Tuesdays tempo and a second run thrown in there and a swim!

How's the calf/shin is the first thing I think of when I wake up nowadays and this morning it felt the same as usual...achy with slight discomfort on the first few steps then after a little while it's fine to walk on so I then do a quick run up and down on the spot to test it out a bit more and this morning was the same as every other morning, a slight pain that's about a 3/10 on the pain scale.

Anyway as it's not getting worse I kept up with this mornings planned session. A 2km warmup then a 5km tempo and a 4km warmdown.

I managed to do the 5km in a little over 19min30sec so I was happy with that. I was even more happy that my shin had no pain doing the tempo but on the last 4km running easy it got to a 4-5/10. Came good after I stopped though. 11.4km done in total

I then headed off to the pool and got 2km in there. I almost stopped after 1km because I was finding it bloody boring swimming along the black line but then thought I paid $6.20 to do this bloody swim so 1km wasn't enough.

Later on I got a 10.1km done in 47:05. Shin/calf was good until the last 3km when it bacame slightly achy

Monday.another active recovery day

No running and that's a good thing as my calf and shin were a bit achy. I got to a bodybalance class and am finding these getting easier now.
It was then in the steamroom for a while then off to get a massage

Sunday....Orchard BBQ and Beer run

Got to Palmdale just before 6:45am and there was Mick Miles, Mark Lee, Jess Mitchell and Ian Temblett. Jess went for a ride on the road to do some hill repeats, Mick was on his MTN bike riding with us for part of the run and Mark, Ian and myself headed off on a nice easy pace. My shin was ok but I could feel it but pretty much stayed good for me until the last couple of km's and then felt tight.

We ran together until about the the intersection which is a little over 10km then I just picked up the pace slightly while Mark and Ian kept the easy pace. I got to the tar road in around 1hr20min and waited about 1min for the others then we made our way back. I pushed a little harder on the way back and all was good until the last 5km and that's when my calf/shin felt tight mainly on the uneven downhill. Mick came flying past me on his mtn bike around this time and about 3km from the finish Mark caught up to me. We ran a pretty hard pace (for my standards) for the last 2km and finished in 2hrs30min46sec for 31.8km.

We finished with some snags on a bbq and a couple of beers

Sat Lake Ginninderra Park run 5km and freezing bloody hands!!!

First time for me doing a park run and what a great run it is! The Canberra one is held on Lake Ginninderra in Belconnen. This lake use to be my home training ground and I have run many km's around the lake. It's where all my running began back in 1999.

The race started at 8am and all rugged up I went for a lap of the lake for a warm up around 7am. The lake is 7.1km and I did that around 33:30ish. It wasn't too cold at 6deg but the wind was really blowy which made it feel more like -2deg.
At 8am I lined up with 116 other runners braving the windy cold conditions. I wore Compression shorts,a running t-shirt and for some stupid reason I didn't think I'd need my gloves. (what a stupid mistake that was!)

After about 2min I started to feel the cold air hitting my lungs and by 2km I had to use my puffer twice. I thought I was running much faster than I was and by 3.5km my lungs were burning and I had snot and all sorts of shit all over my face! Pretty hey! I finished in 19:03 11th pace and 3rd in my age absolutely feeling like shit! I got my barcode scanned then I thought my hands feel a bit cold. The next thing I think my hand are freezing cold. Next thing I can't feel anything except intense pain in the fingers. I rushed to the car and in agony I sat there trying to get them warm on the heater. 10min it took before they came good. I thought I was going to get frostbite and they will have to cut my fingers off!

My calf/shin was great and in the race I couldn't feel it at all! However I could feel it as the day went on

Anyway 15min later the pain was gone and I was off for a 1km warmdown then coffee then a heap of massages then a 4hr30min drive to Newcastle to visit mum

Friday's Mittagong run

On my way to Canberra stopping at Mittagong for a 10k run in 48:10, I like to stop, get out of the car and stretch the legs when I go to Canberra. I just normally run this out and back run thats got some slight hills but nothing major. The shin and calf was great. I could feel it in the last couple of km's but the best it's felt yet!

At 5pm I did a 90min yoga class and have been feeling my high hamstring on the left again after that. It seems ok but just a little achy

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.