6 inch photos + 18.4k run/walk in the bank

Over 700 fantastic photos at 6 inch 2010 Ive got 20 on my facebook page... Long run done this weekend, initial recovery from 6 inch PB, and Christmas done, its hopefully game on for 6 foot and track dreams!




Relief and elation with the finish in sight and a sub 6hour 6 foot qualifier and massive PB in my grasp!!!! One of the happiest moments of this year!


35km done, aid station 2 a welcome sight, and wondering if a sub 6 was still possible after a horror 62min stretch with too much walking and a toilet break from 30km to 35km, through the tough hills after Oakley Dam.




Taking a break to give Dennis a good photo about 27km into it. Still feeling ok at this stage, but in 3rd gear as opposed to 5th gear by this stage.




Early on I really worked hard with some attacking surges to get to 17km in 1.53 13 minutes quicker than ever before on this course and about 28min faster than last years split...Awesome to put the pedal to the metal and be runni9ng at about 4.50 pace or quicker at this stage, but I knew I wasn't fit enough to sustain this intensity all the way, especially as my nose was running like a tap, although I tried to go with Catherine for a bit about 19km into it(she did 4.54)...



The usual trailblazing start before I was confronted with Goldmine Hill, and the reality that I couldn't run all the way up it.



the crouch start returns




so you think you can dance...mock jostle for starting pozzie



Me, BK and BC before the race, all 3 of us back with some big ambitions after last years efforts. BK and BC joined the exclusive sub 4 club and I got my sub 6...


Sunday 26th December Boxing Day 18.4km run/walk. 2hrs 38min 10 secs. Splits; 68min/90min Started slowish, and pushed into a stiff easterly headwind. Some walk breaks, but a solid pace getting to 9.2km in 68minutes, on hilly roads for the first 3.5km, then limestone trails with some small hills Briefly on the way back I had a good tailwind and my hydration was ok. Started to hit a fast pace, but soon the heat started to kick in as the mercury hit 28- 30 degrees celsius, and the wind lessened, and I started to get severe sunburn. ran out of drinks and with about 6km to go was reduced to big walk breaks, and short slow jogging efforts, as dehydration and sunburn started to effect me. The run became a struggle to get home. Then the wind picked up on the hills in the last 3km, and I got very keen to find a tap, to refill my water bottle, which I did, and gulped down 600ml real quick. More plodding and walkingto finish, the last 9km taking me about 90min. So its done a 2 hour + run on Boxing Day, will help to consolidate the strength gains 7 days after 6 inch, and is another good one to bank with 6 foot just a few months away, but I am severely sunburnt, didn’t take enough drinks with me and was not very motivated today. Not an inspiring run, but hopefully will help me to be better positioned for some better more encouraging sessions in the coming weeks.
The way I was moving from 9km to 11km felt very fluid, and the best Ive felt while running for a long while, so thats one positive out of today. Post run some minor soreness in the left hammy again, not a good sign but hopefully will get through that one with a good nights rest tonight. Time to ramp up the training volume (a bit like mileage, but a better way of describing it), get some hills reps going and basically get into condition to race track well, and prepare for a good 6 foot debut….

Thursday 23rd December; 2.8km run/walk 17min 20 to bank ATM and a quick climb to the summit of my suburb and back before work at about 6am...

I need 421 min in the last week of this year to beat my training volume total in minutes from last year, which from memory is about 149 hours. So from a training volume point of view its been a similiar year to last year, The 6 inch 26min PB of 5.49 is probably my best race for the year, although Melbourne Marathon in 4.05 (and Half in 1.46) despite calf injury, Busselton Half in 1.52, City to Surf Marathon in 4.15, Australian Masters 1500m in 5.34, Freo 10k fun run in 46.53, John Gilmour 10k track in 47.36, some Masters 5k races in 22.06, 2k race in 7.55 800m in 2.46 and 100m in 14.6 are the other good ones for the year. I'll never forget the Moneghetti camp, or Mottram visiting Perth, and overall I know I've made some significant gains this year, although with the possible exceptions of the 22.06 5k races, the 5.34 1500m, and the 5.49 6 inch big PB, I don't think my race results have really confirmed this, and as such I feel there are more breakthrough runs like 6 inch ahead if I can get it right in some races soon. Its been an injury plagued year, although most of the injuries have been niggly minor ones I have been able to get through quickly, they have been enough to muck up my big races. Financially and job wise still yet to get anywhere and we are struggling more than ever before to make ends meet right now as a family. In addition I have lost my car, and 2 months later am still chasing compensation from the person who ran into the back of me, and wondering if I'll ever get the couple of thousand bucks I am owed. However I have started a new job, and am still hoping this is the beginning of a new era in my life, my families life, and my running performance and training. The next few weeks/months will show if this venture works or not, or if my messy life becomes one great big spiralling nightmare. I'm hoping that God willing, just as He blessed me with the 6 inch PB that the latter will not eventuate. Right now its hard to see the way forward though. However I am going after the new job, and hopefully I might earn enough to get ahead of the bills a bit. The plan is to go after track racing in the next 2-3 months in tandem with long runs, hill reps, and basically 6 foot preparation in the hope I will get upgraded from the wait list to the confirmed starters list.
Hopefully along the way finances will pick up, and the new job will be enough for our needs.

In the short term its recovery from 6 inch, and gradually easing back into things, plus having a go at the mileage challenge for 6 foot, as just another way to try and push me to run more often just as strands.com and blogger does....Hoping for continued but accelerated progress from here...God willing...