165 days

Funny weekend, but good.

Planned a longish run on Saturday morning, but due to a sore back (nasty spasm on Friday morning). Which was disappointing, as I was wide awake and ready to go.....

So Saturday was spent around the home, then the afternoon watching cricket. The closest I got to actually playing was padded up ready to go in next. But the boys got the runs required and then didn't get out.

Figured a run Saturday night would work OK. That would act as a switch in sessions.
It started as a plan for about 12km easy, but with a deadline to get home and discovering I was too far from home, it turned into 14km in 66min. A quick run up Manchester Rd was not what I really wanted, but happy enough.

Less than 10hrs later I was parked at Yarra Junction about to explore the last stage of the TW course. It was nice to start at YJ since I had never run towards Warburton before. Of course, the Warby trail continues to be wide, smooth and flat.

Past Millgrove and the fun only builds up.... Off the Warby Trail and its a very steep and narrow climb - walked a whole lot. Up in the fire trails you can see down to where you were only a short time previously at the river level. More ups and downs made for a slow part of my run. But I was pleased to see that part of the course. Unless we have some sort of magical day in April we will be in this part in darkness just to add to the fun!!

Once at the football ground I made my way back towards the Warby Trail again. With the middle section being slow I had to shorten the planned 24-25km run and only got to 21km before I had to head back to the car.

To put 2 runs together so close, 1 fast(ish) 1 tough(ish) and no sign of soreness or problems with either my shins or muscles etc was great. Also the last parts of my runs are generally strong so my fitness is in check. Now I need to build the qty of sessions and get some more tough hills in there.

169 days

TW became a whole lot more real today with the arrival of the very thick information pack.

I've purchased a headlamp from the US via e-bay - Black Diamond Icon, retail $129, cost approx $68 - very happy.....or at least I will be when it arrives.

This will mean not only being able to see for the last part of the event, but I will also be able to do some off road running in the dark.

Todays run was pretty good.

So far I have been running without a plan and so far that means I have run over 12.99km for the last 3 sessions. 13.3km - 68min. 16.7km - 78min. 13km - 58min.

Started today working pretty hard up a hill to get from the Lillydale Lake to the Warby Trail, then it occurred to me that even though I'd worked pretty hard with some of my running, I have not been doing any fast/ish stuff. So I did the sensible thing and kept going faster once onto the trail - worked to sub 4.15 pace (its been a while since I've gone that quick on the flat (or slight uphill) - felt good.

Mucked around along the Mt Evelyn Aquaduct trail then back to the lake - nice downhill section here - kept the pace up.

Once closer to the lake I thought it might be nice to test the pace thing further, so I put the legs into a groove not tried for many weeks. Not wanting to run by watch pace, I held a pace that was working but not impossible to hold. At this stage I was already more than 10km into the run so fatigued a bit. Then as I do I pushed it out by adding an extra dog leg not orginally planned on. Almost 2km at 3.53m/k. Pleasing.

It feels very odd to have a race plan this far away from the event.

But also exciting from the POV that I might actually prepare properly.

Can you tell I'm not great at the whole picture thing, it was either too small or just unclear, so this is the best I could manage tonight.....

Catch-up time

Well its been a while.

Since the last post, I've run the MM07 - 3.30.18 gun, 3.29.28 net.
I won't go into any more detail than already posted around the various public forums.
But - I will add a few points.

Pacing is very fun - but also very stressful and tiring. You spend so much time being aware of everything around you - runners / km markers / slow runners / drink stations / runners / struggling runners / time / distance to go / splits / your own drinks & sugar / your own legs and motivation / trouble on the course / decisions......you get the idea.

Before the race the Wise Old Miler - Tim said that it was inevitable that we would have one runner trying to monopolise our time.... it definitely happened. It goes without saying that this is not your normal runner type aware of people around them and generally happy to just be part of the event. They look odd / run odd / have odd advice / odd ideas and a complete lack of any perceptive intuition. Lucky for me he adopted my pace buddy Charles..... but we soon lost him somewhere.....its not mean to push someone in the lake is it???

For me I was very pleased that I could run a 3.30 while still taking care of all the above. It in some wierd way proves (to me anyway) that my marathons last year were not flukes. My training this time around was not bad but certainly not in line with - even for me - normal preparation. A whole lot more km at a slower pace. But - I did complete more 30km+ runs that either prep last year, so that was a good thing. Sickness threw me about - having training group responsibility meant at least 1 run that I did that if training for me I would have passed on. This I believe contributed to my niggle - which did not raised its ugly head in the race (or after).

Post marathon - things have been OK. Not a huge amount of running.
Cricket is back on- i felt worse after 1 game of cricket than I did after a marathon --- unused muscles and all that....
I was worried when my shins were very touchy last week, but I am now convinced it was due to cricket and not the running.
Not much distance post marathon. My first run back was a hard paced 7.5km in the hills near home - a nice recovery run. But mainly to prove to myself that the marathon was really just a long tough training run.
This weekend were the first serious sessions - 13.3km in 67-68min (battery flat) on Friday, then 16.7km in 78min this morning again a course with hills but also some cross country type running. Followed by cricket this arvo - bowled 14 or 15 overs. Ankle sore / big toe sore / calves sore / back tight -- its a tough game for those who don't train.....a bit like running.


Oxfam Trailwalker - a thought planted in May this year by CR Rohan, followed up after the marathon has lead to us entering a team. We are team #485 Team Muttley. The discussion was around building a team capable of Top 10, then see what happens on the day. We have the fishing line out with several runners all about 3hr marathoners, plus plenty of Ultra experience (except me).
It all happened much too quick by necessity to ensure we could register. I had no idea it filled up so fast....

Anyway - between now and then, I'll be working on my Ultra credentials - if not in racing, then certainly in training. Looking at completing 4 runs at or above 70km - so if I start hassling you to know when you are starting some long run sessions - don't be surprised if I find you after having already done quite a bit of work already......

Looking forward to this event.

BTW - about 180km logged on the 205 so far. Not bad for just over a month of running (for me), when you factor in a marathon taper(ish) and recovery idlness....

Garmin world

Well it seems that the days of using my blog to record my running stats are over.
This whole Garmin life is oh so easy.

Press start - Run - press stop - remove watch - connect to laptop - upload. Done.

While no expert, seems I am learning more and more about how to use the Sportstracks software.

An update to my small leg issue.
Tonight I ran a solid hilly 11.4km at 4m50s average - no pain / no niggle

Really looking forward to Sunday now. But I have lost my pacing partner. There is a replacement, but we had been in contact several times to determine a common goal and approach for the day. My new pacing buddy is an unknown, I know he has run a fast half at Burnley, but that is all.....

One more run on Friday (maybe), then its all go!!

If you will be there - I hope to see you and fo course good luck!!