Straight from the trenches a report on the Nike "The Race That You Want" at Sydney Olympic Park.
Alas it was actually the race that I didn't want :(
All good intentions up front but just got myself too hyped up. The signs were there with my first km split at 3:42, way too hot and even though I eased up the second km was still below target pace. As I posted on Cool Running the lungs then started to complain and I dwindled away to running 4:30 km in general and finished in 44:00. Very frustrating that this was the same time I did for the first 10km in my recent Half PB over a tougher course.
Not much more to say, other than while I had to wait around forever to get my bag back (Grr) I have seized up and the left hip/groin is quite stiff (no stiff groin jokes thankyou very much).
Time to completely rethink my 10km approach. I seem to have the longer runs sorted out but cannot manage myself over the shorter distances.
Just for posterity and a continuing reminder for me, here are the splits and avg Hr for each KM
1km 3:42 3:42 166hr
2km 3:56 7:38 175hr
3km 4:18 11:57 178hr
4km 4:25 16:22 178hr
5km 4:40 21.02 175hr
6km 4:37 25:39 174hr
7km 5:03 30:41 174hr
8km 4:38 35:19 174hr
9km 4:18 39:37 179hr
10km 4:24 44:01 176hr
Sunday, October 31, 2004
Saturday, October 30, 2004
End of week
A quick recap of the week over a glass of red wine (well for me anyway!).
51km done over 5 days. The neat little "Parrot" predictor from my tracking spreadsheet suggests a 3:23:54 marathon. This is based upon the fastest 42.2km I ran this week and I have heard of a few people that endorse this theory, so being a sceptic I'm going to track what it says. It actually predicted roughly a 3:30 time for Canberra so it may not be too far from the truth...
So a light week proportionally to begin, but that is without a true long run. Short term goal stuff this coming week with now two serious goes at 10km dashes in 7 days and a PB chase. If nothing else the Parrot time should drop.
51km done over 5 days. The neat little "Parrot" predictor from my tracking spreadsheet suggests a 3:23:54 marathon. This is based upon the fastest 42.2km I ran this week and I have heard of a few people that endorse this theory, so being a sceptic I'm going to track what it says. It actually predicted roughly a 3:30 time for Canberra so it may not be too far from the truth...
So a light week proportionally to begin, but that is without a true long run. Short term goal stuff this coming week with now two serious goes at 10km dashes in 7 days and a PB chase. If nothing else the Parrot time should drop.
Friday, October 29, 2004
Longer run
Friday will usually be when I have my second longest run. Today I'm heading for around 15km on another one of my well worn paths. The thing I do like about running in the Ryde area is there are no shortage of hills, so there is always something to think about. This run is no exception, headed through LCNP and following the bike path up a nasty little pinch to the northern side of Lane Cove Rd before heading towards Macquarie Centre and then another bike path to Quarry Rd (with another nice hill with a great view towards the city before heading down to the Field of Mars).
Target pace for my longer runs is also 5min/km at the moment. It's again slightly cooler today and I'm pretty comfortable with the pace but do have to work at it on the slopes. I'm on pace but there's a nasty little down/up section right at the end (I sometimes do my hill reps there) which does hurt!
Stats were 14.75km @ 1:13:50 (4:59min/km) with average HR of 161.
Now that perplexes me a little, the avg hr is lower than a shorter/easier recovery run the day before!
Usually I'd have a deeper look through the Timex Bodylink data but for some reason the data did not upload correctly and was automatically deleted (I've changed that option now).
Just for extra benefit picked up a Pilates class today at lunch time, boy that is a good workout on the abs...
Rest day tomorrow (heaps of stuff to do around the house) and I've decided to be serious about the Nike run at Homebush now that the course has been revised slightly so no STaR Sunday morning and a concerted effort to lower the 10km PB, maybe even below 40min (I wish). A good hit out in prep for the Striders 10km at Lane Cove next Saturday.
Target pace for my longer runs is also 5min/km at the moment. It's again slightly cooler today and I'm pretty comfortable with the pace but do have to work at it on the slopes. I'm on pace but there's a nasty little down/up section right at the end (I sometimes do my hill reps there) which does hurt!
Stats were 14.75km @ 1:13:50 (4:59min/km) with average HR of 161.
Now that perplexes me a little, the avg hr is lower than a shorter/easier recovery run the day before!
Usually I'd have a deeper look through the Timex Bodylink data but for some reason the data did not upload correctly and was automatically deleted (I've changed that option now).
Just for extra benefit picked up a Pilates class today at lunch time, boy that is a good workout on the abs...
Rest day tomorrow (heaps of stuff to do around the house) and I've decided to be serious about the Nike run at Homebush now that the course has been revised slightly so no STaR Sunday morning and a concerted effort to lower the 10km PB, maybe even below 40min (I wish). A good hit out in prep for the Striders 10km at Lane Cove next Saturday.
Thursday, October 28, 2004
Another day another recovery run
Back out this morning on my usual 10km recovery run. Somehow managed to incite a muscle spasm in my neck before getting up which is just annoying more than anything else.
A great morning for running, a little cooler with a nice breeze but plenty of daylight. As usual once I get into LCNP barely see a soul, but there was a lot of branches etc on the ground as a result of yesterday afternoon's high winds.
The stats
10.2km @50:24 = pace of 4:56min/km and avg hr of 166.
Interesting, a faster pace than yesterdays effort but a much lower avg HR, goes to show those hills yesterday were deceiving....
A longer run tomorrow (say 15km) with a rest on Saturday and then I'm in 2 minds for Sunday. I've entered the much hyped Nike 10km run. Not sure to treat it as a full on race to see how I might go for the final Striders 10km next week or to go out and do the STaR and have a bit of a hit and giggle style run for the Nike. The course looks flat and so a PB could be begging but it will surely be a lot more crowded than the usual Striders 10k at Homebush.
A great morning for running, a little cooler with a nice breeze but plenty of daylight. As usual once I get into LCNP barely see a soul, but there was a lot of branches etc on the ground as a result of yesterday afternoon's high winds.
The stats
10.2km @50:24 = pace of 4:56min/km and avg hr of 166.
Interesting, a faster pace than yesterdays effort but a much lower avg HR, goes to show those hills yesterday were deceiving....
A longer run tomorrow (say 15km) with a rest on Saturday and then I'm in 2 minds for Sunday. I've entered the much hyped Nike 10km run. Not sure to treat it as a full on race to see how I might go for the final Striders 10km next week or to go out and do the STaR and have a bit of a hit and giggle style run for the Nike. The course looks flat and so a PB could be begging but it will surely be a lot more crowded than the usual Striders 10k at Homebush.
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Summer Series Abbotsford
Wednesday afternoon in summer for me means the Orienteering Summer Series. This is a 23 race series at different venues around Sydney so you get to see a lot of place you would not normally see. Today we raced at Abbotsford, just towards the end of the Great North Road.
For the uninitiated these races are great, you have a flexible start time, anywhere from 4pm onwards and with daylight saving this means you can start up to around 6:30pm and still have daylight. You get given a detailed map with 30 control points placed at various objects, each control point has a point value (1-10 = 10 points, 11-20 = 20 points and 21-30 = 30 points). The goal is to accumulate as many points within the 45 minutes allotted time from when you start. The big trap though, is for every minute or part thereof you are late you have 10 points deducted from your score. More info here http://www.sydneysummerseries.com.au/ (not a bad website even if I say so myself). For those familiar with Rogaining, this is like a sprint Rogaine.
Anyway enough of the plugs I hear you say what about the run?
Quite a warm and windy afternoon and I get the map and do a quick planning session as to my proposed optimum route to get the most points in the least time. Quite a few hills/steps and I identify a couple of cut back points if time starts running out. I run these now with the bodylink on to try and get a feel for my pace and also distance run. Head off and try and maintain 5min/k pace which will be tight given some of the terrain and also because you have to slow down/stop to find the control which is usually an inverted painted pot plant bowl.
Midway through the course I'm a little behind the schedule but have done the worst of the cutting back portions and also the hills so some faster flat running. Opt to leave out 2 x 20 pointers that would require quite a deal of climbing and cutting back and in the end have to sprint to the finish, already running late with about 2 seconds to spare to avoid losing 20 points.
End up with 550 out of a maximum of 600 points which is above my par from last year. A couple of guys picked up the 600 in the required time and I probably would have been a little closer with slightly better route choice.
Run stats were
8.6km in 45:58 which gives an average pace 5:21, not too bad for what was a challenging hilly course. Average HR was 179, probably a bit too low....
Managed to pick up a blister again on my left heel, bugger.
For the uninitiated these races are great, you have a flexible start time, anywhere from 4pm onwards and with daylight saving this means you can start up to around 6:30pm and still have daylight. You get given a detailed map with 30 control points placed at various objects, each control point has a point value (1-10 = 10 points, 11-20 = 20 points and 21-30 = 30 points). The goal is to accumulate as many points within the 45 minutes allotted time from when you start. The big trap though, is for every minute or part thereof you are late you have 10 points deducted from your score. More info here http://www.sydneysummerseries.com.au/ (not a bad website even if I say so myself). For those familiar with Rogaining, this is like a sprint Rogaine.
Anyway enough of the plugs I hear you say what about the run?
Quite a warm and windy afternoon and I get the map and do a quick planning session as to my proposed optimum route to get the most points in the least time. Quite a few hills/steps and I identify a couple of cut back points if time starts running out. I run these now with the bodylink on to try and get a feel for my pace and also distance run. Head off and try and maintain 5min/k pace which will be tight given some of the terrain and also because you have to slow down/stop to find the control which is usually an inverted painted pot plant bowl.
Midway through the course I'm a little behind the schedule but have done the worst of the cutting back portions and also the hills so some faster flat running. Opt to leave out 2 x 20 pointers that would require quite a deal of climbing and cutting back and in the end have to sprint to the finish, already running late with about 2 seconds to spare to avoid losing 20 points.
End up with 550 out of a maximum of 600 points which is above my par from last year. A couple of guys picked up the 600 in the required time and I probably would have been a little closer with slightly better route choice.
Run stats were
8.6km in 45:58 which gives an average pace 5:21, not too bad for what was a challenging hilly course. Average HR was 179, probably a bit too low....
Managed to pick up a blister again on my left heel, bugger.
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Recovery run
Normally Tuesday is supposed to be speed/intervals but this week is different and so after the treadmill session it's a 10km recovery run. I've established a good route which is just over 10km and takes in some undulations around North Ryde and comes back via Lane Cove National Park, out via Scribbly Gums.
Trying to pace my recovery runs at around 5min/km pace and even though the batteries in the GPS died today was pretty much bang on the mark. Struggled a little up Scribbly but other than that did not feel the effects of yesterday too much. It certainly started to feel a little warm towards the end and Justine is again wanting to include an outdoors shower feature in any renovations or new house design....
One side effect of yesterday's session was DOMS in the abs and calves after the post run weights session, not unexpected but shows the extra work had some impact.
Tomorrow a tempo style workout with a difference running the Summer Series event at Abbotsfield.
Trying to pace my recovery runs at around 5min/km pace and even though the batteries in the GPS died today was pretty much bang on the mark. Struggled a little up Scribbly but other than that did not feel the effects of yesterday too much. It certainly started to feel a little warm towards the end and Justine is again wanting to include an outdoors shower feature in any renovations or new house design....
One side effect of yesterday's session was DOMS in the abs and calves after the post run weights session, not unexpected but shows the extra work had some impact.
Tomorrow a tempo style workout with a difference running the Summer Series event at Abbotsfield.
Monday, October 25, 2004
Starting off and already I've changed the schedule!
Yes, one day into the program and I've varied from the "core" plan.
With good and planned reason however!
Sunday saw another one of my existing commitments finalised as I had agreed (in a moment of weakness 9 months ago) to do the course setting for a Come and try it (CATI) orienteering event based in Gladesville/Putney. Truth be know while it was a good experience it actually happened at a bad time in terms of work and family activities. Anyway, up at sparrow's to put out 40 control points in the very wet bush areas on Sydney Harbour/Parramatta River. Quite a deal of driving, stop, dash off with 2-3 controls, place them in the right spot, dash back to the car and onto the next point. At the end of the day everything had to be done in reverse. Finished just after lunch and most people seemed pretty happy with the way I set out the courses but I did not feel like going for a run (it had also started raining again) on Sunday afternoon.
So had good intentions to get up and do intervals this morning but had a horror night with the kids not sleeping, which means we didn't either. So packed the bag to go and pound out the reps at lunch at the gym.
First set of intervals since the calf injury where I was doing 6 1km reps at 3:50 with half the time (1:55) standing rest. Lunch at Fitness First in North Sydney is pretty packed but I sorted out a treadmill as far away as possible from the crowd. Started out with a 1km warmup at 6min/k before hopping off and adjusting the shoes, mindful of my recent blistering problem. It seemed very warm in there, and I'd only just warmed up!
Knocked out the first four with no problems, however the recovery HR was starting to creep up and I was now sweating like a pig. Rep five just started to get tough with about 200 metres to go and the HR did not drop as much as I would have liked before time to go on rep six. At around 500 metres I realised I had started drifting towards the back of the belt and at just after 600 m hit the stop button as I was really struggling. Had a couple of minutes to suck in the O2 and then did a warm down of 500m.
Overall, given it is close to 2 months since the last session like this and I was still pretty close to what I was doing then so not too shabby! Finished up in the weights area doing a little extra abs, lower back and calf remedial work trying to cool down before showering and heading back to the office.
10km recovery run tomorrow morning.
With good and planned reason however!
Sunday saw another one of my existing commitments finalised as I had agreed (in a moment of weakness 9 months ago) to do the course setting for a Come and try it (CATI) orienteering event based in Gladesville/Putney. Truth be know while it was a good experience it actually happened at a bad time in terms of work and family activities. Anyway, up at sparrow's to put out 40 control points in the very wet bush areas on Sydney Harbour/Parramatta River. Quite a deal of driving, stop, dash off with 2-3 controls, place them in the right spot, dash back to the car and onto the next point. At the end of the day everything had to be done in reverse. Finished just after lunch and most people seemed pretty happy with the way I set out the courses but I did not feel like going for a run (it had also started raining again) on Sunday afternoon.
So had good intentions to get up and do intervals this morning but had a horror night with the kids not sleeping, which means we didn't either. So packed the bag to go and pound out the reps at lunch at the gym.
First set of intervals since the calf injury where I was doing 6 1km reps at 3:50 with half the time (1:55) standing rest. Lunch at Fitness First in North Sydney is pretty packed but I sorted out a treadmill as far away as possible from the crowd. Started out with a 1km warmup at 6min/k before hopping off and adjusting the shoes, mindful of my recent blistering problem. It seemed very warm in there, and I'd only just warmed up!
Knocked out the first four with no problems, however the recovery HR was starting to creep up and I was now sweating like a pig. Rep five just started to get tough with about 200 metres to go and the HR did not drop as much as I would have liked before time to go on rep six. At around 500 metres I realised I had started drifting towards the back of the belt and at just after 600 m hit the stop button as I was really struggling. Had a couple of minutes to suck in the O2 and then did a warm down of 500m.
Overall, given it is close to 2 months since the last session like this and I was still pretty close to what I was doing then so not too shabby! Finished up in the weights area doing a little extra abs, lower back and calf remedial work trying to cool down before showering and heading back to the office.
10km recovery run tomorrow morning.
Twenty Four Weeks to Go!
Wow, that sounds like a long time, almost half a year....
First things first, state goal races.
1. 6 foot track (19 weeks away)
2. Canberra Marathon (24 weeks away)
Current PB's are
Marathon - Canberra 3:22:01 (2004 debut)
Half Marathon - Striders Internal Half 1:33:47 (2004)
10km - Striders 41:24 (Homebush 2004)
Current weight 77kg
Coming off a fairly low recent base after a calf injury, followed by shorter runs over the Australian Orienteering Championships but did manage my half PB just over a week ago! (also have run just over 1750km so far this year though)
So the major targets are to run 6 foot (not flat out, but more for the experience) and then return to Canberra to better my PB above. I'm assuming other PB's will drop along the way as the training takes hold. Also this time last year I had only just run my first half and was just starting my campaign for my first marathon at Canberra.
Given Canberra is the main target I'm going to base my preparation on a 18 week program from "Advanced Marathoning" by Pfitzinger/Douglas. So this gives me around 6 weeks to build a solid base before the milage starts creeping up. Given work and other commitments however I'm sure I'll be adapting the program as required.
It seems that everyone is starting to Blog after Mart started the trend and since I set this up quite a while ago it will now also serve the dual purpose of saving my wife, Justine's, sanity through letting me vent/obsess via this Blog!
So the first phase of my training will look something like this :
Sunday - long run with the Sydney Striders (STAR)
Monday - rest and Pilates class
Tuesday - Intervals/Speed/Hill work
Wednesday - Tempo run with Summer Series Orienteering
Thursday - recovery
Friday - 2nd longest run and Pilates class
Saturday - rest/recovery
Should see me at around 60-70km per week. The Pilates classes are designed to maintain and strengthen my core muscles since I did experience problems last year from core muscle imbalances, ITB to name one. I'll also look to supplement with spin classes when/where I feel the urge and have the time.
First things first, state goal races.
1. 6 foot track (19 weeks away)
2. Canberra Marathon (24 weeks away)
Current PB's are
Marathon - Canberra 3:22:01 (2004 debut)
Half Marathon - Striders Internal Half 1:33:47 (2004)
10km - Striders 41:24 (Homebush 2004)
Current weight 77kg
Coming off a fairly low recent base after a calf injury, followed by shorter runs over the Australian Orienteering Championships but did manage my half PB just over a week ago! (also have run just over 1750km so far this year though)
So the major targets are to run 6 foot (not flat out, but more for the experience) and then return to Canberra to better my PB above. I'm assuming other PB's will drop along the way as the training takes hold. Also this time last year I had only just run my first half and was just starting my campaign for my first marathon at Canberra.
Given Canberra is the main target I'm going to base my preparation on a 18 week program from "Advanced Marathoning" by Pfitzinger/Douglas. So this gives me around 6 weeks to build a solid base before the milage starts creeping up. Given work and other commitments however I'm sure I'll be adapting the program as required.
It seems that everyone is starting to Blog after Mart started the trend and since I set this up quite a while ago it will now also serve the dual purpose of saving my wife, Justine's, sanity through letting me vent/obsess via this Blog!
So the first phase of my training will look something like this :
Sunday - long run with the Sydney Striders (STAR)
Monday - rest and Pilates class
Tuesday - Intervals/Speed/Hill work
Wednesday - Tempo run with Summer Series Orienteering
Thursday - recovery
Friday - 2nd longest run and Pilates class
Saturday - rest/recovery
Should see me at around 60-70km per week. The Pilates classes are designed to maintain and strengthen my core muscles since I did experience problems last year from core muscle imbalances, ITB to name one. I'll also look to supplement with spin classes when/where I feel the urge and have the time.
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