Mon 30 Apr 07, a lunch run along the Yarra & Monthly Stats

My quads still have a couple of 'spots' that are a tad tender, but nothing major and not heavy, just aware of my quads, damn cross country racing... :-)

Tonight is my first coaching session with a bunch of Little A's who are competing in the Centre XC comp, on Saturday I announced to all present that I would be available to coach anyone who was interested on Monday night. At this stage its my goal to help encourage the kids to enjoy their racing and to pass on pointers and to help improve their fitness.

With my evening taken I decided a lunchtime run was way more appealing than a 7pm run in the dark. So a 52 minute run on the Tan and then along the Yarra up to and over MacRobertson Bridge and then back to the city and back to Victoria Barracks. I ran at 4.40ish pace and then after 15 minutes I picked the pace up and ran at my w/e race pace and then returned back to 4:40ish pace for the remainder of the run. Once back in the Barracks I stretched on the grass for 10 minutes, calf, hamstrings, QUADS & hip flexors.


Monthly Running Statistics

April Km's: 278 (last year 247)
Year to Date: 1093 (last year 712 & 803 in 05)
Injuries: Recovering from strained lower back & small tear in hip, now just managing a tight lower back
Excuses: none really, but have been rebuilding from lay off
Races & events: AV Round One 6km XC Relay, ran the 4th leg in 25:01. Attended a 2 day ATFCA Level One Coaching Course.
Upcoming races: AV Winter Round 2 & 3, 15km & 10km
Goals for May: Race well
General thoughts: Very surprised to be more than 200km in front of last year and even still 2005. A lot of easy kms have been run but I do feel my endurance is better and think I will race well in May.
Weight & measurements: Tomorrow I will include my weight (need to weigh at a chemist) and will buy a measuring tape to record waist, chest, thigh, biceps & calves. Will complete these monthly.

Measurements taken 9am 1 May
Biceps - 31cm
L.calf - 41.5cm
R.calf - 40.5cm
Thighs - 62cm
Waist - 87.5cm
Weight - 81.5kg

Hmmm, why is my left calf bigger, I measured them both heaps of time, always different, oh well. Would be nice to lose a couple of kgs and for everything measured to become slightly smaller, will wait & see. Note: when weighed I was wearing singlet, running jacket, shorts & shoes (zoom elites).

Sun 29 Apr 07, easy recovery run

With the boys staying this weekend my recovery run didn't happen until 4pm, just over 35 minutes, 7.2km and then a run with two girls from the club at 6-6.30 pace for another 6km, total of 13km.

My quads were feeling the effect of yesterday's race and that was the same for a couple others that I spoke to, so after the run I spent some time stretching the quads, ITB & hip flexors.

Sat 26 Apr 07, AV Winter Series, Rd 1, 6km XC relay

Today started at Little A's XC, I was the rabbit for the 6-8 year old race and I spoke to heaps of kids re form etc. C & D raced in the 1k race, C finished 2nd in the U8 boys and D in the U6 boys finished =3rd. Quote of the day: I think I need a new lung! Where do 5 year old kids get that from? :-)


The afternoon was spent at Jells Park in Wheelers Hill for the first round of the AV Winter Series. The course below with an elevation graph, the ground was very firm and the second lap was much more testing that the graph shows.



Click to enlarge

Today I ran in the Div 7 team as the final runner, when I took off we were in 6th position and I was able to pass three runners, but I was passed by one team who went passed me like I was walking!!! To describe my run would be average to good, slightly faster than last year, but a different course, so you can't compare. The team finished 4th and I was the second fastest in our team of 4, splits: 12:08 & 12:52 = 25.01

Team Results; Men Div 3 - 7th/14, Men Div 6 - 3rd/13, Men Div 7 - 4th/13, Wmn Div 2 - 6th, Wmn Div 3 - 11th, U20 wmn - 5th & U16 wmn - 5th. Over 900 individual athletes. A good day, the first relays are always very competitive and hard to win, lots of big names out today, Mona, Troopy, Magnus & lots of other Internationals. One of our girls in Div 2 may have finished in the top 10 fastest for the day, which will be a great effort! :-D

Fri 27 Apr 07, rest day

No running and no gym, final preparations for the first cross country race for the 2007 AV Winter Season, starting with a 6km cross country relay race at Jells Park in Wheelers Hill.

Throughout the past months, myself and a handful of others have been trying to recruit and with some success we hit the park tmw with the most open teams (excluding Coliban where there are no junior teams) in my club's history, we have three men's and four women's (2 juniors). And happily I will be the slowest male runner and that I'm happy with, its great for the club! And with four registered men unavailable this week and a couple of ladies we are looking very good for the Winter 2007 Series. :-)


I forgot to mention .... today I helped out the S2F crew, a group of us dressed in Adidas gear were filmed by Channel Ten for a commercial for the Run to the G, Christie Malthouse (an AFL reporter, I think). The ad will be shown on Channel 10 and shown in Fitness First gyms, filmed at Fed Squ and in front of the Clocks st Flinders St Station.

Thu 26 Apr 07, indoor soccer & a track session

A game of indoor soccer, only 15 minute halves today and somehow I managed to kick two goals which is two weeks in a row, where last season I didn't kick one????

My comment last night about Channel 2 was of course Spicks & Specks with Myf and then the Chaser.

My track session tonight was a repeat of last week, 3km w/up, stretching, 5x70m strides on the grassed infield and then 15 minutes of 30/30, the fast part was suppose to be 3k pace and then recovery 10k pace. I did the session with Adam K, which made the session a little easier having company. I finished off with 2 slow laps and then 10 minutes of stretching whilst watching Clare & another lady who is 'trying out' the Club.

Wed 25 Apr 07, ANZAC Day

I was undecided if I would attend the Shrine this morning or not, I decided I would go to bed early and wake naturally, if in time I would go to a service if not I would enjoy a sleep in. I woke at 6:30am, way too late, so I rolled over and went back to sleep until 7:30ish.

A group from the Club met at 10am at Wyndham Park, Burkie had some of his group doing hill repeats and I had Clare running an easy 30 min. I organised to be driven home so I ran to the meeting point getting 8.3km in at an average of 14kph. Then ran with Clare and then ran with Cam for his cool down.


6pm at Fed Square to take my 10k group, numbers were down but I was happy to take three for a run along the Yarra and then the Tan.

I need to get stuck into some good gentle back, hammie & glute stretching, and for anyone who isn't watching Channel 2 at 8:30pm tonight are missing out!!! ;-)

Tue 24 Apr 07, gym & an easy paced track session

I started the day off with a 40 minute session in the gym, backs, shoulders, core, lunges and stretching.


Tonight's session tonight was setting my pace for Saturdays first race, 6km XC. I set the same session for Clare too, different pace and fewer reps. For me I did 6x400m @ 85-90 sec per lap with 1 min recovery. Starting with my warm up, my first lap was with one of the 18 year old sprinters and then two laps with Adam K, then into some drills and strides. Tonight Adam did the same session with me,the reps were 86, 84, 84, 85, 86 & 86 all with a strict 60 sec break. Adam & I are of similar pace but he is still working on his pacing ability, he has transferred from Sth Melb to Western Aths and is running with me in Div 7 on Sat. I finished with a cool down, which was Clare & Roz's w/up, which included completing the drills with the girls. All up a good session, very much on the easy side, hoping to be fresh for Sat.


Preparations for the first relay are going great, three open men teams, two open women & two underage girl teams. This will be the most runners Western Aths have had for a winter race and many are new, with recruiting going well, six first timers this week and with two more to make their debuet. I am running in the Div 7 and I am probably ranked the 2nd slowest, where last year I was in the Div 6 team and ranked 2nd, a great time for the Club.

Mon 23 Apr 07, the Tan & Fawkner Park

A long one at work, I was hoping to have a run around Hoppers going past the track and having a chat with a couple of club members there, but I didn't finish work until 1/4 to 6.

So I decided I would run in the city before all of the light disappeared, starting at Govt Dve I ran around the Tan up Anderson St and then over to Fawkner Park, a anti clockwise lap then back to the top of Anderson and back to Govt Dve. With about 6 and a bit k's I decided as I had cruised nicely I would do it again but in the different direction. So I'll put that down as 12.5k for the day, guessing at an average of 4.40 pace.

Sun 22 Apr 07, no running weekend :-(

Coaching Course this weekend at the Knox aths track, the ATFCA Level One, which gives you a certification to coach at a basic level at all diciplines of athletics excluding pole vault & the steeple.

A good course and nice to gain some further experience on events that I know little about and very nice to concentrate on the endurance events and also some basic sprinting, which of course is relevant as all runners are interested in 'fast' running.

I have two further exams to finish in the coming two weeks before it is all confirmed, but I have decided I will complete the Level Two course in mid May which will be 14 + hours on the endurance events.

No running this weekend excluding the drills that I completed today.


Last night Western Athletics celebrated the 06/07 season with our Presentation Night, a great night!

Fri 20 Apr 07, an early run

A busy day today so I was on the road in the dark at home, I ran my 10k course a tad under 45 minutes. Slightly cool, so I wore a T and shorts but was very warm by the end of it. Finally made the 1000km mark for the year!

ATFCA Coaching Course at Knox this weekend and my Aths CLub Presentation Night, so a busy weekend.

Thu 19 Apr 07, gym & track

In the gym at 6:40 for a quick & light session, I needed to be at the Soffitel in Collins St by 8:15 for a conference. So a similar session to yesterday, a few different exercises, included lunges today and some different chest exercises on the ball and some shoulder work, finished up after 40 min, showered, dressed and then walked into Collins St. An easy session, still just reminding the body of the reps and weights.


Tonight I arrived at the track 5:40ish, a little later than normal, changed and then did my normal three laps of the Complex, stretched and did three 60m strides and then off to do 6x400m with a 1 min recovery, for a second week in a row with no watch. No watch for two reasons, I have lent my watch out but also so I can run on feel and guage my pace, for my recovery I walked and counted upto to 50 and then go (no counting for the first few seconds). Burkie knew I didn't have a watch on and timed the 2nd & 4th rep and then passed on the good news. I was aiming for 78-80 second reps, Burkie tells me my 2nd & 4th rep were 78.11 & 78.07, very happy with that! And the others felt very much the same pace. Burkie suggested that he knew I was going well, he said it looked easy, comfortable and very controlled. I finsihed off with a 300m walk and then 3 laps of the grass infield.

Wed 18 Apr 07, gym, indoor soccer & S2F coaching

In the gym at Vic Barracks at 6:30am for my first gym session in a few weeks, returning back to normal training has been slow and steady, the winter season is quite long. Today I reduced my weights and only did 2 sets of 15 reps of each exercise, some on the swiss ball and others not. All up 45 minutes and then 15 minutes of stretching concentrating on lower back, glutes & hamstrings.


Today I played a game of indoor soccer at lunchtime, whilst working up a good sweat I found this very easy, nowhere near as strenuous as outdoor. A forty minute game which I played about 30 minutes worth.


Tonight the S2F group, as normal I took the medium 10k group, only 7 in my group and 3 in the fast group, so we took off together and stuck together for the first 3km before they moved away. With a 12 min warm up around the Tan area whilst waiting for two friends who I was introducing to the group, then we slowly jogged to Fed Square and afterwards I jogged to Olympic Park for an AV Winter Team Manager meeting, so all up 15km for the evening.

Tue 17 Apr 07, no work today

This morning I went to the track with Clare and did the session that I set her as I wasn't feeling 100% yet and was able to be company for Clare. A warm up around the Complex and then onto the back straight to do some drills, heel to bum, sideways steps, backwards & high knee lifts, followed by some 50m strides.

Today's session was a version of 30/30, 5k pace/recovery shuffle and continue to change pace every 30 seconds. Basically this is very similar to bends & straights, but a shorter break and hopefully slightly faster than last weeks B&S. Fifteen minutes and then a 400m walk & some basic stretches. (approx 6k session). I plan to do this session tonight, I'll run it at 3k pace/10k pace for 15 minutes.


At the track just after 5pm, a quick chat with Burkie and then off for 3 laps of the Complex and then onto the back straight to do 10 minutes of various drills & basic stretches, then onto the grass for 5x60m strides at my 1k pace (approx), all up a 30 minute routine.

With my watch set to beep each 30 seconds I was off to do the same set as earlier today, the fast rep was slightly faster than my 3k pace and the first 10 min the slow rep was my 10k pace, probably slowing a little for the last 5 minutes, which was fine as the fast part I was achieving similar distances the entire time. I finished off with 3 slow laps on the grass infield and some good stretching. All up about 8.5km.

Mon 16 Apr 07, no run :-(

I was hoping to get an easy 40 minute run in tonight after work and then stretch for quite awhile, but finally I decided to organise a visit to the dentist. I have been putting off for quite awhile, root canal was suggested $$$. Well my gum has become very sore and very swollen and was visible to others, so in I went to see the dentist to sort the infection.

His response, I can fix the infection quickly but you need to make a 'D' re which way you want to go, sadly $$$ are missing, so out it came. Bloody hell, that didn't tickle!

No run today & easy tmw.

Sun 15 Apr 07, You Yangs

A sleep in!!! Wow, for those who know me well will know that these don't happen often, I first woke at 6:10 then rolled over and my eyes re-open at 8:15am, well that would be the latest I have slept in for a long time without it involving alcohol.

So with a small bowl of porridge in my stomach I got ready for a drive to the You Yangs. 19 degrees and very sunny and in the bush I decided a cap, shorts & my garmin were enough and off I went. For the locals here is my trip, for the non locals this will read 'bla bla bla'.

Today I opted not to park at the front gate instead I parked at the 'dead end' on Toynes Road. I then started my run immediately on the Branding Yard Rd, passing the Bunjii Geoglyph memorial which is a large group of boulders in the shape of a wedged tail eagle which can be seen from Flinders Peak and the East West Walk Trail. After 15 minutes on the dirt road I turned onto the Branding Yard Trail and followed this for a few kms and then up the hill to the Turntable car park for my first water stop. Then back down onto the Trail and then veered to the left and then turned left onto Saddleback Track which leads back up that BIG hill, struggled a bit here. Once at the top I strolled along Rockwell Rd (dirt) which finishes at the Turntable car park again, so another drink and a good splash on my head. I then ran the East West walking trail in the opposite direction to other trips, the stairs killed my legs, hard work, but I worked and got there eventually, the 4.5km trip took nearly 26 minutes. Again at the car park, another small drink and then down the hill onto Branding trail and then back to Branding Road and to the car. I got to GCD and strolled along for an extra 500m to make it up to 18km in 1h 42.30.

Having only just returned back to a fuller training program I sit here today knowing that my legs and my overall body are fairly tired. I was hoping to catch up with my boys today, but they are busy so a hour visit later on will be all I'll manage this weekend and next weekend I have a two day course and my Club's presentation night.

Sat 14 Apr 07, a few runs

This morning I left home just before 8am, a warm morning in comparison to the last couple of weeks, I was very comfortable in a singlet & shorts. I ran from home to the river and then over to President's Park, 8.7km at an average of 14.2km for the run.

I ran to Presidents Park so I could chat with the Little A's group, I have volunteered my services to the group to help with coaching at least once a week, but I need to work out what day is best for me. Today's race was just a registration day, so a 1km handicap (by age) race was run, I ran as the 'rabbit' for the leaders until the 800m mark where the older kids had caught the younger one. I then sat at the base of the short hill and gave coaching advice.

At 10am, Clare arrived and we went for a run along the river for 55 minutes, nearly 9km. So a few kms this morning, 19km with the two runs and the rabbit lap, I also ran a few strides with a few of the older kids (13ish) whilst they were warming up.

Fri 13 Apr 07, recovery run

This morning I arrived at the Tan just after 7am, a comfortable 12 degrees, no wind, a pleasant morning with predominantly blue skies which is the key for the mind, I think.

This morning I strolled through the gardens, on the Tan, back into the gardens, across the Tan, around the parks along Domain Rd and then back onto the Tan. The entire aim of this morning was to stretch the legs and just roll along. I then spent about 10 minutes stretching in the park between Birdwood Ave and St Kilda Rd, calfs, achilles, hammie, quads, shins & finishing with some hip flexor stretches. A pleasant morning which I think I got more benefit from the stretch than the actual run.

I've been overall happy with the start of my return back to a fuller training schedule, next week I will re-introduce some gym work where I intend to only do 2 sessions for the week, concentrating on core, mixed up with some other basic exercises, but all with the intent on dropping some body fat and gaining strength without bulk.

Looking forward to this weekends running, probably a solid 75 min run tmw, followed on Sunday with a slow 2 hours at the You Yangs

Personal stuff/thoughts: And then Sunday arvo I am hoping to see my 3 little boys, they have been in Sydney for the past two weeks with their mum who needed to visit her family to see her dad, who has now sadly passed away. Even I made sure I had a Tooheys on Thu, Julie's dad's favorite!

Thu 12 Apr 07, a track session

Tonight I trained at the VU Complex for the first time in awhile, I started off with four slow laps of the complex and then 2 laps of the track in reverse doing a bunch of plyometric exercises. I decided I was enjoying the l o n g warm up, so I did a bunch of lunges & squats on the back straight and then 5 strides on the grass from the jav throw line to the other end (10m short). Then I did a few calf & hammy stretches.

Tonight after a nice long warm up that probably went for 30 minutes plus, I decided that I would do 6 x 400m with a walking 100m, each lap was run in approx 78 sec and the break was a casual walk to the next 100m line. So each 400 was started at a different part of the track. Finished off with 3 1/2 laps of the track and a lap on the grassed area.

Wed 11 Apr 07, S2F training group

A normal Wed night, finish work at 5:30pm, quickly change and then run to Fed Sq. Once there I quickly chatted with one of the new Run Leaders, Randall, who is helping Tim with the speed groups. He is a Western Suburbs resident who is looking to join an Aths Club so he can run the Winter Season and Tim suggested us, a very nice pick up for Western Aths. Tim, who is his coach, reckons Randall currently would run 10k in approx 36 min and will be down to mid 35s by the end of May for the 10k Champs! :-)

Tonight I had my normal group, med pace 10k with only six participants, but a tight bunch that stayed together the entire way, which involved the Tan and along the Yarra towards Docklands.

All up 12km for me tonight at 5 min pace.

Tue 10 Apr 07, 4x1k reps

Today I planned to do an interval session on the Tan, my first interval session since 1 Mar, excluding some bends & straights in lead up to the Region & Shield Finals. So the plan was to only do four reps which would be a nice way to reintroduce myself into the interval & higher intensity work.... hmmm only if I had got the session right.

On the Tan about 12:15pm, running along the Tan in the direction of the Shrine, I cruised for 9 minutes and then did some basic stretches and followed up with five strides of 50m at pace (probably too fast, which may account for my first rep). The plan today was w/up for 10 minutes, then 4x1k reps in approx 3:45-50 with a floating 60-90 sec recovery.

After my final stride I walked to the 2k sign on the Tan and started my first rep, it wasn't until the 700m mark that I realised I was working fairly hard, a min later I crossed in 3:21, SHIT, too FAST!!! And my breathing was an obvious hint!!! I walked for 60 sec & then jogged for 30 sec to the bollards at Govt Dve and took off for my second rep to the pillars, well you would think I would go slower and for a little bit I thought I was but I still crossed in 3:34, still way too fast and I was in trouble and walked my recovery for 2 minutes. SHIT! So what's wrong, I know better than this, hmmm, trying to run 1k instead of running the first km of a 5k race.... the next two reps were 3:48 & 3:52, but even though they were in the area I wanted, I needed 2 minutes of standing recovery and the final rep was not a rep but an all out effort... finished off with 7 minutes of very slow jogging back to work.

Mon 09 Apr 07, a fartlek session

Stawell Gift day.. and one of the 'pro' runners who has been a long time Western Aths member has made his first Stawell Gift Final, good luck Matt (fourth!!!). Another guy Cookie (my YY tour guide) who is joining the Club for this Winter season finished 3rd or 4th in the 800m final.

Today I meet up with Clare at 10am for a fartlek session, we are hoping some regular fartlek sessions will start to help Clare get out of the one pace style of running that she is comfortable in. Another beautiful morning, once we arrived at Wyndham Park it was already over 20 degrees, brilliant sunshine with no wind! It has been a great Easter weekend for the weather.

We started with 10 minutes of jogging at w/up pace, finishing near Chrinside Oval (home of the Werribee Tigers), so we walked onto the oval (wow very green and soft) and did 5 strides the length of the square with a slow jog return. Then we jogged back to the path alongside the river to start with a run where she had to increase her pace ever 30 seconds, finishing up a slight hill at her flat out pace. Walking recovery for 3 minutes then back to the jogging pace and returned to 5 reps of 30 sec, increasing the pace on each beep, but this time on a flat dirt trail. According to my Garmin there was an increase of 3.5kph from the starting 30 sec to the final 30 sec, excellent. We then did some faster work, 5 reps starting 40m from a marker and increasing by 10m each rep, then 5 reps of downhill running (up to 20.5kph) over 70m and then 3 reps up a 30m very sharp hill, followed by 5 min c/down and then some stretching.

Whilst this session is very much within my capacity I still feel that I get something out of it and most importantly I get a thanks at the end of the session and I enjoy the coaching part (not sure if Clare will ever call me that) and helping a friend out.

Sun 08 Apr 07, You Yangs

This morning was just like the previous two days, absolutely great weather to be running, cool morning, NO wind and brilliant sunshine and good company for a third day. Clare on Friday, Adam yesterday and David this morning. David made the trip from Warrnambool for a party and we met up just after 8am at the Flinders Peak car park.

Today we were aiming for a 90 minute run, so I showed him some of the new trails, some big hill work but very enjoyable, a part of the run takes us through the Vic MTB State Champs course, which I have called the 'Ned Kelly trail', the Heath Ledger version was filmed nearby.

All up 16.2km in the sun, I was fairly happy how I felt today, considering I haven't done any hill work for the past month and today was the first time in a while were I ran 2 days in a row. Only the last few hills were a struggle.

Sat 07 Apr 07, Werribee River with Ads

This morning I Adam ran from his brother's place and we took off just after 7am, and wow its was cool, I ran with a T, 6 degrees, but you could tell it was going to turn into a beautiful day. Very sunny and NO wind at all!! A great morning for a 70 minute run along the Werribee river.

The majority of the run was at 13.5-14kph, chatting away about life, politics, work and running shoes, of course anyone who knows Ads knows that there were a hundred other topics within the 60 minutes that we ran together. A great run, just over 15km in 72 min.

Fri 06 Apr 07, easy YY & Royal Children's Hospital Appeal

Well I stuck to this 'stupid' idea of having another relaxing week and I met up with Clare at 8am to take her out to the You Yangs for a 50 minute run, easy pace & no hills as she is still in recovery from R4K. We ran along the norst trails at the front of the park, quite flat, but soft underfoot. We ran 25 min out and then turned around, with 40 min down we increased the pace slight and got back to the front gate aroun 48 min, so I suggested we continue down the raod for 1 min and then turn back to get 50 in.

Today I helped out with an activity stand at the Dockland's Stadium for a few hours with VLAA, all a part of the Royal Children's Hospital Appeal Day.

Wed 04 Apr, S2F training group, plus

Another easy week and only running every 2nd day whilst having some 'down time' before preparing for the AV Winter Season, I am already becoming bored and am looking forward to some nice long runs and some hard rep work.

It has been suggested that another easy week after my few weeks lay off as a result of my back strain would be a good way or refreshing myself, both physically & mentally.


Tonight I cruised at a comfortable pace to Fed Sq and did the same afterwards, so adding the 10k medium group I added 12km for the day. Tonight I had eleven runners in my group and finding that there are a group who follow me most weeks, unless I am taking the fast groups, which I rarely do as I much prefer chatting and helping the new runners.

Mon 02 Apr 07, an easy run

I had today off, clearing some flex leave and enjoying a bit of a sleep in at a friend's place after a few beers last night. Not over excited about much today, I thought I better roll around the local streets for a bit so I chucked my gear and did a 10k course from home in a few seconds over 45 minutes.

Sun 01 Apr 07, 40th birthday

Stuart Macaulay born 01 April 1967 at the Mercey Hospital, East Melbourne is celebrating his 40th birthday and is not running today.


* April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining.

* April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day, though not a holiday in its own right, is a notable day celebrated in many countries on April 1. The day is marked by the commission of hoaxes and other practical jokes of varying sophistication on friends and neighbors, or sending them on fools' errands, the aim of which is to embarrass the gullible. In some countries, April Fools' jokes (also called "April Fools") are only made before noon on April 1st.[1] It is also widely celebrated on the Internet.


Run For the Kids today, I didn't run but many of the girls from Western Aths did, he is a pic in the Herald Sun of five of the juniors:

March 2007 Running Statistics

March km's - 177km (Mar 06 - 247km)

YTD - 815km

Injuries - A strained back muscle along my spine and a v.small tear in my hip (back)

Excuses - No excuses but unhappy that I couldn't get that third good month in!

Races - Final Shield Rd @ Coburg, Region Club Finals @ Newport & State Club Finals (Shield) @ OP

Upcoming races - AV 6k XC Relay on 28th.

Goals - Have another week of layoff and then starting building for a decent Winter season of racing, may even have to revisit racing the GTR.


Whilst I was disappointed that I needed to drop the k's dramatically and couldn't run at all without a lot of discomfort and a lot of anti-inflams I ended up racing some very good races this month. My coach thinks the break has really freshened me up and this helped with some GREAT controlled racing. I was hoping to work fairly hard for the first 2 weeks of the month and then drop it back, so I was hoping low 200s, but not to be and my back is fairly good now, only gets sore at the end of a long day.

Whilst still wanting to run the Great Train Race, I'm not sure, will depend how it all goes in the next few weeks. Need to work slowly back into it and get over some issues happening upstairs :-)