3hrs 47 for messy 33km Darlington to Mt Helena loop

Saturday 15th September Ran 33km (Darlington to Mt Helena and back) in 3hrs 47min 20 secs, HR-147. Splits 1hr 50/1hr 57. (6.53 per km)
This run is 21 minutes quicker than what I did for this course on 25th November 2006. See here for link to old post of that run...

As per usual slept in and got to hills training group in Darlington,
late at 0630. Still have the flu so stuffed a handful of tissues into
my hydration pack along with a cola carboshotz and 2 powerades. The tissues were a very good move and without them I would not have got through 33km. My resting heart rates the last two days were 48 and 55 compared to high 50's an 60's before that when I was sicker, so even though I am still blowing my nose every hour or so, I felt I was ready to do a low intensity type session like a long run, although I knew it would be a bit of a struggle.

Important not to let my specific running endurance strength slip as its now 4 weeks since I ran the 27km up here in the hills, although I have done two half marathon races in recent weeks. Plus I am having mad thoughts of maybe trying to get over for a race in the Melbourne Marathon in a few weeks in search of that elusive PB. Although if I do that I won't be able to help support Dave and Nathans 100mile run, so its a tough dilemma
On the one hand I'd love to help them out and it wouldn't cost me anywhere near as much money to go to Dwellingup and run 30k in the bush with them, but I have helped them out many times, and the excitement of running onto the MCG and maybe getting that PB to make up for my disappointing Perth Marathon is hard to resist. The logistics of both Melbourne and Dave and Nathans Waterous 100mile run are both difficult for me to juggle with Kathryn and Jacob, and all the work and baby demands, so maybe I'll just do neither, but I would like to help Dave and Nathan in their quest, and the lure of the excitement of running the Melbourne Marathon is a massive one, could be the only year that it finishes on the MCG so if I don't go this year I may never get to finish a marathon on the MCG. Plus a lot of people from perth are going including several from the Hills Training Group, and blogger TS&TS, so what to do...In the end, Kathryn and I have to make a mutual decision together, so I guess her input will help US decide, but I think I am leaning strongly towards running the Melbourne Marathon if possible, providing I train well enough in the next 2 weeks or so, if I don't there is no way I am going over there to run 4.20 or slower, I want to be confident of going sub 4 hours and giving the 3.55 PB a very good shake! Decisions decisions, the paralysis of choice...

In that case I can hopefully do some reps in the week or so before to try and improve fitness enough to snare that PB, but my long run stuff must be done today and next week to give me time to recover for the race. So rather than wait another week (cos little chance of me getting away from home to do a long run any other time other than weekend, and the hills group is such a motivating place to run for me, I enjoy seeing other runners out there doing similiar and having a bit of a chat with a few of them) until I was fully over the flu (which was a very attractive soft option), I decided I would have to try and get out there today.
My biggest worry was not getting too close to anyone as I did not want to share my flu with other runners. Ended up running mostly on my own cos I was late, except for a few recognisable faces running back along the trail, and a brief chat with Phil B. who was doing a 40km in prep for Melbourne Marathon...

Lots!! of frogs and winter brooks, puddles and a bit cold at times. I wasted a lot of time getting gravel stones out of my shoes, and stopping to blow my nose a few times, so a messy run with too many short breaks, but still ok. Was never going to push the pace that much being still a bit sick, but thats not important the main thing was to be out there for over 3 hours and 33km...So mission accomplished for today! Was hoping to get back earlier to my wife Kathryn and baby Jacob, but it ended up taking a fair bit longer than expected. Overall a very satifactory run. Splits included 52min for 8km, 60min for 9.5km in Mundaring, 76min for 11km at Great Eastern Hwy, 90min for 13.5km at Sawyers Rd.

My new Deliverance CD from Soundmass came yesterday its called "As above so below", and I had a lot of this progressive speed metal songs in my head while I was running today spurring me on with songs like As above so below, Screaming (no not the lead screamo in our little family Mr Jacob), My Love, and so on....

However I am not! going to try and do any more reps until I am fully good to go, which hopefully is only a few days away.

So where to from here, I am not sure just yet, but hopefully its going to be somewhere good...and todays run consolidates and extends the gains i have made in the last few weeks. A satisfying and important run to do...