I've been sprung

A very insightful local lass has figured out my failing, a bit like a poker players 'tell', you can safely assume that if I am posting less Blog content or being less active at Ausrun, then I am not doing too many km on the road/trail or anywhere except in my imagination.

Last week was almost a disaster, if it wasn't for the enjoyment of running with TB for his & my first official sub-20min 5k, then it was a nothing week. In total I ran just the once for barely 9km.

So far this week has been better, I ran on Monday night (after 6 slices of pizza) for 8km. I ran tonight (after crumbed fish & vegies) for approx 9-9.5km (yet to measure), so far so good this week, but it has taken 2 late night runs to get there. So I suppose the verdict is that this week I have wanted it more.

The legs feel good when I am out there, a little tender in the calves, and given all the hills around here they get a solid working over. But overall I still feel stronger on any hill than I used to feel on even small ones before. There is rarely a time when I am reduced to a near walk, even tonight when on a hill I'd never run before that just kept going up an up, I was able to keep a steady beat the whole way without my lungs bursting out of my chest, and this is on a full stomach.

I still can't master the 'cruise' pace when running on my own, so it is generally faster than it should be, that is unless my cruise speed is quicker these days. But I still think my breathing is a little too heavy.

Recently I found out there is a family moving close by from the cricket club. They have 2 small children and apparently he likes to run and likes it best when with someone, so perhaps I might have a running buddy just around the corner, which is great news.

Anyway, my last insight. Isn't it fantastic to either run a familiar course (loop) in reverse, or to run in a totally new street!!! It takes the 'trudge' out of an uninspiring run, the scenery always looks different in reverse and the terrain feels very different and not at all familiar, except for big hills....you should try your normal course in reverse, but don't measure the time as it may be very different to the standard direction....

Run 75 - Half way there ahead of time

Note: I tried to post this yesterday but it was blocked,so the present tense is from when it was typed not posted....

Without realising it today was exactly half-way towards my one lonely goal of running 150 times for the year. To complete 75 runs in less than 6 months would be by far the most consistent I have ever been. It also leads me to ponder how easy it is for me now to just run.

However this pales into insignificance when compared to this mornings running partner – Stu – who is at the end of 14days straight and 15 runs in total!!! In 2 weeks he does the same workload I do in a month…. While I can sit and admire the discipline required to consistently train 5-6 times a week, I know that this is not for me right now, to even attempt this would be a fruitless and foolish thing for me.

Does it affect my ability to run at my best? Possibly, probably, but who knows. Given my training history and previous race results, I reckon I could have received pretty big odds to break 3:15 on the GOR – but I did. Would I recommend my situation to anyone trying to improve their running? No, not unless there situation almost exactly mirrored mine and they had similar goals and outlook.

Do I enjoy my running more now? Absolutely!! To do what I do now and just run, whatever distance / time / pace I choose once the shoes are on seems automatic now. I rarely get the ‘struggle’ of days gone by when sometimes even a steady 8k was an effort. I know I can run for 2hrs plus without any care or concern. This is beyond the imaginings of most people I encounter each week. That alone is my reward and justification.

Do I have a running habit? No – I still have to make myself get the gear on and run, especially when I am all warm and cosy at home. For this reason I run 3 times weekly rather than the 4 times I might prefer. But I get around that by finding people to run with, which is why I am prepared to get up before 6 to drive for 40min to run with one mate for an hour and then drive 40min home again. It makes me run.

As for todays run:
An interesting start when my usual ‘freebie parking’ in East Melb was full and I had no change for a meter. So I had to explore a little to find either a shop to get change or another freebie spot. I found a freebie (many more spots than my usual place) on the other side of Fitzroy Gardens. A light trot through the gardens to Fed Sq to meet Stu.
We headed up towards Princes Park, which is a slightly longer loop, but a good mixture of scenery. It crosses a few too many roads, but it is good as a change. We had a nice steady pace going and the conversation matched it perfectly (that’s why I enjoy company). Swanston St hill was gone, then before long we were on the back of the cemetery. Princes Park was quieter than normal. Then after the 3qtr lap we were headed back to the city. Once near the train stations the crowd got thicker so we had to slow it down, but it was nice just to cruise and do a bit of dodgems…..I think Stu & I were together for about 50min before we parted ways again. Then a return to the car via the river and Birrarung Marr. All up probably 70odd min running (I don’t stop/start my watch on these runs) and approx 13k. A great morning for a run with mild conditions and good company.

Stu will enjoy a day off tomorrow – well he should if he is smart!! While I will try and string 3 runs in 3 days together over the weekend……

A rambling post I know…..but I got all philosophical when I realised this was run 75 of 150!!

Sunday long group run - 73

An early 7am start and a group of 8. We met at Croydon Aths track, then followed the bike trails to Canterbury Road and the Dandenong Creek trail. The air was cool but a clear morning to be out and about. Only a short time on the Dandy Creek, then up to the trail following the rail line to Heathmont and then Ringwood. A brief visit to the Ringwood Lake before the very familiar territory of the Mullum Mullum Creek Trail. It was here that a few of us decided to lift the pace and stretch the legs out for this section.

 

Once at the end, we did a bit of street orienteering to find our way to Yarra Road, then Maroondah Hwy and finally Croydon Rd before finding ourselves back in Croydon and a stones throw from the Aths track.

 

Overall, we spent about 2hrs on the road and covered somewhere between 20 & 21km (depending on how much doubling back we did). It was a nice loop course with a mixture of surfaces. I thoroughly enjoyed being ‘on the road’ with a larger group.

 

As for me, it was my first 50km+ week, my first 3 consecutive days & my first long run since GOR. It was good to be back and no niggles or worries. Just the way running should be.

 

 

Back in the routine, Runs 71/72

Friday morning, was a trek into the city to meet up with Stu for a leisurely cruise along the river. The normal meeting place was shifted, and as I was a bit early I took a longer route via the Fitzroy Gardens to add a bit to the run. I met Stu at Fed Sq, and then we did a loop up to Church/Chapel St and back. It was a little cool, but again only the fingers got annoying.
After leaving Stu it was back to the car, probably just short of 60min running. A good workout.

Saturday at Jells Park for the Start to Finish training groups. I was supposed to have the 12k med/slow. But lack of numbers saw the 12k run together. I played the role of back-marker / sweeper. It was a good run and the girl I ended up running with probably went quicker than normal, but I think she enjoyed the run and did not struggle with the pace, so would have gained some confidence from that. About 63min.

That was my first consecutive days running since GOR, my legs still feel a little heavy on some runs, but overall it is pretty good just to be running regularly.

Croydon Masters - Run 70

I went to join the Croydon Masters as an invite (junior) and was pleased to see a couple of familiar faces in Tony, Em & Rob (spectating).

Knowing that the long run would be no more than 5-6km, getting there early and going for a 25-30min warm-up was the key to racking up some k’s. So I hit the Mt Dandy road on a nice out and back cruise. This road is very well lit for night running but it is concrete all the way, it does not bother me but could be a deterrent for others.

 

Back to the track, and the events for the night were an 11.2sec sprint (pick you distance, closest to time wins), 800m, 120m & 4.8k (12 laps). I decided to run them all. Which maybe wasn’t the best idea (more later).

 

For the 11.2sec race I lined up at about 83m and crossed the line in 10.93sec 0.27 seconds off the goal. Sprinting felt much easier than last time (2 days after Puffing Billy)

 

The 800m was a good run even though I messed up the splits. Originally I planned on a 80sec first lap then a harder 2^nd lap for hopefully 70sec. It has been a very long time since I had run a competitive 800m. First lap was quick but comfortable, I tried to back off the pace a couple of times but not enough, 73sec. Second lap felt OK and I was able to hold a pace I was happy with, but I lost 6sec and finished with a 79sec and 2m32s race. Happy with that.

 

It was only then that I remembered these events are on top of each other, and while still jelly legged we were moving up to the 120m start. The distance and lane stagger was very questionable, but I ran solidly but lost momentum in the last 50 and was passed. Finished in 15.3?? (I think)

 

Now there was a break until the long run. But I didn’t feel great. A mixture of feeling faint or wanting to throw up. Tried to take on some water but it didn’t help. I don’t know whether it was the very warm air in the rooms after the cold outdoors, or the exertion of the sprints & 800m or what. I nervously lined up for the 12 laps. Tony took off and I knew I was not going to be running with him tonight. Em was going to be sitting on 5min pace so I stuck with her. Immediately my lower back was stiff and non-functioning, running was tough. I tried to distract myself by speaking with Em but it didn’t help, I was soon contemplating calling it a night, but decided that toughing it out was good for me. By 6 laps I was barely able to hold 5min. Then I ended up running with another lady who normally runs only 1500m, so she was battling but trying to give the longer stuff a go. This was good, Em moved about 20m ahead, and we were chatting about long running. With 3or 4 laps to go, we started talking about finishing strong in races. 2 laps to go I suggested we could catch Em before the end, 400m to go and we were still 15m back. But she really dug deep to lift the pace, by 100m to go we were up to their heels, but Em dropped the hammer and went away again, we finished strong and it felt much better. Stupidly, by this time I could have kept going for another 5km at much better pace…..so I was glad I didn’t quit. Perhaps next time I’ll fight the discomfort earlier to see if I can shake it with quicker pace????

 

At the end relaxing, I felt fine, no issues.

All up probably about 11k of running, a mostly enjoyable night. Now I have a 800m time to measure against at least, a long way off my 2m10s best from high school.

 

A note for Tony: Don’t think that you will be lapping me twice in the future……but I’m still impressed with the pace you can hold any time any day!!

 

Wed 31st - run 68 - shoxing....

An evening run yesterday, I could not drag myself out for an early morning run & my normal 10am start was  changed to 9am so I aborted, with the hope of a night time run.

We have had Pre-school cleaning duty this week so every night we have spent an hour cleaning, which takes away some of the chance to run. But through a stroke of bad luck, the family had to drive to Mt Martha to rescue the MIL who had lost her car keys, I was left with the cleaning all on my own, but it did provide enough time before the family returned to run for 40 odd mins.

 

When getting ready I spied my bright red Shox Turbo’s and thought its been a while since I had worn those, and after all it was only a 40 min run…..so I put them on.

Once out the door it occurred to me that I was probably being a bit cocky thinking that I could now just run in any shoes I had without issue. In the past the shape of the Shox was just not quite right, but once on the road they actually felt pretty good, I had forgotten how light they were (or felt).

 

On the road I started out at a decent pace and figured that I would keep the tempo up for as long as I could, knowing the chosen course was a little bit up and down but not too bad. A lap of the block was covered in good time, then down to the main road. Here I got a mild amusement based on an unproven theory. About 5 or 6 cars waiting for the lights, GREEN, no-one moved…..pause, then off they went. It left me wondering if they were all distracted by a crazy man in an orange top and shorts on a cold dark night…..

 

Moving well, I guessed my pace was well below 4m30s, but not sure by how much. I got into the new estate behind the oval and here there is road and street lights, but not a building…yet….it will be interesting to keep running through here once building starts. Hard work up a small rise felt all too easy, the recently objecting calf muscle did not even whimper. Discovered some fairly new concrete paths, did the right thing….did a quick ‘its not soft’ and then ran right over it….I’ll find out next time how hard it really was. From here I knew there were a number of hills to get home. I kept the effort up and a few times felt like I was working too hard, but quickly recovered for a quick finish. Only an idiot driver honking despite me getting off the road for them annoyed me….

 

40min, more than 9k but not much more I’d guess. Happy with the work-out. Shoes verdict – I’d wear them again for a short sharp session like that.

 

Run 68 out of 150, I’m 5 runs up on my goal.