Tuesday session - Mona Fartlek

The last proper session pre-Gold Coast Half Marathon. Tossing up in my head during the warm up to North Head as to whether or not I should go all out? I was actually feeling great, and remembered giving 110% during the same session in the lead up to the SMH Half Marathon six weeks earlier, and that turned out fantastic. So the decision was made! All or nothing! It was about halfway through the session that I was about to pull the pin, as I didn't really feel like I was pushing myself effort-wise and the pace felt slow (that's what change in technique will do), however, looked at my distance on the GPS at the 10 minute mark to see that I was in fact about 10m shy of where I was last week. I dug deep for the next two one minute efforts, before holding on for the last 30 and 15 second repeats, finishing with 6.16km for the 20 minute session. Didn't see that coming, but stoked nonetheless. It's always great for the confidence to get out a quick last session like that in the lead up to a big race - even more so when you are about to back up the week after for another race. Ran home for a 17km session all up. Now the taper properly begins (again, not something that I look forward to - but no doubt come Sunday I will be glad to have done so).

Monday morning run - 15km steady

Another nice morning to be out running along the beach front. 15km steady, averaging about 19 minutes for each 5km lap. Felt pretty good this morning, one more solid session of training to go tomorrow, then easy days ahead in the lead up to Sunday.

Sunday Long Run (well, relatively speaking) - 24km

The taper begins. 6km shorter than my traditional 30km Sunday run, cutting out the Shelly Beach extension at the beginning and turning around at North Narrabeen SLSC instead of Turimetta Headland. Felt pretty good again this morning (thanks to a good healthy dinner with Hoey last night), but was conscious not to go all out - finding myself having to pull back the pace a few times when my mind started wondering off (as it does on the long run)! Got home in around 94 minutes, so sub-4:00 min/km pace. Normal training planned both Monday and Tuesday, then really backing off the km's from Wednesday onwards. I hate it!

Saturday session - 5km TT at Centennial Park

Back with squad this morning, and after the issues with the Queens Park loop last week, we were back to the traditional flat 1km loop at Moore Park. 6km time trial was the planned session today, but a few were doing modified distances with the Gold Coast looming a week away. Mindset was for a 6km, but went out really fast (just over 3 minute km's for the first 2-3km), and decided at the start of the fourth lap to really dig deep and finish at 5, as I was on for a solid PB at that stage. Crossed the line in 15:42, which I was pretty happy with - especially given the amount of dew on the grass, making for a heavy and slower run than usual. Did a lap of the white fence and a few laps of McKay Oval for roughly a 16km session all up. I will officially start tapering from tomorrow onwards (well, Monday and Tuesday will be normal), with a 24km instead of 30km long run. I hate tapering, especially when I feel like I have hit good form again - I just want to run hard!!!

Friday run - 10km recovery

Easy Friday run of 10km, two laps of the Queenscliff to Shelly Beach & return loop. No watch, no idea of pace, but assuming it would have been slightly over 4:00 min/km. Felt sore from arguably my most solid week of training ever! Although, as usual and desirable for a recovery run, felt better at the end than when I started - a good sign.

Thursday session - Deek's Quarters

Another golden session this morning! The subtle change in running technique has made the absolute world of difference, as again I was able to run another PB for the session, finishing the 4.8km of efforts in 15:21 - a whole 7 seconds faster than before. Similarly to Tuesday, effort-wise it felt relatively easier (still bloody hard though)! Really happy with all my sessions this week thus far, which is always encouraging in the lead up to two big back-to-back races - the Gold Coast Half Marathon & Sydney Harbour 10km (which I still have to enter for)! 9.2km cool down back home for a 17km run all up.

Wednesday medium long run (20km)

4 laps steady on the Queenscliff to Shelly Beach and return loop. Probably ran slightly too fast, getting the job done in around 75 minutes (I don't wear a watch other than during my hard sessions, but get the time upon returning home). Highlights were seeing a number of my clients out running, and high-fiving Tom on his bike riding to work. Another balmy winter's day. It's true what they say, Sydney has two seasons - summer and spring.

Tuesday session - Mona Fartlek

Technique is key! After implementing my epiphany moment last Friday morning into all of my runs since, I finally struck gold this morning with my traditional Tuesday Mona Fartlek session by hitting a new PB - my first since the SMH half marathon a month ago. The ironic conclusion is, that effort-wise, today's session felt easier than normal - hence the importance of technique and efficiency. Got out 6.15km for the 20 minutes, averaging 3:15min/km pace. Normal 8.2km cool down back home for a 17km round trip. Beautiful morning - cold, but the very light north westerly off-shore wind had a minor hint of spring in the air! Perhaps a little bit too optimistic. 12 more sleeps until the Gold Coast Half Marathon.

Monday morning run - 15km

15km steady this morning along the beach front. Treated to a beautiful sunrise, the furthest north that it will rise this year due to the winter solstice. A refreshing 10 degrees this morning, although an 8 degrees according to the iPhone due to the wind chill factor. Held a steady 56-7 minute pace, probably slightly too fast, but oh well!

Sunday long run - 30km

Further refinements to my technique, and the 30km felt easy effort-wise, despite running another 1:56. Bloody cold out there this morning, with a chilly south-westerly wind ensuring that I had great difficulty unlocking my front door and cutting up the fruit to put on my Bircher muesli! Shortest day of the year, so a good cause for celebration.

Saturday session - 12km threshold at Queens Park

Heading back to Queens Park was always going to offer a more challenging run, given the undulating nature of the notorious 2km loop. Today the challenge was further solidified with mud and a roped off football field, turning the session into a cross country run with a steeplechase element each lap. I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the run, holding 3:26 min/km pace the entire duration, feeling quite hard by the last lap, but not impossible - the perfect threshold-paced effort. Harry Summers was absolutely flying, as per usual - along with Matt Hudson, who is looking as sharp as every even despite the fact that he has only returned to consistent training 4 weeks ago. I got around the course in 41:10, which I think would have had to have been my fastest effort around Queens Park, so very happy especially considering the conditions. Even happier with the fact that I managed to stay upright the entire run - there were a few close calls however. Solid 4km warm-up and 4km cool-down. Once again it was great to be back and running with the squad!

Friday run - 10km steady

An easy 10km in the rain this morning. Felt better during the final 5km, really focused on my technique, which admittedly I have been a little bit slack with over the past few weeks. Felt amazingly easier effort wise doing so. Lesson learnt!

Thursday session - Deek's Quarters

It's getting better, but not perfect! After a run of misery with this session, today's signs were positive with a 15:32, my second fastest time for this session. Still four full seconds off the time I set about four weeks earlier (felt amazing that day, like I was on a cocktail of THG, EPO, and HGH). Probably went out slightly harder than usual, with the legs feeling full of H+ ions at about the commencement of the fourth rep (which, to make matters worse, is up an incline, and into a a moderate headwind this morning). Held on up until the seventh rep, then really dug deep (deeper than usual) for the eighth and final rep, which again, is a cruel uphill! Pretty happy to finish with 3'14 min/km average pace for the session. Although, long-term goal is to go sub-15, but will have to work on the short-term plan of getting consistently under 15:30. 9.2km cool down, once again, getting in the best part of the day (sunshine, which is fast disappearing)!

Wednesday session - medium long run (20km)

4 laps steady of the Queenscliff to Shelly Beach and return loop. Held a steady sub-19 minute lap, comfortably under 4 min/km pace. Really focused on my breathing today, following comments from other runners on Saturday that they could hear me coming a mile away! Diaphragmatic breathing is something that I am a massive proponent of, and is something that I frequently get my clients to focus on - especially those with recurrent shoulder and neck issues. Nevertheless, it was something that I myself was unaware that I was not doing whilst running. Similarly to when I recently increased my running cadence, it takes quite a lot of conscious effort at the moment, but with dedicate practice, I am adamant that it will become automatic!

Tuesday session - Mona Fartlek

Fighting off the last stages of a moderate cold I first noticed on Saturday. Got through the sore throat phase on Sunday, followed by the blocked up nasal feeling all day yesterday - finally getting through to the end of it this morning. Apart from that, generally feeling good. The session itself was good, probably went out a bit too hard, and just didn't have that final kick that would have otherwise been there without the cold. Matched the same distance of 6.09km as last week, and two weeks prior to that - I seem to be making a habit of the 6.09km. A little annoyed as I feel like I am remaining static with regards to my progress, but considering my health it was actually not a bad effort. Usual 8km cool down back home for 17km all up. No rain yet!

Monday morning run - 15km steady

15km steady along the beachfront at Manly, 3 laps of Queenscliff to Shelly Beach and return. Felt quite good, comfortably holding under 4:00 min/km. Supposedly saw the last of the sunshine as it is forecast to hide behind incoming rain for the rest of the week.

Sunday Long Run - 30km

Felt great again this morning. Got out a solid 30km in 8 degree temperatures, noticing that I ran the entire effort in 1 hour and 56 minutes, a whole 4 minutes faster than planned and anticipated. The great news, again like yesterday, was that effort wise it didn't feel any harder than previously. Must have been the injera bread I shared with Mr. and Mrs. Ho last night out at Aaboll Cafe, the best Eithiopian restaurant in Sydney!

Saturday morning - 10km threshold run at Centennial Park

The original plan was to hold 3:19-3:20 min/km pace for 12km this morning. Went out at this pace, but quickly realised after about 5km or so that my GPS was not totally accurate, as it suddenly started reading the 1km loop as progressively shorter. This was obvious when coach Sean Williams was reading out my 1km splits. Got to the 8km mark at about 3:16 min/km pace, and actually only made the executive decision to stop at 10km with about 200m to go, finishing in 32:51 - which was in fact only the second time I have ever run a sub-33 10km. The good news with today's run was that it didn't feel too taxing effort wise, and I could have held this pace perhaps for the entire 12km - although I would have had to have pushed above threshold pace to achieve that, thereby defeating the purpose of the session. A lap of the white fence for a cool down with Dean Degan and Kieran Roche bought the session up to approximately 18km. Now I will start to taper for my Eithiopian meal tonight with fellow runner Michael Ho and his wife tonight! Perhaps eating lots of injera bread tonight will allow me to run like an Eithiopian tomorrow (wishful thinking)!

Friday easy 10km

Felt flat this morning! Luckily it was Friday. Just two laps of my Queenscliff to Shelly Beach and return lap. Steady, holding approximately just over 4:00 min/km pace (didn't wear a watch - just ran on feel).

Thursday session - Deek's Quarters

Nothing special today. Had a slightly average week with regards to hitting the goal paces of my quality sessions, starting with a subpar 10km race last Saturday. Today was no different, holding a 15:37 for the session, 10 seconds off my previous best set 2 weeks earlier. It's not enough of a performance deficit for me to jump on the overtraining bandwagon, so I will just keep pushing through and aim for consistency. 9.2km cool down for a 17km run all up.

Wednesday run - Medium long run (20km)

20km steady, holding just under 4:00 min/km for the four laps of Queenscliff to Shelly Beach and return. A lot less human traffic out there today with the rain! Saw Justin early on, then Macca towards the end - both running solo for a change.

Tuesday session - Mona Fartlek

I really felt so ordinary this morning. Convinced myself to once again to just go through the motions and complete the session. Whilst it wasn't a PB, I got out 6.09km - which I was pretty happy with considering how I felt. 50m off my best, equating to roughly 10 seconds, which I reckon is the most I could have done today. 8km cool down back home to North Steyne, bringing it up to 17km.

Monday run -15km steady

This actually felt tough this morning, especially the first of three laps. Then I looked at the pace to realise that I ran the first 5km in under 19 minutes - no wonder it wasn't feeling like much of a recovery run. I backed it off a bit, but still ran the 15km in around 57 minutes. Pretty crowded out there this morning with the long weekend combined with spring-like weather made for a busy promenade - especially once every Bold & Beautiful swimmer finished their swim and congregated out the front of Manly LSC, forming a human shield preventing any pedestrians from penetrating through!

Sunday long run - 30km

Finally, another 30km long run. These have become somewhat sporadic over the past month due to the number of races I have done. Good to get another one in the bag. Felt half decent this morning - nothing marvellous though. Got through the hilly course in around 2 hours flat, averaging spot on 4 minute kilometres. Didn't realise as the day progressed though, I ended up walking about another 10km throughout the day, bringing my distance up to nearly a marathon effort.

Sydney Striders 10km North Head

Not my day today. Felt flat warming up in the cold rain. Got to the start line looking for some competition - only to realise that quite a few of the Manly guys were in fact doing North Curl Curl ParkRun this morning due to the fact that they were travelling to Tasmania next weekend for the Launceston 10. I spotted Dave Criniti and Kieran Roche - both who were beyond my level. The gun went off and I was stuck in no mans land in third, staying isolated the entire race. Averaged 3:15 min/km for the first 5km, before starting to slow down to 3:19 min/km at the end, finishing the 10.13km course in 33:39, exactly the same time as three months earlier. Disappointing, considering how much I know that I have improved since then, but some days you just don't have it. Good to see Andrew Tuckey back out there sprinting a 10km race once again.

Thursday session - Half Deek's quarters

Under strict instructions today by coach Sean Williams to cut the usual Thursday morning session of 8 x 400/200 to 8 x 200/100. Did as planned, averaging around 3:12 min/km pace. Cut the cool down to 4km, roughly getting 10km all up. Rest day tomorrow - bring it on!!!

Wednesday morning 15km steady

5km shorter this morning than the usual 20km Wednesday medium long run. It was colder again this morning, and I honestly didn't feel as if I had warmed up properly until I got to about the 11km mark. Kept the pace constant and finished in around about 57 minutes. First morning running with my new portable metronome. Didn't have it on the for the entire run (that would send even the most sane person mental), but put it on sporadically throughout the run, and to my pleasant surprise, 180 steps per minute now feels completely natural to me. I never would have thought this was possible as little as six weeks ago! Another modified session for tomorrow, followed by a well deserved (I reckon anyway) rest day on Friday!

Tuesday morning session - Mona Fartlek

Change of plans this morning - originally I was going to head to Centennial Park this morning for the monthly 5km time trial. I changed my mind late last night, as I thought despite being slightly shorter (and arguably easier) than the Mona Fartlek session, I thought the extra 90 minutes of sleep would negate that. Bloody tough conditions out there on the exposed North Head loop - cold and windy. Especially when it blows from the south-west - meaning that you end up spending two-thirds of the session straight into a cold head wind, with only one-third being a nice tail wind. Anyhow, got a solid 6.07km for the entire session (i.e. the 20 minute component of the session), which in retrospect I am pretty happy with considering the conditions. 8km cool down back to North Steyne for 17km all up. Now to try and get warm!

Monday morning 15km steady

How wrong were the burea of meteorology this morning? Fine and sunny was the forecast. I got drenched my the majority of the run, only seeing glimpses of the sun as I set out! Nevertheless, 15km steady in around 57-58 minutes. Felt quite good this morning - cutting the long run shorter by 4km no doubt played a role in that.