Thursday - 16 km with middle 20’ at threshold

Horrible conditions yet again this morning, although with less rain but more wind. The downside of running up at North Head is that it is far from sheltered from the wind, especially when it blows from the south. So today was simply about getting it done, and running to the heart rate - as the pace was going to be completely unreliable. And that I did, finishing the 20 minute effort with a normally terrible distance of 5.78 km holding 3:28’s at 164 bpm. The effort was there, so that’s the main thing - can’t really read to much into the distance or pace. Ran the remainder for 16 km all up. Just glad to get that done. Thankfully the forecast for the next week looks splendid.

Wednesday - 20km recovery + strides

Finally, the Bureau of Meteorology got it right! It was blowing a gale, pouring rain, and an electrical storm. The latter made me delay the run by about half an hour - I’m crazy, but not that crazy! In doing so, I missed the opportunity to run with Ben, Erika, Emma and Jamie. I figured that the wind was worse along the coast, so ran to Nolan’s and ran a few laps of that with Passmore thrown in. This got me to about 8 km before it absolutely poured down again - the drainage is terrible along here, enough so that it forced me back along the beachfront. Then it was the Shelly-Fairlight loop, getting a few more downpours along the way. Got back to North Steyne SLSC in 4:37’s at 120 bpm. Then it went made once again as I did my strides. Stoked to be back home now in one piece. Looks like I’ll be staying at home today after reading the traffic reports!

Tuesday - 5 x 1 mile (off 2’)

Another change up for the Tuesday session again this morning, this time progressing the 1 km reps to 1 mile reps. Psychologically, this is perhaps easier, as despite each rep being 600 m longer, doing three less, plus an extra minute of rest between reps makes the session less intimidating (despite being the exact same distance). I was joined by Ben and Ian, and we set out in the bike lane from Manly LSC at 5:45 am. As always, I tried to pace the session accordingly, feeling like I was really holding back for the first three reps or so. I was thankful for this, as it means the final two reps are slightly more enjoyable (which is not very). I was pretty consistent, running 5:15, 5:14, 5:19, 5:19 and 5:26 (averaging 5:18.6, or 3:19’s). So I finally managed to get under that 3:20 pace average that I’ve been aiming for for the past 6 weeks or so. Happy with that, and I certainly didn’t kill myself in the process. Ben had a solid run as well. A nice and easy cool-down to Shelly Beach and back for just over 17 km all up. Really happy that I’m finally starting to see some progression over the past week - let’s hope I can continue down this path.

Monday - 15km recovery + strides

Up a bit earlier than usual for a Monday morning, and I was glad for it as I bumped into Erika and then Sam - so plenty of company. I actually felt surprisingly good this morning, meaning that those one minute efforts from Saturday likely only leave 24 hours of residual soreness. Ran the usual Shelly-Fairlight loop, finishing in 4:31’s at 121 bpm. Pace is getting a lot quicker while maintaining the same low heart rate, which is very positive. Finished with some strides.

Sunday - 30 km

I could definitely feel yesterday’s speed session in my legs this morning. Out for the usual Sunday long run, to Shelly Beach then up to Turrimetta Headland and return. A mild westerly wind felt like a headwind the entire run. The watch was under reading the distance, so today’s finish line was a good 150 m further than the usual spot. Got back in 2:00:39 holding 4:01’s at 145 bpm. Slower than the last two weeks, but the legs were sorer than usual. Nevertheless, is been a very solid week of training - looking forward to starting all over again tomorrow.

Saturday - 10’ effort (off 5’ jog), 8 x 1’ on / 1’ off

I forgot how tough this session is! Even more so with a massive southwesterly which really made times/splits irrelevant in a morning like this. The 10’ effort was tough! I had my heart set on going over 3 km but just fell short finishing with 2.98 km (3:21’s). I’m almost certain that I would have gone further in normal conditions. Following the 5 minute jog it was straight into some one minute efforts. The rest was a bit more generous in these, working off a 1:1 ratio. Likewise, the odds were into the wind, the evens with the wind, and the distances reflect this. 320 m, 330 m, 310 m, 320 m, 310 m, 320 m, 300 m, and 330 m (finished strong). Pretty knackered now though! An easy 6 km jog back home via Shelly Beach for a solid 17 km all up. Looking forward to the next speed session like this in two weeks to see how much I can improve.

Thursday - 16 km with middle 20’ at threshold

I had a massive breakthrough in today’s run, which I guess is somewhat overdue. I woke up feeling great (like yesterday), which was confirmed with a resting heart rate of 33 bpm and a great HRV score. Nice conditions with a slightly warm northwesterly wind was a welcome change after a string of ordinary weather during this weekly run. Like always, I had to hold back during the 20 minute effort a number of times as the heart rate wanted to creep slightly too high. Other than that, it felt really strong and controlled. Got out 5.97 km holding 3:21’s at 167 bpm. I’m really surprised with that - so much so that I had to check that the watch was actually working. Perhaps the patience and consistency is starting to pay off a bit, along with the introduction of some strength training. Whatever it is, I am incredibly thankful for it and I’ll continue doing what I’m doing. Finished the remaining distance to get out the usual 16 km. Looking forward to a rest day (and a wedding to attend) tomorrow, followed by an old school speed session on Saturday that I haven’t done since 2015.

Wednesday - 20km recovery + strides

I felt surprisingly good today, despite a 4:30 am start. A solo medium long run out along the Shelly-Fairlight loop, before another lap of the beachfront to get the 20 km in. Apart from a random downpour at the 10 km mark, there was nothing else out of the ordinary to report. 4:39’s at 121 bpm, finishing with usual strides.

Tuesday - Mona fartlek

The Tuesday squad just keeps growing and growing. I was stoked to have four other starters today in Emma, Ruth, Ben and Ian making his debut. I’ve had demons with this session in the past, so having the support of the others meant a lot to me. A nice and early start (5:45 am) on a stunning day. I did my best to keep the floats at a solid pace, which I feel that I did. It’s the efforts where I can really notice that I don’t have that top end speed just yet (it’ll come, I just need some patience). Finished with 5.93 km at 3:22’s, so I’m satisfied with that. It’s the fastest I’ve run post-injury, and it felt hard but not all out. We all regrouped for a nice and easy cool-down back to Manly. Just over 17 km all up.

Monday - 15km recovery + strides

Yet again another beautiful morning! Ran solo along the Shelly-Fairlight loop, feeling quite good after a hard weekend of running. Got back to North Steyne SLSC in 4:40’s before completing some strides.

Sunday - 30 km

Not a bad day for a long run, coolish temperatures and a nice southeasterly wind which wasn’t as bad as what I thought would be upon return. I saw Sam, Ben and Erika out early on heading in the other direction - other than that, it was relatively quite. I actually felt surprisingly strong and good, so was able to push the pace slightly more - but it certainly didn’t feel any harder than usual. Got home in 1:58:36 holding 3:57’s at 149 bpm. Like last week, the finish line was about 100 m further past the usual point. I think ever since I’ve worn the power meter again the distance has been slightly under-reading (either that or it was over-reading previously without it). Another week done.

Saturday - 10 x 400 m hills (quick jog recovery)

The highlight of my run was during the cool-down, but I’ll get to that shortly. I went back to an old session from Ken Green this morning - 10 x 400 m hills with a quick jog recovery (i.e. pretty much an 8 km hilly tempo). I forgot how tough this was. It’s very different to the longer hill reps that I’ve been doing recently. While the actual long reps arguably hurt more, the shorter hills are more consistent in their delivery of pain (this is clearly reflected in the heart rate data). Got through it (which was the primary goal this morning) in 31:22. Well off my best, but definitely not my worse. At least it set a baseline, and I plan to do this every second Saturday moving forward. Back to the cool-down, I decided to take a detour around Little Manly, and as I went to the point, I came across a young man down on one knee proposing to his (now fiancé) girlfriend. I hope I didn’t ruin the moment, but she said ‘yes’ and I congratulated them both. We all had a laugh. 17 km all up.

Thursday - 16 km with middle 20’ at threshold

Thursday means threshold run, and I was greeted with a stunning sunrise on what was initially a cool morning. On the first lap you could see the cloud and southerly change on its way hanging over the CBD and South Head. By the second lap (when I start the effort), the sun had gone and the wind was increasing. I actually felt much better once I began the effort, feeling strong and controlled. I just kept it below that red line for the remainder, ignoring the headwind in final kilometer as best as I could. Got out 5.89 km holding 3:24’s at 167 bpm (although I think the distance was slightly greater, as I finished further up the road than usual). Nevertheless, it was a good solid run, and as always, I’m happy to get it done and looking forward to a sleep in tomorrow.

Wednesday - 20km recovery + strides

I was very happy to have some company in Justin, Emma, Ben, and towards the end, Darren. Wednesday is always a struggle - I’m always sore following Tuesday’s session, I’ve got tomorrow’s threshold run in the back of my mind, and yet I’ve still got 20 km to run! Nevertheless, the company made what would have otherwise been a mind numbingly boring run into something far more enjoyable. We ran the Shelly-Fairlight loop, followed by a lap and a bit of the golf course. Got home in 4:51’s at 120 bpm, finishing with some strides.

Tuesday - 8 x 1 km (off 1’)

Out for the usual 8 x 1 km reps this morning, meeting Erika, Ben and Ruth (a brand new member of our squad). Nicer conditions than last week, although we were still met with a moderate northerly wind which got stronger as the session progressed (this is reflected in the splits on the odd reps). Times were 3:20, 3:20, 3:23, 3:19, 3:23, 3:20, 3:24 and 3:18 (averaging 3:20’s). Not a bad effort in that wind, but still stuck bang on 3:20’s. I think we will look at mixing up the reps a bit next week by slightly decreasing the volume but increasing the speed and rest. Ben was solid, finishing 8 reps for the first time. A nice and slow cool-down for just over 17 km all up.

Monday - 15km recovery + strides

Out for an easy run on a beautiful Monday morning. I couldn’t take another three laps along the beachfront, so ran the Shelly-Fairlight loop instead. Averaged 4:41’s at 123 bpm, finishing with some strides.

Sunday - 30 km

Great conditions for a long run today - beautiful temperature, sunny and an ever so subtle westerly wind. I set my alarm slightly later than usual, but ended up leaving home earlier than usual (I’m getting more efficient). Stuck to the usual coastal route today, getting home in 1:59:40 holding 3:59’s (and the run read short on the GPS as well, having run a good 10-15 seconds fast the usual finishing point). Another week done and dusted, looking forward to mixing things up a bit over the next few weeks.

Saturday - Parkrun

A change in plans today due to a much needed psychological break from hill reps. I heard that a few of the Manly Hardcore were doing Parkrun, so thought a change would do me a world of good. I met Ben at the pool for a long and easy warm-up of 6 km. A really solid turnout at Curl Curl once again. I was happy to spot Andy Heyden early on, meaning I’d have someone to work with. I had no idea what to expect, so decided to play it safe and simply hung in his shadow for the first 2 km or so. The pace felt extremely comfortable, so I did a bit of work for the notorious third kilometer. Running up the hill, I could sense a very small gap opening. Knowing that my weakness at the moment is my outright speed, I knew that the only chance I had of getting across the line first was to make a break well before the finish line. That I did, and it worked! I got across the line in 16:45 (3:21’s), with only the final mile really hurting. Andy finished second in 16:53. Solid runs by Emma (sub-18) and Erika (18:4x). Great to see my good mate Jeremy Kent (aka Peter Hardcastle) make a guest appearance all the way from Albury. An easy run home for 17 km all up.

Thursday - 16 km with middle 20’ at threshold

Out for my usual Thursday threshold on an unseasonably cold and windy November morning. I was feeling quite good, despite the wind, but really made a conscious effort to keep the heart rate down ever so slightly today, as I have perhaps been trying to beat my time from previous weeks recently - which defeats the whole purpose of a threshold session. So with that in mind, I really kept the pace controlled, only momentarily dipping into the red zone towards the end. Finished with 5.84 km holding 3:25’s at 163 bpm. Not a bad effort at all, although slightly slower than last week, the heart rate was quite a bit lower - not to mention the wind. Jogged the rest of it out for 16 km all up.

Wednesday - 20km recovery + strides

A nice and cruisy solo medium long run out along the Shelly-Fairlight loop, before heading back to Shelly Beach for a third and final time. Felt surprisingly good, so much so that I had to really back the final 8 km off as the heart rate started to creep up (yes, it was actually working today). Averaged 4:40’s at 128 bpm. Finished off with some strides, feeling stronger than usual.

Tuesday - 8 x 1 km (off 1’)

Pretty horrible conditions out there once again this morning. A warm northwesterly wind made the 24 degrees feel hotter than it really was. A big turn out this morning with Emma, Erika and Ben all showing up. We started just after 5:45am, right as we witnessed an awesome looking sunrise. The reps were slower than usual (thanks to the conditions); 3:17, 3:22, 3:23, 3:20, 3:24, 3:26, 3:24 and 3:22 (averaging 3:22’s). The effort was definitely there, so I can’t be too disappointed with that. A nice and easy cool-down with Ben before we bumped into Darren. Just over 17 km all up.

Monday - 15km recovery + strides

Three easy solo laps along the beachfront on what was a very foggy morning, although a nice breeze made conditions far more comfortable compared to the previous two days. I surprisingly felt I had a spring in my step, so the pace was a fair bit faster but it still felt really comfortable. Finished averaging 4:35’s at 126 bpm. Followed it up with the usual strides.

Sunday - 30 km

Finally, a Sunday morning without a gale force wind! Instead, the wind was replaced with humidity, and I honestly don’t know what is worse! Out for the usual Sunday long run, the legs sore (in a good way) from yesterday’s hills and some weights (I finally did a session yesterday). Had to make a detour around police tape on Queenscliff Headland both ways (it looked quite serious), but other than that and my winging about the humidity, nothing else to report. Got home in 2:02:09 holding 4:04’s, pretty much the ideal pace for my long run. The heart rate monitor once again playing up (think I’ll have to take it back), but the power meter averaged 246 W. Another week completed, this time with two additional (albeit small) weight sessions.

Saturday - 6 x 800m hills (jog recovery)

As if the heat wasn’t enough to contend with this morning, the watch was reading the 800 m mark further up each hill rep than usual. As I said a few weeks ago, I’ll just consider it extra training. Nevertheless, I actually felt good for a Saturday. Knowing that the times were going to be slow today probably relaxed me somewhat. The reps were 3:22, 3:30, 3:34, 3:34, 3:34, and 3:36 - finishing in 39:08. I’m actually quite happy with that, in what were really brutal conditions. A nice and easy cool-down for just under 18 km all up.

Thursday - 16 km with middle 20’ at threshold

Out for my weekly threshold run up at North Head on a very still and humid morning. It was actually quite errie going past Manly Hospital, it’s basically an abandoned building like those you would see in cities like Detroit! Anyway, apart from the humidity, I was feeling pretty good. I really focused on keeping the heartrate below that redline and tried holding it for the entire 20 minute effort. This meant holding back a few times throughout, most notably on the uphills and throughout the last kilometer. Finished with 5.88 km holding 3:24’s at 167 bpm (averaging 299 W, I finally hooked the power meter back up). Pretty much spot on with the heart rate and power output, so I’m happy with that. Ever so slightly slower than two weeks ago, but definitely better than last week. Anyway, it’s only a threshold effort, so comparing week to week is trivial at best. Finished the remaining distance to get out 16 km all up.