Sydney Marathon 3:31:42

Some how just realised I never put this one in. Think it was the really hot year again. 31 degrees by 10am. Fried out on the new course.
All those stupid hair pin turns don't help at all.

3:31:42. Another PW beating my 3:27 from 2009.

Massage Only

Just had a massage tonight. No running.
Whole left side really tight from the back down to the calf. Hopefully the massage will loosen it up when I can walk properly again.

The right side wasn't half as painful.

5k at MP

Beautiful running weather tonight. A full moon over the surf at Manly and 18 degrees.
Did a 2k warmup before starting.
5ks at Marathon pace which turned out to be 20:46. Should have been 21 flat. Close enough for Sunday.Did a 2k cool down after finishing.

I'm shocked to hear Timmy turns up for one STAR run in 6 months and he HuRT's his back. I thought they bred them tougher along Hickson Rd? I must mention to the Chairman to give him a few harder sessions after the Sydney Half as he has gone soft. I reckon 15 x 3 mins might crack him back into shape.

Emerald Excursion STaR 19ks

A cast of thousands again at the start in Annandale. Actually about a dozen at 6:20am. First up was a loop of Annandale where Timmy and JB ran off the front without a map and were last seen heading for Melbourne before we said you go straight. They didn't learn their lesson and bolted away again only to miss a turn into a lane. Lets hope Timmy and JB can follow marshall's instructions at the Sydney Half or they may keep running to Homebush.

After that shambles we finished our 5k loop of Annandale and headed across Anzac Bridge and did a few loops through Pyrmont and Darling Harbour. I stopped for a toilet break and the others ran off going long or short depending on what they needed. I proceeded through Chinatown and then back through Chippendale and Ultimo before deciding the run was a bit too short so went via the fish markets and across the Anzac Bridge again to the finish.

All up 19.1ks in 1:29:14. Average pace of 4:40 per klm.

Easy 10k

Cold, wet and windy. 10 degrees but with the wind blowing it was really 8 degrees and raining. Plus some lights were out along Manly beach and the golf club.
Ran from Fairy Bower up to Manly golf club and back.

Total was 10.1ks in 48:22. Average pace of 4:47 per klm.

Easy 10k

Ran from Fairy Bower up to Manly Golf course and back. Was rained on running from Queenscliff back to Fairy Bower.
Total was 10.1ks in 47:55. Average pace of 4:44 per klm.

ES Marks 2x2k Reps

20k winds and almost 20 degrees at 7pm tonight. Plenty of people on the track as well.

Reps were 7:09 and then 7:10. Did a 400m walk recovery in between each rep. Did a 2k warmup and a 2k cool down after finishing.
Sydney Marathon is closing in! The signs are up around the city anyway.

Balmain Bungle STaR 23ks

A cast of thousands this morning at 6:20am. About 20 I think which was a bit difficult with some of the drink stops.
The run started in Drummoyne Pool Carpark and crossed the new Iron Cove bridge to Rozelle, from there it was running basically around the waterfront of Balmain before crossing Victoria Rd near the Anzac bridge to run in Lilyfield.
From there it was through Leichhardt, Petersham and Lewisham before 5 of us went short for the marathon taper and the rest kept going down to Canterbury Racetrack. Then it was across to Summer Hill and back through Haberfield and along the bay run to the finish at Drummoyne.

All up 23.2ks in 1:50:03. Average pace of 4:44 per klm.

Striders 10k North Head - 38:03

Thought I would run faster than this but didn't workout that way. It is my fastest for the year though and my 2nd fastest time ever so I guess some good came out of the race.

Splits were pretty even with 18:56 at 5k and 19:07 for the 2nd 5k, to finish with 38:03. It is my quickest run before the Sydney Marathon by a long shot. I think the fastest was in 2007 when I did 38:48 before the 3:03 at Sydney.

Taper time for Sydney now anyway.

MLR 14ks

Ran up to Centennial Park and did a lap around the outside coming back via Moore Park Rd and Anzac Pde.
Total was 14.01 ks in 1:06:05. Average pace of 4:43 per klm. Felt quite good.