200min long run and 700m course PB

Sunday;
Ran 29km in 200minutes. (3hrs 20 minutes) @ 6min 53 perK...

HR 153 at end...OD/LSD

14.5km splits; 94min.04/106min 1 secs (6.29 per K /7.18 per K)


Organised to do a long run today with Aaron, who lives in a neighbouring suburb, and also completed 6 inch last year. Some good chats helped to pass the time, (and I was a whole lot more motivated than I would have been on my own, plus Aaron being significantly better than me at the moment, pushed me to run for longer, and at a higher intensity than what I would have on my own probably, especially in the last 1 hour) and ran mostly on trails which is good. Basically started on some trails near Thomsons Lake or whatever you want to call it (maybe Kogulup lake), and we headed out as far as the Canning Vale markets before coming back. Out and back 14.5km splits 94min.04/106min 1 secs.

Some cool sights and sounds including what looked like an old world war 1 style red biplane flying overhead, near Jandakot airport, which reminded me of the Red Baron... saw one rabbit, but no snakes, which is fine by me...

Surface was variable, with some soft sand, time on grassy parklands, bluemetal rocks, and bitumen, but mostly well packed limestone trail. Some small hills, some of which I really noticed on the way back. Had to climb over or get around gates about 6 or 7 times...

Temperature 16-25 degrees, so pretty nice, but once it got to 24 degrees, started to notice a difference. Humidity started off at about 80% so very,very high!, but dropped steadily to about 45% by the time we finished. Winds south/south-easterly at about 13-15 km/h, with gusts of 17-22km/h, which is the most comprehensive weather report, Ive ever done on a run I reckon...

Really enjoyed a downhill bit of trail in the last few km, which i used to pick up the momentum for a few hundred metres, but it took a lot of focus and intensity to do that, an that effort shattered me (probably got the heart rate into the 160's/170's) and I jogged the last 1km pretty much...

Heart rate 153 at the end, so a bit high for me at the end of a long run, and my legs were absolutely shot to pieces in the last 30 minutes, so some big gains from this one hopefully.
MapMyRun gave me a 29km distance....... Expected I would struggle from about 2 hours onwards, which i did...The last 30 minutes was pretty tough. Very tempting to walk, or at least throw in some walk breaks, but tried pretty much successfully to avoid that. Was starting to warm up a bit towards the end, and maybe the lack of sleep this week, (came into this run off 4 hours sleep after work finished at midnight as usual)the warm sun, and my stubborn stupidity in not filling my empty water bottle at the drink fountain near the freeway, contributed to the higher heart rate, or maybe it was more to do with it being a higher intensity run for me...not too sure...Just a bit higher heart rate, than I am used to at end of long runs, maybe Ive just got too slack intensitywise with my long runs. Don't want to run all my long runs too hard, but perhaps Ive been guilty of doing them all too slow...Need to find a happy medium in between, some slow, some faster...

Overall a fantastic long run on mostly good terrain. Big thanks to Aaron for running, and sharing some of his experiences, and hopefully next time he won't have to wait for me so many times, I need to get fitter, and improve my endurance lots, I felt pretty slow, and sluggish today at times.

Friday 19th;
Ran 18min up to summit and back with Jacob in pram. Not motivated. Very fartlekish. Had fun, but pretty pathetic effort at a run.

Tuesday 16th;
Ran 3.5km Tempo style in 17min 14 @ 4.55 per K...HR 171.
700m splits; 3.17/3.22/3.33/3.32/3.28

7 minute rest, then;

700m in 2min 34secs. HR 180.
(6 second ***course*** PB!!! @ 3.40 per K, so a mini-breakthrough that one...)

Felt really good in the 700m, really moving and breathing the best Ive felt for a long time... which I completed 30 secs before the soccer blokes turned off the floodlights at the oval.

For the 3.5km I didnt feel like attacking, and felt I needed a relaxed start after feeling a bit worn from work that day, so instead of going hard on the first 700m, I tried to be a lot more controlled, and took it out in a relaxed 3.17, and then just tried to hit a comfortable but solid pace which I did.
700m splits; 3.17/3.22/3.33/3.32/3.28

Significant improvement on the 17.32/2.41 I did for identical session on January 22nd this year. Plus my rest period was 7 minutes this time compared to 10 minutes on January 22nd...
Very pleasing, especially the 700m rep...!

The challenge is to find good slots of time (and more importantly developing the endurance/fitness sufficiently) where I can attack for 7km or more at 4.40 to 4.30 per K, or faster in a sustained manner), instead of just doing half-baked sessions like this week (with the exception of the 200minute long run, which was exactly what I am aiming to do). So I know where I want to head for short term goals in 2k to 21k, just need to make some serious progress on getting there. My raw speed if anything is getting better, and fairly happy with that side of things.

Very important to finally nail a February long run, (the Busselton Half wouldnt be enough on its own) so far in the first 2 months this year, Ive had a 2 hr run, a pretty good 3hr run in Darlington, the Busselton Half, and todays very solid 3 hr effort. Thats only 4 runs of 2hrs or more in 2 months. Its an adequate start to the year, but I will expect myself to step it up a lot from this rather pathetic start to the year, but I am trying to be patient as my main goal races are Perth in June, and Melbourne in October. The rest dont matter as much.
My Kep 75km and 40 miler chances are not looking very good at the moment, but I am not going to rule them out just yet. I think the main thing is to keep building, and maintain forward m omentum if thats possible. I guess until our Baby is born in May/June, its going to be hard to relax mentally, or commit myself too much, and I am also a little nervous about what its going to be like with 2 young children, in our difficult setup....

Then there is Nathans 12hour/6hour/3 hour race next week. Part of me says "I dont have a definite lap counter, its too big a time commitment, and I am not well trained for it, and I dont have much money for the entry fee.., and I should be trying to get a better day job, and look after my wife and kid, not doing time consuming races, that can wait for another year", but the other thought is "its an opportunity an adventure, something I'd like to explore, I can probably get a lap counter on the day, and I can at least sleep in beforehand, and maybe I can get the money together if I really, want top, and its an opportunity to put the unfair advantage I have from meter reading to use... "...so I am very much in two minds about it.

So a better week this week, but where to from here? ???????

Well done Jared & Claire Tallent!

Tallent=ed two win
Well they won the Australian 20km walk championship on the weekend. Jared and Clair Tallent that is, in 1hr 19 and 1hr 32 respectively. This Hobart meet was also a IAAF Racewalk challenge meet, and also the trials for the New Delhi Commonwealth Games this year.
I managed to say hello to Jared again as he racewalked his way past me again in the Melbourne Marathon last year, and achieved his goal of racewalking the Melbourne Marathon in under 3hrs 10 minutes. Pretty significant gathering of New Zealanders, a Swede, Japanese and Mexicans came over for this one, so a very international flavour to this race...A bit like the Sydney Olympics trial 20km walk I did back in February 2000 in a 1.54...

My wife Kathryn and I wore our Nathan Deakes shirts today, but in his first major comeback race Nathan pulled out about 10km into it, so not a happy day for him...

Training this week, well it didn't happen. I had a very! stressful week at work, but I did one metering round, where I ran hard all the way and didnt carry drinks, including some sections where I had to run 200m-1200m between meters, so after about 3-4 hours of that in hot conditions, I was very tired. About 2hrs in I spotted a water fountain in a park, and I was very glad to see that. Didn't carry drinks like usual as I was in an urgent hurry to clear a round in time. On the weekend I had plans of joining one of two 38km long runs I knew of and of maybe racing the 5km at Pt Walter, but between work, and other commitments, I didn't really have much opportunity, so essentially another! nothing week...not good, all I can do is hope for better opportunities next week...

I registered for Strands.com today, its a bit like facebook for athletes according to biscuitman...Something else fun to explore. Guess its a direct competitor to MapMYrun etc too in some ways...and I wrote a brief BIO of some of the main points of my Racewalking and Running history so far. It is as follows;

***Boredom alert***

Became a Christian really early, and despite the mistakes I make, my relationship with the Creator, who sent His Son to pay for our sins, is still no 1 thing for me.

Married Kathryn in 2006. She had our first child in 2007. Still married, and another child on the way due in 2010.

Ran lots at school and little athletics as a kid with a 1500m PB of 4.52 in 1990 as a 16 year old at Interschool, one of the highlights, as was jumping 4m 65 in the long jump as an 11 year old, running 100m in 13.3secs, and 200m in 27.9 seconds as an 11 year old, and a 400m in about 67 seconds as an 11 year old. As a 12 year old in 1987 I got my first state medal in the 1500m walk with a 7min 58 secs effort.

By 1989 I was state little athletics champion, thrashing a future AFL umpire in the process, and setting a new PR with 6min 54 secs in Brisbane with 9th place at the u/16 nationals. Won a national team medal gold with Glen Bucar, and Michael Bissett, at the Australian U/18 8km walk in 1989. Did my first 20km walk in 1989, and improved my time to 1hr 51min for the 20km in 1990 as a 16 year old, broke the state u/16 residential 5km walk record with a 25.34, and then went on to set and break the u/18 10km walk record about 3-4 times with a 48.28 in 1993 my final state record. One of theose state records, a 49.53 in 1992 was a major breakthrough for me, which got the notice of the Australian selectors for the 1992? World Juniors team.

Unfortunately due to lack of money (story of my life), and desire to concentrate on trying to get into university (dum idea!) I didn't follow this Australian selection chance through properly. One of the biggest regrets of my life. Also had a 30km walk best of 2hr 53min? by 1993. Finally got into Uni in 1994, didnt race or train again much or well until 1996, when I took the state 5km walk championship race in 23min 36. Still my PR at that distance as a racewalker. Got injured and lost enthusiasm.

In 1997 I ran my first Bridges 10km, a fun run I have done 13 times since, every year since 1997 right up to 2009, although I did the 5km in 2000 and one other year. In late 1997 I got racewalking again, and improved my 30km time to 2hr 50min which is still my PB. By 1998 I had set a new 20km walk PB of 1hr 46min, and ran my second Bridges 10km in 41min 01 secs, still my 10k PB to this day.

Was severely injured (tore ankle ligaments in a volleyball game, and was in a plaster cast for several months, while living at student village in mid 1998. Bounced back to finish off 1998 with 6th place in 5hrs 38min in my first 50km walk race, the Australian championships and world cup trial in Melbourne near Albert Park Lake. In 1999 I was struggling financially and trying to finish off my university degree, and I succeeded in getting my degree, but had to pass up the chance to race for WA in several important 20km walk races in Canberra and other parts of Eastern Australia. This made it hard to stay motivated, but I managed to get over to Melbourne and compete in my second 50km walk Australian Championship race, which was also the trials for the Sydney Olympics. I dropped out at 44km as I could see I was going to finish in over 6 hours, as I wasnt well prepared enough, despite being competitive early on in the race.

In 2000 I had an unforgettable, memorable experience racing the Sydney Olympics 20km walk trial and Australian championship on the Olympic course, and my 1hr 54min effort, although 8 minutes outside my PB was respectable. A series of knee injuries after that has stopped me racewalking ever since. However I hobbled though the Bridges 5k in 2001, and by 2002 I was running well again, doing a 5k in under 22 minutes, and trying some short triathlons.

Eventually the pain in my knees settled, (but to this day have never racewalked again), and by 2003 I ran my first Half Marathon and in 2004 I ran my first Marathon which is still my PB despite finishing another 9 marathons at Rottnest,Perth (6 in a row as of 2009), and Melbourne 2007, 2009. Lost fitness and focus a bit gettng married in 2006, and when we had our first child in 2007. I came within 8 seconds of my Marathon PB in 2008, and should have broken it in Melbourne 2009, but for a very long unscheduled toilet break, (ate too close to the race).

Have also run a very tough off-road 46km trails race called 6 inch 4 times in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009. Set a new PB in that with 6hrs 16 in 2009. Dabbled with a bit of cycling for my marathon training since 2004, to help rest the knees, and did the 30km Freeway bike hike in 2005 and 2007. Graduated to the 60km Freeway Bikehike in 2009. Knees have got rather sore again in 2009/2010, and its hard to find the money and time to keep going, but I know from past experience if I stop chasing the dreams God has allowed me to have, I will probably be back again in a year or two with lots of lost training time to make up for, so I try to push on. My 6 inch 46km off-road result in December 2009, and 2009 Melbourne Marathon in October have given me hope that PB's are still possible...

1.52.50 Busso HALF is 2010 racing attack genesis

Well my Busselton Half Marathon Experience was a huge success. The 1.52.50 time (5 minutes 20 secs per Km) was a reasonably good start to 2010. Heart rate was 180 at the end, which is a bit on the low side, especially as I charged up the rocketboosters a little in the last 100m to sneak past someone at the finish...Beware if you are less than 100m ahead of me at the finish as I will more than likely try and run you down, its a racing instinct, thats very well developed in me...
I'm in 3 photos @ HERE...

James Webster won it in 1.19.11
David Kennedy was 2nd in 1.19.54 Michael Baldock 3rd in 1.21.10.
Tina Major 4th in 1.21 Kate Bevilaqua the 2nd woman in 1.29.

Results of Half, 10km, 5km, and 5km racewalk @ HERE

David Kennedy, Djefa, Nathan, Brett, and Mark, are all 6 inch finishers who all make up 20% of the top 25 in yesterdays Busselton Half Marathon...
Fast and very nice course, and very well organised, was a good mini-running holiday opportunity I thought, and I hope to be back again next year...

Now Ive got more photos online to buy woohoo...

Training this week;
I feel like I have a few of the major pieces in place that I want for the 2010 attack, but just need to tweak a few things (and a better day job wouldnt hurt!), and with Gods help maybe can keep the financial juggling act going, and the new baby goes alright, maybe I can hit a best ever level of training (at least since I started marathoning in 2004)and racing in 2010...

Sunday 7th February. NIL...
After the Saturday experience which was good at the start, but by the end of a 21 hour day, which began in Busselton at 0500, followed by Half Marathon race, junk food, 2 hour drive home, via my wifes friends place for a bit, then rush off to my night job straightaway for an 8 hour shift (still no shower after the half-marathon, was going to at the hotel, but someone forgot to tell the cleaning staff we were checking out 1 hour later), massive struggle to stay awake on the phones until 0100...then massive struggle to stay awake and get home on the roads (although cranking up Mortification Scrolls of the Megilloth (another reason to say thank God for Mortification)...at maximum volume in the car stereo on the freeway, and squirting water at your face, headbanging and growling, makes it pretty hard to micro-sleep, and would scare the heck out of any drivers nearby, unless they are a bit of a metalhead like me, and then they might give me a big tumbs up. growl a yEah/Mortification, Mortification,mortification, join in with the song, or something...hahaha..), almost running into the back of a paddy wagon that decided to park in the middle of a dark, shaded road with its lights off, while the policemen were apprehending or advising a large group of indigenous people...I guess they didnt expect much traffic at 0150, but still...
Got sweaty shoes off, which I ran the Half in, 16 hours earlier, then ate food my darling wife had left in the microwave for me as per usual, and fell asleep on the couch with plate between my knees as has happened a few times in the last 18 months...

So Sunday I slept in until 0800, took Kathryn and I's wonderful 2 year old for a walk to the shops, and let him enjoy the fun of watering the front garden, hes done it 3 times now I think, and he is fast becoming very good at helping with chores around the house, plus learning new words to say every day...Then it was breakfast, then off they went to visit my wifes mother across the other side of Perth...I spent the day going through training books, eating junk food, catching up on the Busselton Half info and photos, blogging like I am doing now, cleaning up the cats messes, and doing a load of washing...So the story for sunday has ended up being...; ...training what training...hahaha...

Tomorrow its back to the double job thing, and I have a lot of night work in the week, so maybe in a few days time I can start trying to build on the momentum again...

Saturday 6th February 2010 A.D.;
Ran for 12minutes along the path looking out onto the ocean near our hotel @ about 0530hrs, up to Norman Rd and back. No idea of the distance, and don't really care...

Just a wake-up run, to ease my nerves before the Busselton Half, and try and help me to get my No 2's done in the toilet, which I seem to have had a lot of trouble with before big races, in recent years...
Maybe I've got colon cancer or something, or more likely maybe I'm just a big worry merchant, but I've had some bad experiences (the most costly being the 16 minute toilet break in melbourne Marathon in 2009, which cost me a PB I reckon, although I think that that was mostly due to me having a massive meal at 1am-2am too close to race start...) with No'2s suddenly appearing from nowhere in recent years in races and training and at work
Anyhow it seemed to work this time, and I had a good incident free Busselton Half race 2 hrs later...

Wednesday 4th February 2010 A.D.;
Ran 2000m in 8min 42 secs @ 4.21 per KM...HR 180.
5 laps of 400m track at Gerry Archer in Belmont.
400m splits;
1.23/1.48/1.49/1.58/1.44
Had to deal with soccer players kicking balls across the track a little...
Plus I didnt like some of the odour I was breathing in from them every time I came down the home straight, reckon it gave me a cough for a few hours...
Last minute decision after meter reading round in Vic Park, to go find a track get a quick speed session in...Had thoughts of doing 2km reps, but figured (a) I need to get home, and (b) I didnt like the training environment there much anyhow...

Solid start, ok run, except I felt like I was struggling too much in the last 800m, was trying to get the feel of running at about 4.30's per K again, and also see if I could push towards the low 8 minute range. Seeing as I have not gone under 8 minutes for 2km for many years now, I figure it would be nice to try and break the 8 minute barrier again in 2010...Located a 7.07 2km rep time from 22/8/1997 in old training diary records, so that my be my best time for a 2km rep...Obviously given that is 13 years ago, when I was 23 years of age in my peak physical power, I may find it very hard to do that again if ever at almost 36 years of age...However there is no harm in pushing the limits and trying to do so...or at least seeing how close I can get to it again...My overweightness has been sitting around the 79-81kg this week (so not much better, but certainly no worse, pretty static), so I figure if I can drop 5-10kg this year, that might help me to go well into the sub 8 minute, (maybe, just maybe even sub 6min or at least sub 7min) realm for a 2km...anyhow a satisfactory speed drill, but not a reps session...

Tuesday 2nd February 2010 A.D.
Ran 7km in 35min 17 seconds @ 5.02 per KM...HR 183. A PB by 12 seconds on this course!
3.5km splits 17.15/18.02
700m splits; 2.53/3.19/3.40/3.40/3.43///3.39/3.45/3.43/3.34/3.20
Course is 10 laps of B. Oval
Nice to knock off my PB from last year on this course by 12 seconds, and I didn't really go for broke at the finish so I reckon I could have found another 5-10 seconds, but decided to just try and tone down the finish a bit (although I still came home strongly) to try and get a heart rate close to what I was running at for most of the way, rather than smash myself in the last 200m for a 35.10 and bump the heart rate into the 190 zone...

Went out pretty solid PRE-ish, without really putting the pedal fully to the metal, and then tried to settle quickly into something sustainable, which i think I did given that 6 of my middle 700m splits are between 3.39 and 3.45, with only the first 1400m and the last 1400m faster...This is the course that I thought was 800m last year, but after checking it on the google maps stuff on Mapmyrun the other week, I am convinced its more like 700m...

Pretty happy with a solid start to training this week.

I think a weekly, or at least fortnightly long run (2-4 hours) is the key session for me. Everything else is a lower priority, although its the quality of everything else, that will bring my times down...but if your long run/s (maybe a midweek long run too especially if I ever stop meter reading, which i think almost qualifies as a mid-week long run) base stays solid most weeks, then you have the foundation to race Halfs, Marathons, and some Ultras at the drop of a hat (as I pretty much did this weekend), and do ok. To improve my times, where I am at, requires me to sustain better lifestyle for 4-10 weeks, and get some high quality short sessions and racing going on a regular, (rather than irregular basis), and then just keep building the level...There are other ways to do it too, like for example if you do double sessions enough and well, you can almost do away with the long run, because you are doing so much every day...The way the Kenyans training program starts off in October seems to be a bit like this, and some of the faster marathoners seem to do this too, operate on 90min long runs, and do lots of high quality short stuff, maybe 10-20 sessions a week...Kelly E's New York prep for her 3.14 a few years ago is one that comes to my mind...

My life is way too chaotic to do that at the moment, so I need to have a good long run in place most weeks, as finding 3-10 sessions a week, is probably the best I can do at the moment, and even thats hard...When I was preparing for Melbourne last year, week 1 was good, weeks 2-3 were pathetic, and then I hit a solid, though nothing spectacular regime of 7 weeks straight where I got my long run done every week (except week 9 where I tapered and dropped the long run from the program intentionally), and did 2 or 3 high quality short sessions of 5k-12k or less, which really drive the momentum hard, in bringing my times down and my fitness up...Nic Bedeau (spelling) talked about his athletes getting into a state of "flow" (Dave K. and I, Courtney Carter and about 30 or 40 of the young guns of track running mostly...(I felt a bit out of place, like I wasn't good enough to be there or something) were at AK reserve to hear him speak there last year), when they had momentum, the PB's started falling, and the athletes in his group started beating some big names like when Mottram beat Bekele in a race I think he said...I think the principle is the same for all athletes...when you have momentum in your training and racing your progress snowballs, and suddenly you have peaks on your peaks, and you start smashing the PB's week after week when that happens...While I havent smashed any dinkum racing PB's much in recent years, (with the possible exceptions of my 6 inch PB in December 2009, and my oh so close 3hrs 55min 10 secs in the 2008 Perth Marathon, and of course Melbourne Marathon 2009), in the last 7 weeks of my buildup to the 2009 Melbourne Marathon I felt like I had momentum, my times were coming down week after week, and the climax was in weeks 9 and 10.

In week 9, my full Yasso 10x800's session with a 3.18 average, the 10k rep session in 45.00, Freo 5k race in 22.53, and then in week 10 a resting heart rate of 41 a few days before the 2009 Melbourne Marathon, which is the lowest I have ever recorded, and a TAN (3.8km) run in 19.02 2 days before, were all evidence, I had a bit of "flow", a state of continous snowballing improvement that was going places...

That is the seventh heaven of the athlete, those weeks when all the pennys are dropping and you feel like you are champion of your little world, and everything is working, to quote a legendary indigenous tune from a Yothu Yindi song, "its like the world is turning right"...Thats what I am striving for this year, to get back to that level again at some point in 2010. I had a glimpse of it in September/October 2010, and another hint, when I was able to land that 6 inch PB in December 2009. If I can get back to that level, and sustain it for a few weeks, or preferably for a few months, then some of the big goals will start to be achieved...and I will with the Masters help be able to turn up the power for His glory! hopefully...

Finding good long run options is one of my challenges;
some options I have;
-OPTION 1; Run in Darlington on a saturday morning with hills group.
PROS; Fantastic running trails, arguably the best terrain in Perth from Darlington to Mt Helena. Experienced regular, focused runners, some of the best in Perth, and a variety of ability/levels of performance..I know people there. I know the main routes well. Saturday is a good day of the week for me to get there... Good company to chat with, and help pass the time during long runs. Inspires one to train and race better. Helps one to get more involved in WAMC.
CONS; Its a long drive to get there (40-60minutes at least), which is a big time and petrol chewer for me...Sometimes they run too much hills, or too far, or some of the people there are too fast, (or they want to go faster than I want to in a long run) for me to run with...The core group are focused on Comrades, which is not my focus now due to the expense being way out of my league at the moment, and it not being a main goal for me just now (89km on hilly hard roads is not something I'm really keen on at the moment) , so I feel like I am feeding off them, and that maybe I am not welcome there for some reason...or I don't fit in/belong there...
I may get too involved with WAMC with my limited resources, which=conflicts of interest...

-OPTION 2; Run with Robs sunday Kep group...
PROS; similiar terrain to the Darlington group. Some dinkum runners, who seem a little less la-de-dah, snobby, maybe...or maybe not...A lot of enthusiasm amongst the runners. My chances of doing Kep in next few years much more likely than my chances of doing Comrades...I know some of the people. Sometimes Sunday might be a better option for me, especially if I dont get out there on a Saturday. Good company to chat with, and help pass the time during long runs.
Inspires one to train and race better.
CONS; Again its a long drive for me to get there, probably further than Darlington group mostly. A massive chewer of my very limited time and petrol money. Point to point setups, which i dislike a lot, much prefer an out and back setup. Difficulty in recovering from my saturday night work in time to be there for these ones... Distances sometimes too far. Courses somtimes too hilly and technical. Pace might be faster than I want to go in a long run...I may not be able to, or may not want to do Kep this year, or maybe not even for a few years, and if I am not doing Kep then I will feel like I dont belong with this group...

OPTION 3; Try and run with local people in local areas.
PROS; Probably less petrol and time commitment, so easier to do, and sustain on a more regular basis. Get to know local trails and paths better, which I can also use alone. Good company to chat with, and help pass the time during long runs. Inspires one to train and race better.
CONS; Dont know a lot of running people locally, dont know lots of good trails nearby yet. Concerned they want to run in the snake-infested toxic industrial wasteland areas nearby, or too much on bitumen...Finding good times with 1or 2 people can be tricky, and I need to protect my family from people who might not be good people to hang out with. They may be too fast for me to run with, or where they want to run (might be too hilly/hard surfaces is not where I want to run...Dave and Nathan too fast or too far for me to do long runs with unless they have done 4 hours before I start...Aaron? others?

OPTION 4; Run on my own.
PROS; easier to organise. I go when I have time, when I am ready, and without pressure of fitting in with others... If I want to explore, or change route, change pace, or go home early or later, or walk, or whatever I want I can probably do it very easily, as I dont have to fit in with anyone else. I can modify what i am doing to get maximum training benefit while I am out there...Can easily reduce time and money costs, by using the inherent flexinility etc...
I'm not restricted by other peoples training and racing agendas, only my own...Can go at night, or in whatever weather..the solitude the peacefulness of being on your own, the prisitine beauty of surroundings/terrain/wildlife etc that God has made is there for me to enjoy at my leisure...
CONS; no company gets a bit lonely. Can be hard to get motivated and inspired, take things up a notch sometimes. The lack of interaction = less progress in training. Potential for negative emotions, and if something goes wrong, harder for me to get help.

So all options have their pros and cons, i guess the main thing is I keep them ticking over, maybe a mixture of all 4 options is the way to go, like a fruit salad...

ULTRAS
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Ultra thoughts, to ULTRA or not to ULTRA that is the question;
ULTRAS are not my major focus, and while I am happy to dabble with them, I am not really focused on them, running ultras to me is interesting, but right now its not something that will get me out of bed in the morning to pursue...I guess my thinking is still that running Ultras is something I might be more interested in when I've lost my speed. more. Lets face it you dont need to run 3min 50 per km or 100m in 15 seconds to be a good ULTRA runner. The fact that I can still run 100m in 15 seconds or better means I should use that speed in shorter distances I think, and save the ultras pursuit until I have more time on my hands, and I cant run 100m in 15 seconds anymore...Thats why anything over 50km or 12 hours just doesnt grab my interest that much at the moment. My other dilemma with ultras, is will it push my injuries to breaking point, or will my injuries get so bad later in life I cant do ultras then...So I am in 2 minds, about them, but at the moment I am leaning towards trying to stick with 6 inch/6 foot dreams, finishinhg the 40 miler race under kutoff, maybe a 50km maybe the Kep 75km maybe a 6 hr or 12 hour race, maybe even Comrades 89km or a 100km race, but nothing more for now, and if I dont do another ULTRA (like 6 inch or longer) ever again, I dont think I would care that much...The hassle of getting lap counters and crew is another thing that annoys me about ULTRAS...But then again it might be a good option especially if my life ever gets less busy, and if my injuries improve. I guess the Centurions 100 miles racewalking in under 24 hrs is one race, I'd like to do since my racewalking coach and a guy I trained with have done it...but not just now...I'd rather use the time and effort for other things just now...
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Melbourne Marathon Missions stats;
Here is some interesting stats I discovered today while analysing some of my training stats from the 10 weeks prior to my Melbourne Marathon runs in 2007-2009.

Average minutes trained per week (over 10 weeks):
123min (2007) 149min (2008) 223min (2009)

Average best resting heart rates (over 10 weeks);
49.8 bpm(2007) 48.4 bpm(2008) 43.4 bpm(2009)

Average hours slept per night (over 10 weeks);
5.90 hrs (2007) 5.72hrs (2008) 6.15hrs (2009)

Average weekly no of training sessions (for 10 weeks);
0.9 (2007) 1.9 (2008) 3.00 (2009)


Here are my racing splits for the first 30km of the 2007,2008 (only made it to 23km), and 2009 Melbourne Marathons;

2007 .....2008........2009

5km; 25.15?.....23.50.......23.10

7km; 35.15?.....33.40.......32.59

10km 50.00......48.58.......48.25?

12km; 61.30?.....63.45.......58.50

14km; --- ---- 68.39

15km; --- 79.40.......73.55

21.1km;1hr 56min....1hr56min....1hr 47min

28km 2hrs 46min?...---........2hrs 44min

30km 2hrs 58min? --- 2hrs 56min


2010 Busselton Half Marathon thoughts, race report and results;
Doing the Busselton Half has totally renewed my enthusiasm for the year, and hopefully will help me stay motivated in the next few weeks...
some splits;
1km splits; 4.07/4.43/4.45/4.50/5.00= 23.25 for first 5km...
(so 2km in 8.50, 3km in 13.35, and 4km in 18.25)

10.55km splits; 52.18/60.32= 1.52.50 for 21.1km. (so sub 5 minutes per K (1.44 pace) for the first 10.55km)
5.27km splits; 24.41/27.37/approx. 33 minutes/approx. 26 minutes

The course had 1km markers for the first 5km the rest of the race had no markers, but it was 2 laps of an out and back course so I had a pretty good idea (by using the first 5km of markers) of what I was doing, and I was hitting around 5.10-5.30 per K with some 5.50 per K bits for the last 14km or so...I wasted about 3 minutes at the halfway point (about 10.6km) grabbing the two drinks I had stashed there, and walking for awhile drinking one of them...I carried the other one with me for the next 5km and sipped it, as the temperature started to warm up a little after 9am...so thats part of the reason my 3rd 5.27km split is so slow (33minutes)...
But its also lack of good training in the last 2 months, plus I found it hard to hit a good rhythm once I let the sub 5 minutes per Km runners go...Once I finished my second drink I was able to start getting things going again, and passed a few people in the last 4km...

Was nice to see lots of people I know before and afterwards. Kilee and Trevor were there doing triathlon training, they just happened to be driving in front of us as we drove into the carpark, and I said to my wife, looks like there are some serious triathletes here today also...with the bikes they had on the back of their car, with drinks all ready to be used...

Mighty Mick Francis decided to do a 30km training run to the startpoint.
Anne (who I remember from my Hiking Camp days, and Uni days) raced the 5km, I think in a PB.
Dave got 2nd, Nathan made the top 20, Kate had I think her first race back since she had her baby, and I chatted with Mark from 6 inch 2009 before the race...

Nice to see Don & Christine and Gary and Geraldine out there too...Don passed me some time in the 2nd 5.27km section, and I managed to hold off Christine until the halfway mark (10.55km)...
Brings back good memories of good long runs in the Darlington Hills...

My heavily pregnant wife and 2 year old were there at the start but they wanted breakfast, so they walked about 20-30minutes to McDonalds, and then another 20-30 minutes back just in time to see me finishing. Was awesome that they could be there...so I think the $90 for the room, and the hassle on Friday and Saturday with my work commitments was worth it... Hope to be back again next year with a much faster time...

Here is my Cool Running post about the Busselton Half;

Nice to see 6 inch legends Dave, Nate, Djefa, Brett and Mark all in the top 25...

So 6 inch finishers did well, which suggests 6 inch is good for you? when 20% of the top 25 are 6 inch finishers...
http://results.racetectiming.com/Results.a...=2015&EId=1

The race was won by James Webster from Bunbury Runners in 1.19.17.

Dave was leading for much of the way, but got overhauled towards the end to finish in 1.19.54, and just held off Michael Baldock (who some of you might remember as the winner of the 40 miler last year
see 40 miler results 2009. Michael also took a turn at leading a lot of the way, but faded to 3rd in 1.21.10.

One of the best female runners in WA in recent years in Tina Major (arguably our next best Marathoner after Australian 2006 Commonwealth Games representative Lauren Shelley if I remember rightly) was 4th in 1.21.33, which is a fantastic run! which should send alarm bells to all the best female runners in WA...
The 2nd Woman was Kate Bevilaqua in 1.29.58.

I also took a turn at leading (couldn't miss the chance to please my fans) for a minute or 2...,as did Nathan in the first 500m...
One of the front bunch runners kindly advised everyone "that the rule is you cant pass Trailblazer in the first 1km", which i was very much happy with, except I decided to opt out and let them get on with it about 500m-700m in...as 1km leading them at about 3.45-3.50 per K, would have really stuffed me up for the next few km, but I would have done it if there had been TV cameras...speaking of which there was lots of normal cameras on the course so reckon I might have got a pic out there...
***UPDATE***Have spotted myself out there in at least 3 of them...
See;
HERE

I finished 90th in 1.52.50,
http://results.racetectiming.com/Results.a...=2015&EId=1
which was a little on the disappointing side as I was hoping to squeak under 1.50, but probably one of my best starts to racing for many years...Was pleased with my first 10.5km in 52.18, and my 1km split of 4.07, 2km split of 8.50, 3km split of 13.35, and 5km split of 23.25 were all pretty much right what I wanted in this one, just need to work on extending that sort of speed for much longer...Given that I only really decided to race this one about 1 week beforehand, I couldnt have expected much more, although it would have been nice to get under 1.50.

Good to see "the abusive marshal from hell" out there too, and he gave me some extra motivation in the 2nd lap, by claiming he was going to reel me in... which probably helped me to avoid slipping out over 1.55...

A few hills group legends people out there like Don & Christine, Gary & Geraldine for example...

Grahak Cunningham also made the top 20 with a 1.29, who many of you might remember from that 3100? mile race he did in USA...and I think he was one of the speakers at the Ultra running seminar the other weekend. Mick Francis and some triathletes that TurtleRunner knows well, were there also checking out the race, but they had important training to do instead...but it was very nice to see lots of familiar faces out there...

Timing system was those bands on your ankles, timing mats just like the triathletes use...and overall a very relaxed atmosphere, but extremely well organised I thought. 1k markers for the first 5k did the job...Half Marathon was on an out and back 5.25km course, and we did 2 laps. Course was pretty much dead flat, and I saw some ironman symbols painted on the cyclepath, plus some of the chalk messages still there leftover from Ironman WA in December.
Along with Perth Half, and Freo Half, right up there with the fastest HALF course I have run on, and I reckon there is a very strong chance I will try and be back again next year.

A few other people I know did the 5km run which i didnt see at all as I was out doing my second lap. 5km won by Glenn Martinovich in 17.49, with a well known name from the WA masters scene in Bjorn Dybdahl 3rd in 18.24. http://results.racetectiming.com/Results.a...=2015&EId=3

There was a 10km run also which was won by Clemens Schmitt in 37.31.
http://results.racetectiming.com/Results.a...=2015&EId=2

They also had a 5km racewalk which was won by Garry Hastie (from Bunbury?) in 25.09.
http://results.racetectiming.com/Results.a...=2015&EId=4
I remember racing against him in the 1990's or late 80's so good to see he is still going strong...

Took my wife and 2 year old down, they enjoyed watching a bit I think, and did about a 40min morning walk themselves, so was a good family mini-holiday although a bit rushed due to my work commitments on Friday and Saturday) for us I think, maybe... The new highway means its only about a 2 hour drive there now, maybe a bit closer to 3 hours if you come from the northern suburbs....

so really enjoyed having a solid hitout to kick off my racing for the year, and catching up with various people there...

Race website

Bunbury Runners Club
which organises the Bunbury Marathon, (50km and HALF on same day), which is on 16th May this year see Bunbury Runners

The Busselton Swim which was a big event today has a website @
HERE

So just to summarise the main points;

James Webster won it in 1.19.11
David Kennedy was 2nd in 1.19.54 Michael Baldock 3rd in 1.21.10.
Tina Major 4th in 1.21 Kate Bevilaqua the 2nd woman in 1.29.

Results of Half, 10km, 5km, and 5km racewalk @ HERE

David Kennedy, Djefa, Nathan, Brett, and Mark, are all 6 inch finishers who all make up 20% of the top 25 in yesterdays Busselton Half Marathon...
Fast and very nice course, and very well organised, was a good mini-running holiday opportunity I thought, and I hope to be back again next year...

Now Ive got more photos online to buy...woohoo

Bring on the Busselton Half Marathon!

Getting excited about the prospect of testing out my Saucony Hurricanes in a race on the flat fast course of the Busselton Half Marathon. Probably on part of the Busselton Ironman Triathlon course. Booked a room last night for $90, and now just trying to convince my heavily pregnant wife to come too...Although not 100% necessary, and more logistically challenging if toddler comes too, I'd prefer it if she can be there too...but either way I'm going. Not well prepared, but still reckon I am up for a good hitout, and need something to motivate things.

Trainingwise the last week of January was another non-event. Only 1 run all week and it was rubbish...Did a Fartlekish 28min run on my summit course on Friday with my toddler Jacob in a very cheapo pram, which was less than ideal to run with... Flat out with both jobs all week, logged 59 hours of work, and only 34.5 hours sleep i.e. 4.92 hours on average per night for the week. My second lowest amount of sleep for a week in the last 2 years, and I think maybe of all-time. Just way too flat out. Just very few good training opportunities. Saturday busy going to a wedding of Uni friends. Was awesome, but a big time commitment. Had to leave thew reception early as my night job kicked in at 4pm...Would have been cool to go to Ultra running Seminar, or hills group in AM but no time for either...

Sunday spent several hours on training plan for year, and have completed the basic annual plan so thats one major thing on the to-do list done, although I am yet to incorporate the Kenyan training ideas into it, but I have my 10 week plans for Perth and Melbourne Marathons mapped out, and my yearly plan basic framework is done, just a few refinements to add, plus see what I can get on the board on a weekly basis, try and improve on 2009. 2009 ended up being arguably my best year since 2005 with the 6 inch PB, some sub 23 min 5k races, and Melbourne being a semi-success (and possibly would have snagged that elusive PB (3.55.02 since 2004, its just got to go in 2010...if not for eating too much too close to the race)...

Although I started the first half of 2009 in terrible condition, arguably the worst since 2002, the finish to last year was getting close to what I am looking for...so keen to make sure I kick off 2010 on the right track and build on the momentum, not give myself a handicap early on in the year like last year. The 27k run 2 weeks back and Resting Heart rates of 46-47 the last few weeks are indications I am holding onto some of the good momentum from last year, but still trying to get things going at this stage...
Dont want any more dud weeks like the last week of January...

Finally landed a good pay from both jobs this week, so hoping I can chip away at some of the debts that have built up, and start getting a few things done. Major toothache issue in the last 24 hours, cant delay this one any longer have to address it today...Been putting that one off for weeks/months...

The hours slugging it out in the heat reading meters , combined with the occasional training runs I have done in January, and the good base I carried over from 2009, should translate into a sub 2hour half marathon, maybe even get into the 1.40's we shall see, a bit unsure of where I am at....Hopefully can get some good high intensity stuff done this weke, which will help me to guage what time to shoot for on Saturday...

So hopefully Busselton will work out,(its a bit of a challenge financially and logistically, but I think we can pull it off) and hopefully will be just the rev-up I need to get 2010 off to a good start racingwise...