Recovery Running

Been taking it pretty easy since Melbourne ...

Week 1

Mon - rest
Tues, Wed and Thurs - walked a lap of the bay
Fri - easy 5k
Sat - rest
Sun - 11k at Lane Cove while Striders Internal Half was going on.

16k for the week.



Week 2

Mon - 2 easy laps of the bay (14k). Was ready to pull up after the first but bumped into Linda and so ran a couple more kms with her then kept on going.
Tues - rest
Wed - my final LKL before heading home :( Shame that neither Karin nor Eagle could make it, so it was just JD and I. 15k averaging slightly under 5min kms.
Thurs - rest
Fri - rest
Sat - 17k av 5:09 pace with the usual Brissie suspects.

46k for the week.


Off to Noosa in the morn for a holiday to get over my holiday so the bludging will likely continue for another week or so :)

Melbourne Marathon 2007

Sunday I woke up still feeling crappy from my cold, the Sudafeds had dried up the runny nose but I had a headache. A couple of Nurofens fixed that ... temporarily.

I decided to stick to the original plan and try to go out at 3:30 pace. Got to halfway in just over 1:45. Even though I didn't feel great health wise that pace was quite comfortable and in fact I had to hold myself back a little.

I started to slow to 5:10s at around 25k, I think the drugs were wearing off as I was beginning to feel worse - a little headachy and the muscles in the back of my neck were sore. Also I was a bit nauseous. I had a Gu at around 20k and thought I should take another sometime, but only managed to force half of another one down at around 32k, that was all I could stomach. So annoying when the legs are fine!

Anyway, to cut a long story short I just kept on going as best I could. The final couple of kms were close to 6 minute pace, though by the sounds of my breathing you'd think I'd been doing 400m reps. The only reason I didn't walk at all was because I just wanted to get the race over and done with. Crossed in 3:38.13 (net time).

All things considered I'm happy with my time. I'd say the cold cost me maybe 4 or 5 minutes, but probably no more.

On a good note I had no muscle cramping, or blisters, or chafing. And I got to chat to fellow PCRG-ers and other Brissos, CRs, and bloggers at various stages along the way. And it was a fantastic course (definitely PB material) and so well organised. Its already on the cards for next year :-)

Who Nose

The final week of tapering went like this ....

Monday - 8k easyish (around 5:15 pace).

Tuesday - 8k including 6k at (best that can be expected) marathon pace ie 5mins.

Wednesday - Cruisey 8k with JD and Eagle.

Thursday - Rest.

Friday - 6k including 10mins of 30/30s.

All seemed to be going well for the marathon on Sunday, not on target for a PB (3:26) but I felt I could get within 10mins of that. Yesterday I had a bit of a runny nose. Now I have a headcold, been blowing my nose and sneezing all day. I feel like crap :-(

Running this morning I could certainly notice the effects. Hopefully today was the worst of it. If not the flight to Melbourne in the morning won't be much fun. Neither will the marathon. I wasn't going to use my fuelbelt but might need to now to carry tissues.

Why do these things happen when you are taking it easy and not stressing yourself!

One Week To Go

The second week of the taper went like this ...

Monday - Easyish 14k or so (1hr 15min)

Tuesday - 12k in total including efforts - 2 lots of '4 mins, 3 mins, 2 mins, 1 min' though I made the final 1 minute a 2 minute effort (cos that's what Pat would make us do). Finished off with 2 Lilyfield Rd reps.

Wednesday - 12k with JD, Ray and Karin. Pace felt easier than the 5:20s we were doing.

Thursday - 15 minutes of 30/30s. 10k incl warmup and warmdown.

Friday - Rest.

Saturday - CR 5k Challenge. I thought about pushing it on this one but decided on the morning just to aim for 22:30. Ended up with 22:28. It was sooooo windy, I doubt if I could have done much faster anyway. 10k all up.

Sunday - Rest.

Weekly total - 58k. The legs are starting to feel better with the reduced mileage.

I still haven't come up with a definite goal for the marathon. I'm thinking something in the 3:30s is doable. But which end of the 3:30s is the question.