Sunday, May 27, 2012

HBF Run For A Reason 2012

Really enjoyed today's race - nice to have a race which isn't a priority - takes the pressure and nerves out of it.

I had a light week in leadup - partly as programmed and in part due to a hectic working week.

Monday 10k recovery
Tuesday am 16k with 6x1200m intervals. Didnt use the interval function on my garmin, but intervals 2-5 were 4:14 or about 3:32 pace. I jog recovered the first 3 and standing the next 3

Tues pm 9k recovery
Wed pm - 12k@4:20  - after a frustrating day at work with a very early start preventing a morning run, this was a hilly circuit around Bold Park hammering some of the hills to work off the frustration - seemed to work!

Thurs am 16k@4:40
Fri am 12k recovery
Sat am rest

Sunday - 3k warmup, 7k cooldown, 14k race

I arranged a preferred start this year, and it was definitely worth it. no standing still for 30 mins in a corral.
I set out with the aim of keeping in touch with B'Man, and achieved it, getting to 4k in 14:12 and passing/gapping him here. i felt good other than some shin soreness I often get early in shorter races.

Garmin lost the signal under the tunnel, but i kept pace here, struggling a bit mentally into the wind with noone nearby. Km pace here slowed to 3:45s, and i passed the 10k marker at 36:50.

Interestingly I was pretty much exactly the same pace to this point as last year's race, but went 20 sec faster in the 10-12k section, and finished a bit faster at 3:34 pace for the last km. i managed to hold off B'Man and also Lauren Shelley - the leading woman.

Overall it was a pleasing effort off marathon training with very little faster stuff in the last few months. I felt fresh at the end and the 6k cooldown with Simon then 1k to my car were comfortable, and apart from some calf soreness i've felt good this afternoon.

3 weeks til the marathon - taper week starts counterintuitively with an increase in mileage! (118k after only 100k this week)

Monday, May 21, 2012

4 weeks to marathon

So, 4 weeks to go 'til Perth marathon. It was a bit of a nothing week this week, spent much of it battling gastrointestinal issues unfortunately.

Total 136k

Mon 10k recovery
Tues am 16k with 5x800m@5k effort - pace a bit disappointing, not much different to tempo pace
Tues pm 8k recovery
Wed am 24k medium long run @4:40s approx
Thus off - struggling a bit with the stomach
Fri am 24k medium long run@ 4:30s
Sat am 12.5k back to the hills of Bold park
Sat pm 9.5k recovery in Hattoris/barefoot
Sun am 32k@4:28 solo long run on my old coast/Hale Rd course

This week should see a drop in mileage prior to HBF Run 4 A Reason on Sunday (14k). I'm told I should nail this one! although I'm not entirely sure. I'm keen not to put mental pressure or expectations on it lest it affect my mindset leading into the marathon, so it'll be a 'take it as it comes' scenario.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Two Solid Weeks

A couple of good weeks training since my last post, with confidence a bit higher.

Week 1  -146k
Mon 12k easy @ 4:51
Tues am 16k@4:19 with some fartlek
Tues pm 10.8k@4:28 easy barefoot
Wed am 8.5k easy
Wed pm 18k@4:30 - belated medium long run
Thurs am 10k recovery
Fri am 19k with 11k(7 then 4) tempo@3:52
Sat am12.5k recovery
Sun am 40k@ 4:37 long run with Rob

Week 2 - 134k
Mon am 10k recovery
Tues am 16k easy (mild virus)
Tues pm 11k@4:28 with some barefoot
Wed am 24k medium long
Thurs off
Fri am 24k@4:19 medium long rum
Sat am 12k recovery
Sun am 36.5k with last 18k@3:55 (overall 4:14)

So overall a couple of solid weeks training.
The plantar fascia is OK - tried without taping on one of my easy runs though and paid a price - back to being taped (self taping) 24/7. the rest of my body seems to be holding up OK
I had a little bit of a crisis in confidence last week, but a solid couple of long runs have helped.

Today's long run included 18k finish at MP - ended up being a pretty consistent 3:55 and garmin dying at 16k and unavoidable toilet stop at this point didn't faze me.

Upcoming weeks include the 14k Run For a Reason race in a fortnight and potentially the 6k Lake Gwelup Primary funrun (scene of my only ever funrun victory) 13days out from the marathon.

Race day nutrition was on my mind today - tried some 'Winners' Gels (Coles/Cadel Evans brand) on Clowns advice. They are the most palatable gels I've come across. The carb content is listed as corn syrup solids - which from my reading is the same thing as maltodextrin and not the high fructose corn syrup which is oft blamed as the culprit for the downfall of Western Civilisation. I just need to decide how much gel to use, given I will have carbs in sports drinks I'll leave at each station.