SMH Half Marathon (and my current ORD)

ORD - Obsessive Runner Disorder.
We all have it at times. Don't try and deny it. The mere fact you're reading this is a partial diagnosis.

Just think of any one of these situations.

 - You've just checked into a tropical island resort that has everything on tap, the sun is setting in an hour and you've found yourself with a spare 45mins. What do you do?

- You're sitting in on a high level training / mgt conference in the blue mountains with views looking out over the Jamieson valley. It's 4pm and happy hour starts straight after you break. What are you thinking about?

- Finally, you've embarked on a new program that sees you endeavouring to run 130km every week. You're doing this because you know this consistently higher mileage will yield results but at times it's hard to fit the extra distance in as life interferes as usual. You're at a sat lunch and you're already planning the afternoon 2nd run and so hold off eating to much.

It's us. It's definitely me and it has been for many years. Wherever I land, whatever the situation, the gathering or work requirement, I am always thinking about how to fit in that next run. ORD I tells ya! These current 130km weeks are personal to just me. It's not a lot of mileage for some. It's heaps for others but it's a great balancing point for me. I can handle these kms quite well. Anything over and I start to get grumpy and fatigued, anything under and I use it as an excuse as to why my mates beat me. So I am smack in the middle of my latest ORD campaign with the 2 main races being the Gold Coast half and Melb Marathon.

 

The week just gone was dead on 130km and yes it involved jogging from the finish line of the SMH half back to my car to reload the parking meter, then loop around just enough to tick it across that km mark.

 

Mon 9th May: 16km around the Bay run feeling great - average 4:10 per km. No sore spots.

 

Tue 10th : A lighter day as I ran out of time to run much more than 12km including 5 x 1km efforts in a sluggish 3:13-16 with a 200m jog between. Probably a good thing I couldn't Make Eloise's 10 x 1km as she rounded that little baby up with a 2:51 last rep. Ouch.

Wed 11th: 6km morning jog and a 16km afternoon run from Dolls Point along the front of Brighton Le Sands, Cooks's river and back - 4:30 average. Total for the day 22km

Thur 12th: AM: 8km in Cent Park. PM: 11km with a 17:25 - 5km tempo thrown in.

Fri 13th: AM: 6km slow  PM: another 6km slow.

Sat 14th: AM: 3 lap progressive tempo of the white fence (Cent Park) with other Rejoov Runners Craig, Stu, Pippa and Mel. Felt ok running 15:40 / 14:40 and 13:40 for the laps. Total 18km
PM: 6km over to Maya's house to collect Barts's chest number which he didn't end up using.

Sun 15th: SMH half marathon. A fantastic morning of still warmish air (for this time of year) greeted us in Hyde Park as Greta and I setup out Rejoov Runners marquee. Thanks goes to the organisers for allowing and inviting run clubs to participate in the event village. Very good to see this initiative.

I was on pacing duties today for the aspiring 85min runners in the field. Joining me was a last minute inclusion in John 'Barts' Bartlett fresh off his smoking 2:29:18 London Marathon. Yes yes he'll be the first to tell you he got my PB by 27secs so I'll just get that bit out there.

Another swag of HuRTs and Rejoov Runners also lined up for the rather gruelling 21.1km circuit around the city and the short sharp hills of Pyrmont. I think a lot more could be done with flattening out this course once Barangaroo is finished but there maybe just too many people to funnel into an area like that.





I ran wearing the Love Mercy singlet our champion marketer Adam Ballesty organised on behalf of their foundation and Rejoov. Thx mate. The material felt fantastic.

Barts and I had a great crowd around us as we bantered back and forth for practically the whole way. A few had headphones in but otherwise no-one told us to shut up so we helped to keep people on track and relaxed as the hills came and went. I felt great. Enjoyed the pace, watching those upfront and those behind. The atmosphere was just fun.

25km for me today to make it 130km for the week.

Michael Shelly had the race wrapped up as soon as he fired off his entry form as there was only daylight in his wake when we saw him at 10km. Lisa Weightman was in a similar boat. But further back some great runs of the day went to Michael Ho for breaking through the sub 73 and 72 barriers in one swoop (71:20) and also of particular note - Simon Rabagliati from Reoov for a huge PB to record 82:20. Massive at that level well done mate. There's the long runs paying you back right there.

Great runs from JC (John Clothier) backing up from his Run Swim event yesterday, Maya (close to a PB on this course) and many others from both HuRTs and Rejoov - too many to name. The Rejoov numbers are growing with each event and as one of our girls said "you know you've made it when you have a tent at the end". Not a lot of takers (besides me) for the champagne and orange on offer post race. We'll be ramping it up a few notches for the post city to surf celebrations.



Always good to relax post event and catch up with family and friends. My nephew's 6yr circus party then drinks at Double Bay rounded the weekend up very nicely. Not sure how poor Laura is feeling this morning after a swift alcohol induced departure halfway into the evening. Happy 30th LJ. Good to see you trying to mix it with the HuRTs hardcore (not saying me BTW).



My beer review of the week as you see it above. Got my hands on some tasty jugs!

On that note.............