Saturday - Manly to Spit & return

As is always the case, I wake up yesterday (Friday, my rest day) at 6:05am, wide awake and ready to start the day full of energy! Then today, I am woken up from a comatose, in absolutely no state to get out of bed - let alone run 20km! I forced myself out, and after much procrastination I was off. I didn’t feel it at all today, simply going through the motions (once again) with the goal of simply getting it done. Effortwise it felt normal, just the pace felt slower. Apart from one group of six middle/elderly aged walkers taking up the whole track (and getting told off despite yelling out “excuse me” ten times before reaching them), everyone else was extremely courteous and friendly. A smile and a “good morning” isn’t too hard to ask from some people is it? As usual, the 20km actually feels shorter than my daily 15km in the road, something about the trails ensures that you loose concept of time (this is a good thing)! Pushed it from Forty Baskets (but in control, not red-lining) back home for the final 4km on the road. I was pleasantly surprised to get back in a new PB of 86:48 (4:19’s), 33 seconds quicker than last week - a time that I really didn’t think I would get under for a long time. So as usual, I’ll take it happily. Despite the cloud cover, it was pretty much perfect conditions out there with barely any wind, low tide (which helps at Forty Baskets) and not hot or cold. Now to enjoy the long weekend (and to avoid the crowds at the Jazz Festival)! And of course the biggest weekend in terms of Australian Sports - the Malaysian Grand Prix!

Thursday - 15km

I was in survival mode this morning, as is generally the case on Thursday morning (the final of six days of running). The objective is to simply go through the motions and just get it done. Finally felt flat this morning (unlike other days where I thought I was flat but felt great once I started running). It was quite a humid morning, and combined with the North Head loop, it was tough out there. Not a great (nor was it a poor) time, finishing in 56:08 (3:44’s). Couldn’t really ask for much more given how great I’ve felt all week, and the times and paces I’ve held for the previous five days. Looking forward to a much needed sleep-in and rest day tomorrow, before starting all over again on Saturday!

Wednesday - 15km

I was in a very slumber when my alarm shockingly woke me up this morning! I could have kept sleeping easily for another few hours. Needless to say, I really didn’t feel like getting out and running this morning, I did anyway (as I do). I was anticipating more of a struggle today after yesterday’s effort, especially now coupled with how sleepy I was. Wednesday is the same route as Monday, the Shelly-Fairlight (ie the flatter) loop. Focused today on a higher cadence, as this made the intensity feel easier. The breathing sounded laboured, but I honestly felt in control at all times. As I say everyday, there were numerous times where I had to consciously back it off. Wasn’t expecting an amazing time, but got home in 54:45 (3:38’s), only 3 seconds slower than my fastest! Great, considering how I felt. Not much sun today, but I did notice the humidity (not as bad as Monday, but worse than recent times). A lot of people out there this morning, but everyone was well behaved (including myself) in keeping to their left. Happy days!

Tuesday - 15km

Once again, I have no idea where that came from this morning. Woke up still feeling the effects of Sunday’s long hot run. Like always, just ran on feel. The pace felt slower than usual, but I simply went with it. Although I did find myself pushing the intensity a bit too hard at times, which I always ensured to back it off and relax. Up to North Head this morning, which is always the tougher route. A bit of dog dodging (someone with one of those stupid expandable leeches), Bold & Beautiful dodging (again, I love everything that they stand for - except for being oblivious to anyone else around them when they are not in the ocean), and even ran past a lady covered in perfume smoking a cigarette? What is the point of that? Temperature was perfect today, “world record conditions” as Sean Williams would say. And so it would be, surprisingly finishing in 55:11 (3:40’s), 21 seconds faster than ever before. And it didn’t feel like I was running as fast as usual? I’ll take it anyway! Still enjoying it so much, so I’ll simply keep going!

Monday - 15km

I knew today was going to be a struggle, especially after yesterday’s long run in that heat (that really drained me). I actually felt surprisingly ok, so I just went with it. Yes, there were a few times where I had to consciously back it off (especially around the 5 and 10km marks, where I was stupidly thinking about my time and pace - I’m not allowed to do this)! Just the normal Shelly-Fairlight loop this morning. Much cooler today, but I’m dripping sweat right now as I’m writing this, so perhaps it was cold relative to yesterday, but still warm (actually, it must be, as I ran shirtless again). Not my fastest today, but only fractionally off, finishing the 15km in 55:16 (3:40’s), which I would have to say was equivalent to my 54:42 last Wednesday given how I felt this morning!

Sunday - 30km

The worst possible conditions for a long run today - 28 degrees and hot and windy! I knew it would be tough, so tried to back the pace off. The forecast was for north-westerly winds, so I had planned for a headwind on the way up - visualising a nice tailwind on the way home. It was the opposite, and I was only aware of this once I turned around at Rat Park. That would explain why I was averaging 3:52’s at the 15km mark. The second half was brutal, and my mission was to simply get home in one piece. I just had to get to Mt Dee Why, and then everything would be fine. Finally got there, and didn’t even push the final 4.5km, which is normally easy to do as it is all pretty much downhill. Just held around 4:00 min/km pace, as that was enough in this heat. In the end, quicker than I had anticipated, finishing the 30km in 1:58:11, holding 3:56’s (just under two minutes quicker than last week). Pretty knackered now though. I don’t care how cold the water was two weeks ago, I’m jumping in now!

Saturday - Manly to Spit & return

Out for my traditional Saturday morning run, feeling slightly bad for avoiding Barts' Tunks Park hills session (I'm still not keen to resume any formal speedwork, as I am really enjoying what I am currently doing). As always, I felt flat when the alarm went off. But once I started running I felt half decent. Without any realtime feedback, I would have thought I was going slightly faster this week on the road sections, but perhaps more conservative (especially on the downhill sections) on the trails. Everyman and his dog (yes, literally dogs) were out on the trails this morning. I wasn't sure whether dogs were allowed on the trail or not - regardless, it's not the sharpest idea in the world to walk a dog (or dogs, as in a few cases) on a narrow trail, especially when you are wearing headphones. Oh well, at least I didn't get told off by anyone today, which is always a nice bonus. Pushed the pace a bit from Forty Baskets back home, but as always kept it under control (except for perhaps the final kilometer). Very surprised to get back in 87:21, more than a whole minute quicker than last week (4:21's, although the GPS read it 100m shorter than last week)! And it was actually tough out there in that heat (I even ran shirtless for the first time since summer, which is probably why the crowds were out this morning)! Such a great run, and the perfect way to start what is supposed to be a hot weekend (although it's currently overcast, which often happens when they talk it up like that)! Still too cold for the ocean though!