Monday, January 31, 2011

Easy 8ks

Legs felt pretty sore after Sundays run.
Ran along Manly beach to Queenscliff Lagoon and back. Total was 8.1ks in 41:03. Average pace of 5:04 per klm. Still 26 degrees and 70% humidity at 8pm.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Dee Why Dash STaR 30ks

The 6:20am group was double the size of last week. It included Tom, Dennis, Pete T, Steve, Jo, Mark, Georgie and Mike.
Started at Dee Why surf club at ran to Frenchs Forest, past the satellite dish, up the hill to Belrose. Then back down parallel to Forest Way to Warringah Aquatic Centre.

Then up the hill to Allambie Heights where group dropped me. I was still doing 4:15 ks but they were running away from me. Then it was downhill to Warringah golf course and along to Queenscliff beach.
Then back to Dee Why via Freshwater and Curl Curl beaches.

All up 29.6ks in 2:25:01. Average pace of 4:53 per klm. Hard work those hills today.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Homebush Track 1500m - 5:06= PB

Conditions:
24 degrees, 88% humidity, and slight drizzle.

Just a quiet allcomers track meet out at Homebush. Well it would have been quiet if the noise from Big Day Out wasn't drifting across the track.
It was humid and wet.
They had three races and I was in the 3rd.

Spits for 400m were 1:18(78), 2:40(82), 4:05(85) and the finish at 5:06(61-300m). A bit slack that 3rd lap cost me the sub 5 mins.
Happy with the 3 sec PB and I was 5 secs faster than a couple of weeks ago as well. Looks good for the 5000m next week.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Jack Carter Cup - 1st team

Solo and team event at my surf club this morning. A nice sea fog tried to hide the heat for part of the race.
Our swimmer was out of the water first passing to the ski paddler who maintained the position until about 1k from the finish of the paddle.

My run from 2nd place with 1st about 300m up the beach when I went off. The sand was nice and hard for most of the run. Only 1.9ks which I did in 7:50. Yes my contribution doesn't have much effect on the team. I nearly caught 1st place, passing to the board paddler with about 50m to make up.

The board paddler chased hard and caught 1st place as he had problems at one of the beach breaks they go in and out of. The team came in 1st for our sixth win in a row. The ski paddler wants to retire, and I said not until we lose. So back next year for another go. The trophy was another pair of sun glasses.

I love a win on Australia Day. One of my brothers birthdays as well.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Surf Club swim, board, run & flags

After the run this morning I headed to my surf club for some events. The swim was very long with the choppy swell. Board paddle was hard as well but I managed 6th place.

The run was shorter but with a 40 sec handicap it made it hard to catch the front runners so I came in 5th. In the flags I managed 3rd. Then a BBQ, beer and cricket made a good day.

The New Rocks Push STaR 27ks

Starts just up the road from where it used to. Start underneath the Bridge in the Rocks and run through Dawes Point, Millers Point, Barangaroo, Darling Harbour, Pyrmont, Ultimo, Central Station including a very hot Devonshire St tunnel.

From there it was Hyde Park, Wooloomooloo, Rushcutters Bay, Potts Point, Garden Island and past Harrys and Rusty's. Around Mrs Macquaries Point and the botanical gardens. Past the Opera House, Circular Quay and over the Coat Hanger .

Then through Kirribilli and Kurraba Point to return back to the start. We did a few short cuts to make the course shorter than the 31.5 it usually is.

Total was 27.5ks in 2:13:08. Average pace of 4:50 per klm. It did have a few hills in it.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

MLR 15ks

Ran from work up to Centennial Park and did a couple of laps around the circuit inside the park. Then back to work again. A bit humid and windy again.

Total was 15.4ks in 1:14:01. Average pace of 4:48 per klm.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

10k @ MP

Did a 1k warmup before starting. Ran from Fairy Bower beach up and around Manly Golf Club and back. Did a 1k cool down after finishing.

Conditions were not that flash with 23 degrees, 65% humidty and a 20k wind. The wind was hard as the last 1.5 were almost straight back into it.

10k in 40:39. Average pace of 4:04 per k. A bit quicker than I wanted actually.

I was to run in my team in the Jack Carter Cup on Sunday but it was postponed due to a Shark sighting on the swim leg. Apparently a Bronze Whaler surfaced in front of the lead swimmer and gulped on a large fish in the water. After that it was cancelled.

I ran up to the end of the beach and back. 4.2ks in 21:55 on the hard sand. Then had a BBQ.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

SOPAC Track 1500m- 5:11

So glad the temp at Homebush peaked at 30 degrees right when my race was on. Damn it was dry and hot on the track.

Have not run a 1500m race for about a year and a half I think and that was after the ITB. I was in the C race with about 20 others including a few Striders and Paul Arthur.

Finished in 5:11(3:27/k pace) just missing the PB from 2007 by 2 seconds. There is another 1500m on the 27th at night thank god so I will have a go then for a sub 5.

Tim I suspect you will win 10 zip against me. If you intend to run London then give me 10 mins at Boston as the race is almost the same day? You should do 2:45 maybe?

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

MLR 18ks

25 degrees. 30k winds with gusts up to 50ks and 75% humidity. Doesn't make for fast running.

Ran from work up to Centennial Park and did two laps around the outside fence and then back to work again.

All up 18.84ks in 1:32:40. Average pace of 4:55 per klm. Thought it was slow in the wind.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

ES Marks Field 6x800m + 1x200m

Conditions were usual summer in Sydney tonight. Cloudy, 23 degrees, 25 k winds with gusts up to 35 ks and 80% humidity. Just lovely. At least it wasn't raining like the poor Queenslanders.

Reps were 2:51, 2:51, 2:52, 2:53, 2:53, 2:51. All done with a 200m walk recovery to the other side of the track to start again.

The 200m rep was done in 30 seconds flat. Just for fun after I finished.

Did a 2k warmup and a 2k cool down.

Sunday, January 09, 2011

Willoughby Winder STaR 21ks

Started at North Willoughby and went through Castle Cove, Middle Cove, Castlecrag and Northbridge and then back to Willoughby.
We all decided to skip ridiculous hill loop in Castlecrag. And I wasn't feeling so flash so cut the run short and headed back after 2hrs.

Worst I have felt during a run in ages. At 6:20am it was 22 degrees, raining and 97% humidity. By the end it was still 23 degrees and 85% humidity and not raining. Very hard conditions to run in with the Hills and 5ks of bush as well.

Total was 21.5ks in 2:00:08. Average pace of 5:35 per klm.

Thursday, January 06, 2011

MLR 15ks

Ran from work up to Centennial Park where it proceeded to bucket down on me for about half an hour. Not enough to save the test drubbing mind you.

After getting a soaking the humdity tried hard to dry me out as I ran back to work.

Total was 15.7ks in 1:17:05. Average pace of 4:54 per klm. Must have been the extra weight from the clothes.

Sunday, January 02, 2011

Surf Club - Swim, Board, Run & Flags

No STaR today as I did Black Stump yesterday.
Water was still a bit cold this morning. Flat surf and a long swim. Enjoyed it immensely anyway. Some good waves came through after the buoys so I could surf back to the beach.
Board paddle was ok, came in about 7th possibly.

The run they turned into a 50m beach sprint which gave me no hope. The flags was the best where I managed 3rd overall.

Nice BBQ and beers to finish the day again.

Saturday, January 01, 2011

Beyond the Black Stump Fatass 26ks

Off to Berowra early this morning. Just missed the breath test as they were full at Gordon.
Started early at 6am to try and avoid the heat later on today. Forecast was low 30's.

Off in the early morning light and down into the bush I ran off from the 10 other runners through the fog. Mostly to avoid slowing them up on the single track stuff down near the ferry.
Reached the ferry 1st in 54 mins. Much quicker than last time I went early 2 years ago.

Up the hill on the otherside of the ferry and the fog was still hanging around. A few passed me near the top of the hill at Berilee. I followed them and the 5 of us missed the turn down to the castle. I even though we were wrong. So some distance was added on. I then only ran to the gate and decided I had enough as I was up to 90 mins already. Had a drink from Jan's water stop and then ran back down to the ferry.

Saw the 7am starters coming up the hill. Namely Matt Robbie leading Alex Matthews and Brendan Davies off the 1st ferry. A I arrived the 2nd load with about 50 runners unloaded and then the other 50 or so were waiting when I landed at Berowra.

Went off into the bush struggling up the hills with the day getting hotter. The fog had burned off by now. Came across Jan's soft drink esky just before the bush ended and downed a Solo. Magic!
Then ran back the 3ks along the road to the finish.

Total was 26.6ks in 3:00:34. Average pace of 6:47 per klm. Not flash. A good long time on feet run for Boston.
Happy New Year everyone!