Another interesting running year. My overall impression is of disappointment, but by the numbers it was another breakthrough year with PB in pretty much every event other than the marathon
Highlights:
March - Half marathon PB 1:22:03 Darlington
May - HBF Run 4 a Reason 13.9k 51:20, 43rd place, 3:41 min/k average (thru 10k @36:40)
June - First Place Lake Gwelup fun-run 6k - my first every fun-run win
August - Perth City to Surf 12k 44:26 PB
November - John Gilmour track 10k, 36:36 PB
November - Penninsula 5k, 17:29 - 2nd place
December - Six Inch Trail Ultramarathon 3hr45, 2nd place
Less successful outings:
Boston Marathon - I think a misguided attempt to protect my knee by training mainly on the flat and grass backfired, as the quads exploded in the last 10k
Perth Marathon - just missed sub 3hr
Run For Gold 10k (July) - 38:20
Some great progress in running this year esp from Clown and Biscuitman, as well as TB
All the best to B'man for a great marathon in Houston
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Six Inch Trail Marathon 46k (47k!)
What an interesting/fun day.
My leadup had been good, minimal niggles. I'd been a little anxious after the start list was published as I thought I might be in with a small chance of winning, but a last minute addition of Gerry Hill actually took some pressure off and I could relax re just running.
Managed 4hrs sleep overnight and left at 3am, getting a lift from my Dad down to North Dandalup.
I'd identified several runners around my level - Kevin Matthews, Brett Coombes, Lauren Shelley, Nate and Michael Barton.
The start is straight uphill for a couple of km, and unlike previous years I quickly found myself out in a clear second place. I dont necessarily love running in groups so I went with it and cruised along.
Unfortunately just 5k in I missed a turnoff and ran about 800m before luckily crossing path with Bernadette in a race control vehicle coming he other way - she stopped me, I jumped in and took me back to where I'd missed the turn. Garmin tells me I lost 5min10sec here and I rejoined with runners about 15th-20th.
Adrenaline got the better o me at this point and I ran like a man possessed through the field, such that by 13k I was second again, but had obviously had to run that 13k 5 mins faster than the others.
There was a pack of Nate, Michael, Brett,Kev and a German guy, but I decided to go past them and push on.
I stayed in this position through the 23k/halfway drink stop (1:45). Here I was told I was only about 5 min behing Gerry - so I guess if I'd not got lost I'd have still been near him at this point. I'd also gapped the others a bit.
Unfortunately at about 28k, coming on to Scarp road, I wasn't 100% sure which way to go, and spooked by the earlier experience, I waited for the others to make sure. Garmin tells me I lost 4min here, although only ran about 200m extra looking each way for arrows on the ground.
So I found myself back with the others at 30k, and again I tried to open up a lead. I was less successful this time, starting to get pretty tired in the legs. I hit the second aid station (2:44) and stopped briefly to exchange powerade bottles (50second stop on GPS). As I left the station, te others arrived. Brett didnt stop and was right on my hammer, whilst the others stayed for a while.
So I found myself with Brett with about 9k to go. I have to give him a lot of thanks here as I was really struggling with motivation and with hammered quads from the hills I told him to head off ahead. He wouldn't hear of it and cajoled me to keep pace with him, a pattern we maintained for the rest of the race. As in 2009, despite feeling pretty shot at this point, we were ran 5min km average for the last 7km. I had a faster running pace so would run for 500m-1k, stop for a walk and Brett would catch me running slowly but continously.
In the last 500m I pulled away - I suspect thanks to Brett letting me, and finished in 2nd place in 3hrs45min flattish. (Gerry did 3:31)
So it was an up and down race - big PB and second place. Had I not got lost or waited for the others, I still would have finished second. How much faster I would have finished is not clear. Probably not the full 9 minutes I lost in my 2 misadventures , but I would like to think I would have been under 3:40. I did benefit from running with Brett near the end, but also I think was forced to overdo things early to recatch the bunch.
Either way it was a great day. TB ran his 6th race in a big PB, Mark O'Keef who I gave a lift to ran very well. I overheard Lauren say she took the early going very easy, being her first ultramarathon, but she flew home to finish only about 3 min behaind me. I think BigKev sffered the effects of a big season and finished in a similar time to Lauren, and Nate just missed his sub 3:50 goal.
An afternoon sleep in front of TV is looking good about now.
My leadup had been good, minimal niggles. I'd been a little anxious after the start list was published as I thought I might be in with a small chance of winning, but a last minute addition of Gerry Hill actually took some pressure off and I could relax re just running.
Managed 4hrs sleep overnight and left at 3am, getting a lift from my Dad down to North Dandalup.
I'd identified several runners around my level - Kevin Matthews, Brett Coombes, Lauren Shelley, Nate and Michael Barton.
The start is straight uphill for a couple of km, and unlike previous years I quickly found myself out in a clear second place. I dont necessarily love running in groups so I went with it and cruised along.
Unfortunately just 5k in I missed a turnoff and ran about 800m before luckily crossing path with Bernadette in a race control vehicle coming he other way - she stopped me, I jumped in and took me back to where I'd missed the turn. Garmin tells me I lost 5min10sec here and I rejoined with runners about 15th-20th.
Adrenaline got the better o me at this point and I ran like a man possessed through the field, such that by 13k I was second again, but had obviously had to run that 13k 5 mins faster than the others.
There was a pack of Nate, Michael, Brett,Kev and a German guy, but I decided to go past them and push on.
I stayed in this position through the 23k/halfway drink stop (1:45). Here I was told I was only about 5 min behing Gerry - so I guess if I'd not got lost I'd have still been near him at this point. I'd also gapped the others a bit.
Unfortunately at about 28k, coming on to Scarp road, I wasn't 100% sure which way to go, and spooked by the earlier experience, I waited for the others to make sure. Garmin tells me I lost 4min here, although only ran about 200m extra looking each way for arrows on the ground.
So I found myself back with the others at 30k, and again I tried to open up a lead. I was less successful this time, starting to get pretty tired in the legs. I hit the second aid station (2:44) and stopped briefly to exchange powerade bottles (50second stop on GPS). As I left the station, te others arrived. Brett didnt stop and was right on my hammer, whilst the others stayed for a while.
So I found myself with Brett with about 9k to go. I have to give him a lot of thanks here as I was really struggling with motivation and with hammered quads from the hills I told him to head off ahead. He wouldn't hear of it and cajoled me to keep pace with him, a pattern we maintained for the rest of the race. As in 2009, despite feeling pretty shot at this point, we were ran 5min km average for the last 7km. I had a faster running pace so would run for 500m-1k, stop for a walk and Brett would catch me running slowly but continously.
In the last 500m I pulled away - I suspect thanks to Brett letting me, and finished in 2nd place in 3hrs45min flattish. (Gerry did 3:31)
So it was an up and down race - big PB and second place. Had I not got lost or waited for the others, I still would have finished second. How much faster I would have finished is not clear. Probably not the full 9 minutes I lost in my 2 misadventures , but I would like to think I would have been under 3:40. I did benefit from running with Brett near the end, but also I think was forced to overdo things early to recatch the bunch.
Either way it was a great day. TB ran his 6th race in a big PB, Mark O'Keef who I gave a lift to ran very well. I overheard Lauren say she took the early going very easy, being her first ultramarathon, but she flew home to finish only about 3 min behaind me. I think BigKev sffered the effects of a big season and finished in a similar time to Lauren, and Nate just missed his sub 3:50 goal.
An afternoon sleep in front of TV is looking good about now.
Sunday, December 04, 2011
Taper for SixInch
Week One 107k@4:30
Tues pm intervals - 400 reps - went a bit too hard and cut it short at 5
73, (400m float 104sec) 72 (104) 74 (104) 73 (standing recovery) 75
Wed - 16k treadmill run first 8k increasing incline by 1% every km, second 8k flat and increasing speed - last 5k at 4:00
Sunday 30k solo long run - too lazy to go and race at Deepwater
Week Two 87k@4:29
First taper wek pre Six Inch - had my first day off for a few weeks, more due to busy work than part of taper plans. Every run this week was done on the hills and 'trails' of Bold Park (such that they are trails) except Sunday
Tuesday the track was partly closed, so I did 5x Raebold Hill repeats - kept an even pace throughout.
Mon/Thurs/Fri/Sat were runs of 10-16k as mentioned around Bold Park
Sunday - was timekeeper for the Founders run so ended up doing 20k pm on the treadmill. 1st 10k at 4:30's with progression of incline, next 10k flat at 4:00s.
Friday night didn't end up making it down to the track to race a 1500m (forgot to join a club online in advance), this may need to wait until the New year.
Two weeks until SixInch now - taper fits well because I've lost a bit of my training Mojo - I dont seem to be able to sustain a block of more than about 6 weeks of full training.
Tues pm intervals - 400 reps - went a bit too hard and cut it short at 5
73, (400m float 104sec) 72 (104) 74 (104) 73 (standing recovery) 75
Wed - 16k treadmill run first 8k increasing incline by 1% every km, second 8k flat and increasing speed - last 5k at 4:00
Sunday 30k solo long run - too lazy to go and race at Deepwater
Week Two 87k@4:29
First taper wek pre Six Inch - had my first day off for a few weeks, more due to busy work than part of taper plans. Every run this week was done on the hills and 'trails' of Bold Park (such that they are trails) except Sunday
Tuesday the track was partly closed, so I did 5x Raebold Hill repeats - kept an even pace throughout.
Mon/Thurs/Fri/Sat were runs of 10-16k as mentioned around Bold Park
Sunday - was timekeeper for the Founders run so ended up doing 20k pm on the treadmill. 1st 10k at 4:30's with progression of incline, next 10k flat at 4:00s.
Friday night didn't end up making it down to the track to race a 1500m (forgot to join a club online in advance), this may need to wait until the New year.
Two weeks until SixInch now - taper fits well because I've lost a bit of my training Mojo - I dont seem to be able to sustain a block of more than about 6 weeks of full training.
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