Half Marathon Event

Well, with a stroke of luck, the Rocky Road Runners club held a half marathon last weekend, and the family and I were able to make the trip up there the night before and compete in the event. Julie did the 10k (the second of her life) and the boys did the 5l (go lads). I did the half marathon, and did a time of 1.34.56 (on my Garmin). I think the course was a few hundred metres short, but hey, it was a great run, the time was way better than I expected, and the time was an average of 4.5 minute ks over the whole distance.

Looking back through the Garmin results, the first k was one of the slowest (about 4.47, then they got progressively quicker, down to 4.20 for most of the rest of the run. At the 16k mark, I struggled, and 17, 18 and 19ks were back up around the 4.50. The last k was 4.23, so finished strong. The half marathon started and hour earlier than Julie and the boys run. I knew the boys would do about 35 minutes for 5k, so I was trying to beat them home, and I just made it before Toby crossed the finishing line. Zac has some stomach issues, so was a little slower on the day.

For me, the half marathon was not really an event, but it was just part of my 100ks for that week. No real taper or change, just another run on a Sunday morning, with a bike ride with the cycling club on the Saturday morning. During the week, up to the Friday, I had run 78.9ks, with Thursday and Friday both being double sessions.

I pulled up a bit shabby, though.

I had Monday off running, then was back into it on Tuesday morning, with 15k in about 4.40 minute ks. I really should not have backed up like that, and I will learn for next time, as I was very sore on Tuesday after that run. From a sore Achilles Tendon, to more hamstring tightness, even the knees were a bit dusty. Walking was a struggle.

There is a lesson in that. But, since then, this week has been OK. By tomorrow night, I will have done another 100k this week, on sore legs (building endurance). It is funny, but my legs seemed to be getting used to the torturous schedule. If you include the North Face 100 as a 100k week (mid May), this will be the fifth week in a row that I have run 100k. Big job. I am aiming for 11, as that will take me through the Kokoda Challenge, then through the Relay for Life, which are 96k and over 100k respectively.

Then it will be triathlon training for the half and full ironmans. Bring that on.

What I am finding at the moment, is that:

* you can run through injuries
* maybe you shouldn't
* the secret is to run slowly, when you are tired, sore, stiff or injured
* just use the runs as low intensity cardio sessions while you recover to a state of being able to run fast again (that takes up to a week - depending on how much time you take off running to recover after a fast run)

Maybe this is the wrong attitude, but at the moment, it is about putting ks in the legs.

This week, each day it is 8.5ks morning and night.

Next week will be more of the same, up to the 100k mark.

Keep running.

6 weeks till the next hit out

Well, with only six weeks left until the Kokoda Challenge at the Gold Coast, life is rocking. I have done two weeks in a row of 100 kilometres. They were big weeks, and yesterday, to get the ks done, it was a 30k run before the sun came up, then a 10k run at Ecofest in Gladstone.

Yesterday was a momentus day - it was my wife's first 10k run. She is training for the Noosa Triathlon and she is living the dream. She is going really well, and I am very proud of her. She did about 70 minutes, but that was great, she stopped a few times for short walks, but generally, she got it done, and worked really hard. Very inspiring. I ran with her, and we came home second last, but that was ok. Good fun. It was gret running with her. She did not say a word for 10k, was just breathing hard, so I did all the talking. She said it was like her own personal trainer there the whole time. She is on fire, and going really well.

Anyway, six weeks out, life is good. Really looking forward to the next challenge. Bring it on. I am really confident, after yesterday, that we could run most of it, even though it will be 96ks. After the 30 in the morning, and an hour spell, then to run 10 with Julie, and felt great. And, feel great today.

What am I learning - long ks really do create endurance. THey also seem to create the ability to run fast, which is nice, too. But, on the long runs, I take a back pack, I have heavy shoes, and make sure that it is all hard work. Nothing easy. Others I think would say my times are slow - 30k in 3 hours - it is slow, but carrying an extra nearly 10kgs makes a big difference. I use rice in my backpack to weigh it down.

For the next few weeks, it will still be 100k per week, I think. We are going to Rockhampton this weekend, for a half marathon, and another 10k for Julie. Pumped.

Until next time, keep running.