over my target of 50km and also to get over the 3hour mark which was my other target for this session. Overall a fairly satisfying session and nice to get to long sessions done back to back in consectutive weeks. need to keep this momentum going. The mountainbike feels rickety but the gears seemed a little smoother this time. It has done well over 10,000-12,000km I estimate (odometer stopped at 8955km a few months ago, and I did a few thousand km before I bought the cateye cycle computer) Hopefully it will keep going a few more weeks,months...Feeling a lot more positive about things today.

Saw a veritable plague of leeches? on the cyclepath alongside Tonkin for one section,also a helicopter, saw a sign about Aboriginal archealogical sites, and many other sights sounds and smells. Didn't enjoy the smell of the rubbish tip between Rowley Rd and Thomas Rd. Interesting ride, and being out near Rowley Rd and Thomas Rd reminds me of the days I used to train on Hopkinson Rd and Thomas Rd as a racewalker about 17 years ago back in 1989...

So my 2006 Perth marathon plans are still intact for another week. Had demon hunter song Coffin Builder in my head for a lot of the way and also heartstrings,undying,the latest and the last, plus Grave forsakens light the hall...

Happy with the ride, and going to take a risk and try and get through basketball umpiring tonight. Hopefully the achilles will survive this first test and I will sleep extremely well tonight...a massive energy usage for the day it will be....

Reffed 2 games of basketball,didnt run much and put weight on left leg mostly. I think its improved but needs at least 1-3 weeks more rest and treatment before I try running hard on it. See how things go...Seem to be able to get through reffing ok, but not able to run hard like I used to...

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Calf Raises IV to VI

Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday 24-26/4/06; Kept the calf raises program moving along, am up to 4x26 calf raises now...I think I will consider trying some test runs soon...But probably not for a week or two yet...Need to consolidate...

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Walk with KL & Calf Raises III and week 1 summary.

Sunday 23/4/06 Walked 5km around golf course route via shops on return with KL. Did Calf raises 4x20 later that day. Still resting the achilles and not doing much else at present...

WEEK 1 (17/04/06-23/04/06);

Volume;268min. Sessions;2Best RHR;49 Sleep;47.25 *53
OD/LSD/LFD sessions; Cycled 50.5km.
Races/Time trials;NIL
Reps sessions;NIL

Comments;
See previous post re 50km ride. Other than that pretty much a wipeout of a week trainingwise. Lack of finances combined with achilles issues is leaving me very unmotivated, and wanting to rest achilles. Urgently have to improve finances before I can crank up the training. Hanging on by a thread/fingernails, but plenty of time to crank it up considering (a) the work I've done during February/March, and if I can keep the 50km+ rides going, plus sort out the achilles, I'll be in with a chance...


Friday, April 21, 2006

Calf Raises II

Friday 21/4/06; Did 4x18 calf raises. Need to keep the new regime operational to try and clear my achilles issues.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Reloading with Roe Hwy 3hr 26 Ride!

Wednesday 19th April 2006; Cycled 50.5km in 3hr 26min on the mountainbike. HR 126. Time includes about 15minutes I spent on drinks breaks and checking my maps. Pretty solid long ride. Very happy with it. Plan is to do at least one ride like this per fortnight, (preferably each week) until my achilles allows me to run again. So this is WEEK 1 of my Perth Marathon 2006 Assault. Its an 11 week program same amount of time as what as I did in 2004. Its time to get really focused and ensure my long 3hour+ sessions get done preferably each week, plus do some shorter easy sessions, and some more intense sessions...

Hopefully the achilles will clear up well before July. Found a useful link from Cool Running re treating achilles problems, so did 4x16 calf raises (double legged) with 2 minute rests
today also. Made sure I stressed the eccentric phase (the lowering part) of each calf raise. Need to be disciplined about maintaining this. Also iced my achilles last night. Going to rest the calves (gastrocnemius and soleus muscles) tomorrow, and then plan to do my next bunch of calf raises on Friday.

My ride was extremely interesting. Had heard that Roe Hwy now goes all the way to Kwinana Freeway, so was keen to see if this was true so followed Roe Hwy from Albany Hwy all the way to Kwinana Freeway, and then followed detour from Farrington Rd to Berrigan Rd, Karel Avenue and then back down Roe Hwy. Experienced lots of interesting sights,sounds and smells. The smell of a bakery in Canning Vale was good. Plenty of birds, plus the planes landing at Jandakot airport. Went past Whaleback and Glen Iris golf courses. My mountainbike is a bit worse for wear, but have to make do with what I have...it was ok...Had the usual niggling knee soreness at times, but mostly a very enjoyable and successful ride. Also came across some signs detailing the history of Aboriginal people on the plains below the Darling Scarp again, just as I did on Tonkin Hwy when I rode the 31km last week. Have learnt a few interesting things about how they lived in this area...Apparently they had 6 seasons for the year instead of our European influenced 4.

Seemed to cope better with saddle soreness this time, than I did on the Whiteman park 40km ride the other week. See how I pull up in the next few days. Onward and hopefully upward...

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Exploring Tonkin

Saturday 14th April; Cycled a solid 31km in roughly 1hr 49? with heart rate of 138 at end and I guestimate at least 150's at times during my ride. Enjoyed exploring the Tonkin Hwy course I have been meaning to do since February. For example the detour of "Darling Scarp Exploration". Its a great course to ride. Mostly rather flat and straight red bike path. Got the path pretty much to yourself with almost no distractions. Includes views of Champion Lakes and the Darling Scarp... I must get a new cycle computer soon!!! New bike would be good too but that will have to wait awhile...

Sunday 15th April Cycled 10.5km in 37min 18 HR 129. Light rain most of the way rode to the Midland train line and back.
Ok but not my favourite ride. Too many bumpy concrete footpaths and tricky roads to contend with.

Not happy with only 3 sessions this week, a rether disappointing week trainingwise, although its great to finally have my first ride on the Tonkin Hwy course. Have maintained the running ban to rest my achilles this week. Need to get calf exercises and iced water treatment going again though. Life for me is generally a bit messy/boring just now, but we push on, hopefully better days ahead...

Hopefully be ready to do some slowish 25km-35km long runs during May. In the meantime my plan is to try and do some 50km-70km rides on the mountainbike so I have a decent endurance base in place to attack my marathon goals with...Hopefully by that time the achilles is back to normal...

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

pushin broom (pedals)

Sunday 9/4/06; Cycled 13km (2 laps around golf course route) in 38min 52 Heart Rate 165. Pretty happy with a good attacking ride in the evening...lingering saddle soreness from a few days ago not much of a problem....

Tuesday 11/4/06 Cycled a relaxed 16.5km in about 70 minutes HR only 108...Golf course route and exploring along the B Brook area...

Been shoving the achilles into buckets of iced water for 30minutes and trying a 4 minute calf stretch plus have done the calf raises for 5 minutes on one day (sore for the next two days..the gastrocnemius is clearly a bit on the soft side...)...Need to do lots more of that in the next few weeks...hope it works. Cant afford to go to a good sports doctor and just hoping my mountainbike will survive...

A little depressed, just hoping that by banning myself from running and doing the smart thing in the next few weeks by treating what I think is an achilles injury I can get my Perth Marathon 2006 assault on full attack by May/June at the latest. Hope to be running well again in time for the Bunbury Half Marathon on 21st May, or the Challenge 10km or the Albany Half. At the very latest I think I must be firing for the Freo Half Marathon on June 11th if the sub 3.30 dream is to stay alive for me in 2006...

I saw in the Bridges results on the WAMC website today that I did beat the bloke I sprint finished with...wuhoo. so hapy with that small victory. Placing was 390th of 1317 with official time of 48min 06 seconds, which is my 2nd slowest (2004 I did 48.50, and 3.55 in the marathon that year) of my ten consecutive Bridges runs from 1997 to 2006.

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Back in the Saddle again

Wednesday 5/4/06; Cycled 40.75km in 2hr 42. HR 126. Whiteman Park course, plus an extra 15km with a loop to Reid Hwy and back. Took a few powerades, and battled/enjoyed a few light head/tail winds. Good session. Nice weather temperature wise. Got very saddle sore in the last 10km or so...Trying to rest the achilles. Need to get calf exercises going.

Thursday 6/4/06; Reffing Basketball 3 games. Tried to rest the achilles, by walking as much as possible...

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Turbulent Tenth Bridges TenKM

Sunday 2/4/06; Ran my 10th consecutive Bridges fun-run (1997-2006). Completed the 10km in unofficial wristwatch time of 48minutes 07 seconds, with a finishing heart rate of 186. Th 48minutes included a 1 minute toilet stop about 1.2km into the race. So actual run time I estimate was about 46min 52-47min07. 1km Splits were 3.57,5.24 (including toilet stop), 4.50's the next 2km (missed the 3km marker), 4.44, 5.03 6.14? 4.33? 4.31, 4.00.... My 5km splits; 23.46/24.21. The 23.46 included the toilet stop so would have been about 22min30 or 22min 40 otherwise.
Usual wind conditions with a small headwind from 2km-5km, and a tailwind for most of the rest... Was nice cool temperature.

I am pleased with the way I finished strongly in the last 1-3km, and had a good sprint finish with someone at the end which is always fun. Be interesting to see if I beat him or not, as I think it was rather photofinish-ish, and I am sure we will get the same time...

I found it very hard to get any rhythm in the middle stages, and I think I stayed up too late the night before, which may have cost me a minute or three...The toilet stop happened cos I drank a powerade just before the start which was a silly thing to do. I would run better if I had someone give me a powerade at about 5-7km, instead of relying on the cups of water which are ok but less than ideal. I ran on the grass as much as possible to minimise impact on my knee etc, and this was ok, but it does not help with maintaining a steady pace/rhythm...
I don't like running in large crowds like the Bridges and the City to Surf. I once again am reminded that I prefer the races where there is a small field, or running on my own, or with 1 or two friends. The alternative is of course to win the thing or be in the top 5-10 which means you are ahead of most people, but I am not good enough to do that, and not sure if I ever will be...I'd have to improve my 10km time to about 35-38minutes at least...It might happen though cos I feel I am about in 43minute shape now, even though I only did 47-48minutes in this race.

Overall I enjoyed the hitout and felt good at times, and am very glad I ran. I am convinced that despite another disappointing overall time, I have progressed significantly in the last month or so and the reps work has paid off for me. Maybe next time my improved fitness will show up more in the time recorded, if I can continue to train the way I have in March 2006.I hope to get the achilles right and land a good Challenge 10km or Half Marathon time in the coming months...

Time to get on the mountainbike and ride lots of K's for a few weeks until my Marathon program starts in earnest, or my achilles destroys my dreams of Perth Marathon III in sub 3.30 ...we shall see...
The achilles was not an issue while I was running at all. However it has been rather sore for about 24-48 hours afterwards. So I am going to try avoid running for awhile (probably about 2-4-8weeks) and get some calves exercises going, plus get my mountainbike going instead. Going to go get the new tyre for the bike this afternoon. Hopefully will be able to do a few run sessions as my Perth Marathon 2006 assault is supposed to start in earnest in 2 weeks time...