32km run in 3hrs 41 @ Mt Helena

Sunday 8th April; Ran 32km in 3hrs 41min 45secs. (6min 55 per km)
HR-156 at end. (Splits; 7km; about 36min, 14km; 1hr 23min 50, 23km; 2hrs 31min.)

Decided to go run the first lap of the 40 miler race, as a recon so maybe do the whole thing next year, plus it was a good opportunity to make use of the motivation and encouragement that being at an event like this provides. Got there too late to start with the individual runners, and it looked as if Mark had already started, so no chance of doing the relay really, plus I was out of money. So started with the relay runners, and by 7km They had all dropped me. Wasn't sure how fast I was going until I saw one of the markers saying how far it was back to the Mt Helena start/finish.
Then I knew I was on about 6 minutes per km. Later I worked out that I ran the first downhill 7km from Mt Helena to Seabourne Rd (on the Railway heritage gravel trail)in a tick over 5min per km (36minutes), while running with the relay runners.
My split for 14km which included a drinks/toilet stop was 1hr 23.50 which was just under 6 minutes per km, and I worked this out when I asked a marshal soon after how far I had to go. As usual an event well organised for the most part by WA Marathon Club. So I knew then I had a 9km run to get to my second, (and last turnaround) at Ash Rd. Saw lots of runners heading back on the way to Ash Rd, and started to struggle a little on the slight constant uphill on this leg. Had that annoying pins and needles feeling I have had sometimes in the past around my torso, so had to walk that out briefly. Hydration pack was working ok although it was a bit heavy to begin with. After the turnaround at 23km in 2hrs 31 I started to struggle a lot and slipped out to 8minutes per km. It rained a bit in the last 9k for about 30minutes or so...Beautiful countryside...saw a horsedrawn buggy thing...stopped a few times to read the info things about the pipeline to Kalgoorlie..Had another toilet break and sunk my second powerade...saw Nathan coming back with a couple of km to go for me, big high five...When one of the runners warming down told me I had 600m to go it felt real good...Worked hard to keep from walking towards the end, especially when my left knee suddenly got painful after toilet stop with about 5-8km to go....But it eventually sorted itself out, and I managed to beat my target of 3hrs 44 by 3minutes, which also beat my 3hrs 47 back in June 2006, which was from Peachey Rd to Mt Helena and back on this same track...Very happy to go under 7minutes per km considering the only other long run I have done this year was the 22km on 10th March.

Saw a lot of people I recognised, especially from the Hills Training group. Dave was going well early with the front bunch which included the eventual top two of Mick and Colin Francis,(who have both either run six foot or raced ultras internationally, so command significant respect). As Dave expected he was unable to stay the whole 64km at the hot pace the Francis blokes were setting, as they repeatedly surged faster and faster, which is psychologically difficult to go faster 30km into a 64km...Dave also struggled with hamstring soreness related to his umpiring a WAFL game the night before, and a lot of toilet stops,and dropped out at 46km, but hey I'd love to be able to have had the experience he did of mixing it with two of the best ultra runners ever to come out of WA for more than 30km... Nathan ran a well judged race to finish the entire 64km (40 miles) in about 5hrs 50, which I thought was a great effort...

27 hours in 4 days at work this week, including some fairly demanding stuff in Craigie and Claremont.

Have started my 16 week monitoring plan,

to keep on track my Perth Marathon 2007 hopes;

WEEK 3 (02/04/07-08/04/07);

Volume; 221min + 27hrs MR. Sessions; 1 +MR Best RHR;47 bpm Sleep; 44hrs 52*

OD/LSD; NIL

Races/Time trials/LFD; 8/4; 32km 3hrs 41

Reps sessions;NIL

Comments;
Some good signs this week. Best resting heart rate for 2007 so far of 47 on 7/4. Sleep for the week down a little mainly due to me getting up early on 8/4 (4.5 hours sleep) to make it to 32km run, which was a very important run to do. It was probably more of a cross between a LFD/LSD (long fast distance/long slow distance) type session and a race/timetrial. I wasn't really ready to race for 32km, but it was way too fast and hard to be an OD (over-distance) or LSD session really...What I think its done is really consolidate the specific muscular endurance and general fitness I kicked off with my 22km run on 10/3 and at the Freeway Bikehike the following week. I think in the last 4 weeks I have finally stepped it up a notch. Still a long, long way to go, if I want to challenge any PB's this year, but if I can start getting to Hills Training group regularly, and get some reps going, then combined with my basic base from work, I should start to make more serious gains and build on the foundation I have now got in place for 2007...So satisfying from that point of view for week 3. On the negative side, I once again failed to do any reps this week, which is very disappointing, have got to somehow, get through work quick, and organise my busy affairs, in such a way as to find some times to get to the track, in the coming weeks. I need to really crank up some regular weekly reps, in April,May and early June as well as keep long ones ticking over if I want to PB in the 2007 Perth Marathon. Have 13 weeks until the big day, so about 11-13 weeks to get it right for that race, and hope our baby boy doesnt come 2 weeks early....

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