Thursday back at the track

Got to Terrigal around 5am and met up with Jenny and Ian and we got about a 5km warmup done bumping into Mark Lee mid way though. Shin was quite achy for most of this session which made me feel pretty down.  Made our way over to the haven and we did 12 laps running the straights hard and easy on the bends. I did an extra one so 13 all up then about a 5km warmdown. I'm thinking about 14km in this session.

Later I got some KT tape and taped my shin up went to the gym hopped on the treadmill and ran another 8km feeling not much pain at all. Could that tape be a major key?

Easy Wed and shin was pretty gooooood!

Early morning run getting out running at 5:40am. 16.3km in 1:17:27 (4:45 km pace) from home to just over the rip bridge and back.
Just ran an easy to moderate pace and was really happy with my shin. It was about a 2/10 pain wise for most of the run except for some of the downhill on the way back when it became about 4/10 and was more in the calf.

Tues..Morning intervals, swim arvo run and oh yeah with that shin pain

Got a nice sleep in and didn't get my butt out of bed until 8am.
Shin felt about the same as it does in the morning a slight pain of about 2/10.

Got out the door and did the planned morning session of intervals running a 5min warm up then 10x3min hard with a 1min recovery. The shin pain got to about a 4-5/10 but was also mild for a lot of the run. It doesn't matter the pace I run or the distance as it either stays the same or if anything gets slightly better the further I run. Or that could just be me getting use to it. I had some kinesiology tape on it late last week and I honestly think that made a big difference so I found some this afternoon and applied it to my shin again.
Anyway back to this mornings run. Other than some mild shin pain the rest of the run was great. Ran 11km in total in 48:18.

Late morning I got a 2km swim in

At 2pm I got out for my second run. 10.2km in 47:07 running time. This time the shin pain was between 3-6/10 so slightly more painful than this mornings run. I stopped a couple of times to give it a quick massage. Still happy to be feeling good other than the shin.

21.2km in total today

Monday....recovery day

No running. Shin was ok but I could still notice it as I got up. Maybe that's part life once you age past 40.

Got to a body balance class in and other than work that's about it

Sunday at Ourimbah 32km

Shin wasn't the best today. No problem running on it but I could feel it that's for sure. Much different compared to yesterday.

I met up with Ian Temblett at 6:30 and we ran pretty easy the whole way. That's something I think may have made the shin ache a bit more. Sometimes running a bit faster seems to help it. The human body sure is some complex piece of engineering that's for sure!

The weather was perfect. Cool with a little drizzle and the trails were in pretty good condition. I was expecting the hill near the start to be quite slippery with clay but wasn't too bad.

We got to the intersection in about 58min, the green sign in 1hr6min and to the turn around in 1hr27min so nice and cruizy. On the way back we ran slightly faster as you do on this course. Just past the intersection I start to feel bloody hungry and start thinking of the Chocolate thickshake and donuts I'm going to have shortly!

Get to the road and it's here I put a bit of effort in mainly because I just wanted to finish.
We get back in 1hr17min so 2hr44min all up.

I then made my way to the gym to do some stretches and to use the steamroom then it was off to grab that thickshake!

Kerry Anderson handicap 10km

Since I haven't ran a trotters 10k flat tt in over a yr that meant I didn't have a handicap for this race so last night I msg Mark and get myself a handicap going off 39:30. That's about right I guess. I thought I'd be about 40min or just under fitness wise.
So I line up in the rain and am the only runner to go at that time. I ran bat out of hell knowing Kevin Byrne and Ian Temblette are only 15sec behind me. It doesn't take long and I start to pass a couple of runners then I'm on my own again for what seemed to be like a very long time. Just pass 3km Kevin Byrne catches me and we run together for a little while but he eventually drifts off into the distance.
On the turn around I can't see Ian and think that's a great sign and just try to push on. A little further I see Mark Lee powering along and decide I need to keep him behind me. By now I'm catching a lot of other runners an I'm hurting...hurting real bad. I see who I thought was Kevin just ahead but am seeing triple now and when I get a bit closer I notice It's not Kevin but Jame Moran wearing a bright green singlet similar to Kevin.
At 8km I start thinking I'd much rather be running GNW100 miler then think I should have under 8min to go.  Shit my legs are lactic and I'm trying to find an injury to justify slowing down but can't find one. My muscles decided to feel all good as far as niggles go then my inner voice kicks in and say's you're on the last hill...keep moving. I start to pass other runners and can see Kevin not too far ahead but know it's too late to catch him. WIth about 200m to go I'm on the home straight and my muscles are fucking burning. Finally cross the line in 22nd spot which wasn't too bad considering I was one of the last to get going and finished in 38:46 by my watch. About 30sec behind Kevin. It took about 3 or 4min before I could talk.

After all that was over I made my way to the gym for a cycle class. Great day!

Easy Friday

10km in 49:57 doing the first 5km in 25:47 so a bit faster on the way back. Ran down at Umina beach for a nice flat run. Shin was pretty good. A bit sore at the start but soon settled down. Felt low on energy as I didn't eat beforehand.
Went straight from that to a swim. 1.5km done in the pool. Would've done more but I had to get to work and I needed FOOD!!!!

Thursday...Intervals and I need a toilet!!!!!

A bit of fartlex this morning and my shin felt the best it's felt in ages. I could still feel it but it was all good. Pretty much ran from Bensville to Kincumber and back. 16.5km doing 5min warmup then 1min hard, 2min hard, 3min hard, 4min hard, 5min hard, 4min hard, 3min hard, 2min hard, 1min hard all with a 1min recovery jog between sets. Finished by running 38min back easy. On the first 3min hard interval I needed a toilet quick! Lucky I was near maccas!
All up it took just over 1hr15min.

At 10:30am I did a yoga class

Windy Wednesday

Shin wasn't too happy this morning. Felt fine until I ran then it was just achy. Sort of a mixture between pain and ache.
Ran an easy 10k in 47:23 stopping a few times in the first 5km too massage the shin and calf out. Always feels better for a while after a quick massage.

Then I went for a 1km swim then had the most painful calf massage I think I've ever had!

Finished my morning with bodybalance

Tempo Tuesday

Again the normal soreness in the shin when I got up. Laced my shoes up and headed out the door. Did a 1km warmup stopping a couple of times to stretch and massage my shin. Then off I went running to Empire Bay and back home. 10.2km in total in 40:36. That's just under 4min km pace so I was happy with that. Shin was ok doing the tempo run but could feel it the whole way. More of a slight ache.
I found the run hard at first with my asthma playing up.
After the tempo I did a 2km warmdown so 13.2km done today

Monday...active recovery day

Hard to get out of bed this morning. Those flannelette sheets really hold you hostage. Anyway I had no choice but to escape as I had clients to see.

Later I had physio on my shin and Stan said to see how it goes over the next 4 weeks and if no better come back otherwise he will see me again next time I'm broken.

Got a strength workout before I saw Stan then tonight I got a yoga class in.

Sydney trail running...Wildflower gardens 10km

After a few more beers than I should have consumed yesterday...(12 in total) I got up just before 5am. A couple pieces of toast, a shower and a big drink of water I'm off to the Hope's residence to meet Kerry and Charlie. We then then pick up Therese and Alyssa and make our way to St Ives. Finding a great parking spot which no one else managed to find we trudge through wet grass trying to keep my socks dry.

Finding a nice spot near the heater we huddle around until it was removed and located in a new location. 

With 30min before the hooter sounded Charlie and myself run some of the course for a warmup. Testing my shin and other than a slight ache  it's not too bad. 

Not long later we are lined up and ready to go. A great course of lots of technical single trails, lots of wet rocks, lots of puddles, lots of ferns, some nice steep downhill fire trails, a few stairs and we get to run the course twice.

I'm feeling great for most of the first lap but about 4km in my legs got heavy. First lap in 26min but have no idea of the seconds and I'm on my way in the second lap thinking I may do 2min slower so a finish time of 54min would be about right That second lap took just under 4min and I finished n about 56:30ish. 

All in all a great course and nice wet conditions

Saturday...trotters and spinning

This morning felt absolutely friggin freezing! Off to trotters for a run to Avoca. Got about 11.5km done by going the wrong way. Shin was good but felt tight as with the calf. Ran pretty easy as I'm doing the Sydney trail race tomorrow.

After trotters I went a done a double cycle class the some strength work. Then it was a relaxing arvo sipping on a few beers :-)

Shortest day of the yr......does that mean it's almost Summer?? (I wish!)

After working until 9:30pm last night I was happy to have a sleep in and get my butt out of bed a little after 8am.
Got an easy 47min 10km down in Umina. Shin was pretty good. Slightly sore and uncomfortable at the start then just felt tight.
Then time for a 2km swim then later made my way to the gym for some strength work.

Thursday 15k

15.2km to be exact. 1hr11min10sec or 4:40/km pace. Bensville to rip bridge and back.
Started off pretty slow then just picked it up because I felt ok. Once again my right shin was painful at the start but after 5-10min was fine. Tight but fine.

Wednesday...cycle class, run, balance...is that a triathlon?

Like the headline say's......I started with a cycle class then a 10km run on the treadmill then straight to bodybalance. For the first time in about 6 weeks my shin felt good :-)

Tuesday.....swimming....sneezing....active recovery

No running today. Just feel like I need a few days rest. Right butt and left peroneals haven't quite been the same since glowworm and the trouble I've been having with the right one is about the same as it's been for the last 6 or 7 weeks.

So today I head to the pool and swim 3km. Taking my time and enjoying it. Took around 70min. Then for the next 20min I sneeze. Then later out of the blue I go through another 15min of sneezing. Sneezing is something that while you are trying to drive is quite dangerous. Maybe worse than drink driving. On that note I need to find a tissue

TOUGH = Glow Worm Marathon weekend.......

I'm not too sure how to put this race weekend into words. It's a race I think you are best living the whole atmosphere and camping with everyone else the night before. I think those who choose to stay elsewhere missed out on what makes this event so great.

If you love running hills you will love this race, if you love climbing cliffs you will love this race, if you love amazing views you will love this race, if you love running down hills you will love this race, if you love running down cliffs you will love this race, if you love technical uphill and downhill then you will love this race, if you love running fire trails, single trails, glow worm tunnels you will love this race!

So for me it started getting to Newnes about 4pm. I was hoping to get there about 2ish but got away a bit later than I hoped for. Straight away I put up my tent then have a look around. It wasn't long before the sun went down and the cold came up. I was ready for this cold and had layers of clothes ready to keep me warm.
The rest of the night was chatting to some people I haven't seen for a while, chatting to a couple of other trotters who made the journey, drinking a few beers, eating some food and listening to the band they had playing. Went to bed all rugged up and by 10pm I was crashed out.

Sunday morning I wake early and get out of the tent. I look up in the sky and see so many stars. It was quite magical. It looked so different than the Central Coast. Not sure why but it was pretty amazing!
Soon the sun is up and the next thing we are getting ready to race this thing.

At 8am we head off. a couple of km's in and I notice the cold air is making it hard for me to breathe. Next thing we run up some stairs and make our way up the first hill. I try to keep with the people I'm running with but am just having too much trouble breathing so I slow down.
Next thing we hit our next hill/mtn/cliff. Not too sure but I think "cliff" would be best to describe this thing. I mean there is a rope there to help you climb up part of it. This cliff just keeps going and going and going and going. I'm also able to get my breathing back under control as we climb as the pace is now really slow. I have no idea how long or how far we climbed that cliff for but it seemed like eternity!
Ok so once at the top we get to do an out back section of about 100m over a few rocks. The view from here was just outstanding! It was enough to make me stop running and take it in for about 10seconds and in a race that's a long time. Next thing we start to make our way down another hill for quite a few km's. There are about 4 of us running this section together and soon I see the front runners heading back.
Once down the bottom we turn around and start to make our way back up to the place with the amazing views. I manage to run quite a bit of those hills then it's down, down, down the cliff.

2hrs15min I'm back at the start and that means i'm half way there. Cool I'm now thinking I may finish this thing in about 4hrs15min but that soon changed.

We make our way across a river that's about ankle deep but cold enough to numb my feet for the rest of the run.

A few more km's later still feeling ok but heavy in the legs we go up some stairs. This was the point that wrecked me! Calves, hamstrings and adductors all cramped up and left my legs so lactic I had trouble moving them. I somehow manage to shuffle/walk to the Glow worm tunnel getting passed now by the half marathon runners with Mark Lee flying past me to the other elite runners to the larger types. grrrrrr c'mon legs work!!!!!!

Get to the tunnel which we have to walk through then it wasn't long and we were heading down hill for the rest of the race. This is where I came back to life and was now passing quite a few runners that got me earlier.

After 4hrs35min I finally finish walk over to my tent, change out of my running clothes, grab beer, walk back to the finish, lie down on a towel and think what an amazing event this is!

Sat...trotters Enzo's run

Not much to say here but we ran every hill in Terrigal/Wamberal and must have covered about 15km I reckon. I ran with Gary Pickering for most of it.
Ran about 2km beforehand to warm up my leg

Friday.. a recovery day

No running today. Decided to give my leg a bit of rest and sleep in. Pretty much worked then went and got myself a massage. It wasn't as painful as I thought it would be so I guess that's a good sign.