Saturday 31 January 2015

Trevor's Hills

Got up early and drove with Chris out to Jells Park for the weekly hill session held and run every Saturday by Trevor Vincent, a 4:01 miler and 8:39 3000m steeplechase back in the day, with a Comm Games gold medal to his name. I was feeling pretty tired this morning in a sleepy sort of way so my goal was just to keep things consistent. 360m hill with a 340m fast float back down the hill before starting the rep again. The hill starts steep which makes it hard quickly before flattening a bit but not so much so you can't get going again before you hit the next steep section at the top of which is the turn around.  I was doing 8 hills. The regulars went out properly fast but I stayed a bit more conservative. My times were 1:09, 1:11, 1:13, 1:14, 1:15, 1:14, 1:15, 1:14. Pretty happy to be honest, I feel like I trained well,  much better than last time. Managed to hold on to fourth place out of everyone with Chris ahead of me. 12km all up with a longer cool down around the lake with the 2 leaders and Chris. Keeping in mind the leader has already done 115km for the week and was pumping out those hills in 62 seconds or so.

Thursday 29 January 2015

Mile Reps

Beginning of the end today, back on home turf at Mckinnon for the first day of my final year. Got  top locker so really that's all that matters. Went down to Runners World yesterday to pick up a pair of new running shoes. I must've done almost 3000km in those shoes. Done pretty well for themselves I'd say. Got the new Nike zoom elites yesterday and training on the track tonight felt pretty good, a bit of bounce underfoot definitely helps. Did mile reps on the track so a bit of an unfamiliar distance but really enjoyed it. Chris and I did 3 x the mile off 3 minutes recovery then finished with 5 x 400m of 60s recovery. Miles went well. Horrendous headwind on the home stretch once again and I'd say the times were affected. We did 5:25, 5:24, 5:25 so most consistent I've ever run. It was fairly tough but we weren't going all out because of the 400's. My times were 74s, 72s, 71s, 71s, 66s. Finished strong and really happy to be honest. I'll try and push for sub 71s for all 400's next time to keep the times more consistent. 10km all up.

Wednesday 28 January 2015

Nothing

9.6km this morning in 42:44 so averaged around 4:30 pace. Pretty tried from last nights session, felt good but tired.

Tuesday 27 January 2015

Tracking

So Cheyne has cashed in and bought himself a new knee, so he's in hospital taking it easy. Steve Fabris(Fab) is filling in as coach and he's a bit of a sprint demon but a great guy. When I rocked up to training, Haffie brought me back a present from Ethiopia where he was training and visiting his family. A signed poster of Haile Gebrselassie, huge thank you to Haftu, I'm a happy man. He got to meet both Haile and Mo Farah in Ethiopia and he has sworn never to wash again after shaking hands with both of them. The photo is below. Anyway I wasn't feeling great, felt really heavy and lethargic. I trained with Chris and Fab we did 5 x 600m off 90s, 4 x 400m off 60s, and 3 x 200m off 30s. 600 times were 1:54-1:50 for all 5. Harsh headwind on the home straight as well which was just a pain in the neck making life so much more difficult. The 400's I hit from 70s to 73s, nothing special. The 200's 31s, 35s, 31s so again very average. First session back so no worries. 9.8km all up.

Monday 26 January 2015

Back into a rhythm

Did an easy 5km yesterday in 22:55 and 8km today in 37:45. Tomorrow first session with the squad since I got back, should be good.

Saturday 24 January 2015

Shorter session

Flew back into Melbourne today and I realised how much I like being home. Ran this morning with a few mates doing the 6 x 50m inside a minute then a minute recovery session. Ran there then did the session and felt pretty bad afterwards. Lots of lactic, felt dizzy and almost munted. Walked home with a mate for 5.8km all up not including walking. 56.5km for the week.

Thursday 22 January 2015

The Classic Thursday morning long run

Feeling the long run yesterday morning so got up for 17km in 1 hour 16 minutes. Slowly stepping up the long run kilometres after a suggestion that it helps a lot with fitness. Felt good on the way back and my fastest kilometre was 3:59, averaging across the whole run around 4:20-4:25.

Tuesday 20 January 2015

The mill of tread

Got down to the hotel gym this morning after a large quality bowl of mini wheats cereal. Pumped out 10km on the treadmill at 13km an hour which is apparently 4:36 km pace. I had memorised all the stats after staring at the same little screen for 45 mins. Keeping in mind, treadmills these days look like the inside of a helicopter cockpit so I thought I was in real trouble when I got on and could start it.

Monday 19 January 2015

Kenyan Fartlek

Great run this morning. Ran down to the beach and along a bit for a warm up then got stuck into some Kenyan Fartlek. Did 8 x 2 mins hard, 2 mins easy then 8 x 1 min hard, 1 min easy. Hitting between 3:10 and 3:30 pace for the 2's along the still windy water front and 2:55- 3:10 pace for the 1's. Felt really good, but it was tough by myself, the wind wasn't as bad as yesterday but still made a difference. 13.7km all up.

Sunday 18 January 2015

10km

Flew into Wellington yesterday after some pretty aggressive mountain biking the day before. I was awful at the start but got into it and really enjoyed it in the end. Ran today though 10km in the some of the windiest conditions I've trained it. On the way out it was fantastic I was cruising at 3:45 pace with no effort at all. Then turned around and it hit me hard. I was pushing like I was running 400m and going no where. I was hovering in the air after each step as the wind pushed my against the force of my step and held me suspended. Spit was being torn from my mouth the wind was so strong. My watch said 9 min km pace at one point. It was truly unbelievable. No idea how I managed 47 minutes in the end, I must've been flying with the wind behind me. When I got home, I had no clean shirts so now I'm stuck in one of my fathers, which is 22 sizes too big and I'm looking like a really skinny build.

Friday 16 January 2015

Clash of Clans

This morning got up for 12km. At the turn around I was so knackered that I considered trying to hitchhike back to the house. Let that idea go though and toughed it out. I was so tired,  just like yesterday and I realised that it was most likely related to the enormous amount of kilometres I've done this week. I am being lenient and counting the hiking distance and well but those hikes were difficult and definitely got the heart rate up. Turns out I've done 106.6km worth of hiking and running since last Friday so I'm stoked to have broken the ton for the first time. However I understand it wasn't all running so I won't make a milestone out of it. Makes me feel better about this mornings disaster. Also, discovered Clash of Clans last night for the IPad, everyone get around it, its genuinely incredible.

Thursday 15 January 2015

Not great

Planned to do a session today. Warmed up then did a 2km rep. It killed me, the time was 7:06. Tried to do some Kenyan fartlek as well and that was just as poor. Ahh well, just a bad run. I'm going to try and overload this week and get lots of k's in.

Wednesday 14 January 2015

More walks

Another walk and wasn't able to run today. We did 12.6km over a very narrow track and with a fair few obstacles. We got to roughly the basecamp of Mount Earnslaw. But before any wildy accusational claims are thrown, about our lack of ability to scale this 2800m monster, there is a glacier on it and I was in shorts.

Tuesday 13 January 2015

Long run

Haven't done a longer run in a while so got out this morning for 16km. Bit nervous because of yesterdays tough hike might've taken its toll. Felt a bit sore but not too bad. Ran along the path by the lake and ended up at a rocky outcrop overlooking the lake at exactly 8km. Ran back down and I was feeling it at 10km. Then I relaxed, sped up and felt better my fastest km coming in at 4:16 and my slowest, the first, at 5:07. Time was 1 hour 16, the last km was 6:17 because of that sick joke of a hill on Suburb St slowing me up back to the house.

Sunday 11 January 2015

Macetown

Up early this morning for a long hike. Walking out to Macetown which is a bit of a ghost gold mining town so it was a quality destination. Went out following the river upstream so a bit of a hill out then came back via Big Hill track which as the name suggests involves a large hill to conquer. Then back down again which took its toll on the quads. 27.5km of hiking which has genuinely destroyed me though I'm unsure why, my whole body aches dully. Was going to get out for a jog after but I'm pretty wrecked. I'll try and run tomorrow, the walking km's for the week are skyrocketing.

Hills

Up this morning for a hill session as they seem to grow here. Dad came out to time me and I was running up Suburb St from the lake. The hill is 200m long and I jogged back down for recovery each time. Really steep, so steep I could barely manage 5 minute km pace up it. My times were 65s, 65s, 67s, 65s, 63s, 69s, 64s, 56s. Happy enough but I have no idea if that's good or bad as I haven't done that session before. It was tough so I'm happy though. Did a longer cool down for 8.7km all up. Also did Quad biking today, it was really good and managed to get some drifts in which I was stoked about. Very dusty, so the track was tough to see but really enjoyed it. Long hike tomorrow.

Saturday 10 January 2015

Ben Lomond

Didn't run today but hiked up Ben Lomond in Queenstown. 14.7km and it was hard going. It was genuinely 7.35km upwards without respite on the way up and 7.35km total down on the way back. Killer on the quads and I'm pretty sore now, going to try and do a long run tomorrow.

Friday 9 January 2015

Another 8km

Arrived in New Zealand today in nice weather. Got to our house, went out for lunch then I went running. 8km around Watapiku lake. The house is just up from the lake and up is not an understatement. I can feel some really tough ends to runs that are going to happen. The hills here are good and bad. Time was 35:49. Pretty knackered by the end and I'm still coughing quite often so I'm not 100% yet.

Thursday 8 January 2015

8km

Been sick the last week so got out for 8km today. Felt pretty rough, tired, dehydrated, time was 37:04. Off to New Zealand tomorrow so I am trying to just get a lot of kilometres in during these 2 weeks.