Wednesday - 60 minutes + strides

A relative short one this morning for a Wednesday. Met Justin and Ben outside North Steyne SLSC before jogging to the lagoon entrance to meet Erika, Tom and Robin. They were keen for the Allambie Loop, so off they went - leaving myself, Justin and Robin to run along the beachfront. Nice option in the end, as I felt slightly flatter than usual last Thursday post-Allambie. More importantly though, I only had an hour of running - which wouldn't have seen me complete the loop. So a nice run to Shelly, up to Fairlight and back for 13.3km in 4:33's. Finished off with some strides as per usual.

Tuesday - 20 minute fartlek (7x2min efforts/1min floats) (am) + 40 minutes easy (pm)

Decided to switch Tuesday and Thursday's sessions around, as I had a pacer in Scotty guaranteed for today. Did this one at The Spit around the ParkRun loop. I knew that today was going to be painful, based on my psychological scars from a very similar session in the form of Mona Fartlek. It was fantastic having Scotty there though, as we kind of shared the work (I would say that he did more than his fair share though, especially during the efforts). Nonetheless, we essentially shadowed each other for the duration of the session, finishing 80m shy of four complete laps. Each lap is (un)officially 1.57km, so it appears we ran a solid 6.2km holding 3:14's. Unfortunately my GPS doesn't like it when I run anti-clockwise loops - having a tendency to under-read the pace and distance (came up with 5.95km in 3:22's; vs. Scotty's 6.1km - despite the fact that we started and finished together). First world problems!!! A 20 minute warm-up and a 5km cooldown for about 15.5km all up. I really enjoyed running down there - a beautiful loop which will be well sheltered when the southerlies come. Another 40 minutes planned (hopefully before lunch).

An easy 40 minutes around the block at Randwich before lunch. 8.81km in 4:33's. Just over 24km for the day.

Monday - 80 minutes + strides

I must have just missed Burkey this morning. We had organised last night at 10:30pm to meet outside The Pantry at 6am this morning. No Burkey in sight, I kept going solo for a lap of North Head. The first time along the old route (via Shelly Beach) post-East Coast Low. An amazing sunrise made up for the lack of company, but in all honesty it didn't bother me this morning. Felt surprisingly good again, similar to yesterday. Managed 18km all up in 4:26's. Finished off with some strides for an extra kilometer.

Sunday - Two Hours

I don't know what happened this morning? Usually Sunday I am simply in survival-mode, generally running long after a big Saturday. Today was no different. But to sum up, the pace was way faster than usual, although the effort felt the same (confirmed by the low heart rate). I met Darren and Justin at the pool at 6:15am, the latter really struggling today. Hamish joined us about 500m up the road. The pace was initially quicker than usual, as both Darren and Justin were well and truly up to speed - having already done half an hour before I met them. But within a kilometer or two, I was fine. Just the traditional Sunday loop this morning. Was quite surprised when I got to Bike Addiction at Manly Vale (which is usually where I reach the two hour mark) and looked at my watch and realised I still had another five-and-a-half minutes to run. Decided to push the pace a bit after the 28km mark, finishing the final 550m in 3:26 pace. So 28.55km all up at 4:12's! And only averaging 134 beats per minute. I put the good feeling down to yesterday's run at Centennial Park. The session itself was as tough as usual, but I think the softer than usual surface from a few days of torrential rain dampened the impact on each step - leaving me a lot less sore than usual this morning. It probably also explains the relatively slower than usual pace yesterday. So another solid week of training comes to an end. Just over 145km - and only over 8 runs.

Saturday - 3 x laps of the white fence (off 1.1km jog) (am) + 40 minutes easy (pm)

Quite a big session this one. Not the fastest conditions out there this morning after a few days of consistent rain - a few rogue puddles here and there. No Hamish this morning, so no one to directly work with throughout the session. Tom and Keith are too quick, so I was hoping Alex would be up for it today. He was strong in the first effort, but died after that. So essentially I ran the second and third laps solo. I kept the front two in sight at all times, but was never running with them (other than for the jog recovery from the cafe to the road and return). All up, I was bloody consistent! 12:04, 12:04 and 12:07. Each lap felt progressively harder - with the heart rate maxing out at 176 by the last one. Times weren't phenomenal, but conditions weren't conducive to fast times - and effort wise it was strong. 12.98km in 3:38's all up (that is including the two jog recoveries of 2.2km). 22km all up including the warm-up and cool-down.

Braved the crowds along the beachfront and got out for an easy 40 minutes this afternoon. 8.83km in 4:32's. Always feels better running on the concrete after a morning session at Centennial Park on the soft and loose gravel.

Thursday - 15 x 90 seconds (off 60 seconds) (am) + 40 minutes easy (pm)

Some speed this morning. Managed to miss the rain, with only the wind to contend with. Only Darren and myself today (the proper hardcore), as Tom and Richard both pulled the pin. We decided to run these in the bike path from Manly LSC north - our best attempts to minimise the wind. Felt slightly flat warming up, so eased into it. It's quite a full-on session. 60 seconds is ample rest, meaning that you can attack each repetition with substantial effort. However, this is offset with the quantity, as 15 is a hell of a lot of reps. Anyway, kept them mostly consistent, ranging between 0.48km to 0.51km - averaging 0.492km (or 7.38km for all 15 reps). So around 3:02-3min/km pace. I was pretty spent by the end of it. Darren reckons he needed to spew after the tenth rep. To make matters worse, he thought we were two reps further into the session than we actually were (never a good feeling that one). An easy 5km cool-down with some light sprinkling rain for just over 18km all up. Another 40 minutes easy before lunch is on the program.

An easy 40 minutes along the beachfront. 8.76km in 4:34's. Now off for a well-deserved massage!!!

Wednesday - 80 minutes + strides

A complete change of scenery today, which can prove difficult for OCD-types like myself (and others). A good turn out with Tom, Macca, Richard, Erika and Ben. We met at Queenscliff lagoon at 6:04am before heading uphill to the Warringah Aquatic Centre via Allambie Heights. I have only ever driven up there, so didn't realise how long that climb goes for! Macca must have a had a coffee or three pre-run, as he was pushing the pace more than what I would have liked for a Wednesday morning. From the Aquatic Centre, we crossed to the other side of Wakehurst Parkway, ran to Seaforth before heading back to God's Country via the outer edge of Manly Dam. Slight drizzle the entire way, but it looks like we largely avoided any downpours. A solid run for a Wednesday, 17.5km in 4:35's. Finished with some strides.

Tuesday - 89' continuous (20' easy, 22' effort, 5' easy, 22' fartlek, 20' easy)

This is always a tough session - just the sheer length makes it intimidating. I was absolutely stoked to Scotty join me at Queenscliff SLSC prior to the first 22 minute effort. We shared the work, laps between Queensie and Shelly Beach - managing to get out there before the crowds (one of the advantages of starting early). The first effort was strong but controlled. Really happy to get out 6.61km, averaging just under 3:20's. That's the fastest I have been since before May, so that was a massive confidence booster! A 5 minute easy jog preceded the second part - 22 minutes of fartlek. Specifically, it was 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1 minute efforts with 1 minute floats. With this, it's simply about survival and getting to the end. The efforts were much the same pace as the initial 22' effort, with the floats aiming to hold 3:50's. All up, 6.32km in just under 3:29's. Again, really happy with this. Having Scotty there made a massive difference, as we were able to share the work and push each other. 20 minutes easy for 23.35km all up. A really solid session, meaning no double today. Now is a great time, as it is the longest possible time until I have to repeat this session. I'm going to savour the moment!

Monday - 75 minutes + strides

Saw the best part of the day with a spectacular sunrise this morning. Joined Ben nice and early for a nice and easy run along the beach front and up to Fairlight. We were both pretty sore from the weekend's training runs - glad it wasn't just me. Fairly conventional, other than a dog walking straight into me legs when running next the lagoon. 16.1km in 4:39's. Finished off with some strides in Pine Lane; always feel better after these.

Sunday - Two Hours

Just Ben and Scotry this morning, with most of the others doing their long run yesterday. A drop in temperature made for cool conditions on an otherwise beautiful winters morning. No world records today in terms of pace, keeping it nice and relaxed. 27.6km all up in 4:28's. 110km for the week. Back to normal mileage next week. Will still try to get a well overdue massage!

Saturday - 2 lap tempo + 10 x 200m hills (am) + 40 minutes easy (pm)

Feeling better each day, but still some residual soreness from Sunday. I wasn't alone. Speaking to Gary during the warm-up, he also believes that the C2S takes longer to recover from than a half marathon. I was confident that the session today would involve a two lap tempo, followed by some sort of hill work. I looked around and noticed Hamish was there, and, knowing he was fit from two weeks ago, decided to run with him. This was great, as I was able to share the work with him - still pushing each other, but definitely holding some back. Actually, I would say that the effort itself was as true to word 'threshold' as you could have gotten. Comfortably hard (not numb). A slight deviation each lap as the trail was blocked due to the setting up of the Colour Run. All up, 24:06 in 3:24's. Not my fastest around there, but actually really happy with the time considering the legs, holding back, and the slight detour each lap. A short rest before we started the hills across the road from the cafe. Definitely held back on these, due to both the volume (10 reps is quite a few), and the fact that the last time I did this session (back in May) was the beginning of the end (Achilles injury). About 3.55km work in the end, holding between 37-39 seconds for each rep. A nice and easy 5km cooldown chatting to Ross about how sore Aussies are at losing (except me) and food (always a good topic post session). Just shy of 20km all up. Another 40 minutes is in the cards this afternoon.

The big news of the day is the opening of the Manly to Shelly path. Couldn't resist the opportunity to get amongst it, so went for an easy run along the beachfront. 8.82km at 4:32's. Felt nice and easy. Just under 29km for the day.

Thursday - 20 x 1 minute (off 45 seconds) (am) + 40 minutes easy (pm)

Absolutely stoked to have a great turnout this morning. Met Tom, Darren, Quentin and Macca at Nolan's Reserve after an easy 20 minute warm-up. We had decided to complete the set on the grass, given that our bodies were still screaming somewhat following the C2S (even four days later). Purely ran this one on feel, as did everyone else. Quite heavy underfoot with some long(ish) wet grass (annoyed that I wore brand new socks). Kept the session consistent, with all reps between 320 and 330m (with the exception of the first and last, which were 310 and 340m respectively). I must say, I feel much better post-run than before. A nice and easy 5km cool-down for about 18.6km all up. I'm loving this weather!!! Another 40 minutes easy planned for this afternoon.

Well that was a revelation. I hadn't actually told anyone, but my left Achilles tendon has been sore and swollen for the past 6 weeks (higher up than the injury that sidelined me in June). I could run through it, but it was stubborn and always there. Since returning from the initial Achilles injury, I switched shoes to the Nike Flyknit Racer, as these had a higher heel-to-toe offset. Not realising the correlation between these shoes and the Achilles, I just switched back to the old Saucony A6 Racer's, and it was like I was on drugs! No pain, cadence was much easier to hold (didn't even have to think about this), the pace was slightly quicker, and the heart rate was lower! And, still as I am standing here right now writing this, I have no pain whatsoever! Could it have been as simple as changing pairs of shoes? I will find out over the next few days. Fingers crossed. Anyway, an easy 40 minutes along the beachfront. 4:38's for 8.65km, holding a very easy 121 beats per minute. Just over 27km for the day.

Wednesday - 80 minutes + strides

Back into the swing of things this morning. A great turnout as well - Justin, Erika, Tom, Quentin, Richard, and Darren (momentarily). We were all still a bit sore and sorry from Sunday, so the pace was nice and relaxed. Ran to the lagoon, along the beachfront, along the harbour to Fairlight, back to the lagoon, a lap of the golf course, then back home. Another amazing morning out there! Feeling better today than yesterday, which is nice. 17.1km in 4:41's. Finished off with some strides, each successive one feeling better than the previous one.

Tuesday - 40 minutes easy

Still quite sore from Sunday. Went out this morning for a leisurely stroll along the beachfront. The weather is superb! Kept it super easy, and simply enjoyed being out there. 8.45km in 4:44's.

City2Surf - 40th outright in 47:45

Not a bad result. Actually, I'm really satisfied with this given the past three months of interrupted training due to my left Achilles' tendon. Deep down I would have loved to have run another minute and a half faster, but given the aforementioned, this will do for today. Went out hard-ish, but not suicidal. Tried to stick with Scotty, but the pace was just too quick for me. I then found myself running largely solo until heartbreak hill, where I actually did struggle quite a bit. Firstly, Neil went past, then Hoey (not to mention Cassie, so I was 'chicked' - the first time she has gotten the better of me). I didn't bother trying to stay with any of them, simply sticking to how my body felt (which evidentially was feeling it more than these fine athletes). Was quite concerned when I could make out a black singlet in front of me that I was catching - Barts!!! The poor guy had stomach cramps, so a fantastic effort on his behalf to even finish, especially with a half respectable time (just over 48). Got though the 10km mark in 34:40-something; not too bad when only a handful of weeks ago running a sub-35 on the flat would have been an achievement. The final 4km I just hung in there, somewhat convincing myself that around the next bend the decent into Bondi Beach will start (which at times felt like it would never happen). The final kilometer I thought was much better than previous years - sure there was the initial uphill at the start of Campbell Pde, but a quick hairpin turn transitioned it into a downhill. Plus, it gave you an idea of how far off you were of some others. This is when I saw Scotty - struggling even more than me! Luckily for him, the finish line was close. So all in all, a bloody solid run! The heart rate monitor shows that that was all that I could have given it today, hence why I am happy with the outcome. The worst feeling is finishing a race and questioning yourself if you could have gone harder. I have objective data to show that the answer was clearly 'no.' Two standout runs today we're done by Tom (an amazing 15th outright in 45:28) and Toby (who is having an amazing 2016 finishing in an impressive 56th with 48:24). Didn't hang around for too long post race, caught the bus back to Bondi Junction with Justin before shuffling 4km back to his car at Surry Hills. That final cooldown was almost as painful as the race itself. A well deserved complete rest tomorrow, followed by an easy day on Tuesday to ensure that I completely recover this time. I a, adamant to avoid the same mistake post SMH-Half. I can now focus on getting some race fitness back over the next 10 weeks in preparation for my goal race in Burnie. Looking forward to the journey!

Saturday - 20 minutes easy + strides

An easy and relaxed 20 minutes on a beautiful, albeit chilly, Manly winter's morning. Felt average, which is normal after having a day off. 4.64km in 4:19's. Finished off feeling better after doing some strides in Pine Lane. Time to put the feet up and chill-lax for the rest of the day - luckily there are lots of highlights from day 7 in Rio on channel 7 (along with just a few adds of what is coming 'after the Olympics').

Thursday - 8 x 1 minute effort (off 1 minute jog)

A nice, short and sharp hit out this morning. Took the advantage of sleeping in, getting out just after 7am. Another smashing morning out there. 20 minute warm-up before completing the aforementioned session. Kept it controlled at all times, running each effort between 0.32-0.34km. Got the heart rate up to 174 beats per minute, demonstrating that the easy week has definitely had some benefits. The 5km cooldown at the end I had to hold back, as is always the case after one of these types of sessions. 14km all up.

Wednesday morning - 30 minutes + hill strides

So warm this morning! Definitely an early spring showing! Really short and even sweeter than Monday. Only 30 minutes easy along the beachfront followed by some hills. 6.65km at 4:31's. Kept the heart rate in the mid 120's.

Tuesday - 4 x (3 minutes, 1 minute jog, 1 minute), off 90 seconds

Went solo this morning, which meant that I was able to hit the snooze button twice on my phone without letting anyone down. Another amazing morning! I actually felt really good this morning - this was reflected in the relative ease (and pace) of the warm-up, along with achieving a maximum heart-rate of 176 throughout the subsequent session (easily the highest I have ever recorded it on this watch). The pace is improving - albeit not as quick as I would have hoped for less than a week out of C2S. Another few weeks should see it get there - enough time for Blackmores, but more importantly, enough time for Burnie 10 in October. Paces and splits were 0.95km (3:09), 0.33km (3:01); 0.96km (3:08), 0.32km (3:05); 0.96km (3:08), 0.32km (3:06); 0.95km (3:10), 0.32km (3:06). Most importantly, I ran within myself and kept it hard but controlled. A nice solid session, but ultimately not too taxing. A nice and steady 5km cool-down, seeing Darren out there doing the same session just as I was finishing. About 16.3km all up. That's it for today, no second run.

Monday - 40 minutes + hill strides

Short but sweet this morning. Another cracking day ahead (it must be a Monday). Solo, but not an issue this morning. The council looks as if they have finally finished fixing underneath the Queenscliff Bridge following the East Coast Low just over two months ago. The unbelievable thing is, after running through it this morning, the tiny bit of damage that was done there during the storm. I small piece of concrete was all that was replaced, a job that would have taken a few hours to fix! Anyway, 9.08km in 4:24's. Finished off with some hill strides for about 10km total.

Sunday - 90 minutes

Not a massive turnout this morning - just Macca, Ben - with Toby joining in at Dee Why. Macca set the pace early, but it soon became apparent that he had already run 10km before he joined us - hence he was warmed up. The good thing with Macca starting early was that I had company upon turning around at the 45 minute mark. Got just past the fire station at Narrabeen. A nice comfortable pace the whole way, finishing with 20.7km in 4:21's. 134 beats per minute. Just over 117km for the week, so much shorter than last week's 150. Another shorter this coming week, dreading next Sunday.

Saturday - 2 x hill loop, 1 x white fence

It was a case of less is more this morning. We all knew that the volume of this morning's sessions would be reduced from the previous few weeks with the C2S pending. Two hill loops, or more like 3/4 loops, as we were told to jog the downhill portion instead of attacking at as per previously. Another impressive turnout this morning; I hung in the second group with Alex and Hamish - the latter who was flying after having a few weeks easy following a 100 mile race! Endurance was certainly still there. Anyway, stayed with both Alex and Hamish for the first lap, before dropping them on the second. 6'33 and 6'31 for each 1.89km loop, so consistent. We all regathered prior to starting the lap of the white fence. Was weary of Hamish, and thought my best chance was to drop him early and try to hang on. I managed the first part, but he was too strong over the final kilometer, edging past me. I took a quick glance behind to ensure that Alex wasn't planning on doing the same - I was safe. To my surprise, I ran a 11'56 for the 3.56km lap - not super quick, but again was never going to be with the muddy surface from all the rain. Alex was about 15 seconds behind, still running strong as well.  So a nice little confidence booster leading into Sunday week - I need that after a few weeks of subpar paces at training. A nice and easy cooldown with Nick and Jules, mainly talking restaurants- it appears that they know their stuff as well! No double today. Around 17.5km all up.

Thursday - Tempo & Hills (Encore) (am) + 40 minutes easy (pm)

Stoked to have Quentin join me this morning. Similarly to Burkey on Monday night, I got the message just before 10am last night for a starter this morning. With the forecasted weather, all the extra motivation was required! Largely managed to avoid the pouring rain, although we did get some by brief showers throughout. But the wind - that was next level stuff! Made even worse by running on the coast. Similar session to last Thursday (when Quentin last joined me), except the tempo effort was 10 instead of 15 minutes. To add some variety into the mix, I decided to reverse the session - doing the tempo first. Started at Manly LSC, headed south to Queenscliff, then return. Going down was gold, felt super strong and fast. But knowing what was ahead was scary. Turned at Queensie, and my worst fears were realised. It felt like a brick wall - the wind that is, with nails - the nails being little bullets of rain. Couldn't care less about the pace at this point - just wanted to get back towards Manly LSC and out of the wind. Pushed through it, getting out 2.96km in 3:23's. Not fast by any means, but really happy with the effort - as it was hard but controlled the whole way. The heart rate confirms it, maxing out steadily at 173 beats per minute. Quentin was about 40-50m behind. We regathered and headed towards Darley Rd. Same as last week, 1 x 4 minute hill followed by 6 x 1 minute hills. To make things more complicated, the first minute of the long hill was a hard run, along with the recoveries after the first and forth minute of the 1 minute hills. Really felt the legs 'lactate' after the third hill. Luckily Quentin was the same, although he was much stronger on the hills this week in comparison to last week. All up about 40 seconds quicker all up than last week, which was a nice way to finish up (20:19 vs. 20:56). A 5km cooldown, literally avoiding the next downpour by seconds. Very lucky. Looks like the weather may be clearing as the day progresses, so will hopefully stay dry for the afternoon double. 17km all up this morning.

Actually had a starter for my afternoon run - that's a first. Bumped into Ben this morning at Pure Wholefoods, so we agreed to meet at North Steyne SLSC at midday. An easy 40 minutes around the local area, 8.8km in 4:33's. Just under 26km for the day. A much welcomed rest day tomorrow!

Wednesday - 80 minutes + strides

Not much sleep last night, after getting home from work late (dinner at 10pm), so was tempted to sleep in this morning and run solo. Thought better of it and decided to join Justin at 6am, sacrificing the sleep for some company. Definitely the right decision, as the conditions were ordinary. Extremely windy with intermittent downpours - at least it wasn't cold. Ran up to North Head, before heading back to Queenscliff, then jumping on some bike track that I had never been on that would have taken us next to Burnt Bridge deviation and up to Seaforth Junction (didn't get that far). Nice and comfortable, not pushing it at all. 17.3km in 4:38's. Concluded with some strides up and down Pine Lane for an extra kilometer.

Tuesday - 2km effort, 5 minutes rest, 10 x 300m (2:00 cycle) (am) + 40 minutes easy (pm)

A proper speed session this morning, and it's just what I need. Was stressing yesterday as it looked like I was going to be solo again, but Burkey came to the rescue at the last minute. It also gave me a 15 minute sleep in, which was an added bonus. A 20 minute warmup before we met at Manly LSC ready to start the first effort. 2km hard - and it was bloody hard! Tried to keep it controlled the whole way - which the splits don't suggest that I did. However, I would disagree, as the first kilometer appeared too fast, whilst the second kilometer appeared too slow (3:02 and 3:15 respectively). However, an average of 3:09 seemed spot on, finishing in just over 6:18. Not too bad for that course along the beachfront, even better when I ran from the front (Burkey is a speed demon, hence his emergence in the second half of the session). A well deserved 5 minute rest prior to commencing the 300's. These were much worse than anticipated! The mindset is much more relaxed going into these, especially as on paper they are much shorter. But trust me, once you commence these, they are tough! Burkey was flying, and essentially led the first 6 or 7. The endurance kicked in (or kicked out for home, depending on how you read it) for the last few. But overall, consistent. The times add more weight to my theory of dead zones in terms of GPS readings along the beachfront, with the northern reps (odds) consistently a second or two slower than the southern reps (evens); 52, 51, 52, 50, 52, 49, 51, 50, 50, 48. Overall, a really tough, albeit fun, session. Unlike anything I have really done before. Looking forward to introducing more of these types of speed sessions into my program, as I feel I have lots to improve in this area - especially the all out middle distance efforts (1-3km). A nice and easy 5km cooldown for 15.4km all up. Supposedly that is the last of the dry spell! An easy 40 minutes is planned for this afternoon.

Managed to mostly avoid the rain this afternoon. Out for an easy 40 minutes around the Randwick loop. It appears the heart rate monitor is reading my cadence as my heart rate - which was supposedly 177 beats per minute (which, happened to be my cadence). Will have to look into that one. Felt good though, despite feeling sore walking around this morning after the session. 8.85km in 4:31's. Just over 24km for the day.

Monday - 40 minutes + hill strides

Nice and short this morning. Was tempted to run longer, but thought better of it. The whole point of easier days/weeks is to allow the body to absorb all the previous training completed - and adapt. Besides, I was pretty exhausted after a massive weekend and all of last week. Stuck along the beachfront. 9.05km in 4:25's. Then to Raglan St for some hill strides. 10km to start the week.