Striders Equaliser 14k

This course is like the 'House of Pain' that the All Blacks inflict on the Wallabies in New Zealand every winter.
Starts at Belrose and you run down into the valley and across a creek of varying depths each year depending on the rainfall. This year it was about 2 feet deep.
Then run up hill to Lindfield and around a few roads before going back down into the bush and back across the creek again.
Then up the damn hill and a short stretch along the road to the finish.

Apparently I was beaten by 3 old farts called Blue Dog, Horrie and Dave! News to me. I've never heard of those hacks. I let them win it was the least I could do for their fragile trail running egos. The horror of being beaten by a road runner. They would have to retire!
But seriously my lack of training came out and the 3 boys just ran off into the distance, but funnily enough I think we all finished within a couple of mins of each other.

Total was 14ks in 1:09:19. About 1:30 outside my PB.
P.S No entry for Christchurch yet Ewen as I was waiting to see what happened at Canberra.

Darley Rd 10x210m Hill Reps

Very tired after last nights fitful sleep from the heat. Struggled to get through the ten tonight.
Much cooler today after the Southerly cam through this morning. Only 22 degrees and 53% humidity with a breeze still blowing.
Did a 2k warmup and a 2k cool down after finishing.

Surf Club, Swim, Board, Run & Flags

The surf was pretty good this morning. A good morning for a surf that is. The water was very warm 23 degrees and pretty flat but with a good swell to surf back in. Legs wouldn't work after the run this morning.
Board was better except two guys went past me near the finish as I was stuck between a set.

The run was good this week as I managed a 2nd. And in the flags a 4th with no injuries.

And then of course a BBQ and beers on the back lawn to finish it off.

Harbourside Hike 26ks

Started at Waverton just near North Sydney and went through North Sydney, Cammeray, Crows Nest, St Leonards, Lane Cove, Riverview, Longueville, Nortwood, Greenwich, Wollstonecraft and back to Waverton.
I ran most of the course with the 6:20am group. Woke up the dead when I had to use the toilet in the St Leonards cemetery.

Ran most of the way from about the 10k mark with Fats as the rest of the group kept taking short cuts. Eventually Tony was too quick for me and he kept going after I slowed around Greenwich Pt.
I missed the last two loops of Berrys Head and Balls Head and finished with 25.75ks on the clock in 2:17:26. Average pace of 5:20 per klm. A bit hilly this run.

MLR 14ks

A good night for a run with pretty low humidity(57%) and a nice 20k Southerly blowing. Ran from work in Alexandria over to Centennial Park and did a couple of laps of the running track and then ran back to work.

All up 14.56ks in 1:03:20. Average pace of 4:20 per klm. Legs felt good tonight.

P.S Gronk the last time I was in Centennial Park was just after Christmas. So no secret training on my part.
Christchurch may need gloves and beanie. I may buy and use if I feel like it. Saw Moey doing training on the park.

Darley Rd 12x210m Hill Reps

Not too bad tonight with the people traffic on the footpath. Although one guy had great delight in stopping every min to watch me run past and then laugh when I went past.
Me thinks he should just get on his bike and pedal away, away...

It was up the hill between 51-56 secs. And down in around 60-65 secs. Total for the session was 24 mins. Plus I did a 1k warmup and a 2k cool down back home.
Humidity has been a lot better this week. Only 22 degrees and 63% humidity.

Mosman Reversed 23ks

Interesting run this morning. Started at Balmoral Beach with a dozen in the 6:20 group including a sub 3hr marathon female from OS, and a pro female ironman who has done 9:20.
Ran through to Chinamans Beach and across the Spit Bridge and around through some bush. I was leading as we entered the bush and encountered a blocked path which I tried to go around only to slip on a rather large wet and mossy and rock and go for a 5m slide down into a tree.
Not a good start to the run. Left some skin back in Clontarf if you see it next time. The group declined to follow me. Chickens!

Across the Bridge again and through Beauty Point, Primrose Park, Cammeray, North Sydney, Cremorne Pt and over to Mosman.
I decided by body wasn't feeling great. Mainly the banged up hip and shoulder and cut the run short, heading back to Balmoral Beach again.

Total was 23ks in 2:00:56. Average pace of 5:25/k. Did I say it was an H4 course and was 96% humidity for most of the run? No, well it was.

MLR 12ks

Is that too short?
My wave! Along Manly beach front dodging tourists, cyclists, rollerbladers, scuba divers, surfers and Palmie boat rowers.
Total was 11.91ks in 55:56. Average pace of 4:41/k. Glad that's over. 25 degrees and 72% humidity but at least there was a good 20k seabreeze blowing.

Darley Rd 10x210m hill reps

Up and down a friggin' hill. Nearly 25 degrees and almost 80% humidity and no breeze.
Please can I have a cold Southerly for just a few days?

Recovery Run 7ks

Ran along the beach front at Manly trying to stick to any grass I could.
Ran in the Nike Frees. Feel a bit tight on my feet still. Very humid and windy tonight.

Total was 6.85ks in 37:06. Average pace of 5:24/k.

Surf Club Swim, Board, Run and Flags

Swim was moved down to Kiddies Corner near the pool. We used the escalator to get out and then surfed back in on the break. I got hit by a wave coming in so ended up fighting against the rip for a long while. Not good after just finishing my run. I'm sure the crowd on the beach was thankful they didn't have to come and save me which was why they clapped.

The board was in the same area but I got hit by a wave going out which didn't help. Coming back in I rolled the board a few times in the big waves. A few bruises after that.

The run was shorter than normal about 700m on hard sand at least. Keith Bateman happened to be passing and stopped to watch. Came 5th getting pipped on the line.

Flags went better and I managed a 3rd.

No BBQ this week as we had a launch at our club of some fund raising.

Palm Beach to Clareville & Back 20ks

Since my surf club decided to change their races to 9am I decided I couldn't make the Striders STaR at Hornsby and get back to Palmie. Lucky for me as I heard it was a raging biathlon with leech infected creeks.
Ran from my surf club in drizzling rain and as I went past the Palmie shops I was joined by Keith Bateman who turned around to run with me for about 1k. I reckon I held him up. Good to talk to Keith.
After that I ran in through Careel Bay, Avalon and onto Clareville. Which if you don't know the area is turn left after you come out of Bilgola Bends and keep going West until you hit Pittwater about 3ks away.
The rain at this point got downpourish. No such word but hey my blog. Slogged it back to Palmie being nearly taken out by a few cars. Narrow roads and a big surf men Leroy the Masochist and his mates were all out at Palmie this morning.

Total was 20.23ks in 1:36:41. Average pace of 4:46/k. Not bad on a hilly and wet morning.

Darley Rd 10x210m Hill reps

Tough conditions to run in. Still 25 degrees and 80% humidity. And that was at 7:30pm.

About 45-55 seconds up the hill with about 55-65 seconds recovery back down. Only had time for ten.