Sawyers Rd 27km

Saturday 24th May; Ran 27km in 2 hours 44min 56 secs.
Heart rate 150 at end. Average speed 6min 06 per km.
Darlington to Sawyers Rd and back course.
Splits 1.28.46/1.16.10
(Did the last 9.5km in 50minutes @ 5min 15 per km pace)...

Decided to throw in a big surge in the second half after taking it easy
with the Hills group B-team, (who are starting their long taper for the 89km Comrades race in June)Morts, and a few others, most of whom were doing the 33k course...Had some great chats about all things running in perfect running weather occasional light rain, beautiful views, two big kangaroos jumped out onto the trail as if to say; "come on see if you can stay with us!" hahahaha *LOL* :-)
What more can I say but I love running the railway heritage trail from Darlington...

Initially I was planning to run a fast 22km, but after 10 hours of meter reading yesterday, and getting to Great Eastern Hwy in 1 hour 15 I decided I'd rather enjoy the B-teams company a bit longer and get a longer run in...Only had 1 gatorade with me and was keen to get home to help out my wife, plus get started on my overtime work today, so decided not to go the whole 33km that the B-team was going although it was tempting.

I am starting a part-time evening job next week (got the nod to start 3 months probation in their callcentre yesterday), and looks like we have adjusted to the pays situation in my main job so hopefully the end of my finances woes is very close...My new part-time job has the option to go fulltime, but at this stage I am looking at keeping both jobs. Hopefully this extra time commitment doesnt impact too negatively on my running but have to get another income option on the board, so I don't get caught out when hard times come again...

Its my quickest time on that course by 8 minutes, compared to the 2hr 52 I did on 17th August 2007 in the leadup to my Melbourne Marathon run last year. See HERE for details of that run. Some other times I have done this run in the last two years are May 2007 and September 2006.
On the way back i was trying to push the pace after wasting some time in the first half on breaks at Mundaring and Glen Forrest, plus had to get gravel out of my shoes a few times from Sawyers Rd to Mundaring on the way back. In the last 7km Djc and a woman I dont know came past at about 5minutes per km so I worked hard to keep them in sight for a few km and started hitting some 5.00-5.30 per km sort of stuff...
Very happy! with run. Another long run in the bank, and pushing the last 6-9km will help me a lot in my quest to try and improve my times quickly. An LFD (long fast distance) run for the second half of the run...

Monday 19th May; Cycled 15minutes on exercise bike before work...


WEEK 10 (19/05/08-25/05/08);
Volume; 179min + 39hrs MR work. Sessions; 2 +MR
Best RHR; 49 bpm Sleep; 40hrs (5.71hrs per night) *35
OD/LSD; 27km long run 24/5
Races/Time trials/LFD; Last 13km (especially last 11km) of long run on 24/5 was LFDish...
Reps sessions;NIL
5-point strategy measures;
1-long run/ride etc done?-yes achieved.
2-2x reps/race/timetrial sessions done?-no failed
3-Abs done?- no failed
4-cycling done-yes achieved.
5-swim done?-no failed

Comments;...

velocity victories week 1

Sunday 18/5/08; AMish (1015start);
Ran 29km in 2hr 52min 36. HR-144 (5min 57 per km)
LSD (long slow distance) session, but about as high in intensity as one can go before it starts to become more of an LFD (Long Fast Distance) session.
On my TOLP (tour of local parks) course...4x6.75km + 2km hull park course.
6.75km splits; 37min 04 /43min 51 /39min 30 /40min 30
last 2km 11min 41

Nice solid long run...stopped twice for drinks breaks, and a few other times to get pebbles,bits of grass out of my shoes...Original plan was to do 27km, but once I got out there was feeling good, and decided to add another 2km onto it. Left knee aching a bit, from all the bitumen, and some concrete (but also lots of grassy sections in the parks), but overall no major problems.

Saturday 17/5/08; AM; 200 Abdominal Crunches.
Ran 1000m/500m/2x300m. (rests;3min/5min/3min)
Times; 3min 49.81/1min 53.97/59.75/61.25
Heart rates at end of rep; 177/174/177/177
Noranda Track midday, My wife Kathryn jogged for 6minutes, then ran a 400m.
Jacob who is now well past 9 months, went to sleep again on his second visit to the track in the pram.
I was thinking of doing a few more 300m reps, but some bloke turned up and let two large dogs run free all over the track, (illegal, but very common problem at ovals) so I decided rather than confrontation or try and do reps and fight off dogs from me, and potentially my wife and baby, I'd call it a day and go home instead.

Overall some good speedwork, with heart rates a bit lower than has been the norm for me in recent years, so maybe I am hitting a slightly higher level of fitness this week. Resting heart rate of 47 on one day this week supports that hypothesis, and my weight was 74.6kg this morning.

I think that short reps session combined with the 4000m last night should ramp things up for me a little fitnesswise too, and maybe , just maybe, we can put in a good 4 weeks between now and about the 15th June (Perth Half Marathon), which to me is the most crucial time in putting good training on the board for the Perth Marathon on July 6th. I have enough aerobic base in the bank already, and can easily maintain that, its the speed and fitness gains that will get me well into 3 hour territory if all goes well on the day I think.

Particularly happy with the 3.49 1km today as its been awhile (last time was 2nd March 2006!) since I have done a sub 3.50. That was one reason why I did the 1km rep first because I wanted to hit it while I was fully fresh. Hit 200m in 37 seconds, and then went through 400m in 1.25, 600m in about 2.14, 800m in 3.06, so 200m splits of 37/48/49/52/43, which is pretty decent...I felt comfortable, I think I could have got close to 3.40-3.45, if I had gone after it a bit more at the end.

Injury report;Kathryn had a bad day with her right knee flaring up laterally, while for me my left knee was a little tight posteriorly...So a nice short reps session. I think in the end Kathryn gained something today also...,if so a successful day at the track for us both.

Friday 16/5/08; PM; Ran 4000m timetrial in 17minutes 44.62seconds at Belmont track straight after just over 6 hours meter reading work, while waiting for the work traffic to clear a bit.
1km splits; 4.10/4.32/4.36/4.26. (Average speed; 4min 26 per km)

Heart rate was 186 at the end, thanks partly to a reasonably solid finish, but reckon I could have got it into the 190's or higher if I had gone hard to the line, I think that was a mistake, should have have finished off hard so will bring it home with a bit more intensity in the last 100m next time I do a timetrial, probably worth about 3 seconds... So probably was hitting high 170's heart rates most of the way. 400m splits (a little approximate as I am not sure I remembered the 2400m,2800m, and 3600m splits correctly); 1.34/1.39/1.50/1.46 1.53/1.51/1.53/1.50 1.49/1.39...

It was pretty close to pitch dark by about 1km, but I used the light on my watch, and the grass track at Gerry Archer was well marked with fairly new white marking, so didn't have any trouble seeing what I needed to.
Pretty satisfied with that timetrial as a marker for where I am at. Hopefully I can do it again in 4-5 weeks time and be greatly improved on the 17min 44 effort.

Thursday 15/5/08; AM; Cycled 20minutes on exercise bike very slowly Heart rate only made it to 90... Also did 150 Ab Crunches. An attempt to wake up, and start the day off a bit differently before work...Not a total failure, but not very awe inspiring either.
Probably worth something. Especially good to get the ab crunches done as I have not done them for a few weeks.


WEEK 9 (12/05/08-18/05/08);


Volume; 230min + 30hrs MR work. Sessions; 4 +MR

Best RHR; 47 bpm
Sleep; 46hrs (6.57hrs per night) *28


OD/LSD; 29km long run 18/5


Races/Time trials/LFD; 4000m 17.44 16/5

Reps sessions;1km/500m/300m/300m 3.49!/1.53/59/61 17/5


5-point strategy measures;
1-long run/ride etc done?-yes achieved.

2-2x reps/race/timetrial sessions done?-yes achieved just...
3-Abs done?-yes achieved x2

4-cycling done-yes achieved.

5-swim done?-no failed



Comments;...A half-decent week. Got long run done, had an ok 4000m time trial, and hit a 3.49 1k plus a few other short reps. Did not get the higher intensity stuff over 10-20k done that I planned, but overall, I think I made some progress this week, plus got a better heart rate, weight is still good, and feels like there is light at the end of the tunnel on all fronts. The next 5 weeks is crucial with the Perth Marathon only 8 weeks away now. Its do or die, now or never time in these next 5 weeks. I have probably one of the best aerobic base foundations I have had in the last 4-5 years, and, the short stuff has shown some good signs here and there. Seem to be adjusting better to the demands on my life, and am hopeful of some good training weeks in the next few weeks. Its still really despeerate stations a bit, but God willing a few blessings come my way, and some progress should start to be made...Feel like I have climbed up from the cliff face, and have taken my first step on the plateau in the right direction, so hopefully by next week, it will be 2 or 3 steps...

Looking back over my hard copy training book tonight, I get the impression I am hitting a good improvement curve this year, if I can keep the momentum ticking over.
Have sensed this several times this year (like my 46km on 24th March, and my 47min 10k at Matilda Bay in February for examples...), although it is very hard to predict a marathon effort, there are some signs I am ready to go deep into 3 hour territory this year, something I have not done since 2004, so I am quietly confident 2008 could be my best year ever so far with marathons, if I can keep progressing...

Camelot in smithereens

Sunday 11th May AM; Jammed in a quick 15min ride on the exercise bike, (Heart rate 126 after) as did my wife Kathryn, before heading off to Resturant for a Mothers Day lunch.

Hoping for a run in the PM maybe.

My post title "Camelot in smithereens" today inspired by this.....

This week I did 44 hours of meter reading over 6 days, drove several hundreds of km in a car that needs work, had a job interview (have another one tomorrow), and basically got pretty tired most nights, and enjoyed watching Jacob becoming a very energetic little boy...he is currently crawling around at a rapid rate...has his first two teeth, and maybe a few more on the way, is taking his first unassisted walking steps occasionally. The rent electricity,gas,phone/internet all under control for another week or so, might finally be starting to get somewhere financially but still some very tricky weeks ahead...A good part time second job, or preferably a new fulltimejob would be nice...(or a better setup in my current job but cant see that happening)...

Best resting heart rate for this week for me is 49, my weight is down to 74kg, (80kg at the beginning of the year), so some positives...


WEEK 8 (05/05/08-11/05/08);


Volume; 15min + 44hrs MR work. Sessions;1 +MR

Best RHR; 49 bpm
Sleep; 44hrs (6.25hrs per night) *47


OD/LSD; NIL


Races/Time trials/LFD; NIL

Reps sessions;NIL


5-point strategy measures;
1-long run/ride etc done?-no failed.

2-2x reps/race/timetrial sessions done?-no failed.
3-Abs done?-no failed

4-cycling done-yes 15minute easy ride on exercise bike.

5-swim done?-no failed



Comments;...Well I feel pleased with my efforts at work this week, had some success in some difficult environments there.
Racing weight is pretty good, heading towards low 70kg's now, maybe even get into the 60kg zone again havent done that for a few years....Resting heart rate while nothing incredible still dipping under the 50 so thats good. Getting a good nights sleep on Saturday and Thursday nights has done me a lot of good...but my training plans are in total smithereens again as far as this weeks concerned...although I think my aerobic base is well maintained by runs the last two weeks (33k and 77min tempo), and two very big weeks at work...Maybe next week, we will get there, if I hadn't been working overtime Saturday I would have gone to Hills group saturday. Maybe the 32k race on Sunday, although wasn't that keen...Maybe next week is all I can say...

77min Tempo run

Sunday 4th May 2008;
AM; Ran 15.5km Tempo run in 77min 37secs.
(5 min. 00 per km) HeartRate 159 at end.
2km split-9min 12 8.75km split 42min 16.

Heart rate was 48 this morning which is my best one for a few weeks, so was keen to get out there today, and consolidate the advantage...

Money and petrol resources still very low/on rations, so decided to give Hills group and Intervals a miss this weekend to save petrol, and try a Tempo run instead.
First of all took Kathryn and Jacob for a 33min walk, and then started my run about 10.20am...
I did 2km on my Hull Park course, then did 2 laps of my "7km local parks course", but upon remeasuring it just now, I think its more like 6.75km so I have decided to go with 15.5km as the approximate distance....At 8.75k I splitted in 42min 16 I stopped for about 1min 30 (left stopwatch running)and sculled a gatorade, my watch said 43min 47 when I started running again, so I made my 8.75km splits at 33.04 and about 33.50 (or 35.51 if you include the drinks stop time)...Felt pretty comfortable most of the way, and spent a high percentage of the run on grass or bitumen surfaces, there is two small hills, but mostly a pretty flat course...

So mostly ran just under or just over 5min per km, to average right on 5min per km...
Temperature about 20-22 degrees Celsius humidity about 45% so very nice conditions for running in...

Saturday 3rd May 2008;
AM; Cycled 15minutes on exercise bike. Heart rate 126 at end. Just a quick ride to try and get going for the day...



WEEK 7 (28/04/08-04/05/08);

Volume; 92min + 36hrs MR work. Sessions;2 +MR

Best RHR; 48 bpm Sleep; 46.5hrs (6.64hrs per night) *35


OD/LSD; NIL

Races/Time trials/LFD; NIL

Reps sessions;NIL

5-point strategy measures;
1-long run/ride etc done?-no failed.
2-2x reps/race/timetrial sessions done?-no failed.
3-Abs done?-no failed
4-cycling done-yes 15minute easy ride on exercise bike.
5-swim done?-no failed



Comments;...Did a 15.5km Tempo run instead just for something different, and becasue I figured that might be the most useful session for me where I was at this weekend.
Particularly with minimal petrol available. Not really progressing much, but keeping foot in the door of opportunity...