2005 End of Year Review

Injuries:
A back injury on January 2nd was not a good way to start, losing ten days training in the process.
An Achillies injury in late February while in Melbourne left my right foot pretty tender for a week.
Hurt the top of my left foot whilst doing Canberra Marathon in April which took me a month to get rid of.
Then in late July the big one floored me until now. Stress fractures in both lower legs. Missed C2S which really killed me. It was one of my main goals for the year.

Goals for 2005 were:
5k 18:30- did 19:03 at my only attempt at a 5k for the year down from 19:18.
10k 38:30- got the PB down to 39:11 in July from start of 40:41.
Half Marathon Sub 85mins- Ran 87:16 in June at Kembla half. PB at the start of the year was 91:09.
C2S Sub 55min-DNS Injured
Canberra Marathon 3:30:00- Ran 3:16:32 so very happy with that. First Marathon.

Now to 2006 on another post.

Run 35 mins-Late Afternoon Run

After doing some work today for end of month I finally got out for a run at 6:00pm.

It was still 27 degrees and 77% humidity and the afternoon seabreeze was really strong.

I ran into Centennial Park again and ran around the track. Not many people out as it is New Years Eve. Got through 7.05 klms in the 35 minutes.

Felt ok even with the crappy conditions. It's a happy new year and a better 2006 for running at least.

And tomorrow is a day off running so I'll be heading up the coast to my Surf Club to do some events in the water. Yeehah.

Run 25 mins

Started at 7:00pm with a temp of 25 degrees and 83% humidity.

Ran into Centennial Park and ran around the running track.
Very humid, very wet clothes. Within 500m the sweat was pouring off me.

Got through 4.8klms in the 25 minutes. Much better pace than Wednesday.
Just want to keep the runs easy and do all the sessions as the program states.

Bike 10ks

The gym was shutting early today. 7pm so had to get over there quick after work to do this session.

Put the bike on the hills setting. Managed to get through 10.5ks in the 22 minutes.
Had no energy in the legs at all. Heart rate average was 142BPM with a max of 169BPM.

Back to running tomorrow.

Run 30 mins

First time on the program for running two days in a row. Finally I'm getting somewhere.

Into Centennial Park again with a very humid 25 degrees tonight.
Managed to get through 6.23klms in the 30 minutes.
I feel I may have run it a bit quick. Will have to slow it down so I don't hurt myself again.

Legs felt ok during the run. Due to the humidity and the pace I was pushing I did feel out of breath.

I think I'm a long way off beating Horrie at SMC next month unless he does the 5klm.

Run 25Mins

The program today was Run 25 Minutes.
Set out at 6:30pm and ran into Centennial Park. Temp was 25 degrees with 78% humidity and windy with the North East seabreeze blowing.
No wonder I felt like I was running in a swimming pool.

Got through 4.81ks in the 25 minutes. Legs felt ok but pretty slow after a heavy night on the grog. Probably ran past Vat_Man and Mohammad doing 400's with Sean Williams but they were on the other side of the oval.

Surf Club Swim and Run

With a dirty hangover from our Boxing Night party still ringing in my head I plunged into the surf for a welcome swim. There was a race on but I was in no condition to be swimming that fast.

Waited for the two other races to be finished and then the run came up.
After winning the last Round my handicap increased from 35 seconds to 45 seconds. My closest rival in the comp was still off 60 second handicap.

Legs felt very heavy as they would after a big night of beers and Rums and Loud music and 5 hours sleep. Tried to catch the front runner by half way but he had about 50 metres on me which I managed to whittle down to 5 metres by the finish. Timed it as 2:56 for the distance.

My closest competitor in the points finished one place behind me so I think that now makes us even after 6 rounds. Next race is January 1st and 2nd. Should be interesting.

Santa's Naughty or Nice List

Superflake
Nice, but has been naughty at times. Neatness and politeness have been very good over the last two weeks. Shows proper respect for others. Shares well, but could always be better. With a little more effort could be near top of "nice" list.

Christmas Day around the Bay

Met up with a dozen cool runners doing laps of the Bay Run at Drumoyne.

I started on the 'last lap' at 6:15 am and jogged around it easy on the concrete and tar.

I was supposed to do 30 mins today but ended up doing 36 mins to finish a lap of the bay which came out as 6.82klms for me.

Then had a champagne breakfast with chocolate provided by Aunty K and Truckie.
Great way to start the day.

Merry Christmas everyone hope Santa gets you something good.

Row 2000m + Bike 10ks

Late morning headed off to the gym to do some exercise.
Gym was closing at 2 pm. Every man and his rugrat was in the pool so had no chance of a swim.

Started off on the rowing machine and did 2000m in a time of 8:02. Still trying to get this under 8 minutes.

Bike on the hills setting. I had no power in the legs at all today.
Got through 10.6 ks in the 22 minutes. Very slack. Average heart rate of 147BPM with a max of 171BPM.

Glad that the gym was air-conditioned as a 37 degree outside temp was not a place to be running in.

Bike 11ks

Legs were very tired tonight. Almost felt like not doing this session at all.

Bike on the hills setting again. Got through 11.03ks in the 22 minutes of the program.
Average heart rate of 144BPM with a max of 171BPM.

That's it I've got nothing else. Can't wait for a beer tomorrow with a few Cool Runners.

Run 20mins, Walk 2mins.

Back into Centennial Park. 28 degrees and a strong 10 knot northerly wind blowing.
Tough conditions to run in.

The program was Run 20 Minutes, Walk 2 Minutes, and then Run 10 Minutes to finish.

The wind and heat was really causing me to lose my stride tonight. Managed to get through 6.28klms in the 32 minutes of the program.

Into the gym tomorrow where it maybe a tad cooler.

Received the Canberra Marathon application in the mail today. I'll post it tomorrow. Can't miss the 30th anniversary run.

Bike 11ks

Into the gym again and I'm getting bored, bored, bored.......

Set the bike on the hills setting but the computer only gave me two large hills for the 22 minutes. That meant having to push really hard on the flat sections and up the bikes setting to 13 out of 20 up the hills.

Did get through 11.25ks in the 22 minutes. Average heart rate was 147BPM with a Max heart rate of 173BPM.

No swimming tonight just did not feel like it.

Run 15mins, Walk 2mins, etc..

Into Centennial Park again. Some nice talent in there today.

Program tonight was Run 15 minutes, Walk 2 minutes, and then Run 15 minutes to finish.
Was feeling very hard at the end of the 2nd 15 mins to keep going.
I thought I hadn't lost much fitness, but maybe I have.

Got through 6.36ks in the 32 minutes of the session. Still enjoying having the walk break in the middle although today's was pretty short.

Off to the gym and pool tomorrow. Need that dodgy swimming stroke.

Surf Club Race with a win thrown in

Have not done a surf club race since round 2 of our comp. Today was round5.
Turned up to discover it was a lake instead of a surf. Dead flat and a high tide so a long swim without the benefit of being able to surf a wave in.
Oh well swim was better than last time, about 150 metres out, 100metres across the buoys and then 150metres back in. Swam ok but still need a lot of work on the swimming.

After one win and a 2nd from two races in the run I discovered today my handicap was 35 seconds. One of my rivals won a race when I wasn't there so his was 60 seconds.
I went out hard and had cleaned up all but one of the field by the time I got to the turnaround which is a big black rock.
Hard work coming back knowing I may get passed spurred me to run faster back. Beat 2nd place by about 20 seconds. And my closest rival was 3rd so I get more points.
We had a high tide again so we had to run on soft wet sand which is hard work.
I think my handicap will be huge next round.

Beers and a bbq on the back lawn of the club, with me being one of the winners of a race today as the free beer man. My civic duty.
I timed the race and ran it in 3:06. So a 35 second handicap was pretty heavy although better than 60 seconds.

Next race is December 27th after Boxing Day Party. A hangover maybe my fuel that day.

Run 12mins, Walk 2mins, etc..

Ran into Centennial Park tonight. Still hot and humid at 6 pm. Temp was 28 degrees.
Managed to avoid the drunks coming out of the racecourse to run around the running track.

The program was Run 12 mins, Walk 2 mins, Run 12 mins, Walk 2 mins, and then run 10 mins to finish.
Got through 7.02 klms in the total 38 minutes. Longest session so far on the road. Broke in some new running shoes tonight.

Surf Club races tomorrow. Looking to win the short run again.

Bike 12ks and Pool 500m

A humid night and an empty gym and pool. Lots of room to work out.

Bike on the hills setting again. Got through 12.15ks in the 22 minutes, my best so far.
Heart rate average was 144BPM with a max of 173BPM. Felt very good on all the hills.

Headed into the pool after that as there was only a couple of people doing laps so had a lane to myself.
Got through 500m in the pool. Didn't time it. It wasn't worth it anyhow.

Watched Australia self destruct in the cricket while in the gym. Not good.

Get home and some %#@!* has parked in my parking bay. First call was to block them from leaving but I then realised what if they leave at 3 am. They will come and wake me up. So in the end left a dirty note on the windscreen.

Run 10mins, Walk 2mins, etc..

Into Centennial Park again. The afternoon sea breeze was pretty strong tonight.

When I was training myself I made up my own training based on what I felt like or learnt from reading different things. Long Run, Tempos, Hills, intervals.

Now I am returning from injury I have a program. Funny that.

Today was Run 10 minutes, Walk 2 minutes, Run 10 minutes, Walk 2 minutes, Run 10 minutes.
Ended up getting through 6.07 klms in the 34 minutes.

Ran into Mohammad and Vat_Man again finishing their session with SW's squad in the park.

Friday is back into the gym plus I must do a few laps in the pool.

Bike 11ks

Very tired today. Not much energy to do this.

On the hills setting again.
Mowed through 11.2ks in the 22 minutes. Average heart rate of 142BPM with a max of 171BPM.

Not many in the gym. I don't blame them the late afternoon weather was so good with a full moon rising as well.

Oh well running tomorrow.

Walk 2mins, Run 8mins etc..

Into Centennial Park for my run tonight. Getting closer to doing a full run session. Should be before Christmas. Love a Christmas present.

The session was walk 2 mins, run 8 mins, walk 2 mins, run 8 mins, walk 2 mins, and then finally run 8 mins to finish. Finished with a total of 5.46klms.

Conditions were very blowy with a strong southerly blowing as well as being humid. Ran around the track at Centennial park, heaps to look at.

Saw Vat, Mohammad and Bright Shoes doing laps of Mackay Oval with Sean Williams squad.

Bike 11ks

Into the gym again.
Legs felt absolutely trashed after that swim on Sunday. They hurt in places they never hurt from running.

Set the bike on the hills setting.
Got through 11.62ks in the 22 minutes. Average heart rate of 144BPM with a max heart rate of 167BPM.
That was easier than I thought it would be. Running tomorrow. Which means I am down to running every 2nd day now on the program. Cool.

Walk 3mins, Run 7mins..etc..

The mission this afternoon was Walk 3 minutes then Run 7 Minutes and do that 3 times.

Headed into Centennial Park after watching Robert Allenby win the Australian Masters Golf tournament.

Felt quite warm even though the temp was only 22 degrees.
Got through 5.13ks in the 30 minutes of the program.

Legs felt ok but the rest of the body is tired from the swim this morning.

Bilgola Ocean Swim 1.5ks

Saturday morning conditions were like glass at the beach.

Turned up to Bilgola beach on Sydney's Northern Beaches this sunday morning for the swim. The conditions had changed to a choppy 3ft swell out the back.
I went in the 2nd wave of swimmers the 35-49 year group plus I think the 20 yr and under as well. The main group of 21-34 went off first.

Had my first problem just getting out through the break when my goggles decided they didn't like the waves and came off under the first wave. Unfortunately they are very hard to adjust when floating in surf so they had to stay around my neck or on my head.

So the pace of the swim went out the window and I just mostly breast stroked around the course. They stayed with the swim straight out course, go nth with the swell and then straight out into the southerly past the headland.
The turning buoy was a long way out and then it was a run back south across the beach into the southerly and then another buoy to back towards the beach.

Finally the last buoy enable me to catch a wave in. Much joy was had by the local Bilgola clubbies as they kept asking me if I had needed rescuing.
My answer was that I haven't been swimming much and I have run a marathon so I refuse to be rescued doing a 1.5k swim. Smartass I know.

Finish time was a very disgusting 42:37. The winner of my age group was Graeme Brewer ex Olympian in 19:xx with the winner doing 17:05.

Need more swimming practice but I had fun and that is the main thing. I think suddenly jumping to 1.5ks from only doing 500m in the pool was a dumb idea.

I believe there were about 600 people doing the swim today. Now how do I get this bloody texta off my arm. Any ideas you tri-athletes?

Gym, Rowing and Bike

Jumped onto the rowing machine for a warm up.
Got through 2000m in 8:20. Hands are a bit sore after pulling hard on the oars.

Bike with the hills setting for 22 minutes.
Did 11ks in the 22 minutes. Average heart rate of 144BPM with a max of 176BPM.

Feel very tired tonight.
I have the Bilgola Ocean Swim tomorrow morning. That's 1.5ks of pain.
And I have another run scheduled. 30 minutes only walk and run alternating.

Gym = Bike 11ks

Another day in the gym.

On the hills setting as per usual. Made it through 11.4ks in the 22 minutes.
Average heart rate of 137BPM with a max heart rate of 172BPM.

Felt pretty easy even though I changed the hardness setting on the bike constantly to make it harder. Ranged between 10 and the top setting of 20.

Walk 5mins, Run 5mins, Walk etc...

The schedule was to Walk 5 mins, Run 5 mins, Walk 5 mins, Run 5 mins, Walk 5 mins and then Run 5 mins to finish.

Headed into Centennial Park tonight to do this session. Very warm still even at 7 pm.
Lots of people training and a few heading to the Moonlight Cinema for the 1st of the season.

Finished up doing 4.46ks in the total 30 minutes. Felt a bit of pain in the legs but nothing remotely like bone pain. Just phantom as Fake Plastic Trees called it or Power Plays like my doctor.

Next day of running is Sunday and I will possibly do the Bilgola Ocean Swim in the morning. The swim is 1.5ks.

At the gym with the Doctor

Down to the gym again. Programmed the bike for the hills setting.

Got through 11ks in the 22 minutes. The computer didn't program in too many hills so had no chance to push hard. Really a slack session on the bike actually.

After the bike hopped onto the rowing machine.
Rowed 2000m in 8:38. Very hard work tonight. Felt buggered.

It was rugrat city in the pool so I couldn't get in for a swim. Would have been very nice in to.

After the workout I ran into my Sports Doctor at the gym. Asked a few questions about my stress fractures. He said I shouldn't be having pain anymore but I should be ok to run again but don't do it too hard at the start. Said to watch out if I had any bone pain.

Got to love the free medical advice. I intend to follow the program I just started and see how it goes. BTW the program is a 7 week one. Might be a little underdone at Canberra Marathon.

Bike 11ks + a Swim

Very muggy night. Well the gym does have aircon so that helps.

Set the bike on the hills setting again.
Got through 11.21ks in the 22minutes. Average heart rate of 144BPM with a max of 179BPM.
Didn't push as hard as I should have at the start. Hence the lower klms achieved for the session.

Then headed to the pool but only got through 250m as I felt really tired.
The swim was good to cool me down anyway. Nice talent in the lane next to me. Lucky I breath both sides.

Walk, Run, Walk, Run

You'll never walk alone.. How could I with so many people in Centennial Park tonight enjoying the late afternoon heat.

Starting to do the Pfitzinger return from injury program specifically written for stress fracture returns.
It said on the first day. Walk 10 minutes, Run 10 minutes, Walk 5 minutes, Run 5 minutes.

Which basically means do something for 30 minutes. I ended up doing 4.36 klms. Woohoo!
I walk fast normally so I was pretty quick even doing the walk and the run was only a jog not really going too fast. Enough heat and pace to break into a sweat as soon as I started the first run section.

It is a slow road back. But the caution is that touching the stress fracture on the spot still does hurt. But when I run I get no pain.

Bike 11ks

Very humid night tonight. Even though I was in the gym.

Hills setting again. Watched the cricket Pakistan vs England while riding the bike. Poms are not going to win that one.

Rode 11.73klms in 22 minutes. Average heart rate of 148BPM with a max of 176BPM.

Legs felt very tired tonight. Wanted to ride further but didn't have enough energy.