Woodford Dam 19km

Driving up at 6:30

Beautiful area to go running, mostly fire trails with a bit of single trail and some tarmac. Some of the most insane hills I've ever had to get up and down.

Woodford Elevation!

The climbs really worked the heart and the downhills felt a bit unsteady and put a fair bit of pressure on the ITB. Briskly walked up most of the hills, - if anyone ran the hills I'd be blown away. I just can't describe the hills until you see them!

I think a lot of the guys running this are ultra runners, people who put in 100km+ weeks without any dramas, whereas for me this was a long run, with the added bonus of super hills! Had to pee at about 20min in where I lost about 5 places, and on the way back missed a turn off which added about 4mins or so to the run I think. Sucked in a way because I had my eyes on trying to catch the guy in front, think I lost a few places as well. Not to worry.

Run Time: 2:04:29, 45th overall.

Great place to run, looking forward to Glenbrook now.

Running out there, somewhere.

If you look really hard that's Pukie on the back of that guys shirt.

Doin' it tough

Gym Session

Bench Press 40kg
10 10 10
Incline bench 25kg
12 10 8
L-hang
10sec 10sec 10sec 10sec 10sec 10sec
Glute bridge
10 10 10
Single leg glute bridge
10 10 10
Adductor raise
10 10 10
Hollow rock
20 13 15

Reasonably easy going, don't want too much intensity before the weekend. Saw some badly performed CF style workouts happening which was fun.

Gymnastics

Nice session in the evening at Gymnastics. Different coach who had a better way of explaining things. Worked on a couple of different things. Seems I had my form completely wrong on the front flip so I'm starting over there.
Felt better on some of the handstands thin week, seemed to have a little more of a feel for where I need to be kicking up to. Did some strength stuff (first level prog for Iron Cross I guess - ring hold just off the ground moving hands away from body.) The rings are so, so unstable. Nothing like I've ever felt at CF. Fun. Finished up with 25-15-15-15 Hollow Rock

Post: WPC & Dextrose

8km Easy Run

Run Time: 46:56
Stopped Time: 0:43
Distance: 8.07 km
Average: 5:49 /km
Fastest Pace: 4:42 /km
Climb: 59 meters
Calories: 604

http://j.mp/cvjPo4

Max HR: 168 (89%)
Avg HR: 154 (81%)

Tried to keep the pace reasonably slow and easy, was quite hot though and felt like I was dragging a bit - especially on the hills. Was pretty easy though as the HR suggests. No issues apart from a little teeny bit of tightness right TFL. Had massage yesterday which loosened things up a bit. Wish I'd done the run in the morning instead of at 1500.

18km

Run Time: 1:47:48
Stopped Time: 0:51
Distance: 18.13 km
Average: 5:57 /km
Fastest Pace: 4:02 /km
Climb: 138 meters
Calories: 1338

http://j.mp/byFt1B

Max HR: 176 (93%)
Avg HR: 166 (88%)

Really tough, torturous run and actually ended up cutting it short. Was trying to get out another twenty km. I think I basically went too hard at the beginning. Felt quite good for the first six or so kms. Got a pretty nasty blister and legs just stopped working. Very tight right calf muscle. You can see on the splits where it all started to unravel. I struggled with the heat badly too - ran at quite a high heart rate. Ah well - I'm starting to think I should get a bit of a higher base mileage, maybe drop the sprints (not that I've been doing them anyway) and make them longer - but slower - intervals, plus a longer slower run mid-week. My nutrition is terrible these days as well - running on sugar, need to fix the diet up soon and re-aquaint myself with paleo.

Pre: Half a snickers, banana, Endura
During: GU
Post: Endura (then I just ate cake and other carbs all day at a bday celebration)

Sprints

5x380m Two minute recovery

1:24 - 1:21 - 1:24 - 1:24 - 1:26

Tough session. Could quite have easily missed it, legs felt heavy and had a lunch of about five chocolate biscuits as I'd forgotten money. Actually went just to run some barefoot laps but again found too many bindis. Sucked it up and got some decent work done and feel happier for it.

Pre: Nil
Post: Dextrose (40g carbs)
Recovery: Elevated legs for a few minutes. Cold water bath.

Gymnastics

Well, I finally did it. And its not a free handstand. I've torn or strained some muscle in my left hip. It's an external rotator though, I did it on my first attempt at a cartwheel I think. Anyway, I'm in the cold water bath now. Wont be able to run for a bit. That left side has been weird since last week.
Gymnastics was ok, not as difficult as last week. Felt I was getting better on my front flips. More aware of where I am in space. Handstands not much better, got one that felt right from about twenty attempts. Lots of good core exercises as part of the strength work which lasts about thirty minutes. Need lots of handstand practice.

Barefoot Inc. Barefoot/Pose Clinic Centennial Park

Nice Sunday morning out at Centennial Park with the shoes off for a free barefoot/pose workshop. It was good to see that most of what I have done through self teaching is right. I still have a long way to maintaining good form and I still feel I have trouble with the "pull" but I'm on the right track. We started with some mid foot bounces, moved to spider walks and 'dry humps' before getting on to the pose stance, the pull and the lean. Still having trouble feeling the lean actually as well.
We broke into three groups to run through more drills and get a little more coaching. It was great to see the enthusiasm of the coaches who genuinely wanted people to connect with barefoot running. It makes sense on such a philosophical level as well as physiological. Stripping things back, connecting with the body and earth. Very nice.
Was good for a two hour intro. Has definitely made me want to incorporate more barefoot drills into my training. Will probably do my 'sprints' on grass without shoes and see how I go. Will try and get the cadence stuff sorted.

20km Run

Run Time: 1:59:46
Stopped Time: 3:23
Distance: 20.20 km
Average: 5:56 /km
Fastest Pace: 4:39 /km
Climb: 237 meters
Calories: 1669
Max HR: 168 (89%)
Avg HR: 150 (79%)


http://j.mp/bXMhVN

Oh the pain. Long time since I have done any distance and this absolutely killed me. Was down to 7 minute per km buy the end and shuffled through some very, very heavy legs. Started with quite a tight left hamstring. Got a blister on the side of my right foot around 8km which was reasonably painful. Just glad I got the work over and done with. No nutrition during run which I feel makes a difference. Not sure if training without food helps or hinders.

Recovery: Trying out contrast baths - 5min in cold water, 5 min in hot shower X 3. Lots of carbs.

Weights

Bench Press
12-12-12
40kg

Squat
8-8-8
40kg

Bar Dips
10-6-5

Slow treadmill run for 5 minutes and a fair bit of stretching. Hopefully feel ok for the long run tomorrow. Looks like it could be wet so might be on the treadmill for a while. Arg.

5km

Was supposed to be a 30 minute tempo run but turned into a wet torture session. Legs very heavy from gymnastics session, primarily left hamstring, but also bilateral glute doms. Had fun running in the pouring rain with my beautiful wife. Stopped a few times and just ran fairly easily (plus my legs were crap) Still some tightness around right hip flexor TFL.

5.3km
30:00
Max HR: 173 (92%)
Avg HR: 153 (81%)

Gymnastics

Came home from work and tried to mobilise the hips. Two min each side twice on the glutes ("pigeon" type pose but up on the side of the lounge) Two minutes each side twice on the hip flexor/quads and two minutes twice on the ITB/TFL before leaving for gymnastics.

First day trying out a specific gymnastics group session at Mac Uni. I've jumped in half way through a six week course so I felt a bit anxious, but once I made a fool of myself in the first two minutes I felt fine.

Started with some mobility on the joints, basic stretches etc before moving into forward rolls (no prob) backwards rolls (wtf? - this is where I made a fool of myself) Bunny hops (kind handstand kick things) handstand with split legs, handstands with straight legs, cartwheels (had never, ever done one and was so uncoordinated I needed specific instruction) roll off or over (I think?) which is like a cartwheel but more explosive... Then we went up to the trampoline to do more roll overs (uh...) and ended up practising some forward pikes from the trampoline into the cushion pit. Pretty fun, started to get the idea but have so, so far to go. Hope to have a full front flip on the trampoline before xmas. Then I practiced handstands for a while and I think I got one that lasted for about 10 seconds.

Did strength and conditioning at the end. Two times 30sec handstand holds. One minute wall sit. 20 push ups with feet up on bar. 10 push ups with arms close in. Five chin ups. 30 tuck jumps. One chin up behind neck. 20 leg raises. 30 box jumps. 30 reverse push ups (dips on box) 30 calf raises. 40 sit ups. 20 V type ab things and walking lunge (maybe 15m).

Smashed. I felt really sick about five minutes afterwards, combo of motion sickness and being out of condition, and by the time I got home I thought I would throw up. Looking forward to next week. Really want to achieve a freestanding handstand and a forward flip on the trampoline.

12km Run

Run Time: 1:13:29

Stopped Time: 3:15
Distance: 12.13 km
Average: 6:04 /km
Fastest Pace: 4:33 /km
Climb: 87 meters
Calories: 900

Max HR: 175 (93%)
Avg HR: 153 (81%)

http://j.mp/cHr1v5
Very low motivation, stiff sore legs from weights. Started ok, hit some trails at about 3.5km and a very sharp hill which pushed my HR up to about 173 - never quite recovered from that. Just had to get through, wanted to get at least 15km but tight glute/TFL on right hip and right calf tightness prevented that. Thought it would be best just to call it early. Definitely brought back down from the high of the half and 10k. Need to get massage and really focus on stretching out everything. Glad I got this done though regardless.

Have to have a think about what I'm going to do with the resistance training. Maybe drop the weights down, or concentrate on pistols.

Weight Training

Bench Press
8-8-8
50kg

Squat
8-8-8
40kg-45kg-50kg

Dips
8-6-5

Glute Activation
All 3 x 10, hold for 5 sec

Glute Bridge
Single Leg Glute Bridge
Lying Abduction

First time in the weights room for a long time. Funnily enough just running hasn't made me any stronger. Hopefully not too sore tomorrow.

Restoration and supplements

Wanted to run this afternoon but have just felt absolutely fatigued all day. Instead did a bit of rolling and stretching, particularly focussing on trying to stretch the ITB out, can still feel residual tightness on the left leg. Am rolling with the foam roller and an oversized tennis ball on the glutes. Also hung out in 'happy baby' which is painful on the groin.

Thought I'd quickly list the supplements I'm currently taking:

Vitamin D - 3000 iU
Alpha Lipoic Acid - 300mg
Magnesium - 600mg (just recently upped this - its actually got a bunch of other stuff too like calcium and potassium)
Digestive Enzymes - usually Now Foods Super Enzymes, but am going to get a higher dose of Betaine HCl

Swim 1000m

Approx. 20min. Fairly relaxed swim broken up into two sets of ten laps.  Still working on my swimming muscles. Hoping to do Cole Classic 2km ocean swim in February next year.

Signed up for the gym at Mac Uni again so I have to get strength work done and I have to swim regularly now. Still trying to figure out what I'm going to do for strength work, as I'm only going to really have one day a week to do it.

Penrith Lakes 10km

Official Time: 45:03
Avg Pace: 4:30 km/min

Wow. What a day. Cold and wet, daylight savings had just ticked over so we lost an hour of sleep. It was certainly tough to look outside at the pouring rain and say that I was glad to be doing this.

Woke at about 5.45 daylight savings time after going to bed around 2200 standard time, not really the amount of sleep I would normally like. I've noticed on race days I'm not tired though as adrenaline is already starting to kick in. Warmed up by having a hot shower and getting into the BSc tights, had a bit of a foam roll and a stretch and got moving.

Got out to the venue at the Regatta Centre and it was raining, cold and bleak. Picked up the bib and timing chip and still had about half hour before the start. Did a little static stretching and some jumps to warm up the calves and shins, a few squats to try and get the heart rate up a little and during this time it alternated between pouring down and light drizzle.

Moved down to the start area with a light jog and got ready to go. I'm still unsure about myself so I placed somewhere near the back of the pack. Gun went and we started to move off when I realised I was kind of stuck behind a few runners that weren't hitting the pace I was hoping for. I got a bit freaked out and took off down the outside to try and get in front. I quickly realised that I had pushed to hard, too quickly as my heart rate just sky rocketed. I also had the strange experience of having heaps of space and not knowing how to pace myself properly. I tried to set myself to the pace of a couple of people ahead of me but they kept gaining ground. I had to slow a little to stop myself from blowing out in the first few km's. I got overtaken by a few people and eventually settled into a rhythm about 20m behind one of the girls that had overtaken me.

Probably only 2-3km in I started to feel the signs of a stitch in my right side, I just had to keep trying to either slow my breathing down to relax or to breathe a bit harder. A full stitch never came on, but it was pretty uncomfortable over the first lap of the lake. I have found that I get stitches if I am running at a high heart rate. About 5km I started to feel pretty tight through my right glute and left ITB. Same as what I had towards the end of the half-marathon. Not enough to significantly slow me down, but enough to not allow me to get relaxed and speed up. One of the nice memories was coming down towards the mountains and seeing half covered in cloud - very scenic. At some stage the rain had started really coming down again and I was soaked completely through. Didn't slow things down much except over the timing things which looked like being very slippery plastic. Just kept pushing along and probably at about 8km I caught up to the girl in front who I was using as my pacer, but then she moved away from me again. I took a mouthful of water at the last aid station and then tried to pick up my pace to bring it home. Got a bit of speed up before hitting some giant puddles which soaked my shoes right through and then sprinted at the finish line, just passing the pacing girl on the line! I was thinking sub-50min would be good and 46min would be outstanding. To achieve 45:03 is fantastic and I'm on a bit of a high from that. Mac Uni students were on hand for a bit of glute/ITB massage which was great. Still tight though.

I'm certainly learning more about how to race and prepare myself. Will try and get into a routine of training from now until December.

Pre: Banana & WPC at about 6am, Choc GU (with caffeine) at about 8.30
Post: Watermelon immediately upon finishing. WPC and dextrose