Monday...feeling much better

Much better today. Can still feel it but def coming good.
No exercise at all today

Sunday Lake Maquarie 1/2 marathon...spectator!

Got up just before 6am & knew as soon as I woke up I wouldn't be racing or running at all today. Still pretty tender. Since I was up at Mums & only 10min drive away I decided to go & film the 1/2 marathon. It so sooooo windy so I was glad I wasn't running!

Sat Brooks hill

Well I went went really easy in this. Achillies felt good untill near the end. Then it just ached all day. Just spent the rest of the day taking it easy

getting back on track

I ran on the t'mill at the gym. I thought if my calf or achillies get's sore I can just stop & do a cycle class. Well it was all good. I started off by doing 1.5km then stopped & walked around & stretched it out trying to see if I could bring on pain. I could in certain positions but not in the running gait. I then got back running. Was up to 3km & could feel it. At one stage I thought I might have to stop but very soon came good. I put the t'mill up to 4deg incline & was running 4:55pace & that felt good. I did that for 1km then put it back on the flat. I ran 10km in 44min & the last 2km was under 4min k pace.
So with that done it made me think it's all on the mend

Later at 5:30pm I did the cycle class

Tomorrow I'll run trotters brooks hill but will run with the back runners.
Reckon I'll be all good for the 1/2 on Sunday. Might get that 79min afterall! But we will wait & see

bit of cycle, bit of jogging, bit of yoga & a bit of massage.....what a Thursday!

Went straight to the gym for the 6:15am cycle. Did a 2km very easy run before that & felt good. After the cycle I did another 2km run. Then home to do some work then at 10:30 I was back in the gym for the 10:30am yoga. Calves were good in that. Then 30min after yoga finished I was on the massage table saying YEOWWWW! Got the left calf & shoulder done.
Went back home and after a doing a couple of massages I was back in the gym for the 5:30pm cycle & did a 1km run after that.
Then home to do a couple of more massages

no running but a big workout day

Started by going to the gym & had a 1km easy jog on the t'mill. Felt ok in the achillies but was tight. I then did a double cycle class & again it was tight but not sore. I backed up after that doing a body balance class. This uses the achillies quite a bit & again it felt good. I mainly notice it just running on uneven ground.

Later in the arvo I went to the pool & did a 2km swim then went to the gym again & did the 5:30pm cycle class.
It feels like the exercise is doing it good. Just a matter of doing the right exercies

Got an ouch!

Well still went for a run this morning. Felt good for most of the run. Ran a few hills heading out towards hastings. Ran that hill then running on the flat about 25min into the run my achillies was getting tight. Decided to jog on home. Done about 8km all up.

After resting it all day I headed out for the speed work session & thought I'd go for a 20min warmup & take it from there. I ran about 4km for that & felt good then we did 500m. I only did 2 of them. (1:32 & 1:34) I had no pain when running hard but after that second one it was tender going up onto my toes. I thought that would do me. I'm not mucking around with an achilles pain. I don't think it's injured yet but if I keep going it will be. I've had this before & has taken a few days to 6weeks to heal. The 6 weeks one was pretty bad & that was about a yr after I started running.
Hoping it will be good after resting it this week. I'm going to take tomorrow & thursday off running even if it's not sore. I'll do cycle classes & swimming instead.
If all goes good I'm hoping by Friday or Sat to be good again & able to do the 1/2 marathon on Sunday. If it's not good then I'm not too bothered if I don't do the 1/2.

Orchard run 32km

Got out there at Palmdale around 6:30am. Felt pretty good so thought I'd go moderate to hard & see how I go. Got to the roundabout in 32min feeling good. Intersection in 49min still feeling good. Got to the tar road in 1:14:14. Bit buggered but still felt good. Back to the intersection in in 1:38. Roundabout 1:53 & back to the car in 2:22:02. Only thing I've noticed is a tight achy left achillies. It doesn't hurt to touch or walk on or run on but just feels tight. I'll have to watch that. But you have to expect that after running that distance at that pace
Saw chops riding with some other guys on the down hill coming back to the finish.
Barry must have been & gone by the time I got back. Saw margaret about 20min after I finished. She went to the intersection & back which is what baz would've done. They left at 7am

After the run I headed out to Mingara pool & swam 40laps (2km)

Spent the rest of the day taking it easy on my achillies.
Last week hamstrings...this week achillies.....does it ever stop???

Pony club

Got up for trotters about 5:20am. Neck was still pretty sore but after a slow jog to trotters it was feeling a bit better. I decided to have this weekend off racing so decided to push it a bit today. I'd normaly sit back in the mid group. I love this run but still forget my way in the pony club. Enjoyed the pace & felt pretty good the whole way. A bunch of us were together most of the way. I could start to feel my left hamstring getting that tight feeling again on the last hill before terrigal dve so I backed off. Adam & Josh just kept powering along. Again I eased up going along terrigal dve to the surf club.
Other than a bit tight the legs were pretty good.
14km in this run plus another 1.5km with the run to & from so about 15.5km today

neck sore but legs good

Still got a pain in the shoulder & neck. Was hurting at the start of the run but soon eased off. It was getting better as the day went on.
I did the same easy run as yesterday. 12km from to Forries & back. Legs felt great

Pain the neck!

Woke up feeling pretty good in the legs. Hamstring still really tight but good on the run & got better as the day went on. Just ran easy 12km from home to Forries & back.
About an hour after the run my upper trapezius went into spasm send a god damn ache in my neck. I've had this before & it takes about a week of self massage & trigger point therapy to get rid of it

sub 22min 6@6....about time!

First up ran an easy 10k. Hamstring feels pretty good just tight.

Later went to the gym & did a massive stretch seeion & a bodybalance class

Decided about 3pm that I might go hard & try for a PB tonight. I was massaging Cale & he said he was going down & I thought him & Josh would go hard & if I could hang on to them for as long as I could they might drag me to under 22min. Well my planned worked.
Did 3 laps as a warmup & hamstring was tight but felt like it was ok.
Laps tonight were 4:15, 4:15, 4:26, 4:31 & 4:20. Finished in 21:47. Thats a 13sec PB over that course.
After did a lap warmdown
11km tonight

21km today

Easy week

Decided to take it easy this week. That left hamstring is still tight. It's all good to run on but just feels weak. This happened after the city to surf last yr as well. It must be that race. Just did easy 10k this morning

Tonight we did 6x500m. I ran easy 6km to start then did these pretty easy going quicker on each one. 1:53, 1:51, 1:41, 1:36, 1:35 & 1:32. Had a 2min recovery between each one. Hardly built up a sweat. Hamstring was good through the run & good after
11.5km tonight

21.5km today

Bankstown half / NSW Half Marathon Championships

Up early (4:15am!) Picked Charlie up at 5am then picked Matt Bidwall up at Pymble around 5:45am. We got to Bankstown about 6:20am so had just over an hour until the race started. It was foggy around the course when we got there but soon lifted. The weather was PERFECT! It was beanie & gloves for the warmup but perfect for racing. I did a 3km warmup with Charlie. Then at 7:30am we were off.
I felt great through the whole run. This course was pretty flat for the first 5km but there was 1 hill in there but after the 5k there were some really tough hills with lot's & lot's of bends & turns in there. I went through 5k in about 18:40 & 10km in 37:40ish.
Finished in 80:24. Best half I've done in yrs! I might even crack the 80min at Lake Macquarie half in 2 weeks.
After getting back to the coast I went straight to Mingara pool & swam 3km in 1hr4min. (I'm not the fastest swimmer!)
Anyway very happy with this run today.
Left hamstring was really tight after the race, but fine through the race. I had the similar thing last yr but it was worse last yr

Trotters & Frank Callaghan memorial run

Started with trotters run. I ran there from home. This was Bob's hill. 13km for this with the run from home & back as well. I Just plodded along as I've got the Bankstown 1/2 marathon tomorrow.

Later at 3pm ran the Frank Callaghan memorail run. I just ran the 3km (3.5km) really really easy with Shane & Baz in a little over 17min in board shorts
4.5km in this

17.5km today

Fridays run = easy run & I love that!

As the above says....just easy 12k. Ran from home at Terrigal to Forries & back. Took about an hour. Ran without a watch. Hamstring felt good

Had a massage today then tonight I did a cycle class

Easy Thurs

Still tight in the left hammy so just went easy 10k. Hammy feel ok just tight. I'm doing the Bankstown 1/2 this Sunday so will go only easy runs until then



At 10:30am did yoga

At 5:30pm I managed a cycle class. Hammy felt normal again

Wednesday

First up did a comfortable 10k. Tight left hammy.

After that I made my way to Mingara pool & swam 2km

Tonight at 6@6 I felt really tight in the legs so started off easy then opicked it up in the last 2 laps. Started with a 3 lap warmup then laps for run were 4:45, 4:43, 4:43, 4:37 & 4:16. Finished in 23:03. Really happy with it as the last lap was in 3:33 pace. Did a 1 lap warmdown
11km tonight

21km today

Tuesday Back to the hard training

More hills this morning. Got out running about 7:30am. Ran over to the haven & did 5x skillion in 47, 41, 40, 47 & 38 then over to Wilson rd & did 5 repeats of that. 1:10, 1:08, 1:09 then did easy in 1:27 then a bit of recovery & did the last one in 1:07. Ran the 5.8km loop up senic hwy down Charles Kay & back along Terrigal dve. About 12km in this run all up

Tonight we did 6x1k repeats with a 3min recovery.
I started with 7.5km easy run then planned on doing these around 3:45 pace
Did 3:36, 3:26, 3:35, 3:26, 3:38 & 3:18. Felt pretty good thats why I went a bit faster
15.5km tonight

27.5km all up today

Sunday City to Surf PB!

Got up about 5am & had a couple of slices of toast & coffee at 5:45am. Got Dad to drop me off at the pub to catch the bus at 6am. It was running about 15min late. Got to the city around 8:50am & that suited me fine as I didn't want to wait around for hours. It was bloody freezing in the city. Made my way to the domain where I had about a 2.5k warmup. Quick trip to the toilets & went over to the start. Got there with 10min to go. Felt like I ran the perfect race this year. Had a good run down William st & held myself back from going too hard down that hill. Felt fine going up the first hill at Edgecliff. That hill normally kills me. Got to 3km in 10:28 & that's where I passed Ian. Always find it hard on that flat bit between Rose Bay & heart break hill. I just stuck behind some runners that I've seen in some funruns who always manage to beat me. (not this one though!) Slowed a bit up Heart break hill but was still feeling quite good. Didn't want to go any faster thinking I might blow up if I do. Next thing I know we are at the top & going past the 10km mark. Went through that in 37:59 by my watch.
Got to the end in 52:16 by my watch so will be interesting to see what my official time was.
After the race I went for about an 8km run easy in 42min.
Then it was a 6 pack of extra dry & a BBQ.
Fantastic day!

Saturday in freezing Canberra!

Typical winter morning in the capital. No wind, sunny sky, & -3deg. Great for running but my hands just couldn't get warm. They were so cold they were stinging!
Just ran easy 10.2km on Lake Burley Giffin. Felt great

Friday Bowral run

Left for Canberra early. Around 4:45am as I wanted to run when I got to Canberra. I was getting tired on the way down so I stopped into Bowral & went for an easy run. Never ruan here before so was something different. I just pulled up in this carpark & ran 30min out & turned around. Got back in 28min, so 58min easy run. Reckon between 11.5km & 12km

Thursday

Got up early & was out the door by 5:40am. Ran to Commertry hill (spelling?) Anyway ran easy for 5k then picked up the pace a little. I got to the top in 42min. Took 1:20 all up for 16.2km

Later tonight I did a cycle class

Wednesday & a new 6@6 PB 22:00

First up did a slow 10k from home at Terrigal to tumbi roundabout & back



Next went to Mingara pool & swam 2k

Tonight was 6@6 again. Felt ok in the warmup but a bit tired in the legs
Happy with the run though. Just kept back at the start then picked yp my pace & held it pretty good. Leg didn't even get close to that lactic feeling it normally gets.
Laps were 4:27, 4:22, 4:24, 4:27 & 4:20
11km tonight

21km today

Mingara 3000m

Race night at the track tonight so just setteled for an easy 10k at 8am. Did that in 49:03

Got to the track just after 5pm. Got about 5km done in the warmup
Wanted to go 10:20 tonight. Held myself back for the first couple of laps & managed to have a great race. Finished in 10:16. Very happy with that!
After that I backed up for the 800m. This was done about 5min later. I was still stuffed from the 3k. Anyway happy with my 8:31 time
Finished with a 2k warmdown
11k tonight

21km all up today

Sunday....Bay run 7km

Got there about 7:20am so didn't have much time to get ready. Only a 2k easy jog for a warmup & off we went. I went out way too hard at the start & knew I was. Paid for it at 3.5km when that right leg of mine got lead again! Well It slowed me down but still pushed along.
I finished in 26:28. About 50seconds slower than when I did it last 3yrs ago. That yr I did it in 25:38.
Still not bad for 7km (3:46/km) but if just went a bit slower at the start I reckon I'd go about 1min quicker

After the race I went for a 14k run

23km all up today

Sat

Started the morning with Trotters doing "Daves damn run" Just over 15km. Ran quite easy but did manage to get lost around the trails of Kincumber mtn. Still all good & made my way back in one piece. No ankle problem. I think it's more of a using the clutch thing than running.

Got 7th in the super 7's at Trotters as well

Later I went to Chittaway bay for the 3k xc relays. I had Charlie, Josh & Ashlee in my team. I think we got 2nd or 3rd overall. For my leg I finished in about 11:05ish