2 x 3km w/3min recovery

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/305397063

Distance:	13.08 km
Time:	1:02:41
Avg Pace:	4:47 min/km
Elevation Gain:	32 m

11:34.9 (3:52min/km)
11:47.8 (3:56min/km)

Tough day. Felt pretty flat and tired before even starting. Had hoped to hold 3:50 pace but did not happen. Seemed to be much more humid than the last week. Felt like I was pushing it a touch hard and should allow the drop in pace and think more about the effort. Hopefully the last weeks training is absorbed by the weekend and the legs have freshened a bit. 34 years old today. Probably fitter than I've been before - running wise at least.

Monthly Totals

Running: 316.52km (25:30:17)

Have managed to run and manage the niggles. Last year I only ran above 300k in a month once. So far this year, two consecutive months above 300.

28km Long Run

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/304191885

Distance:	28.11 km
Time:	2:07:01
Avg Pace:	4:31 min/km
Elevation Gain:	158 m

Astonishingly beautiful morning down on the lowlands. Wanted to stay off the hills and see what pace I could hold. Felt comfortable at 4:30's but it got uncomfortable. Tightened up a fair bit, but managed to hang on.

Nice day for a balloon ride.

Weekly Totals:

Running: 87.60km (6:53:35) (924m elevation gain) (32km off road)

Pretty big week (for me) with some quality in there.

4x2km w/2min recovery

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/303654388

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	1:02:34.0	13.34	4:41
1	14:52.9	2.59	5:44
2	7:23.6	2.00	3:42
3	2:00.0	0.35	5:45
4	7:23.3	2.00	3:42
5	2:00.0	0.34	5:58
6	7:30.6	2.00	3:45
7	2:00.0	0.30	6:45
8	7:31.4	2.00	3:46
9	2:00.0	0.19	10:20
10	9:52.2	1.57	6:17

Done on a wet 300m grass oval. Wanted to hold 3:50 pace across them but I still don't know how to pace properly. About 20 seconds better per rep than when I did this 9/4. (that was after a shit day at work and much hotter)

Good session. Ran in Adios with bloody wet feet. Calves will need a rub down.

16km Tempo

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/302842792

Distance:	16.13 km
Time:	1:05:13
Avg Pace:	4:03 min/km
Elevation Gain:	118 m

Third long tempo over six weeks. Pace has come down from 4:12's to 4:07's to 4:03's (by the garmin). Felt better today than either of the other two, felt like I could have held that pace for at least a few more km. Was getting tight on the left side though.

Ran in the new Adios which seem quite good. Test will be on a two hr + run.

I think I just ran my 10k PR on this.

6km Recovery

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/302395165

Distance:	6.02 km
Time:	30:33
Avg Pace:	5:05 min/km
Elevation Gain:	65 m

Got a new pair of Adios 2 so took them out to see how they felt. Bought a pair about this time last year, but they ended up destroying my toenail - got the usual size but they are a bit tight. So after a few different pairs of shoes - I decided to try these again a half size up. They are a lot stiffer and firmer than the NB's I've been using. Will see how they go on tomorrows long tempo.

Knee feels almost back to normal. left calf tight (again).

Adios 2

19km Medium Long

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/301990687

Distance:	19.02 km
Time:	1:38:28
Avg Pace:	5:11 min/km
Elevation Gain:	435 m

Headed up to Mt Lagoon along the fire trails. A little over 30mins drive (google maps says its 48mins on the dirt). I feel somewhat apprehensive about trail running. I find it difficult to get a good rhythm, and I never feel particularly relaxed - especially when the trees start to form a tunnel type effect.

Legs felt pretty fatigued from the weekend, plus a fairly long night standing up at work last night - which is why I decided to go slow and on dirt.

This run starts in the 'village' where its all autumn leaves before you out into the national park. It has some really nice ferny sections but then closes in (its still 4wd width). Not too rocky, bit sandy in sections. The highlight though is at the end of the trail where the T3 walking track begins. Absolutely amazing lookout over the Wollemi wilderness. Looking on the map it is only 50km to Glen Davis as the crow flies from this point (although I thought it said 80km on the sign). Not somewhere I'd be in a hurry to get up to again though.

Right knee seems to be getting much better since massage on friday. Calves pulled up pretty tight after Sunday.

Autumn up the Mountain - Sams Way. 

I didn't take this - found it on the web from someone
else who'd been there. Pic doesn't do it justice. 

24km w/6k effort

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/300723286

Distance:	24.02 km
Time:	1:51:00
Avg Pace:	4:37 min/km
Elevation Gain:	367 m

Pretty happy with this run. Great weather, good views out to the city. Hard effort for last 6km with - 4:11, 4:14, 4:18, 4:18, 4:18, 4:07.

Pretty tight left hip flexor/hip still. Right knee feeling much better. Ice bath (with last weeks ice) post run. Ran in a pair of Adios from 2011.

Weekly Totals:

69.54km (5:32:46) 887m elevation gain. 24km off road.

6 x 1km w/2min recovery

6 x 1km w/2min recovery

3:42.2
3:48.4
3:49.2
3:49.9
3:47.2
3:52.2

Fairly even except for that first rep. Ran in the National Park so some slight undulation. At that pace the tiniest incline seemed to put me in oxygen debt - especially the last km where I moved into vomit zone.

For some stupid reason I only programmed two reps on the garmin - so stopped between 2 and 3 to restart. Not sure if it was quite a 2 minute recovery or not.

Rain held off for the hour I was down there. Knee feels a bit better, still some ache. Need more core strength

16km Aerobic Base

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/299471505

Distance:	16.02 km
Time:	1:16:21
Avg Pace:	4:46 min/km
Elevation Gain:	252 m

Be happy if the weather stays like this morning for a while. Ran in the Adistar Boost, bit clunky and sweaty, but mostly ok.

5km Recovery

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/299027563

Distance:	5.03 km
Time:	27:22
Avg Pace:	5:26 min/km
Elevation Gain:	65 m

Not in the schedule but needed a very light run to clear the head and shake out the legs before a long day at uni. Getting acupuncture this afternoon again.

2 x (6x400m w/1min rec)

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/298629747

91.3, 88.4, 88.1, 87.2, 88.0, 87.0

82.6, 85.6, 86.4, 85.6, 85.3, 82.1

I enjoy this kind of session. Bit tired, late night/early-ish morning, busy afternoon at work. Knee was shit when I woke up, got the tape on and rolled the adductor and medial quads - seemed to feel better. Tried to hold a pace that was 'comfortably hard' not vomit worthy. First rep was messed up cos I pressed a wrong button.


Have been disturbed by the Boston explosions like everyone else. Fucking shit.

Jeff Hunt came 8th in 2:14:xx (I think) which is fucking awesome. Top ten at Boston.

Wet day at the track

16km Tempo

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/297464795

Distance:	16.16 km
Time:	1:06:14
Avg Pace:	4:06 min/km
Elevation Gain:	115 m

3 weeks ago ran this in 1:07:45. Felt pretty good, a bit too fast to start with (trying to chase the 3:30 boys) and thought I might have blown up, but got in a good rhythm and managed to hold it until the last little bit.

Knee taped and felt good, could feel the hip being a bit tender but no problem. Very light week, but two good quality sessions. Managing the niggles.

No water at home so no ice bath. Had to have a bird bath outside.

Weekly Totals:

Running: 60.23km (4:43:13)

Second lowest week since coming back from injury in february.

10km Aerobic Base

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/296591344

Distance:	10.01 km
Time:	46:40
Avg Pace:	4:40 min/km
Elevation Gain:	42 m

First run in the adistar boost. Feel pretty good, a bit chunkier than what I have run in the past. Got a blister on the end of my third toe, left side which I used to sometimes get with the old adios. Immediately felt tha my foot kind of 'hung over' the base of the sole. They also seem to make my feet pretty hot which could be a problem.

Taped the patella on the left side which seemed to make a bit of difference. Felt unfit and tired. Was running a touch too hard.

16km Aerobic Base

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/296199438

Distance:	16.01 km
Time:	1:18:37
Avg Pace:	4:55 min/km
Elevation Gain:	258 m

Left hip, right knee. All starting to fail.

4x2km w/2min recovery

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/295506397

Split Time Distance Avg Pace Summary 1:01:29.1 13.01 4:44 1 12:14.6 2.11 5:48 2 7:43.9 2.00 3:52 3 2:00.0 0.32 6:11 4 7:49.8 2.00 3:55 5 2:00.0 0.31 6:29 6 7:54.2 2.00 3:57 7 2:00.0 0.30 6:34 8 7:47.6 2.00 3:54 9 2:00.0 0.25 7:55 10 9:59.1 1.71 5:51

This is a tough session. Did it on a grass 300m oval. Worked today, crap sleep last night. I think I achieved what I needed to with this. Right knee is a bit problematic. Acupuncture tomorrow. Left calf actually felt pretty good. Just grippy behind the knees.

26km Long Run

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/294214813

Distance:	26.00 km
Time:	2:14:05
Avg Pace:	5:10 min/km
Elevation Gain:	301 m

Strange run, about 55min drive from here. Started at the old Zig Zag railway. Was a bit concerned about possible 4WD and dirt bike traffic because there was just tonnes of tyre marks, and a fair bit of rubbish (the worst was at the camp site, which I'd heard about). Place just had a bit of a hillbilly 4WD'er vibe about it.

Had about 10km of dirt road, some of it a little too rough and uneven for what I'd hoped for, before finally coming across some nice pine forest. Once I hit the pines I felt much more relaxed - maybe a throwback to my european ancestry, but there's something about the pines.

Legs were bad from the start and now the calf/achilles is absolutely trashed. Got some pain in the hammie too which is a new one. Prob get some acupuncture again tomorrow. I think it might be a bit of a recovery week this week. Strange, because I felt really good yesterday morning but now have gone two steps back.

The bikes and 4WD'ers obviously don't like an early start because it wasn't until I was almost back at the car at 9am that they all started appearing. Only saw a couple of cars (and some massive trucks) for most of the run and then saw about 25 vehicles in the last 5k.

If I go back I'll try and do most of the run through the pines, but getting there is another 10-15mins. The advantage is that its all pretty much run above 1100m which is about 200m higher than Katoomba and its on dirt. Not sure if it has any effect (the dirt or the 'altitude'), even though this says the O2 would be about 88% of what would be available at sea level.

Newnes State Forest

Weekly Totals

Running: 86.07km (7:18:01) (884m elevation gain)

12km Aerobic Base

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/293689619

Distance:	12.01 km
Time:	1:01:43
Avg Pace:	5:08 min/km
Elevation Gain:	144 m

Late night out for a birthday dinner. Probably best sashimi I have ever had. Slept in, ran late. Legs felt surprisingly good at the start of the run, much better than the last two weeks, but they tightened up. Quads still DOM-ed from Thurs.

Looking forward to seeing how Ryan Gregson runs in the 5000m tonight in Melbourne

12km Aerobic Base

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/293301364

Distance:	12.01 km
Time:	54:46
Avg Pace:	4:34 min/km
Elevation Gain:	47 m

Ran this harder than I should. Was on the moderate to medium level, but felt pretty comfortable and very even paced. Legs are sore etc etc - this time my quads are a bit wrecked from yesterdays 200's. Not used to that type of running at all.

2 x (5x200m w/200m recovery)

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/293011306

Distance:	9.32 km
Time:	46:58
Avg Pace:	5:02 min/km
Elevation Gain:	74 m

Pretty much the first time I've ever done a workout like this. Have been feeling like I've been coming down with a cold the last few days. Had acupuncture at uni yesterday which really loosened my calf up, probably will be tight again after today. I was actually going to take the day off as I was feeling pretty shit this morning. Speaking of shit..

Stomach couldn't handle the afternoon run and pace so a big stop in between sets and then couldn't finish the cool down because I had to get to the toilet. Far too much caffeine and sugar. Wasn't quite as quick for the second set after this.

Set 1: 37.8, 37.4, 37.9, 37.4, 40

Set 2: 40.1, 38.4, 39.2, 39.7, 41

McMillan pace calculator puts 35 - 39 seconds as the target time for my level - my legs won't go any faster anyway.

Enjoyed this.

8km Recovery

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/292495269

Distance:	8.02 km
Time:	42:33
Avg Pace:	5:18 min/km
Elevation Gain:	85 m

Back to having ridiculously tight calf/politeus left side. Have some other thing going on medially with the left knee which isn't going away either. Have a lot of uni work on, so not sure how to fit everything in.

65min w/4x3min efforts + 15min effort

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/292051900

Distance:	13.68 km
Time:	1:05:00
Avg Pace:	4:45 min/km
Elevation Gain:	181 m

Felt good, not overly hard efforts, but more controlled. Legs need some soft tissue work. Rolled for a while last night but am unable to get a good release.

5km Recovery

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/291614084

Distance:	5.02 km
Time:	32:57
Avg Pace:	6:34 min/km
Elevation Gain:	53 m

Trying to work out some of the stiffness from yesterday. Ran first 2km with my wife who never, ever runs which was good.