If you frequent Ausrun, then you may have already read this.....
For me a year of many many highs and few if any real lows (unless I want to be a whinge).
Summary: Started with a goal to run 150 times for the year, nothing else. Purely to try an build a running habit.
Races were only planned shortly beforehand, except for Puffing Billy that was always on the calender.
Before this year I had some very soft PB's due to not much racing and long periods of being slack or injured. So I'm pleased to say that my PB's now look a little better, but still not where they should be.
Feb - ran 8km Zoo race, 33m50s for a PB.
Apr- ran 14.7km R4Kids - 60m36s
May - Puffing Billy 13.2km - 56m20s PB
May - Great Ocean Road 45km 3hr33m, 42.2km 3hr14m49s PB
July - AV Jells Park 12km XC 51m30s
August - AV Half Marathon 86m05s PB - 10km mark 40m16s PB
October - Melb Marathon 3hr03m50s PB
Finished the year on 150 runs. In covering over 2000km and being (significant) injury free for the year, then I achieved the spirit of my goal.
Detail: Now for the very brave -- or is that bored....
At the start of the year, I weighed about 78kgs(now 76kg), I had a bad 2005 with running, no habit no consistency, almost no racing. I ran Puffing Billy, Gold Coast Half, and an 8km -- all were slower than the previous years efforts.
By starting to count my running it was going to become clear if I was putting in the effort. Jan and Feb started OK, but not great. I did know that I was on track when I ran a good 8km fun run at the Zoo by finishing strongly.
My involvement with the Run 4 Kids training groups helped me get a decent habit going and my km increased, at about this time I was also getting some long runs in, so the dream of running the Great Ocean Road marathon began to spark.
Meanwhile, all my old courses around home seemed all too easy and my old times seemed very pedestrian. Hills were becoming my friends!!!
I ran 14.7km in 60m36s at R4K and was stoked, again with a very fast finish, no doubt a 10km PB (but I lost my splits), ave pace 4.07, better than my 10km PB.
From here it was all focussed on getting right for GOR. My long runs were going well, no injuries, looking OK.
Last long runs completed - including a 4hr epic including 2hr of Rogo Mystery Tour.
Entered at last moment. Planning on covering 42.2km in 3h30m and 45km in one piece.
Puffing Billy - now my annual pilgramage - was really a final stepping stone. Terrible day and just bouncing back from a flu / cold. Had a good run and was happy with a 5min PB.
GOR - my first marathon and first ultra marathon. Great day, very happy with the run (see Events thread for more detail). Over the moon with a 3hr14m marathon!!
The bug had bitten.
Post marathon I was back to take it as it comes, but tried to keep the km in reasonable check.
Since everything was going well and I was keeping up with my weekly running I secretly decided to have another crack at Melbourne Marathon (after 2 previous aborted preparations). But I did not announce my intentions until I was sure I was ready.
Running the Burnley half in 86m was my confirmation that I was going to give the full another go.....if all fell into place.
Again at the last moment I entered, but was very lucky to get a 'sponsors' entry that eventually cost me nothing -- very happy.
If Samsung is sponsoring again - remind me to ask about 'team' entries....
The day was a beauty, with fair winds. Hanging on desperately to the 3hr group I finally dropped off at 35km and held on for a 3hr03m marathon PB, excited cannot describe my feeling about this result.
But it also means I cannot walk away from the marathon until I have a 2hrXX.... time against my name.
Since then my running has gone a bit downhill, the frequency reduced the motivation reduced, but surprisingly my pace is generally still intact. I don't think I am in PB form, but can comfortably run sub4m30s longish training runs, so thats OK.
During the year I met lots of great runners, and learned about how to make training interesting. The easist way is to share it with someone.....
I learned how hill running is often the most efficient way to train - nowhere to hide.
I'm slowly finding ways to teach the legs to go faster.
If nothing else I have shown myself that I can do well even if I do things a bit differently.
Apart from the obvious, my highlight moment was having Old Miler at the finish to MM and his genuine surprise at my finish time....just one moment that made the preparation and pain worth it.
My other moment, was running with TB at Croydon Masters to help him through to a sub20min 5km, to see him jump with excitement was great. Of course now he would leave me well behind, but I was with him that night....
If at the start of the year you had told me that I would have 2 marathons and a bag of PB's and 2000km with no injuries.... I probably would have laughed at you.
Thanks for sharing the run (ride) this year!!
Knowing that there is a small group of runners who can share / support / encourage is just awesome.
To bigger things in 2007!!
