September 2007, Running Statistics

September km's: 226 (last year 240)

Year to Date: 2426 (last year 2356)

Niggles/injury: Throughout the month, infected r.foot caused 5 days of no running. R.achilles attachment is still annoying but manageable.

Excuses: Kms down from where I would like because of infected foot and a few days of partying!

Sep Races: State HM Champs 9 Sep & Tan Relays 22 Sep, both average.

Oct Races: none planned

Upcoming Goals: to run faster, smarter & better

General thoughts: Minimal racing after the Winter Series. Enjoying my coaching and hopefully a few of the athletes will experience a good summer with a solid winter base which has gone very well.

Sat 29 Sep 07, last run for the month

Up early, I'm off to Sydney for a BOYS weekend of too much drinking! I hit the roads just before 6:30am for a solid 12k run, coolish morning, but little wind and some nice sunshine!

I hope I don't end up in hospital or the lock up over the weekend... :-)

Fri 28 Sep 07, a short run

I spent the majority of the day at the Melb Show as a volunteer with VLAA, OMG it was cold & WINDY!!! What a shocker!

I got home just after 4pm and I went for an easy 30 min stroll as running may not be on the agenda over the weekend, with a trip to Sydney with some mates for a drinking weekend.... and these two guys CAN drink and will make me look very much an amateur!

Thu 27 Sep 07, fartlek in the morning

This morning I arrived on the Tan at 6:30ish, an easyish fartlek session and some gentle running in and around the Tan & the Botanical Gardens. I jogged for 5 minutes before meeting a friend and then we jogged on the Tan to the bottom of Anderson St near the Morrell Bridge before stopping to do some light stretching and then some rolling strides.

I found a flat pathway where we did 4x30 sec efforts at my 800m pace with a 15 sec walk, then jog. Second set was 4x30 sec efforts at approx 600m pace with the same recovery and then 2x20 sec at approx 400 pace, then a gentle jog to a set of stairs where I did some quick steps up the stairs, followed by a gentle jog back.

Probably 6k for the morning. I arrived at the track in the evening about 5:20pm, was really windy and I decided I would concentrate on coaching and not worry about fighting the wind!

Wed 26 Sep 07, a short tempo run

I worked at the Melb Show today with the Vic Little Aths starting races on a grass 33m 6 lane track for five hours, a little bit of fun which the kids enjoy, doing the same on Friday.

After a little walk around the Show I decided a short visit to the gym at the RAAF Base on the way home, just 30 min of core work and some lower back stuff to break the core work.


I drove to Riverbend at 5pm, I took off for a 6 min warm up along the river and then picked the pace up for 20 minutes and tried to run with my HR between 158-162bpm, I was surprised that I was a little more tired than expected and I thought I wasn't going as fast as I expected. I then ran 40 min at a gentle pace to finish of the session. Stretching afterwards, calf, achilles, hammies & ITB (totally forgot quads). Approx 12km for the evening

Tue 25 Sep 07, track session

Tonight I started with a 2k warm up and some light stretching before joining a couple of 16 year olds for a set of 6x800m in 3:10 with 60 sec recovery. I then finished off with a 2k cool down too.

Splits:
3:12 (first 200m had the extra 2 sec)
3:07
3:09
3:09
3:09
3:04

We finshed off with a 300m walk before going off for the cool down, a good solid session, not to hard but with my current fitness probably the right pace. 9k for the evening.

Mon 24 Sep 07, just a light jog

My legs were tired today, I can feel tired quads, a combination of a BIG weekend, racing and training. No real probs, I am aware of my r.achilles, but not a problem, no other probs from the 'silly' events that I do not normally do and will not until 2008 Club Pentathlon Day :-)


I arrived at the track to help out with Relay Training and was asked to take over the coaching of the U9 boys relay team, the Team Manager suggested that she could manage the team and since I wasn't helping any teams I could coach the boys, a handful of 8 boys.

I agreed and then went and ran 3 laps to get my legs going whilst the kids were still congregating. I then took the all of the age groups for 2 laps and then some basic drills and dynamic stretching before handing them over to their Team Managers.

All up 2k of easy running.

Sun 23 Sep 07, YY run & Club Pentathlon

I started the day at the end of Toynes Rd at the You Yangs for a run with Adrian (already been running for 50 min prior), Bel, Mel and myself, there were others but they were running in a different group. We ran the Branding Loop Rd (5.4km), with it starting to warm up we stopped for a drink and then continued along GCD and ran the Stockyard route. A tough 10.5k run, some big long hills and some very steep downs and ups, just not as long. The final 2km Adrian and I ran back about 13kph. A good run which we all enjoyed, 16km for the morning.

This afternoon Western Aths had our Annual Pentathlon, a fun day where we encourage participation, fun and encourage the finalisation of our registrations for the Summer Season. The events, my performances and limited comments. LJ, this was the danger event, the most likely for me to get injured and I should have stuck with a 3-5 step run up and jump, but I mucked around and tried to stride through, luckily no injury probs, excluding a jarred knee for 30 min or so - result very shit. I have thrown 32m two seasons ago but as my technique relies on my ability to throw and NO jav ability I decided I would stick with a 5 step run up Jav - 20m something, 200m - 30.2sec, Discus - I have NO idea how to do this event so I just chucked it like a Little Aths kids and encouraged the call of 1, 2, 3 - 19m something , 800m - it was very windy and I knew I was tired sore from yesterday and this morning and I was VERY lacking in speed so I decided to cruise, 2:35, I did have a go in the final 150m but the weekend was a LONG one and there was no kick.

A fun day, which I found myself to be very tired and I fell asleep just after 11pm and missed the Rugby :-(

Sat 22 Sep 07, Tan Relays, Rd 10 of the Winter Series

19 degrees, perfect blue skies and hardly any wind, beautiful day for running! Today was the final race of the 10 race AV Winter Series. Team goals today were to run as fast as possible (of course) but to enjoy our Club comaradrie and to introduce two new members to the Club.

As the Team Manager I selected myself in the Div 7 team (slowest male) and I ran the last leg, not the best run today, slower than the previous two years...15:15

1k splits: 3:54, 4:11, 3:57, just not fast enough and sadly I was passed by a young Box Hill runner with 1.5km to go and we finished 4th. The Div 6 team finished 2nd for the day, but we were announced as the Div 6 Premiers (more than 40 points ahead of 2nd). Our Div 3 team were hoping that we could finish ahead of Sandringham as they were 2 points behind us in 5th spot for the season, but we were finished 7th and Sandy 4th, so we have finished 5th out of 14 teams in our first year. I'm unsure where our two women teams finished, but the majority of the ladies were all very happy.

So with a w/up lap, race lap and a cool down = 10km for the day.



Western Aths runners at the Tan for the last race of the Winter Series



Receiving the Premiership on behalf of many runners who have helped us win the Div 6 Premiership :-)

Thu 20 Sep 07, Indoor football & an easy jog in the evening

Today I went for a 15 min run prior to indoor football and then we played a game with 3 reserves, another win and two more an we will be in the finals. I even managed to score a goal today! :-)


Once I arrived at the track I ran 5 laps around the outside lanes and on the grass , dodging the plovers. I then stopped and did some static stretching. I then ran 3 laps with Justin (15) and then three laps with Bel. I wasn't in the mood for a session today and I thought a few laps would be more than enough. Tonight I had three runners coming to the track and I wanted to pay them a bit of attention as Scott & Michelle were joining our Club and had also agreed to race in the Tan Relays on Sat. I then ran two laps of the complex with Scott and then stood around and watched their session.

All up for the day, not including the game of soccer: 9k of gentle running

Wed 19 Sep 07, S2F run

I ran down to Fed Square (1k) and then me, Rupert & Rob took a group of 20 or so for a 12km run, along the 10k Mara event and then we added 2km along the Yarra across from Southbank and then back. Most of the run at 5:30-45 pace.

Then Rupert & I jogged back, 14k for the evening.

Tue 18 Sep 07, an easy track session

Plovers were very BAD! I ran to warm up for 10 minutes, then some stretching and then 10 minutes of drills, marching, high knees, bummies, step overs & then finishing off with strides.

Tonight's set: 800m (2:55), 600m (2:11), 400m (1:27), 300m (59s), 200 (36.3), approx 150m (23.1)

Three lap cool down and then 3 lap cool down later on with Sarah.

Mon 17 Sep 07, relay coaching (kind of) & a short run

I took the very large group of WLAC kids who came to the track for relay training, I took them for an all up 10 min w/up which included two laps of the track, some dynamic stretching and then some 50m strides, then over to their team managers. Wasn't really required to do much else from then on, I helped with a few pointers but that was it, so I'm not really sure of my involvement from here, which I and a couple of others found to be quite strange. Oh well


Here in Vic, U9's is the first age group that kids can run relays at Region & State level, so I have been asking Connor if he wanted to be involved, and surprisingly yesterday he asked what time I was picking him up for relay training. I told him befoe we arrived, that he needed to commit as this was a team event and there would be others relying on him as he should be the 3rd or 4th runner picked or will lead the second team. He was telling me on the way home that he really enjoyed himself, which was great to hear.


After dropping Connor at home I parked at my place and then went for an easy 30 minute run and then stretched for 15 minutes.

Sun 16 Sep 07, You Yangs

Finally I was able to release some of the 'junk' out of my foot on Friday night and finally stop limping. Yesterday I was busy with helping out at Little Aths Registration Day and then spent the day at work. :-(

This morning I went to meet a group of club mates and ran just over 12km on a hilly course, foot was fine, but afterwards the achilles decided to say hello. The legs were a bit rusty but I managed fairly easily.

Tue 12 Sep 07, no running, a visit to the gym (yawn)

Sore foot still and lots more fluid or swelling, blood blister is starting to become more noticeable but still a long way from the surface, but it looks like an elephant foot is attached to my ankle and I am already sick of limping...

Well I decided I better do something physical, I had cancelled my run leaders gig due to my foot. I left work at 5:30pm and went to the gym for nearly 40 minutes, warmed up on the bike, then did some stretching and then about 10-15 minutes of core work...blah blah blah

Tue 11 Sep 07, Melb Uni achilles testing & a very sore foot

This morning I had an appt at the School of Physio at Melb Uni, many months ago I volunteered for an achilles study and they needed to re-do one of the tests. So I arrived at 7:30am, jogging from work, so a few kms away, so I was already warmed up, so they placed a lot of 'buttons' all over me, about 30 of them, when seen on the computer you could see lines representing me running (if that makes sense), like a stick man (I wish).

So with all of the bits & pieces attached I had to run a 20m course at a certain speed and hit certain spots on the ground, 20 times, 10 with orthotics and 10 without, but of course you need to get the right pace and hit spots with no markers.... so many runs were done. Which I started to struggle with as my foot was becoming sorer and sorer.

This morning I noticed that some colour was starting to appear on the pad of my r.foot and was still sore to push on. Well after running to the Uni and then doing the test and trying (I mean trying) to run back to work I checked my foot out and it was starting to look worse and was even sorer (esp wearing 'dress' shoes). By the arvo my foot was swollen.

Some chatting with a medico friend she tells me that it sounds like a blood blister very deep and it will eventually come to the surface and ONLY then will I be able to release the pressure.

No training tonight (esp with a slight limp), just coaching which turned out to be good as I was able to spend a little more time dodging the rain and chatting with two new runners who have asked me to coach them.

Mon 10 Sep 07, very easy jog

I woke up feeling fine this morning until I got out of bed, the bottom of my r.foot is quite tender, and this morning I couldn't see anything, but this evening I can see a little bit of colour, so maybe a bruise?? My legs felt fine, basically felt like a hardish long run, so pretty happy with that.

Team & individual results have been published. GREAT news for our Club, 2nd in Men's Div 3 (wow), first in Men's Div 6 and 6th in Womens Div 2. We are VERY happy with these results, we think this means we have consolidated in the top 4 in Div 3 in our first year, very HAPPY with that and far exceeds are hopes. Div 6 we move further ahead and the women have settled in the top 10 of 15 teams.


I arrived at the track early before coaching Little Aths and I ran 6 laps very easy, I then did 2 laps with the kids and some drills and I feel quite good now, but my foot is still uncomfortable, but ok to run on. But I have no intentions of anything hard this week.

Sun 09 Sep 07, Vic Half Marathon Championships

Round nine of the AV Winter Series and the second last race. Western Aths had 15 runners today, which is a new club record (12 years) and the first time we were fielding a complete women's team! :-) Today we had 11 men running and only the first 9 would be collecting points for the teams comp (Div 3 & 6), but the extras are excellent, for the just in case senario! I knew I would more than likely be the number 11 today.



That's me on the far left

Today's plan was to run 4:10 pace and see what would happen, a beautiful morning, sunny, NO wind at all and nice temperature to start a HM. For the first 3kms I ran with my uncle Gary and Adrian, we passed the 3k marker in 12:25 (5 seconds ahead of schedule). Just after the 3k marker Gary started to pull away and then a km later Adrian started to move away too, I thought I must have slowed down, but at the 6km marker the time was 24:54, so I was still on target. A couple km down the road I started to get a little bit of discomfort in my right foot in the fore foot pad which got sorer with each step. Just past the 9k marker I passed Burkie & Clare (team photographer today) and asked for her to get my Nike Zooms from my bag and I would change at the 12k area. The pain was very distracting and I was starting to realise I was not fit enough to run at 4:10 pace so I slowed to 4:20 pace for the next 3k and then changed my shoes, much to the amusement of a few 'bloggers' who were spectating today (Em, Jo, Sam, Sara & maybe others too) and they were sitting next to a large contingent of Western Aths supporters too.



The change in progress, always hard when you are tired & sweaty



The offending shoes were my racing flats, very light and didn't work well for me today.

I recommenced running and the extra cushioning helped heaps, but I had now decided I would cruise the remainder of the run and for the next 2km I sat on 4:30 pace, throughout this time I decided as it appeared all of the Western A' guys in front were going to finish I thought I would offer some pacing duties to one of the young girls who was running her first HM and looked to be starting to struggle, she was aiming for sub 100 min. She said yes, so I slowed up and basically jogged 6 min pace and slower until she caught up. I ran with Bec for 7 and a bit km and we sat on 5 min pace and she crossed the line in 1h 39m 30s, she was very exhausted but very happy.

So overall I was disappointed with my run today, but at least something good came from it all and all 15 Western Aths runner finished with loads running PBs, but sadly we had one guy who really struggled for the final few kms and appears to have re-injured his strained abductor.

32 runners & supporters made our way into a cafe in Richmond and we enjoyed a great brunch and a good chat afterwards. :-)

Thu 06 Sep 07, easy day

I ran a lap of the Tan this morning, 18:10, and then I went to the gym at the Barracks and then stretched for 15-20 minutes.


A game of indoor football at lunch and we had a win. I took it easy and played as our goalie tonight.


No training at the track tonight, just coaching.

Wed 05 Sep 07, morning & evening runs

This morning started with an approx 6km run, gentle pace, around parts of the Tan and Fawkner Park with a short stretching session afterwards.


This evening I jogged from work directly to Fed Square, I was one of the 3 Run Leaders for the 12km group, I took the back of the group and cruised 5:45-6 min pace. A few were struggling so I reduce the run to approx 10.5km. Jogged back to my car after a chat with a few of the participants and then fellow run leaders.

Tue 4 Sep 07, a trial run (of sorts)

Today at the track I decided to run 3k just faster than my planned (hoped) HM time. I started off with a 2k warm up on the grass around the Complex and dodging bloody plovers (why did they come back???). Some quick stretches and then I trotted over to the 200m start and took off and concentrated getting into my HM groove ASAP, aiming for 4:10 per km on Sunday I needed to hit each lap in 100 sec, with tonight's wind I knew that I would have to work at touch harder than I will (hopefully) on Sunday. I past the 200m mark in 49 sec (excellent).

Splits: 99, 99, 97, 98, 97, 98, 97, 48 with my HRM sitting in the 160 region for the first few laps and then settled 163-5bpm.

Just to break it up I ran two more laps, 90 & 85, just to break it up, I then finished off with a 2.5km cool down, 1/2 with Ads.

Mon 03 Sep 07, the Tan & Fawkner Park

Just before 7am, I ran from Govt Dve, clockwise on the Tan up Anderson St and then over to Fawkner Park and completed a lap of Fawkner before returning to the Tan. Steady pace only, with the knowledge that it was only 12 hours ago that I ran on Sunday evening.

A busy night, picking up the 3 boys, coaching my squad of Little A's, dinner for the boys and then a dinner party with 4 friends. A sucker for punishment, the boys coming over for a few hours was a last minute agreement. Funnily it all worked out perfectly (well I thought dinner was pretty good).




Connor (not the best photo)




Declan waiting for dinner




Kaelan playing

Sun 02 Sep 07, an easy 60 min run in the dark

Father's Day...C, D & K stayed over and we went to the local park and had breaky using the BBQ's and we hung out there for 90 minutes, swinging & sliding, a nice morning. Then coffee for me and hot chocolates/milkshakes with cookies for the boys at the Coffee Pot in Werribee.




After a short walk along the river the boys convinced me that they needed to visit their favorite shop, a pet shop in Werribee which has lots of reptiles. Then we watched a DVD and played chess, yes even my 6 year old knows the basics.






I wasn't sure if a run was going to happen, as I wasn't in the mood for it when I dropped the boys back with Julie at 5ish, but just before 7pm I got changed and took off for a relaxing 12km run from home, sitting just above and below 5k per min pace!

Hmmmm, Rupert may have guessed the 'style' of training. Will be visiting Gregor for my tests after the HM.

Sat 01 Sep 07, first day of spring

A sunny morning, but not warm, under 10 degrees. The three youngest boys are coming to stay this arvo so I can't join in with the Club 'pack run' and with a hair cut appt at 9am I decided to get out on the roads at 7:30ish.

From home with my HRM, I ran gently for 10 minutes before upping the pace with the intent of running 30 min at 160-165bpm, which I basically did, but I did go a bit over and sometimes a bit under. An interesting job maintaining a pace set by my HR. Once I have completeed the threshold testing with Gregor I intend on completing this style of session more often.

Hair cut and then breaky in Werribee, I love mushroom ommletes.