Falls Creek Days 5 and 6

On the morning of day 5, back was feeling right but okay to run on, so I did the Tower run from our house to a water tower along dirt trails. Great run, 13.3 in 62 minutes or thereabouts. 

Then, throughout the day, Trevor and Lesley held interviews to discuss training schedules, goals and what we can do to improve. Unfortunately for JB, that meant double runs on Monday Wednesdays, but for me, more kilometres, longer easy runs and Friday running.

Both of them were really keen and I got pretty motivated to start this regime. Here's a photo of what was written.

Following day, I was planning on doing a session, but the warm up made known that the back was still way too sore, worse than the previous day, so unfortunately had to pull the pin. 

I'll rest up for a few days before getting back into it. Looking forward to seeing what this year brings. 

Falls Creek Day 3 and 4

Skipped the run yesterday morning and went for another ride instead. Same one as the day before, but not as chilly. 

The arvo was a talk about running which was pretty interesting although a lack of seats made for lots of standing. Rolled loads last night and I started to feel a lot better, decided to get out for the afternoon run and it went well. Did 7km in 30:40 and felt the altitude a bit. 

Great to be running though. This morning was the 6 x 1km session, but I did an easy run instead as I didn't want to push too hard coming back. 

I did 12.8km in an hour, while watching everyone train. Great to see all the elites like Ben St Lawrence and Collis Birmingham looking like they weren't even trying. 

Need to get more photos.

Falls Creek day 1 and 2

Drove up with Will, Heather and Trev yesterday for the Falls creek training camp. Heather and Stacey kindly had a look at my back to see what the problem was, hoping for an easy fix. But unfortunately, they predicted nerve damage along the sciatic nerve in my lower back so it's a potential long haul back, but who knows. I could be back tomorrow if it goes as quickly as it came on. No one really knows what caused it.

I'm pretty devastated, it has come at pretty much the worst time ever and it's rough seeing everyone else train while I'm stuck inside. I shouldn't complain though, it'll seem pathetic if something works out this week. 

They all did the long run today. I went for a cycle with Trev and Heather but I could even feel it a bit then. Nice ride though. Went up to the Aquaduct where the sessions will happen. Across a dam at altitude and lots of off road. 

Star Wars

Training Wednesday night was an attempt to get us ready for Falls, so we did the same session that is likely to be on the cards next Thursday. 8 x 400m with 200m jog recovery. Times weren't great but hung onto Will for most of the way. 

Back has been sore all week but haven't really thought about it. After training it really stiffened up and was quite painful. Dale gave me some exercises and told me to get on the foam roller. It has eased a lot, but not going to run as o don't want to risk it.

If it's bad at Falls, I'll get the painkillers in and hopefully I'll be right.

Star Wars was amazing. 

A bit slack from me

Sunday depicted the remenants of the heat wave, being really hot in the morning before raining heavily on the afternoon. I waited for the cool change as Ferny was cancelled because of fire risk in the dandenongs.

Met Dad 6km in and ran with him for the remaining 14. Just over 20 in 1:30:40.

Monday night was 800, 600, 400, 4 x 200 and 4 x 100. Felt awful after the warm up but the session ended up being okay. Stuck with Will for most of it, the recoveries of the 100s saw me drop back but glad I managed the hard part. 12.8km all up. 

Times went 2:26, 1:51, 1:11, 32, 31, 31, 32 and I didn't time the 100s. Only the 2s and 1s were on the track while the longer reps were on the outside loop. 

Yesterday got down to the beach with JB to go for a jog. Just over 40 minutes plus some strides. Was still really feeling the previous day's efforts. 

Star Wars tonight so hopefully that lives up to expectations. We'll see how training goes tonight.

Fuuaaaarr

Massage yesterday which was characteristically more than painful once again. 

The heat wave has continued, 38 today apparently. The morning proved to be little opposition to the heat, so sweating profusely on the warm up. The watch started playing up and wouldn't give split times, so I have no idea what the reps were. Only know the full time for the session which was 23:48. 

Looking forward to falls. Have come down pretty stuffy this arvo, but I reckon it's the heat and wind inciting the hay fever rather than a cold. Here are some pictures from this morning. 

Christmas Special

Really warm once again. Wasn't feeling it during the strides, but managed to pull through. Session was 10 x 200m, with 200m jog recovery. Stayed with Will and somehow the leaders up until the 7th one, where their recovery pace was too much for me. 11.2km all up. 

Watch was playing up, but other than the first one which was 30s, the rest lurked at around 31 or 32 for the remainder. 

Had our squads Christmas party afterwards, as well as a Kris Kringle. I came away with a mini golf set and some bright shoelaces that I might get onto the flats. 

Today was forecast to be 33, so down to the beach with Sam and JB for an easy 40 minutes. Covered 8.4km once again plus some strides. 

The heat

Bit of a heat wave has hit Melbourne so yesterday was a haul. 8.4km by myself, got home and got down some M and M's convincing myself that I needed the sugar. Fair play to those M and M's though, they definitely pulled my build through. 

Ja ha ha

Yesterday was the day year 12 results came out, so it could be said I had nothing more than a restless sleep Sunday night. Got the text and I managed to pull a 92.65 ATAR which I'm stoked with. 

Pretty jubilant for the remainder of the day, only to be quelled by the knowledge that 3 minute efforts was the session for Monday night. 

The Garmin threw a tantrum so I was waiting on the start line while everyone hoyted off without me. Managed to get close enough to Will so that we did the session together. 

The 1 minute recovery definitely takes it out of you. We did 6 and covered 6.2km in the 23 minutes. Great session though. Did some strides on the track too which can't have been faster than 4 minute k's. 

Cooled down with JB, Mahoney and Will for 12.2km all up. 

Ferny love

Long run today, after which my grandfather candidly informed me that it "wasn't long enough". I enjoyed it though. 19.2km in 1:34:21.

Mahoney's race pace for the 5km which I paced him for. I'll never get anything as consistent as that for the rest of my life. 

Paintball

Drive up to hills this morning after struggling to get out of bed. Bit of a disaster on the way there as I was pulling into park, realised the fuel needle was hovering over empty, so spent the first 5 minutes of the warm up attempting to find out where the nearest petrol station is so I could hit it up straight after the session.

I do love hills though, it's a great run, and you always feel like you've worked hard afterwards. Pretty perfect conditions, the times went:

1:08, 1:11, 1:09, 1:09, 1:09, 1:09, 1:10, 1:09 and 22:28 for the session. 

Then this arvo went to play some paintball and it was more than intense. A few bruises now, but it's really great fun. Adrenaline really gets going. Here's a few photos from this morning.

Twilight Shield

Bit of an unorthodox time for a shield race but there you go. Arrived at around 6 thirt, before doing a warm up with Sam for the 800m.

Supposedly quality conditions but a large headwind greeted us as we went out ontk the track. I was planning to go in the third heat based on the time I thought I'd run, but they were low on runners so I ended up in the second, with Sam and a bunch of elite looking devils, inciting a bit of nervousness. Hadn't tapered so wasn't expecting anything special.

I was put into lane 7. Quick start, slipped in behind Beau who was also in our race. But I was running too wide, went by Beau way into lane two, to lock in behind Sam along the home straight. Hung onto him until 350m to go where I started dropping. 

Sam went by a guy and so did I with 200 to go. But Sam's gap on me was growing. Then 150m to go and the headwind. Brutal with no cover. 

Even the arms were lactic by the end. I think I ran 2:06 or 2:07. Still not sure of the time. So damn painful though. 

Cooled down with some of the others in the slower heat. The temperature did the same thing and it became pretty chilly as the sun went down. 

Then warmed up again with Mahoney for the 5000m. I had offered to pace him round as that would be a great threshold run for me and it would help him run a lot faster, as I could cop the headwind and he could tuck in behind.

The instructions were 90 second laps and that would give us 18:45. This is the qualifying time to become an AFL umpire for 5km so I think the Marn wanted to break that. 

We were spot on up until 2.5km where he let me know he was feeling good, so we stepped it up a touch. He hung right in there until 800 to go where we really started rolling. Last lap was even better, I ended up running 18:31 and the Marn came through in 18:32 so he's stoked. 

I felt comfortable the whole time even when upping the pace slightly. Really enjoyed pacing though, I might sign up to do it in some more races as well. 12km all up, lots of warm ups and cool downs. 

Barsk

Did an easy run by myself last night. Forgot my watch but it was 9.6km. Went to a bar with some mates in the evening which was a good time. Who knows how everyone managed to get in. 

6 x 400m, 4 x 200m

With the same jog recovery. Really humid and overcast, the trickle of rain at the end of the session definitely helped. 

Neither JB not Will rocked up so a bit lonely training out the back of Beau and Sam. 

Last few 400s really hurt before moving into the 2's. Times went: 

68s, 67s, 66s, 67s, 68s, 67s

All 4 were of the 2s were then 32s.

Think I might be doing a shield 800m Thursday evening. 

Zatopek

Last night was the Zatopek so cashed in to watch some of the best. Highlight was definitely Eloise Wellings running an Olympic Qualifier. Glad I saw that, it was pretty special. 

Then in the men's, David McNeil put down a 28:02 which is just silly really. 

The U20 3km had an aggressive finish which was great to watch, the winner, a guy my age, running 8:09. What a joke. 

Anyway it was a great night, atmosphere was fantastic, almost a tunnel of noise as the athletes hammered past. Even got a high five off Wellings in the victory lap. 

This morning, drove up to Ferny with Mahoney for the long run. Managed to hang onto JB up potato patch which was good. The hills feeling a bit easier today. 

Only 64.7 this week.

Hills ft No Trev

Really warm this morning so tops off on the hill. Trevor wasn't there unfortunately for the second time since the Middle Ages. Felt good at the start but slowly blew up on the 6th, 7th and 8th. 

The gardening is taking its toll, but it'll help with fitness once I get used to it. Times went: 

1:08, 1:08, 1:09, 1:10, 1:11, 1:14, 1:15, 1:14

Overall time was 23:53, knackered now. Zatopek 10 is tonight so looking forward to watching some fast people.

Feeling the pinch

Tuesday I did an easy run of 9.6km after some more gardening. Ran into Simon half way around and we discussed getting an easy run squad together, so hopefully that'll be good. 

Last night was a more aerobic session after the recent speed work. 5 x 800m with 400m jog recovery. Not my best but not my worst. 

Times went: 2:26, 2:33, 2:33, 2:31, 2:34

Session all up was 20:38. Not on the track either and the sharp hill that DMK is infamous for definitely took its toll. No rest day for 12 days so definitely feeling it now. 13.6 all up yesterday so I'll have today off and see how I feel tomorrow.