Rain

Running club got cancelled tonight because it was so dark outside at 4 that I was 90% sure the apocalypse was starting, rest day tomorrow then will do an easy run on Saturday before the race.

8km easy

An easy 8km tonight in 37:51. Felt pretty good although calves still a bit sore from last night, have soccer tonight as well...

Ethi

Last night, bit of a big sesh. 3 sets of 30s, 45s, 60s, 90s, 2 mins, 3 mins hard all with 1 minute jog recovery in between and 3 minutes passive in between each set. Started off a bit conservatively but the 3 minutes hurt a bit. The second set wad much harder but we were going faster so no worries. Pretty tired by the end of the second but then Shermo said we had to kill it the last set so we pretty much flew. Nearly travelled a km in the last 3 mins. Really happy trained well 10.8km of hard work but 13.2km all up. Have a really flat and fast 10km race this weekend and I'm going to try and hit 35:00. Do you think this is reasonable?

Time

Yesterday did an easy 8km in 39:06, then had a bit of a big night at a party and woke up in the morning feeling pretty rough. Got up though and headed up to Ferny creek for a Sunday long run with the club. The run definitely helped and I was feeling much better after a km. Did the joke of a hill and managed to win up it even though me and Haffie had a bit of a tussle for the finish. Got through the rest of the run in reasonably high spirits. Was really muddy and well which added to it. Definitely my favourite place to run. Don't know the distance but would've been around 16- 17km in 90 mins.

We love running

Tom was back tonight after 6 months in Europe, good chat with him and its good to have more people getting down. Haffie has a race on Saturday so we decided since there was only 3 of us, just to do a taper with him and a big cool down. Started off with the 1km rep, I was pretty nervous since I haven't done an all out 1km in a while. Hit 800m in 2:08 and 1km in 2:44, so happy with that, 5 second Pb. Really pleased. Then the 600m, such a struggle after the k, the last 200m really hurt but still a solid time of 1:32. Then the 300m, I started off pretty quick and managed 43s which I am happy about also. So a pretty productive session, speedwork is fun. 7.9km all up.

3 x 1200m and 3 x 1200m Tabata

Bit of a struggle last night, rocked up to training with Nick, Haffie, Jasper and Declan. I was feeling flat but we all have those days. Started off with 2 of the 1200's the first one in 4:03 and it felt much harder than it should've. Second was in 3:52 which hurt more but the time was worth it. Then 2 tabata laps, took it too easy on the first and really went for it on the second which was good. Then a final fast 1200m in 3:47 was okay but wanted a better time. 9km all up.

Distance

Forgot to mention on Thursday at the race also ran went through 3km in a Pb time which was a bit of a confidence booster. Saturday did a long run of 17km in 1:21:09. Felt pretty good although legs were pretty sore in the last 4k but that's normal. Today did 9.7km in around 46 mins. Have a soccer gane as well this afternoon so lots of km's this weekend.

State Schools Cross Country Bundoora Park

So today had the biggest of the cross country races. It was pretty windy and a relatively hilly course although not as bad a Regionals. Started off quick up a hill then turned straight into a mud patch. Spikes helped so much and I continued to try and get into a better position. Went through the first km in 2:58 so really fast. Kept going and started to hurt earlier than usual because of the quick start.  Next km as 3:14 so still fast. Stuck on a guy but he soon dropped me. Then another hill through the mud patch again for the second lap and the third km in 3:20. Really struggled then and lost some more positions hitting the 4th up yet another hill in 3:34. Then for the last km in 3:18 I was exhausted. Really muddy because of the recent rain and my shoe was nearly pulled off around 2km in. Stoked with the time 16:26 and 17th position.

Taper

Did a bit of a strange taper for our race on Thursday. 20 x 80m sprints and it was harder than I thought it would be. Pretty fun though, resting up today.

Work it

Did 17km today with Chris in 1:20:14. Farthest I've ever run so pretty happy with that, then had a soccer game so must've done over 20km today. Rest day tomorrow, then on Thursday I have my state cross country race so should be pretty good.

Sandown Race Course Relays

Yesterday did 8.2km in 39:32. It felt harder than it should have which is really irritating but I think I need to stick to around 5 minute km's on the easy runs.

Today had the Sandown Race Course Relays which was really good. It on a car race track and it's flat and fast. But windy and rainy today which slowed everyone down. On a team of 3 with Declan and Max who is a few years younger. I was on the last leg which was okay, the loop is 3.2km long. Started off well feeling good the first km in 3:10, then the next did have the courses only hill which is pretty long but not steep. Slowed on this km though to 3:16. Wind started to pick up here as we turned a corner straight into a wall of wind and rain, couldn't see, legs and face went 100% numb which was very unsure as I couldn't tell if I was hurting or not. Hit the last km mark in 3:10 and kicked home to the line. Went through 3km in 9:36 which is a Pb but I feel like I can do much faster. Running by yourself is a pain and next relays definitely going to claim the first leg so I can try and hang onto all the big dog's at the front. Overall time was 10:10 for the 2 miles.

Happy with that

Yesterday night had running club, quite a big group of us down which was really good, Nick, Chris, Dean, Haftu, Jasper and I. Started with 2.4km warm up then the session. We were doing 8 x 1km of 3 minutes recovery between each, this is the session where you really see how you are going, and it is so tough and not helping it was really windy, along the back straight of our km loop, the first 400m was straight into the wind. Started off not too fast which is very important, because vomiting  will occur if you do. 1st one was 3:11 which is faster than what we normally start with but I was feeling good. Then down to 3:08 for the second and 3:05 for the 3rd. I was leading all of them and really enjoying being out the front, pretty perfect pacing to be honest as well because we hit 3:05 for the 4th as well, exactly what we were looking for. Then a longer recovery at halfway before onto the 5th. We wanted these 4 quicker so 3:02 was the 5th, then 3:03 the 6th. Pretty sore at this point, but still wanted a big last rep. Pulled another 3:03 although I was trying to go sub 3:00 on the 7th rep, then on the final 1km ran 3:02, I had absolutely nothing left, my sprint finish was a joke, although really happy with the session. I didn't think I was in such good form so up and about. 11.6km in all.

This morning did 10km in 48:46, really hard still hadn't recovered from last nights session although feeling fine now.

Long Run

Yesterday did 16km in 1:22:13, felt really good and much less sore than the day before. Even after felt like I recovered fast and not as sore in the calves.

20 minutes

Today was pacing my sister to run 20 minutes flat for 5km, it was much harder than it should've been to be honest and I don't know why I am struggling so much at the moment. Did another 5km after the race for 10km all up. Doing a long run tomorrow which I haven't done in a while so should be good. Wanting to be really fit again, I seem to lose it really fast.

Pretty Bad

Did 8km on Wednesday in around 36mins, probably a bit fast for an easy run. Training last night, it was just Haffie and I. We did 3 x 1km and 2 x 600m, felt sick from the start and only just held it in before the last rep. Not a great session, the times for the k's were 3:16, 3:00, 3:06 and the 600's were 1:35, 1:33. Didn't feel that aerobically tired but just wanted to throw up and it slowed me down a lot. I think I ate too much for lunch, but ham, cheese, tomato toasties have always been an Achilles heel for me. Pacing on Saturday for the Albert park run. I have to run around just under 20:00 for 5km so should be fun.

3 x 1200m + 3 x 1200m tabata

Running club today, felt pretty good although still a bit stuffy. 2.4km warm up before starting off, Nick, Haftu, Dean and I running and we began with 2 of the 1200m reps with about 4 minutes recovery. Times were 4:00 for the first and 3:57 for the second. Then we did 2 tabata laps which means 20s hard, 10s easy. Feeling pretty rough after these 2 were done but the next rep was a straight 1200m fast. Went well and led with Haftu up until 1km before Nick kicked past us and I finished in 3:41. Pretty happy with that time to be honest, was exhausted after that one. Then for the final tabata we kicked home hard again, absolutely knackered by the end and calves pretty sore. Feeling good though after doing a tough session, 10.8km all together.