Go Hard

A few more training runs have passed since my last attempt at racing the shorter distance. There have been improvements since the Hurstbridge Fun Run. The Coburg Harriers are definitely one of my favorite race organisers. I usually get the opportunity for some head to head racing. A wet course, that somehow managed some reprieve from water falling from above. No flooding this time, just some puddles on the concrete bike trail and about 50m worth of muddy grass make up what's underfoot. The topography is fairly flat, with some undulations that can drag some speed out of your legs. Both the 5km and 10km started at the same time, with the 5ker's having their startline about 20m in front. I lined up at the front of the 10km runners and weaved through the slower of the short course runners before the events split in different directions. I found myself out in front at this point. I dropped down one gear and let a small pack of 4 others form around me. We looked like we were ...

Cancer = bad. People fighting cancer = good. Played a small role in the Whitehorse Relay For Life which raises funds for Cancer Council to fight the awful disease. I was part of the Ambulance Victoria team called Pierre's Pilots. My part was easy, run a few laps of an athletics track and otherwise socialise with the team. The running was sporadic depending on who was there at the time. So stints of 800 to 2400m with resting as long as took for others to have their turn. It's a strange way to run. Eventually it gave me 24.4km, or 61 laps. Why 61? Well it was one more than a mate ran earlier in the day. Have to add some comepetition. Speaking of competition, there's always the Tri-services Trophy to race for against the Police and Fire Services. Unfortunately it appears to have been marred by some suspect lap counting by another team. Surprising and disappointing. Still it was fun to be part of the event and not use the watch or heart monitor and keep the running purely socia...

For distance running, the long run is the most important run in training. Is it? As a stand alone statement I no longer think it's accurate. Yes, the so-called long run is important, but it may not be the most important run. I am including race distances from 10km through to 100km. I'll also add that I don't believe one type of run session repeated each week can ever truly have the tag  most important . Improving running performance comes down to creating a training environment where the sum is greater than the total of all parts. This is harder to do than most think. Many create a training situation where the sum is less than the total of all parts. Back to the long run. If you want to race well in long distance, then of course long training runs will feature to some degree. But how much? How long should your long run be? Should be longer than your race, or shorter? How fast should it be run? These are the typical questions I have considered over the years and t...

Nothing like a few days away. Wind, rain, sun, sand, surf, wildlife, beer, food, wine, scenery and new trails. Enough said.