Achilles Issues

My Achilles has been sore for over a week now and forced me to take 3 days off this week.

My first run back today and I only mangaed 47 minutes. While I can run on it without too much discomfort, it isnt getting any better and there is still some swelling.

At this stage I wont be starting in the State XC Champs next week. Geelong? Well we will just have to wait and see.

Launceston 10

A mixed bag this week.

My Achilles pulled up sore after Tuesday nights track session and has gradually got worse throughout the week. I took yesterday off as a precaution before todays race and was seriously considering not starting today.

When I woke up this morning I did my normal 20 - 25 minute easy run and it felt OK once it warmed up so the race was on!!



I decided to start conservatively and build into it and it turned out to be a good plan. Through halfway in 16:45 and back to the finish in 33:45 passing about 6 guys in the last 5km.

A strong run from Marty Dent to take the win in just under 29 minutes. A nice headwind on the return trip no doubt affected times. The first 5 guys sub 29:30 and top 8 sub 30.

Very disappointed to see that some of the main attractions didnt make the trip. Lee Troop and Scott Westcott to name a few. Obviously they have their reasons for not being here but they missed a good opportunity to run a fast time.

In the end I think I was 30th overall and about 7th Tasmanian. I was pretty happy with the run given that I really didnt back off at all training wise this week (apart from yesterday) and still covered 91km in 6 days. Had I not have had the day off then it would have been another week over 100.

The Achilles is VERY sore now but its responding to lots of ice which is a good sign.

State XC in 2 weeks down in Hobart so looking forward to that. Was hoping to give the spikes a workout but not too sure now, time will tell.

Easy 70 minutes tomorrow.

Lazy Bastard

Ok, so I have been slack and not posted here for a while.

Apart from that things are going well. The Launceston 10 is on this Sunday and whilst I am looking forward to it, it will be nothing more than a solid effort. Yes, I will be going hard but I wont be backing off beforehand. Why? Bigger fish to fry later on. Im expecting to run around 34 minutes, hopefully just under but we shall wait and see what happens.

Last year it was 2 degrees and VERY foggy. Fingers crossed its not so bad this year. Being an out and back course, wind could play a part but Im hoping the 10am start means that the wind wont have had a chance to pick up before the race starts. The 10am start also means a slightly higher temperature thatn an 8am start!!!!!!

The plan is to still cover over 100km this week as has been the case for the last 7 or 8 weeks. 110 last week in fact.

Ran 10 x 400 on the track tonight and averaged 69.9s. The last being 66.8. Recoveries were 200m jog.

Things are travelling nicely and more importantly I am absorbing the work load.

Confidence Booster

Ran 10 x 1min w/ 1min float out at the Uni last night and went thru 5km in 16:50. Total distance for the 20 minute effort was 5.9km.

Considering it was a windy night, each lap of the circuit contains a hill and half of the session is a "float" as opposed to being flat out, I was very happy with the run.

The course we use is the same course that Athletics Tasmania used for last years State 5km Road Champs. Its just over 3 laps of a 1.57km circuit, so basically you run 3 laps then another 290m. The hill isnt steep but enough to do some damage once you start to tire. Its just a tad over 300m and about as steep as Punt Rd heading North toward Bridge Rd. Solid, but nothing if you're feeling strong.

Its 3 weeks this Sunday until the Launceston 10. This year it is also the Tas State 10km Road Champs. AT and the race sponsors have also organised some prize money for the State Champ placegetters. $1000 for 1st, $500 for 2nd and $250 for 3rd. I like that idea!!!!!

The race schedule between now and then looks something like this:

Sat 28th June 6km
Sat 5th July 12km (Solid Tempo but not all out)
Sat 12th July 5km

Hopefully this will sharpen things up a little for the 10km. I wont be backing off training wise but still expect to run some good times.

Bring it on.

Tas Junior Road Champs

Down the highway to Campbelltown today to watch the boys in the Road Champs. As I said last entry I was expecting Jake and Pat to have a win and I was correct. Jake took out the boys U/14 4km in 14:03. He was aiming for sub 14 but just missed out.

Pat ran the U/18 6km and had an easy win in 19:59. He achieved his aim of breaking 20minutes but it wasnt easy. There was a pretty strong headwind on the way home which slowed things down a little. Still, a very good effort by the boys.

Did my long run this morning before the trip to Campbelltown and felt good for about 90 minutes. The last 30 minutes (uphill) wasnt pretty but I guess results matter more than looks.

Did my monthly track session last Tuesday and was VERY happy with the times. 10 x 400 w/ 200m rec all sub 72 with the last one in 66. We do quicker sessions Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday but all of them are off road. This one is done in week 3 of our 4 week cycle so it only gets done once a month. I guess this will change closer to track season.

Another week of 100+ kms. The last 4 have been 99 (6 days running) 108, 106, and 104. I guess thats consistency!!!! This week should be about 110 if all goes to plan.

Feeling good and the body is coping with the workload which is handy as this time last year I was struggling with a calf injury which really didnt bugger off until about November.

Touch wood it stays that way

Long Long Run

Out with the boys this morning and given that they are either injured and just coming back or only running 80 - 90 minutes I decided to do a bit extra before meeting them therefore getting in extra in order to get out my 1 hr and 45min.

All good in theory but by the time Kim and I had cruised back thru the Gorge and I had got home my watch was saying 2hr 13min!!!!! Add to that the fact that my last 30 minutes is all uphill and you have a tough day out.

At the end however I was still feeling pretty good. Even picked up the pace a little for the last 10 minutes.

4 out of the last 6 weeks have now been over 100kms, the last 2 being around 110.

Heading to Campbelltown next Sunday to watch the Tas Road Champs. There is no Senior race as this will be incorporated into the Launceston 10. A few of the juniors in our group are racing and I reckon they will be frequently visiting the podium afterwards. My tips are Patty in the U/18 6km and Jake in whatever age group he runs (U/14 I think). There will also be a few others filling placings too so overall it should be a good day out for the boys and girls.

Had to work yesterday so not too happy about that!! The upside is they now owe me some time off which will come in handy around about the 23rd of August when I head to Geelong for the Nat XC.

June Already

This year has gone so so quick. It feels like only yesterday that I had sun burnt feet after a day at the beach!!!

The best part about it is that track season is not that far away. Pretty soon the tights and gloves will be in the bottom of a draw somewhere. Cant wait.

10 x 1min w/ 1min recovery tonight. We do them along a bike path were we have measured out a 400m stretch and we run up and back each time seeing how close we can get to 400m. Tonight was a lot closer than normal. We were covering about 360 - 370m. Not too shabby off a minute recovery.

As usual we run the full 400 for the last one and see how quick we can do it. Tonight I ran 64s. Moving nicely thank you!!!!

Jack and Robbie are in Melbourne until Saturday so I guess I'm fending for myself for a day or three. On the menu is pasta and more pasta. Exciting hey?

Long runs are starting to feel comfortable again and are increasing. 1 hr 45m last Sunday. I have also started running from home to our usual meeting spot which takes about 20 minutes. Why? Because then when I run home at the end its ALL UPHILL. 30 minutes worth in fact.

Hopefully come August when the State XC Champs are on there will be a pay off for all this effort!! Time will tell.

Over and out.