After last week's 130km I started this week well with a couple of runs Monday, a very solid session Tuesday then a really solid tempo yesterday.
Mon 15th: AM: 10km easy with my running client Jeff and his Cavoodle - Beau who just does not want to expend any more energy than required if it can be helped.
PM: 10km again at 4:25-30 pace. Legs coming good after last Saturday's fast finish long run.
Tue 16th: Ran most of today's session with Barts from the Park Hyatt for our marathon focused session inspired by Neil Pearson. Having had already done the 3 x 4km (which really hurt at the end) I was a little anxious about this 4 x 4km (4min jog recovery) at 3:30 pace. It was still hot and we felt every bit of it. I was running late and started just after Barts for my first 4km solo effort. Not sure why but I took off quick and managed to hold an average of 3:26 for the first effort. Finally met up with Barts but being 90secs further advanced in his session meant I would get just 2min 30sec for my recovery jog. We returned from Barangaroo via the docks to the Overseas passenger terminal in 3:27 average pace, before replicating that all again. 3rd effort - 3:28 average and the 4th and final - 3:29. My cool down jog over the bridge was so slow, Macca caught up and almost stopped his watch it was barely running. But a really good session done. 22km
Wed 17th: Absolutely stuffed. Legs and guts (thanks to taking a voltaren tablet) just not feeling great but managed a sluggish 13km in around an hour.
Thur 18th: Morning run with Jeff and the cavoodle plus some extra to make it 14km. That was all Thursday would offer up. Still fatigued from Tues. Was never going to try and do a fast session with what was to come on Sat morning. Trying to work out why this recovery was taking longer than normal. Not enough fluids during Tuesday's session.
Fri 19th: Finally some relief and an easier 11km jog through Lane Cove National park along the bush riverside track. Tomorrow's run was looming so I was pleased my legs were feeling better. I didn't know it at the time but today was also about to supply me with a nice crisp $50 note.
Sat 20th: Let me start with a list of names:
Tom Highnam
John Bartlett (Barts)
Quentin Reeve (The Bachelor)
Michael Ho (Hoey)
Neil Pearson
Eoin Reville
Jamie Stewart
Paul McLarnon (Macca)
Robin Vonk (honorary HuRTs member for the day)
Myself
This was the line up in Manly first things Sat morning for Tom's 25km marathon paced tempo. The plan early in the week was to run this at 3:30's which may have seen the end of me after a while but it was revised to 3:40's and I was back in the game. I even invited my 'soon to be elite' protégé Robin Vonk along to run in the pack. It really was the who's who of the current HuRTs top 10-15 runners and as such we ran as a pretty tight pack. This was both an advantage with switching off and being able to quickly establish a rhythm but also tricky battling for space and position on some tight footpaths, road crossings and even a trail section.
Tom had devised a 6km loop which we would cover 4 times and would simply tack on the extra 1km at the end. The loop was mostly dead flat but it did offer a few undulations and enough variety for us to be able to break it down and move through the run easier. First lap, 3:40's on the dot. 36:30 through 10km on my watch but with 10 watches beeping over a 300m stretch, who would know which was the most accurate. I just kept my average kms ticking along as we made it through the 2nd lap with a total average now of 3:39. There was not much banter today. Everyone gave off the appearance of confidence and form but the cracks were starting to show. Barts told everyone he ran 140km this week - about 10 times in one lap, Robin, Hoey, Neil and Quentin were hanging on well but quiet and Tom was leading the charge. I just wanted to get to lap 4. I have run many lap style events and I enjoy them. At the end of lap 3, the average was sitting at 3:38. Quentin advised us that he was finishing up here which I quietly celebrated as my goal was not to be the first to pull up, pull out or just fade away. His folks are in town so he had to bolt. Meanwhile Macca and Eoin were running 4 x 5km efforts with us with a 4min jog between as we completed the additional loop. Macca especially looking very strong for what was just as tough as our session - in some respects, tougher.
No sooner had the final lap begun did Tom crank it up slightly. I could feel the pace shift and I went with it. The goal now, hang on for as long as possible. And then they started to fall off one by one until I was left bowling along with Tom myself and actually feeling quite strong. We threw in a few 3:31's, then a couple of 3:27's as we completed the 4th lap and started to run the final 1km. My watch beeped first at just on 90mins for the 25km but Tom had 200m to go so I kept going even coaxing him to a sprint finish where we collapsed with an average of 3:35 for the 25km. Perfect pacing and it's what I will actually try and replicate in Canberra. Progressive tempo from 3:40's down to who knows.
A quick dip at the beach then it was off to breakfast at the Emporium (same place as last week), and a plate of bacon and eggs. Quick and easy. Regarding the $50 note? Well I was also informed today that Tom had to have a rest day yesterday - coach's orders. Oh well you made it a little further than last time at least. Thanks mate. Just whenever you're ready with that note BTW.
Sat night we went camping on Cockatoo Island. Thoroughly recommend it for anyone who wants an easy fun night in Sydney whilst still feeling like being somewhere else. The bar got a workout with my mate Beck sweet talking the owner into handing over a bottle of wine for the price of 2 glass. More red wine than we should have had but it was fun exploring the island and chilling out so no big deal, worry about that in the morning.
Sun 21st: OUCH what was that last bit? A night of thunderstorms and a red wine hangover added to packing up all this wet gear. It was fun yesterday and we stayed dry sleeping but Sunday morning hit us hard as we crawled towards the café on the island for a B&E roll and coffee.
Finally managed to get out for a 10km run at 5pm after a fairly restful day.
Total for the week 122km.
No beer review this week because I didn't get to tasting something different. My system is full of White wine, Rose and red wine. Bed early tonight!
A special shout out to Greta who trained her butt off this weekend at a training camp in the Blue Mountains. Beck summed it up really well last night. "Greta is so disciplined and passionate - it's no wonder she has grown her Centennial Park running group to the level she has". Even the sweat runners are starting to move out of the way now it's getting that big and its due to amount of effort and attention she gives all her runners.
If you know someone who is after a running program, one to one run session or is thinking of taking up running and may want a non threatening fun group, please share this site with them www.rejoovrunners.com.au
Cheers
CT
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