28km Long Run

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/290919594

Distance:	28.01 km
Time:	2:18:22
Avg Pace:	4:56 min/km
Elevation Gain:	510 m

Hilly long run. Realised my legs were pretty dead at 15km. Realised they were completely dead at 26km. Pushed a bit further than I have in quite some time. Left hip flexor tightened up badly at around 26k too. Tough but good run. I also realised how far away and difficult is going to be to get a 3hr marathon.

Weekly Totals:

Running: 89.09km (7:24:07)
Cycling: 13km (33:22)

March Totals:

Running: 382.39km (32:48:13) (5347m elevation gain)
Cycling: (13km) (33:22)

Most volume I've done in a month since I started running. The next biggest was 362km in October 2011, when I suddenly got injured and hardly ran for 2 months after. This month I also did about another 1000m of hills. Have had 8 weeks now of what I would consider a base training phase. Mostly easy running with just a few harder efforts. Now I need to keep this consistency going.

6km Tempo

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/290422761

Distance:	6.01 km
Time:	24:26
Avg Pace:	4:04 min/km
Elevation Gain:	57 m

Undulating road out past runnerstribe HQ. Hard but comfortable until the last km which is slightly uphill. Drove down to get some ice post run, car wouldn't start and ended up being out for 90mins while the NRMA guy came to replace the battery.

Damn fine morning weather wise - would be nice for it to be like this for a while.

8km Recovery

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/290016440

Distance:	8.04 km
Time:	44:01
Avg Pace:	5:28 min/km
Elevation Gain:	136 m

Legs feel niggly and on edge. Damn fine weather.

15km Aerobic Base

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/289648009

Distance:	15.02 km
Time:	1:11:40
Avg Pace:	4:46 min/km
Elevation Gain:	240 m

Moderate effort. Calves tight from running in flats.

10km Aerobic Base

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/289322540

Distance:	10.01 km
Time:	50:16
Avg Pace:	5:01 min/km
Elevation Gain:	122 m

Jisun missed the bus from Richmond to Schofields so drove down to the station. Ran around the Rouse Hill Regional park which has a loop of around 2.5km, with about a mile of dirt, gravel and grass paths. I reckon you could make a 3k loop with 95% off the tarmac. Apparently people can take horses there...

After seeing Collis Birmingham tear up the world xc, I'm half contemplating doing some of the Met West xc races this year. Todays run had that school xc vibe about it.

Took ibuprofen and loaded the toenail with a topical anaesthetic which cost far too much but seems to have helped. Wore some Asics hyperspeeds which I bought last year and are a half size too big, and have a huge toe box. Good for today. Some arch discomfort at points - not sure if its plantar fascia or post tib.

16km Aerobic Base

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/288922006

Distance:	16.02 km
Time:	1:21:59
Avg Pace:	5:07 min/km
Elevation Gain:	209 m

First km felt very stiff and awkward. Wonder if thats to do with not running yesterday? Left big toe is beaten up and making it an uncomfortable run. Tried to get a needle underneath to remove some of the pressure. Right ball of foot felt mostly fine with the Pegasus. Another nice misty morning.

13km Cycle

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/288570100

Distance:	13.02 km
Time:	33:22
Avg Speed:	23.4 km/h
Elevation Gain:	133 m

Back on the bike for a light recovery. Ball of foot pain - hopefully from stepping on a rock yesterday the wrong way and nothing more sinister. Slight achey spot on left shin. Again, hope its nothing more than an ache following a reasonably hard weekend.

25km Long Run

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/287961299

Distance:	25.00 km
Time:	2:23:03
Avg Pace:	5:43 min/km
Elevation Gain:	561 m

Met up with a guy from coolrunning who put out the call a while back for someone to run with around here. Ran from his place at Bowen Mountain into the Burralow Creek Valley and up to Bilpin and back. A little too rocky and hilly from Bowen Mt to the main trail, but overall a very easy paced run.

Not exactly the stimulus I was probably after, but coming off the tempo yesterday I guess its ok to run easy. However, prefer to run a solid rhythm run than 7:40km hiking. Trod on a bloody sharp rock and feel like I've bruised the ball of my foot. Everything else seems to be holding up ok, except for my left toenail.

I might have to give up on the trails and stick with road for the moment. It was nice running up in the mist though.

Start and end of the trail.

Weekly Total:

Running: 103.38km (8:53:48) (1658m elevation)

I think its only the second time I've hit 100k. Only did it this week because I ran last weeks long run on the Monday of this week. 50 days consecutive running too.

On the one hand I'm happy to be hitting 4:13's for 16k, but I'm also aware thats the pace I will need to hold for a sub 3hr marathon, which seems like such a long way away.

Honey Bread

16km Tempo

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/287537341

Distance:	16.12 km
Time:	1:07:45
Avg Pace:	4:12 min/km
Elevation Gain:	131 m

Tough session with the Tiger squad. Felt pretty good for the first ten km then started dropping as Megan slowly started to get away from me. Good to have someone to pull me along. Feeling pretty hammered now.

5km Recovery

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/287285388

Distance:	5.01 km
Time:	29:57
Avg Pace:	5:59 min/km
Elevation Gain:	53 m

Fried chicken, wind, hot temps and freshly massaged legs aren't a great mix.

15km Aerobic Base

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/286845597

Distance:	15.03 km
Time:	1:13:34
Avg Pace:	4:54 min/km
Elevation Gain:	259 m

Autumn.

6km Recovery

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/286639765

Distance:	6.19 km
Time:	33:22
Avg Pace:	5:23 min/km
Elevation Gain:	93 m

Long day at uni, missed lunch, long commute etc. Just taking it easy and enjoying the last of daylight savings. A few strides at the end, nothing structured.

6km Recovery

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/286261841

Distance:	6.01 km
Time:	34:15
Avg Pace:	5:42 min/km
Elevation Gain:	62 m

Easy pace, legs feel ok but fatigued.

25km Long Run

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/285763068

Distance:	25.04 km
Time:	2:04:02
Avg Pace:	4:57 min/km
Elevation Gain:	444 m

Making up for yesterdays failure. Pretty hilly run and felt pretty good. Out the door just before the sun rose which made for a beautiful run up the mountain with views all the way to the city. Felt like a good run, legs getting pretty tired by the end. All on road.

16km Aerobic Base

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/285190879

Distance:	16.09 km
Time:	1:42:17
Avg Pace:	6:21 min/km
Elevation Gain:	556 m

A mostly unsatisfying run up around Mt Banks. Had real trouble deciding where to run this morning and made a stupid, spur of the moment decision to check out Mt Banks. I had thought that there was a trail that led at least 10km out from Bells line of Road, turns out it only went about 6.5k before becoming crazy rocky and overgrown. Great views at the end over the Grose Valley though.

The fire trail is pretty runnable. Headed back to the start where there is another single rocky trail which climbs up to the summit of Mt Banks. Was only able to hike it up and down. Nothing much to see at the top, some more views into the valley from a small way up. Nearly faceplanted a few times and kicked my toes on rocks. I'm not a fan of this type of trail 'running'. A wasted session so will try and do a 20+ km run tomorrow.

Weekly Total:

Running: 76.24km (6:47:30)

6km Tempo

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/284721320

Distance:	6.02 km
Time:	24:07
Avg Pace:	4:01 min/km
Elevation Gain:	16 m

6km Tempo. 3k warm up and 3k cool down. Ran the tempo in Hagios. Think I had the effort level right. One bag of ice bath wasn't quite cold enough.

Am now entered in the Sydney:10 and the SMH half. Will be entered in City2Surf next week, because the earlybird offer is open via UTS.

11km Aerobic Base

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/284387279

Distance:	11.01 km
Time:	55:12
Avg Pace:	5:01 min/km
Elevation Gain:	49 m

Richmond lowlands. Tight.

15km Aerobic Base

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/284036112

Distance:	15.04 km
Time:	1:13:41
Avg Pace:	4:54 min/km
Elevation Gain:	264 m

Feeling fitter. Calf needs work again. 40 days consecutive running. Only one hard paced session during that time.

4km Recovery

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/283831754

Distance:	4.02 km
Time:	26:34
Avg Pace:	6:37 min/km
Elevation Gain:	36 m

I call this pace 'Old Chinese Grandma Pace'. Nice jogging as the sun went down.

12km Aerobic Base

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/283469608

Distance:	12.02 km
Time:	57:09
Avg Pace:	4:45 min/km
Elevation Gain:	152 m

Moderate effort. Had to have a nap before heading out for this. Shitty day at work where I ended up with a patient on the floor.

6km Recovery

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/282968470

Distance:	6.02 km
Time:	33:24
Avg Pace:	5:33 min/km
Elevation Gain:	137 m

Wollemi National Park easy run. Fairly tight again.

21km Medium Long

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/282357835

Distance:	21.09 km
Time:	1:52:11
Avg Pace:	5:19 min/km
Elevation Gain:	284 m

Ran Patterson's Range Fire Trail again, this time following Donna's Track down to the end. Runnable, if not a bit of an uneven, rocky surface in places.

I am 99% sure I saw one of the fabled 'Panthers' that has been spotted around the place up here. Saw a black hind quarter disappear into the bush and initially thought it was a black tailed wallaby - but this was completely silent. Wallabies make an enormous amount of noise. Saw paw prints around the track, but not where I saw this thing though.

Spoke to the people that live at the top of the trail and they have seen fur and bones in animal poo, as well as a wedge tailed eagle eating a wallaby that had been torn apart. They didn't think the eagle could have done that.

Its an ok run, but apart from the view at the end - a little claustrophobic with so much bush around.

Grose Valley, from Donna's track. Could see across to Winmalee.

Weekly Totals:

Running: 73.61km (6:25:40)

Parramatta Parkrun 5k

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/281884682

Distance:	5.01 km
Time:	19:01
Avg Pace:	3:48 min/km
Elevation Gain:	41 m

Inaugural Parramatta Parkrun (official), and my first. Kind of disappointed that I couldn't hang on and drop under 19 mins, but kind of ok with it given that I'm not really doing any training that would increase speed.

Bruce Fordyce was there, and I beat him (who cares if he's a 70 year old ultra runner..) so that's something. Think I came 5th. Took 20 seconds off the SMC 5k I did back in december.

EDIT: Actually came 6th. Winner was Thomas Do Conto in 14:49

9km Aerobic Base

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/281570055

Distance:	9.26 km
Time:	49:35
Avg Pace:	5:21 min/km
Elevation Gain:	120 m

Headed up to Bilpin to run on Patterson's Ridge trail. Bit of a drive, but have been running mostly on roads all week. Nicer day up there than the last time. Could see (through the trees) up to Mt Banks. No clear views though unless you trek off the trail I think. Easy run, relatively flat really.

Start, just off Bells Line of Road, Bilpin.

13km Aerobic Base

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/281229902

Distance:	13.03 km
Time:	1:06:14
Avg Pace:	5:05 min/km
Elevation Gain:	204 m

Felt good. Very nice, cool autumn morning. Clear blue skies, mist over the lowlands. Have lost a tiny bit of weight.

5km Aerobic Base

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/281008100

Distance:	5.01 km
Time:	25:40
Avg Pace:	5:07 min/km
Elevation Gain:	54 m

Wednesday is my long uni day. Leave home at 6:50am, get home at 6:30pm. Had fried chicken on the way home which didn't sit so well. Just hitting the minimum this week.

9km Aerobic Base

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/280623020

Distance:	9.11 km
Time:	49:11
Avg Pace:	5:24 min/km
Elevation Gain:	141 m

Same story as yesterday, completely exhausted after work. Dragged my ass outside and ended up having an easy, enjoyable run.

Wildlife adventure: picked up a tortoise that had parked itself right on the side of the road and moved it a few metres away, only to find it back in a similar spot on the way back. Put it in someone's fenced yard. Exciting times up here.

6km Recovery

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/280235965

Distance:	6.03 km
Time:	33:02
Avg Pace:	5:29 min/km
Elevation Gain:	18 m

Very tired after work. Had to have a nap when I got home. Surprisingly refreshing jog though. Also surprised at how good the legs felt. Just started to get a tight calf at about 5k.

Have had a 30 day running streak. If I wasn't obsessive about numbers, I wouldn't have run today, but am glad I did.

22km Medium Long

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/279517200

Distance:	22.02 km
Time:	1:47:10
Avg Pace:	4:52 min/km
Elevation Gain:	73 m

Struggled the last 7k. Head wind for most of the first 10k. Scared some horses, saw some guys picking corn, probably got sunburnt. Patela taped. Wore Pegasus.

Ate some duck feet, jelly fish and shark fin soup last night with chinese friends who can't handle their alcohol.

Weekly Totals:

Running: 80.26km (6:48:32) 780m elevation gain - far less than last week.

10km Aerobic Base

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/279027191

Distance:	10.02 km
Time:	47:02
Avg Pace:	4:42 min/km
Elevation Gain:	131 m

Moderate effort. More like winter here today. Nice to have a slightly quicker run. Some tightness, but not too much.

Highlight was two big wedge tail eagles circling around the house when I got home which freaked the chickens out.

8km Easy

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/278726444

Distance:	8.03 km
Time:	42:57
Avg Pace:	5:21 min/km
Elevation Gain:	28 m

Don't mind running in the rain, just find it hard to get out there. Attempted to tape the arch of my foot, but don't know what I'm doing. Definitely feeling tight again so headed to the local chines massage place, feeling a bit looser. Will have to bite the bullet and get orthotics, just not sure when yet. My biggest concern is that is doesn't work like the last time I spent $400 and they did nothing.

Nice and flat run today.

Wet morning on the Lowlands