27km and 3k intervals as the 2012 assault takes shape

I've had two good weeks this month. The first week I deliberately took it easy, and the 3rd week our urgent house dramas (which are still not resolved yet, but there has been some major positive improvements) distracted me from training...Overall January has been ok, although I am disappointed I didn't make it to the track for some track racing, and I have not done any road or trail racing either, and I intend changing that in the next few months a lot... Hoping to ramp things up in February/March, and then from April start getting ready for my 9th Perth Marathon. The Lark Hill Ultra and the 40 miler are maybes for me. Im entered for Qi Gong trail race in the inauguaral Perth Trail Series (PTS)...I may try and get an entry in for Swissmurdie too. Was hoping to do Wallygrunta and/or Snakes and Ladders but ran out of time and money as per usual...I'd like to go to the Saturday of the Moneghetti camp but I can't see that happening this year. If things change I might try and see if I can grab a last minute spot, but its looking unlikely...


Some January key sessions;

Two Long runs;

Saturday, 28 January, 2012 at 05:38am Starting in Darlington, WA, Australia Distance 27km Time; 03:23:35 Average speed; 07:32 /km


1hr 27min to Sawyers road on the huggy huggy trail with the C-team. Was struggling to stay with them but skipped hug break at Mundaring, which helped with momentum. On the way back I ran solo took it easy a bit, got hammered by the humidity and heat a little, and took an 11min toilet stop, so 1hr 55min was pretty slow for second half as a result... Solid session and my biggest of two long runs this month by far... Hopefully can build off this in February...A bit closer to Busselton than my original plans but should be ok although "reverse taper" will be in full swing now. Onwards...:-)


Sunday, 15 January, 2012 at 06:14am;

16km 01:48:09 @ 06:45 /km HR 129 at end.

Took it easy on this rather short long run. Some walk breaks, some fast sections on local trails to the north. Just enjoying the sights,sounds and solitude plus building strength for my Busselton plans. Distance a bit approximate. Two laps of local oval at end to increase long run time well over the 90 minute mark, and most importantly for longer than what I hope to run half marathon in 2 weeks time. First long run for 2012. Have stayed away from long runs a bit cos I figured after the 5 hour race at 6 inch a month ago followed by the ultra efforts several times in 38 degrees climbing and running, hiking for best part of 2-3 days in the stirlings at the end of december, I've been keen to rest up a bit and ease back into things. Thats done now, so time to step up the training volume and intensity...so a very easy long run on the board, and half marathon racing plans starting to take shape.



My best January (1st-27th) Short sessions;

Been getting to 3k intervals at BT most weeks lately and we are starting to get a good group of us all running around the 4 to 4.30 per K mark...

January 17th;

This is my best set for the 3x3km intervals this month (although there is still one more chance on 31st January);
13.25/13.03/14.36 Average 13.41 (4.33 per K) A lot to like about this one. For total session or set time I improved 75 seconds on my previous best from 29th November 2011, and 96 seconds better than last week. Second rep 22 seconds better than last week, and only failed to go sub 13, cos I tried to surge for the finish a little too early. The 3 BT runners with me were outstanding. I know they pushed me to another level today. We sat on 4.20 per K all the way for the 2nd rep, was pretty even and I had to really focus hard to stay with it, and avoid the temptation to drop out of the bunch, or try and surge ahead. With 500m to go I finally decided to try and wind it up for the finish, but pretty soon the lactic levels got too high, and the front two guys hammered me, as I dropped off the wagon. Probably needed to hold back for at least another 100m-200m before making my run to the finish. Heart rates for the 3 reps 171,174,171.....Very happy with my overall time. 2nd and 3rd reps massive improv ements on last bweek... So glad I came today, and hopefully from here can go after 12.45's and tougher.....Massive thanks to C,BM, JN and K today...


Friday, 13 January, 2012 at 05:45am 7km 34:50 @ 04:58 /km
Splits; 17.18/17.32 HR 171
Attacked pretty hard all the way. Nice conditions, not too many spiderwebs this time...good to do something with high intensity...


January 10th;

3x3km intervals 13.32/13.25/15.41

heart rates 165, 183 and 177.

1.5k splits on first rep 6.49/6.43

first 1k of 2nd rep 4.21. (averaged 4.32's for the last 2k, and that included two surges in the last 1k to try and stay under 13.30...Pretty strong finish that got the heart rate up to 183...Thanks to JT,CS and KW for being there to give me some extra inspiration in the 2nd rep, which helped lot. My 3rd rep was ok, but a bit disappointing (90 second-2min rests...) Hammy a little twingy beforehand in jog warmup but was not a problem during or afterwards. Icepacked it on the drive in and I think that helped a lot as it was quite sore when I woke up...Had nothing left for the 3rd rep, but hopefully next time I will be able to sustain it for all 3 reps...PB for this session is 42:19, so only 20 seconds shy of that, and would expect to beat that next time, if all goes well...
Running with the BT people was awesome and especially helped at the start and near the end of the 2nd rep...
My best time on this course so far is the 12.49 I did on 29th November, but I was concentrating on trying to keep the first two intervals under 14min and around the 13.30 mark if possible, cos when i did the 12.49 my next two were 14.58 and 15.44. My 3000m PB is 11.11 from 1997? and I did a 12.40 early on in 2011.


January 9th;

4x400m in 80, 81, 70 and 73secs. 3 minute rests heart rates about 162, then 5 minute rest, 4km in 18.30 (1k splits 4.53/4.07/4.22/5.08) 5min rest 400m in 82 secs. Heart rates again about 162-165. Fairly relaxed. Hammy pretty sore before, but I did stretches and that seemed to fix it. Hammy was ok during it, although a little twingy, and afterwards it got steadily sorer for the rest of the day to the point where I was starting to wonder if I was getting into bad tear state. Solid but relaxed session on a brand
new course close to home. Distances a bit guestimated/approximated.

January 3rd;
1500m in 6.49, 800m in 3.13 and a bunch of short stuff...tried to play with 2 min rests, and almost blacked out after one of them, so will go with 3min maybe 5min rests next time...



My Strava profile sums up much of where I am coming from in 2012;

2011 Highlights;
1.- 6 foot 45km trails race 6hrs.53min (pic above...a major dream come true to finish this race, first 15km to coxs crossing was good and I was well under my sub 2hr target, maybe a bit too fast, but I almost got forced into a DNF by pluviometer and mini-mini...On the Black Range I dug deep and got going enough to make it under 7 hours...)...............................................
2.- 6 inch 46km trails race 5hrs.30min (PB! again this time by 19minutes...first 35km in 3hrs 55 was good)...........................
3.- Freo 10k 45.51...best time since 2005.
4.- My 4th Melbourne Marathon 4.02 (first 30km in 2.38 was good...4th best marathon time and only 7min off the PB, plus running with the elites and teamWA was memorable magical special surreal etc :-)).....
5.Stirling Ranges training camp with D and N.....

6. Moneghetti Camp II....
7.- My 8th Perth Marathon 4.12 (need 2 more to become a spartan)...................
In 2012 I want to cut down on the fadeouts I had at Melbourne and 6inch, and generally take things up a level for all distances...with the aim of obliterating my PB's for half (1.41) Marathon (3.55) 10k (41.01), and getting my 5k under 19min. Not sure how achievable this is, but 2011 has given me a good basecamp starting point. The BT group should help a lot! and has already been a massive positive for more than 6 months now... Some monthly visits to Darlington could assist a lot too. Especially for the marathon and any ultras I may dabble with...Then there is my crosstraining at NG, hopefully more income, and various other strategies to try and smash open some PB's this year. With God's help it can happen, but I know from experience its a big ask, as so many hassles and obstacles present week after week. Hopefully this year It will happen. Although I have not had annual leave for about 5 or 6 years, the training camp in the stirling ranges in December (summited 1073m? Bluff Knoll in 72min (with a 69min run in the heat immediately before) and 1052m? Mt Toolbrunup in 71min, plus did my 4th 4 hour+ run/hike in 3 days (some of it in 38 degree heat)),

has given me a good base to start off 2012, so after some stimulation from the BT runclub BHAGs, without further ado;

My Mission; To be the best I can be with what God has given me, as long as he give me the opportunity to run and race. To do so in such a way that my running can be used to advanced His Kingdom in some way, and that His people might be encouraged to do similiar, and those who don't know him may have the opportunity to put there trust in the Maker for ultimate forgiveness and guidance. In short to live to the full the running life God has given.
Some tough!!!! (for me) goals, that I am going to try and achieve in 2012;
Goal 1. Target A sub 19min 5km (or sub 20, sub 20.50 or target D sub 21.15.

Goal 2. sub 1.30 Half.

Goal 3. Sub 3 hours in the Melbourne Marathon
.
Goal 4. sub 38 minutes in a 10km or 10,000m.

Goal 5. sub 4hrs 40min at 6 inch.

...

Going to the Hopman Cup with my wife to watch Lleyton Hewitt get ready for the Australian Open (we saw the Verdasco match), and his eventual exit via his epic 4th round 4 setter against Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open, along with the Stirlings trip both were times which recharged my mental batteries a bit. Good to go for another year I hope
.....God willing...