Gruelling

Got home late last night and was talked out an early start for Ferny due to not enough sleep recently which is probably fair. 

So got up later and went for a run at 9:30. Absolutely gruelling. Wind was in my face for the first 6km. Got to the beach and decided to face the wind on the way out. Somehow, I managed to pick the wrong way, which I realised when my watch split 4:05 and I wasn't trying. 

So turned around and ran into a wall. A constant barrage for 3km, the pace went from 4:45 to 5:20 and I was working. Strongest wind I've ever run against I'd say. Although the return was ideal. 18.8km in between 1:25 and 1:30, the watch died. Probably killed by the wind. 

74.3 for the week. Bit of a niggle in the left foot. We'll see how we go tomorrow. Congrats to Sophie's team who managed to win the 24/7, she managed to run over 43km in 24 hours. 

Wandin Park next Saturday. I'm excited to race again.

Hills

The classic Saturday morning session had a little less of our squad within the squad with Will, Sophie, JB and Sam all away with other commitments. 

Let jasper go ahead for the first 3, but managed to catch him in the fourth and just stayed ahead. Struggled quite a bit today, but looking forward to Ferny tomorrow. 

Times: 1:09, 1:12, 1:13, 1:12, 1:15, 1:15, 1:17, 1:16

And overall time was 23:12, reckon I'll sow down the recoveries next week and do the reps a bit faster to try and mix it up. 12.1km all up.

Strength

Really easy with JB and Sam Thursday night before strength. I covered 10.3km in 50:25, but I was feeling it after the previous night.

Strength was killer once again, left feeling drained. No strides.

Strange

Wednesday was 6 x 400m, 6 x 200m on the outside loop, with 60 seconds passive between the 4s and 30s passive between the 2s. 

Really strange not having a jog recovery but there you go. Really windy and the tan loop does slow you down compared to the track, but I've vowed not to touch the DMK track until next season. 

Times went: 1:16, 1:09, 1:11, 1:14, 1:08, 1:11, 33, 34, 31, 33, 34, 33

Not really consistent at all, but there you go. 10.8km all up. 

Okay

10km in 45:25 around Caulfield racecourse this arvo. Wasn't really feeling it to be honest so my strides afterwards genuinely sucked. 

Really tired now, looking forward to bed.

6 x 3 mins plus speed

Large night on Sunday so feeling it a bit yesterday. Session was so painful as well, but good to get out the house. 

I hung with Beau for most of it, a bit further back than my normal pace. Nothing to report, other than it was really tough.

The speed was 6 x 15 seconds with 15 seconds jog recovery. I had already killed myself on the 3s, so I just tried to run strongly with solid form. 13.3km all up, cool down was so so casual. 

Weekend warrior

Friday was a rest day before hills on Saturday, but unfortunately I didn't feel rested when it came to the session.

Felt flat on the first rep, but managed to stay strong in the recoveries to save a decent time. 

1:10, 1:13, 1:13, 1:13, 1:14, 1:13, 1:14, 1:14

Then Ferny on Sunday. Jarryd Clifford came down who is a 18 yr old paralympian and about Sam's pace, so they led it out too quick for me. I ran with JB and Will, complaining for the majority of the way around. 18km in 1:30:03, good to be back doing 90 minutes. 77km for the week.

Rainy

Started at 4, didn't stop until at least midnight. The sky cracked it. 

Easy run with JB, Sam and Michael. Some netballers were hiding from the rain and got some tunes going, so I had 'House every weekend' in my head the whole way around. 

I ended up soaked with 10.2km on the watch in 48 minutes. Felt cruisy and fit which was a damn good feeling. Strength session afterwards ruined me, as did the ride home in the rain. 

Monas

Training tonight was distance Monas. I made a bet on 400s and was wrong. 3.6 warm up got the heart rate up and I felt easy as. Led it out with Sammeh.

I was put on the outside track with Jasper which was ideal to be honest. Not touching the track until next season. 

Really strange session as we were given longer recoveries. 400 jog for the 600s and 400s when we're used to 200. Made the reps really hurt, but recovered really well in the long jogs. 

Times went: 1:55, 1:59 (600s), 75, 71, 76, 69 (400s), 33, 32, 33, 32 (200s), then didn't time the 100s

Knackered now. 13.5km all up. 

Messed up

Training last night. Everyone was confused about the session from the start. Our crew managed to mess it up at least 3 times, potentially more.

It went 1,2,3,4,3,2,1 minutes hard, with changing recoveries from 60s to 2 minutes based on the length of the rep. We had no idea what we were doing on the second recovery.

Went for 3:30 instead of 4 minutes on the largest rep, but then did another 4 minute rep to make up for it. Jasper got a couple   of metres on me on the 4 minute but I managed to pull away on the second 2 minutes. 

Really tough, 13.3km all up, but I loved the variety. 

Then 10km tonight with Sam and Jasper in 46 or so. Ate way too much beforehand so felt rough on the third lap. Great weather for it. A rougue dog managed to clip sammy's heels so he nearly took a tumble. A couple of strides afterwards as well, but nothing too speedy.

Long run

Ferny wasn't on this morning because there was a cycling race on meaning it would've been a pain to get the the starting spot, so Sam, JB and I did a long run along the beach. 

Feeling pretty flat after yesterday so the pace wasn't too hot at the start. JB stopped about 15km in as he had to run home too, so just Sam and I for the remainder. He was feeling okay I think as he sped up a touch, I let him go, too tired to think about working hard. Ran the last km in together for 18.5km in 1:25:09. 

68.7km for the week. I'm liking this consistency. 

Jells Park Relays - 2016

So first race in the cross country calendar came around and as tradish states, it's gotta be Jells relays. 

I was put in a team with Denyan and Sam. It's a 6km course, 2 laps of 3k. The start is halfway up the largest hill on the course, it then loops back down the hill and continues to the back of the park, all downhill before coming back up over a small rise, following some switchbacks to make up distance, travelling down to the lake and starting the large hill once again. 

Sam ran a huge 19:11 for the 6km, I took it out steadily catching a guy about 500m in who stuck with me for the remainder of the race. 

Split the 1st lap in 10:21 feeling strong but not too easy. Was overtaken here by a another guy in my age group which was frustrating as I couldn't hold him off. Really worked up the hill, kept the pace solid on the downhill before absolutely murdering myself on the switchbacks. Gave it everything on the last uphill stretch, tapping Denyan's hand and stumbling around for a bit. 

Time was 21:26 so really happy, cutting 40 seconds off last year's effort even with the recent injury. 

Denyan managed a 20:23 to put us in 4th place for the team event. Happy but not over the moon as we were hoping  for that third place. Sandown relays wil be our one we're thinking. 

Great to race again and it got me pumped for the rest of the season. 10.2 km all up. Here's one of me.

Long day

At uni all day today which was a bit of a grind. Got home just after 6 and got out for a run. Only 30 minutes plus a few strides. 6.3km. Stretching a lot now.

Really tired

Definitely tired from strength last night, felt like I had nothing in the legs. That's alright though, got it done. 

We had Monos tonight which is 2 x 90s, 4 x 60s, 4 x 30s, 4 x 15s, with the same jog recovery as effort. Didn't kill myself, but it definitely wasn't easy, concious of Saturday. Hung with Dale and Cass while Will pulled ahead slightly during the minute efforts.

Covered 5.2 in the session and 10.2 all up. I've been put in a team with Denyan and Sam so we might be okay if I can pull out something decent. 

Not so easy

Ran with Sam and JB tonight. JB and I did 9.5 in 45 dead but Sam went off a bit quick for our feelings of lethargy after last nights session so we let him go. 

Fair play to him though, he doubled back to keep us company. That was followed by strength which was a bit unorthodox with some upper body rotations and lots of band work thrown in the mix. 

Legs were suitably jelly-like on the ride home though, hopefully tomorrow night isn't too intense. I'm keen to take it easy before Saturday.

5 x 1200

Perfect temp for training last night. Got to training for the core session that preceeds every run these days. 

3.6 warm up followed by some unagressive strides. 

Hung with Will and Jasper for most of the session, Will pulling ahead a touch and jasper dropping off slightly. 5 x 1200m with 400 recovery. Felt great throughout the sesh especially in the first few. 

Times: 3:59, 3:58, 3:57, 3:54, 4:02

Really hurting on the last one, but I'm stoked with that effort. Strides with Mum afterwards. 14km all up.

Jells Park relays on Saturday, I'll taper a bit for that one. 

COD Champs

Apologies for the lack of updates this weekend. 

Got down to hills Saturday morning and had a solid hit out. Hung onto Jasper for most of it, but he pulled away in the recoveries of the final few reps. We were right up there though, good to see. 

Times went: 1:11, 1:11, 1:11, 1:12, 1:11, 1:15 (not sure what happened there), 1:13, 1:11

Here's one of myself and Jasper.

 

And there overall time was 22:51. 12.1km all up, did the long cool down for the first time since being back. 

So a few mates and I went to watch the call do duty world league on Sunday and it was such a good time. Met all of Optic Gaming and got a photo with Pamaj.

Long ran by myself on Sunday. Got up at 6 to get out early so we could catch the train to crown. No time for Ferny unfortunately. Did 16.7km in 1:18:48. Felt a bit tired due to the early start, but a good run. 

70.7 for the week.

Real easy

6 at DMK with the easy run squad growing. The usual JB, Sam and I, along with Matt and Denyan meant the chat was strong throughout. 9.7km in 47:44, felt really slow which is good I guess.

Strength afterwards was killer. One leg bridges hurt so damn much.

Company

Luckily Will got put on the outside track with me last night and we trained damn well. Bit suprised at first that I could stay with him after some of the sessions he's been pulling out, but I felt smooth as. 

400s again, so not much variety. Started off about normal, but kept the middle reps much quicker, especially for the outside hill and sharp turns. 

Times: 1:14, 1:16, 1:14, 1:12, 1:13, 1:12, 1:13, 1:07

200m jog between reps gave us that cross country feeling. 11km all up. 

OpTic just landed in Melbourne. Damn exciting. 

Locked in

So a few mates and I bought tickets to the Call of duty world league tournament this weekend which is taking place is Melbourne so I'm so pumped. It's gonna be incredible.

Easy run yesterday afternoon with Sam and JB. 4 laps of Caulfield racecourse to give 10km. The did a few quick strides which felt a bit far as I was a by sore at the end of each of them. 

Then out last night and an early start this morning means I'm knackered at the moment. Definitely going to bed asap.

Threshold

Couldn't go to training last night due to an accounting exam so ran alone in the morning instead. 

Did 3.6km warm up, 5km threshold, 5 strides and  2.6 cool down.

Went out really slow, nervous due to Saturday's fatigue but ended up feeling fairly strong. Did 19 minutes flat for the 5 and didn't feel like I had to suck in the big ones at the end of it. 

Good run, 11.2km all up. 

 

Fuar

Hills yesterday, and one of my worst sessions since being back. Hit the warm up feeling strong but died on the fourth and fifth rep. This session is killer just due to the minimal respite, the recovery normally lurks at around 4 minute ks and it's tough.

Probably because of the week being full with training though. First time I've run 6 days in a row for many months so probably to be expected. 

Times went: 1:09, 1:12, 1:13, 1:15, 1:16, 1:22, 1:18, 1:16

24:14 for the whole session. Absolutely done in. 

Ferny this morning went a touch better. Ran with JB, Cass, Matt and Ayman. Good squad, didn't try and push it too hard on the easy sections. 16.5km in 1:22. Threshold tomorrow.