Go Hard

The last week didn't see my best collection of runs. Four days in a row of no training wasn't part of the plan. My work roster didn't fit well with the family and my ability to get sleep, plus the night shift extending out to 15.5 hours put a hole in the follow up. Of course family and some semblance of sleep took priority. This was backed up with work's belated Christmas party (shots are never a good move) and then Australia Day celebrations. Those four days aside, the training has otherwise gone well. Recovery from the 12km last Sunday seemed to only require one day of easy running. The day after it was easy to keep the speed up. After the four days off I headed for 23km @ 5:04/km. I spent most of that keeping the pace down and ended up averaging 4:58, plus a warm up and cool down to bring the total to 27.7km. The extra speed probably came from the lack of running. Despite the fact my body felt like it had been pillaged pre-run. Time to kick things up for the next r...

It's been about a year since I last raced one of the Coburg Harriers fun runs. Yet again I am reminded why I keep coming back. Low key, simple, well organised, friendly events that are often at a level that gives me a shot at the podium too. Last year I came into the equivalent run with just a bank of runs slower than 6:00/km and posted one of my best results. This time I'd put a good four weeks together, with runs averaging around 5:00/km, coupled with some hill sprints and a 28km trail race last weekend. I was hoping to be quicker this time. Interesting morning. The air temperature was quite nice for a summer race, the sun turned out to have a kick to it, that was contrasted with a cool southerly breeze. The course is fairly protected, with a reasonable amount of shade over most of it, so nothing in the weather should play a factor. It was just a perfect day to be running. Six kilometres worth of warming up and I was relaxed and ready. The race has a 6km and a 12km optio...

As part of my genuine attempt to get the absolute most out of my training there is a big role for easy . Carrying undue fatigue into a hard training session is likely to compromise the training effect, while increasing fatigue levels further. Instead we want a balance between hard runs, moderate sessions and easy runs to facilitate supercompensation. This is where a good dose of art mixes in with the science. This week has tested my patience to fit in with the above. It is also a good way of highlighting the importance I now put on recovering, adapting and being ready for the next hard training session, while still getting kilometres into the legs. I'll start with a few days out from last Sunday's Two Bays Trail Race. On the Wednesday (4 days out) I hit the athletics track after a 25 minute warm up and put down 8x200m at what felt comfortably quick (which was 40sec a piece). Recovery was a 200m float. This was far from a hard run, but it sparks the systems, and has me feeling...

This race has been on my radar for the last few years. With a prompt from some friends after the Surfcoast, I finally entered. Chose the 28km option, instead of the 56km. This allowed me to join in the Out Of Our Minds team. Plus, I would get more out of the 28km based on where my training is at than the longer option. The event is a bit of a stand out. It crosses some amazing landscape. Hits a few iconic locations. Has a mixture of surfaces, some great hills mixed with perfectly flowing single track. Running from one bay over to another is just cool. The point to point aspect adds in an element of extra logistics, but it is more than worth it. Race start was 0700, and being a good distance from home meant I had to be efficient with time. Alarm at 0400. Coffee and liquid breakfast consumed during the drive down to the finish line (yes, the finish line). Once there a quick use of the uncrowded amenities, followed by an easy 15 minute run to loosen up. Then I met the rest of the...

Got down for some camping in Torquay for a handful of days. Amongst the beach, surf, food and beverages some running fitted in too. First morning was a struggle waking up in the tent. The combination of Trivial Pursuit, Sailor Jerry rum and scotch were not kind to my head. After some breakfast and a triple shot coffee I didn't feel any better. It was tempting not to run. The shoes went on anyway. Out onto the Surfcoast Walk. I followed some of the Leg 2 of the Surfcoast Century. Without a pack of mandatory gear and an initial 21km of beach running I expected it be quite different. Surprisingly it wasn't. The only difference was I didn't have to keep a lid on the intensity when climbing on the Jarosite track. The plan was to be out for about 2 hours holding something like 4:40/km once warmed up. At the start I felt terrible. Each step I thought I was going to chunder and my brain felt like it was swaying side to side. My calves were excessively tight and my legs just ...

Now past the festive season and hopefully the scattered training is behind me. I've marked the 27th December as my new start line. Works better for me than New Year's Day. Here's how the running has gone so far: Day 1: only 17 days out from Two Bays. 10.2km easy averaging 5:37/km including warm up and cool down. Day 2: Hill Sprints 12x ~9-10sec, walk/jog recovery of about 2min. The hill is about 13% incline. The aim is for maximum effort on each sprint, but I am clearly used to the endurance side of things. At the moment there is a clear ceiling on how much power and speed I can get out of my legs. Hopefully regular use of this style of training will improve neuromuscular recruitment. Day 3: Long 2 hour. The aim was to contain the run to within 2 hours including warm up, main set and cool down. I headed out easy and waited until my legs felt right to kick it up to pace. That was 2.8km. Then I wanted to hold between 4:40-4:17/km by running mainly on feel. I got 18.3k...

Another trip around the yellow dwarf. Another calendar of events to look forward to. Christmas and Boxing Day were days off running. Family, food and drink were the better options. Then back into things. I finally realised how close I am to the Two Bays Trail Run, and how I don't really have any weeks left to improve my fitness. As a result I've decided not to do anything drastic in training. Just get together some solid and consistent kilometres, cross the various intensities/speeds and keep an eye on form and pacing for the race ahead. I can't expect it to be a peak event for me. Still, on the day I plan on getting as much out of myself as possible. Whatever the result, it should be good start to the year and improve the foundations of fitness I have. No resolutions in the traditional style. Just a definite goal, like I usually have, to get faster. My running is on track to be best it's ever been. At the moment there is a relaxing ease in which I can put together ...