Me and my running

As much as I joke about my unorthodox training methods, I am pleased that it works for me. I can’t justify the time to run 5 or more days a week. So I am pleased that I can continue to keep running well, finding improvement and in general avoiding injury. My current weekly mileage is about 50km, which I try to average over a 2 week block, so 1 bad week does not get me down – I just catch up the next. But in case someone else read this and is looking to duplicate, please note my major point – I do not often cruise a run, even easy runs will have significant sections of hard work.

 

To explain further I’ll describe my ‘normal’ running.

 

1. You just saw my long run from yesterday. It is very rare that I do not negative split my long run. Prior to yesterday, I did 30km first 15km ave 4.52, by the time I finished my average had dropped to 4.42. or I will incorporate a fast section lasting approx 40min.
2. I run hills a lot, I work the uphills and cruise the downhills. I will either high step, or long stride up hills. If not that then I’ll use a fast cadence.
3. If I am running under an hour then I run a solid pace from start to finish – no warm-up 10min, straight in and get the heart and legs pumping early, the entire run is under a fair amount of ‘stress’. Usually I will have a fast finish for approx 2km – flat out, legs burning, heart pounding, head quitting.
4. I use group runs to keep me in check, these runs will always be my easiest runs. This is time to ensure the enjoyment remains. This is time to soak up information and ideas.
5. My running pace is quicker than recommended in general. I take the common theory and usually increase the pace by a bit, particularly on my long runs, but it applies to most of my running. eg last marathon 4m37s, all long runs (solo) sub 5m. 15km runs 4m30s ave, including hills. 4m10s if flat.
6. I rarely run the same course twice in a week, I regularly change my courses, run them in reverse, combine different courses. This makes sure I do not get into a rut or a habit. I have found old courses seem too easy, my mind has beaten those courses so they provide little challenge other than to run them faster (not always an option). Different courses, different hills, different mental battles, different feelings. This keeps things fresh, it does not allow a bad run to get in the way. When I do got back to an old favourite, I can quickly identify the improvements. This also makes sure my boredom does not surface – I get easily bored with the same things.

 

 

So I suppose this is a little bit about me lining up my thoughts and really evaluating what I do, but also it acts as a ‘reality check’ for anyone who reads about my running, and how it differs from the normal. Hopefully there aren’t people simply looking at my small 50km weeks and thinking that is all there is to it.

 

Will I stick to my current theory? For now, yes. Like I said I can’t justify any more time. At the moment it is providing the fitness I need, but it is also providing the improvement that I enjoy. If my goals change in the future and running faster or longer cease to be important, then you will find I will mellow and I will simply run 1hr sessions at a cruisy pace with an occasional 2hr run thrown in just to make sure I can cover a half marathon on a whim.

 

There it is, a little more about how I make running work for me, and not the other way around.

Enjoy your running, I hope you too can find your ultimate plan / theory so you can keep the enjoyment in your running.

Long Run - Warby

An early start Saturday morning, but not as early as planned. With a boy not well, being up for 40min cleaning the mess at 4am, made the 5.30 alarm very difficult.

So at 6.50am I was on the Warby Trail.

 

A pleasant morning, with the rain clearing overnight, the air was cool but not icy. Starting at Lilydale I took it very easy on the first long uphill. The plan was for 90min out and 90min back, so an easy start was essential. I found a nice plodding rhythm, that saw me at Mt Evelyn in 20min, Wandin in 45m, Water tap (past Seville) in 65m, Killara in 81m, then I turned around at a nameless gate, almost right on 90m. I forgot to check the distance, but when I remembered shortly afterwards my SDM read 17.84km, so roughly 17.7km out.

 

At this point I went for my trusty Natural Confectionary Co. snakes…..deciding to ration I only had 2 leaving some for later. From here I went for a more natural paced rhythm since I knew the return leg had some long uphill sections.  (For those who do not know the Warby Trail, it is not undulating, nor is it hilly. IT basically follows a long uphill long down hill pattern, the gradient is very slight, so much that you do not really notice on the down, but enough to sneak up on you if running the uphill when fatigued or not concentrating.)

 

I was feeling pretty good so I just let it flow. At the water tap, I had gained 4min. At Wandin 6min (last snakes taken here). At Mt Evelyn 8min. Back to the car in 80min. A 10min negative split over 17.7km. Return leg average pace was 4m31s, so slightly quicker than my GOR marathon pace. Most of the way I felt pretty strong, but I think the concentration went after I passed Mt Evelyn, that is the top of the last uphill. All the way to Lilydale is gently downhill. I remember several times losing all bearing of time and distance (I was deliberately ignoring my watch). Even though I was running OK, my form was holding up (as it should with a downhill – even a slight one) it just felt a little odd. Possibly a sign of my energy stores being depleted??? But once stopped and stretched etc, it was all OK, so no lingering effects.

 

Overall I was happy with the run, a thought occurred to me that perhaps I am a lazy runner since I did not want the return leg to take 90min. But that is a bit of an oxymoron – ‘The Lazy Long distance Runner’. On the flip side, perhaps it is my inbuilt mechanism for improving strength and toughness, as I rarely have an ‘easy’ run.

 

A slight soreness in my right bog toe – weird and new…. A bad case of inner thigh chafe (forgot magic stuff…..) Tired, but healthy. Longest run for several months.

 

More thoughts to follow

'TWAS GOOD

I have not posted for a little while, but that is in part due to laziness and in part due to lack of actual running.

If my memory is any good (since I am remote posting) my last post was about my 29.99km run….

 

Since then I have run a handful of times so I will try and remember the key facts or notables:

 

Wed – 8km Lillydale Lake, very well moonlit night, 3 laps, last lap 2.5km at 4min/k

Sat – 28km approx. 36min solo, hilly 20min out, 16min back. Then a group run for 20km on Yarra Trail, 1hr48m, mixed surfaces, a little up and down, great weather once the sun was up. First long run in the Vomero’s – happy so far.

Wed – 15km, from home to Lillydale Lake 4km, loopy loops in lake area 7.3km, ave pace for first 11km 4m22s. Home leg included a tough uphill to get home. Overall pace once home again. 4m23s – very happy. First run in new Perseus, firmer ride but seemed ok on both gravel and hard surfaces, a slightly better fit than the Pegasus.

 

Now to todays run. A late start and boys not feeling 100% meant that I ran at 11am, I can’t remember the last time I was beginning a run at that time.

I decided to head down to Kimberley Reserve for some laps (1.1km circuit), once on the road it was pretty windy, so slightly cooler than expected. A nice gentle downhill roll to warm-up and get to the reserve. 2.4km.

In my mind I was thinking I would run 3 sides of the loop at pace, then recover on the 4^th side. Initially planned on 5 loops, but was happy to wait and see.

As I had not done this before I was concerned over the pace, so the first rep was just to establish the base time. 2m35s for approx 750m, then a walk /jog recovery back to start 2m53s, so a longer recovery than planned. I was feeling pretty good on the 2^nd & 3^rd reps, kept the pace consistent, and the recovery was more jog and less walk. 4^th OK, 5^th too slow, so I went for a 6^th rep, quickest by 10sec!!.

 

Splits: 2.35 / 2.38 / 2.39 / 2.36 / 2.40 / 2.25, recoveries around 2m20s

 

Then a slow trawl home – uphill – felt bad but must have been ok, since it was the same pace as the downhill warm-up.

Overall 12km in 54min.

 

Given this was my first attempt at this type of workout, from a volume of reps POV, I was very pleased with the results. I believe I could have completed at least 2 or 3 more without getting too far away from 2m40s.

 

Long run tomorrow – hopefully somewhere near 3hrs.

29.99

Another lonely 6am start on Saturday morning. In search of a flatter course I ventured to the start of the Koonung Trail along the Eastern Fwy, parking near Park rd I was able to keep an eye on the new Eastlink construction, with the activity there was obviously some early starters there too.

In the darkness I passed a walker with large dog, obviously not on a lead.....grrrr.....me -- not the dog!! Then a runner!! Then no-one for a very long time. I had taken the chance on wearing my Zoom Elites, trying to get over a mental hurdle as far as what are the 'right' shoes for my long runs. They feel great on my feet, so why not for 2hr+

This time I used the gravel paths on the Southern side, and fortunately the rain had not turned them into a soft mush. After a while the light increased, but my pace remained in control. My hands were getting cold, so I made them disappear into my sleeves. Once past Elgar Rd, I noticed some wet footprints on the path, so I thought maybe I'd bump into another runner. So you can imagine my surprise when I bumped into a large group - maybe 12 - runners. They had obviously stopped for a drink at the tap, but they were moving a little slower, so I bid them good morning and kept going by.

At my turn around point, just shy of 70min. The group also stopped, some brief discussion then most continued but 1 runner turned back. So I caught up to him, and ran for some time with company. It turns out I had run into the Knox Road Runners, a group who I knew started at 6am, but had not looked up for a while. It seems I probably followed them in the darkness without knowing it. Anyway, Alan held a good pace so the company was great, he is running C2S next week.

I was left to run the last 3-4km on my own, but the pace had been set..... At the halfway 14.78km, the average pace according to SDM was 4m52s. By the time I had stopped at 29.48km it had dropped to 4m42s overall, so a much quicker 2nd half. Once back near the car, I decided a very light trot was in order partly to slow everything down, but also to get to 30km. Can you believe when I finally stopped to stretch my SDM read 29.99km!! So my question is......would you have run/walked 10m to get it to tick over 30.0km? I didn't.

A very satisfying run, slightly longer at 2hr18m running and almost 30km.....

City run - in the nervous 90's

Todays run was run #96, so far I am 6 runs ahead of my goal for 150 in 12 months.

 

I met one of the usual suspects in the CBD, a nice mild and clear morning. Even though I ran successfully with only 1 layer on Tuesday, I will still double up for a little while longer, particularly in early morning or late night runs.

 

A 6.45 start and a gentle 2.3k before meeting at 7am. I figured todays run would be a bit quicker, since my running mate only knows 2 speeds, fast and stopped. So I just sat off his shoulder and tried to control the pace from there. He has been racking up the k’s in the hope of running a 89min half marathon. Which makes sense except that he is not confident despite his quick paced training runs. So I made some attempts to talk through the need to balance his training, to match his long slow with some short fast. But – still he kept going and going. That is one of the benefits of the forum, you can see others trying new things and getting results, so your confidence to match the plan is greater. 

 

Back to the run……we hit the river and went to Church St bridge and back, with a small extension into Southbank, all up about 8.7km. We parted ways and I went up Bourke St and eventually to the Fitzroy Gardens, a bit of a weaving circuit through the gardens saw me back at the car in 1hr14m (which included all stops, waiting etc) so possibly only 1hr8m or so, and covered 15km, so a good run with a mixture of scenery.

 

I wore the Vomero’s again, and despite feeling odd on my feet in the car, once I started running they were very good. The cushioning and ride is excellent. The soreness on the outside of my right foot did not surface. So I am feeling a lot better about the new wheels today.

 

Once again, I’ll be out in the darkness for an early Saturday morning run, most likely on the Eastern Freeway Koonung trail again. The aim is to get my 2hr+ up to 2hrs+ a bit more hopefully 20-25min more. Possibly 30km.

Short, new, fast

Tuesday we had a pilgrimage into the city. With the plan to go and see the Museum. On the way we thought we might stop at the Nike Factory in Smith St, as I had mentioned I might need some new shoes shortly. Nothing for me (except some socks), but we got some Wmns Zoom Elites in hot pink trim for K, a bargain at $60 gotta love ex-staff look after!!

Then we took advantage of the free Crown parking voucher. Since we were there we stopped at Niketown, I decided on the Zoom Vomero, very light and soft trainer, $110 (more look after) and a singlet.

By now the Museum was out of the equation ---- should have gone, it would have been cheaper!!!

So off to the new Adidas store, to see some ex-Nike colleagues. Here we got some shoes for Master 4yo, again 50% off.

A quick ride on the City Cirlce FREE tram, and then back home

Finally to running: It took a while to get the boys in bed, but eventually at about 10pm I got out the door for a short sharp run. I decided on a semi-new course, a few roads in a different direction and a slight extension to run in some different streets. I decided to work hard and make it hurt. The start was mostly downhill so an ideal warm-up. Nearly all the hills were in the 2nd half of the run. It felt pretty quick, the only annoyance was the slight sore spot on the outside of my foot. I got the turns wrong in one place, but kept going. The later hills hurt. Home in 34m, SDM showed 8km, so 4.15 pace despite the hills and the stops for wrong turns and crossings etc. Happy with the pace. Finished off with a 1.5km cool down.

A good start to the month. Last month was 218km with mostly 1hr plus sessions, several over 2hr and 25km+, its nice to have some good k's in the legs. Perhaps a longish race is on the horizon, but I'd need to juggle my roster for that....