April's running stats

A better month...


April km's - 230km YTD - 718km, but by the end of April 2008 I had only run 244km, so I am WAY ahead of last year's debacle.

Injuries - minimal usage of r.shoulder (cannot lift above head), but NOT hindering running. Sore heel, but managing and NO gout... :-)

Excuses - read above and of course always busy coaching others.

Races - My first race since Jan 09. I ran a shite XCR'09 Rd 1, 6km XC at Jells, but I ran... :)

Upcoming - XCR'09 Rd 2 Warragul 8km XC and Rd 3 Sandown 10k road, 2 races is sufficient to allow me to train to race better in coming months.

Goals - Consistency and break 260km for May 09.

Summary - April was the most kms this year and in the BIG picture still very minimal and with little quality, but it was over 200km and I am happy ish. But comparing the start of 2009 to the first four months of 2008, I am very happy.

5x800m

In the gym this morning, 10 minutes on the bike, 10 minutes chest, 10 minutes arms & 10-15 min core.


Fewer runners tonight for various reasons, I ran 5x800m, but first I chatted with Burkie (fellow Coach and past Pres) for 30 minutes, then the Hoppers Soccer Club Pres about a few issues, hmmm already playing the politics game... :-)

I then got stuck into 4 laps in the outer lane to start my w/up, then 4x100m strides. My reps:

• 3:15, 3:08 (out of the zone), 3:16, 3:16 & 3:16

I'm sure I could have gone faster, but the plan is the plan. After the set, I jogged 3 laps and then took Claire aside to chat about her 3k XC school race tmrw and other upcoming races.

Gym & Wyndham Park with the Squad

I started in the gym this morning, 20 minutes upper body (light but high reps) and 20 minutes of core, using fit balls, med balls and planks, ouch.
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Indoor football at lunch, 9-3 our favour...
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Yay tonight I had my squad at Wyndham Park, an easy ish night for all, including me. An 11 minute warm up along the river trails, then for a select few some stair drills whilst the others did some more jogging as they all had school racing this week.

Then some simple drills over 15m, breaking into a 50m stride, then 4x100m grass strides. The squad then did a TT on a set course which they have done before. My next bit of running was our group cool down which was 7 minutes of easy running.

Ballan Holden endurance set on the Fed Trail

This morning I started in the gym just before 6:30am with Tania, we both sat on bikes for 10 minutes, then some upright rowing, more upright for me whilst T did mil press (I still can't lift above my head) and then oblique lifts. The 2nd set of exercise were shoulder raises (single for me) and oblique lifts again. Followed by some bi & tricep work, lunges and then 10 min of core work using med balls.
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Just five of us tonight on the trail, a few missing due to upcoming school XC races & the normal footy training. Myself, Jo, Claire, Elyse & Chelsea; tonight's plan was slightly different to the past 3 weeks, we did 5x4 min with 3 min of walk & shuffle for recovery. I sat slightly (I mean slightly) ahead of the girls, a really good set tonight and I felt in control and when required I could go slightly faster.

The big surprise was how well Elyse & Claire are going, the kids improve so much easier than a 42 year old slightly overweight man, whilst I am improving, they HAVE! Well done girls.

Thanks Mister President

Prior to meeting my training group I parked my car at the track and then took off for an easy to medium paced run along the Fed Trail in the direction of Werribee, the plan was 17:30 out and then back. Some of the run was on asphalt and then I climb a fence to run on the dirt trail that followed the same path.

An enjoyable run, I worked up a bit of sweat and enjoyed the 'roll', I was very happy with how my legs felt considering the 90 min stroll in the cold & wind yesterday. Once back at my car, a quick change in the car park, singlet off and T on and I grabbed my bag as I was chatting to a few of the group who were arriving. With todays run I finally broke 200km in a month for 2009, my biggest month of the year, I hope this is a small sign of kms to come!

Once in the complex I gave my May training schedule to a couple of the mums to check if they could see any probs. A couple of minutes past 5pm, I took the kids out for a 2k warm up. Once back we dropped jackets & tops and hopped onto the track and that was when the weather changed...bang a BIG load of rain hit the track and it stayed for 20 minutes +.

It made it hard to keep the kids going, but we kept doing the simple drills with shuffles back, but I had to keep them moving, some of the kids are so slight that I could see them changing colours. Anyway, a few left as their parents decided the pouring rain was too much (their choice), but the majority stuck it out, they know my rules - I will train no matter the weather unless the athletes are in danger. Bring a dry top/jacket, bring a towel, you will be fine!

5x400m with 200m floats in the rain, I ran with the slower group and a couple of my older member controlled the faster group. So cold & wet.
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Hence the title, tonight Western Aths voted in a new President.

90 minutes

No morning run today for me as I had the boys this weekend and I had arranged with David after he finished work we would meet at 4pm for a 90 minute run from my place. So out the door and we ran along the Skeleton Creek path in the direction of Hoppers/Werrribee, hmmm, windy and only 12 degrees and yep it was 4pm...

We crossed the creek at a little rock dam crossing, to get off the concrete & asphalt path and run on a gravel & dirt path still in the same direction, once on the dirt path we both discovered that dirt can easily become muddy & slippery, so for a few kms we ran with some extra weight on the soles of our shoes.

After investigating a rogue stone road that appears to have been built for the trucks and a new estate that is about to appear, then we turned and ran towards the city. For David this was a return down memory road, about two - three years ago he ran these trails a fair bit, so a few changes have occurred.

All up we ran 15.56km in 88 minutes, we ran in a few light drizzles bits, we ran with lots of wind, some behind, some across and lots in our face.

Whilst running is an individual effort I know I ran 15km this afternoon because of a friend and I know he said the same, mates are great!

On the bike

In the gym this morning at 6:30am, my training partner didn't train due to a head cold, but I decided I would continue on as planned. As my shoulder is giving me grief and I cannot lift any weight above my head on the right hand side I decided I would just ride and then finish off with some planks.

So I jumped on one of the stationary bikes, set it up for my height and then off I went, the first 3km I sat approx on 70rpm and then for the next 3k around 75rpm. For the final 6k (yep 12km, wow I can count) I was sitting anywhere between 78-85rpm. Off the bike, a quick wipe down and then I did 6x30 second front planks with 30 sec rest, followed by 4x30 sec oblique planks, again with 30 sec rest.

A ice easy start to the day, a quick shower and then off to donate platelets and then started work 8:30ish, which is late for me.

ANZAC Day tmrw, so I'll be up nice and early and at the Shrine of Remembrance at 5:30am with my 3 boys and Jo. So I'll see you there if you are one of the thousands.

Heavy & tired legs attempting a track session

Three laps of the Complex tonight to warm up with David and Blair joined in too, then joining up with the girls (Jo, Claire & Celeste) and a few of Burkie's girls who wanted to do my groups set. Myself & David were running 6x800 and the girls 6x600m.

With a good sized group and a couple of Burkie's girls coming from behind and then passing meant there was more than 10 in the group following Blair. After two reps it was obvious to me that I was struggling, but achieving 3:16, 3:15, 3:15 but breathing way hard so I finished with 600m reps and David followed Blair on for 3:08s, Blair was running 2:55s with ease.

I finished off with three easy laps in lane 8.


In hindsight I felt a lot better after the first 600m and consider changing back to 800m reps as I felt I was cheating, but I decided a sensible approach would be smarter.

A light jog

I arrived at Wyndham Park at 4:40pm, so I went for a 15 min stroll along the river paths making my way back in time to take my Squad for a 15 min warm up before breaking into some stair work and then drills and strides on a gravel path.

I then set up a set of cones along some grassy hills which involved ups, downs & flat with a shuffling distance before setting off again.

Back to Ballan

Just prior to training tonight I picked up my new contact lenses; I have been wearing a set of lenses for a tad over their expiry date...and let me tell you they become uncomfortable in your eyes, but when you put the new lenses in....wow so comfortable! :-)
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I arrived early and took off for a very easy 10 minute run. 5pm, only 8 of us tonight, out for a 7 minute easy run along the trail before we started the regular 4x5 min efforts with 3 min recovery (90 sec walk, 90 sec shuffle).

Whilst I know this set is working, it is hard and not very popular with some, tears and swearing was prevalent tonight and that was just the girls, you should have heard me... :-) To be honest whilst my legs felt tired, I actually felt very happy with my efforts, they felt even and controlled.

A good chat with the group afterwards, especially a couple of the parents and some birthday wishes to Claire who turns 13 tmrw.

Hmmm, I have sore legs

Oh well shit happens, especially sore/tired in my quads, everywhere else seems ok. But even with tired & sore legs I ran the 7km course to the track in 32:40, I was surprised when I looked at my watch for the first time going through the gate, I suspected much closer to 35 minutes.

Once at the track, I got my squad going, about 15 kids and a couple of adults, out the gate, I got Jo to take the more accomplished runners out for 22 minutes at approx 4:50ish pace and I took the remainder for 16 minutes, upto the hospital and then along the dirt trail upto the police station and back.

Once back I got the group to do some dynamic stretching, then strides, drills, exercises, drills, exercises, strides etc etc.. Tonight was a real 'blast for their legs', with the run and loads of 2x100m strides broken up with good strengthening exercises. I didn't do lots of these, I basically demonstrated and then stood around and corrected technique, but I did all of the strides, 12 or 14.

You Yangs today

Another week of soft hilly trails in my legs. A tad sore in the quads as a result of the únmentionable race', but I will get over it, I'm probably more hurt in my reputation, what a shit run yesterday, oh well I better get running and try to get fitter.


Today I strolled around with my juniors, moving back forth in the group, generally at 5:15 ish pace for 40 minutes, then by myself for 52 minutes along Greyhound Track to the front gate and then up to the Rangers Hut and back.

Tired, but happy to have run 90 minutes the day after that debacle.

XCR'09 Series, Round One, Jells Park XC Relays

Aths Vic first race of the Series and WLAC had a race too, so I started the day at President's Park at 9am to watch my group of kids, 19 from my Squad today, the race was only a 'trial 1km race'. Some good runs, especially Bailey, Brooklyn & Courtney.
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Once home from LA I finished organising all of my paperwork for today, as the Club's Team Manager (TM) for all of our XCR teams I needed to be super organised with finalising memberships, collecting relay money, distributing indiv & team numbers and dictating (yes I can be a bit of a dictator....) team orders for each division & category.

Ten teams today, Men Div 2, 4, 5 & U14 and Wmn Div 2, 3, 4, U18 & U16x2. All TM stuff seemed to go well and as one of the other coaches stated, "like a well oiled military operation', yep that's the way I organise stuff, if I can take a section of men into battle, then I'm sure I can organise a few XC teams.

Whilst I may be able to organise a few XC teams, I appear to be fucked at organising myself so I can run a half decent XC relay race. It has become apparent to me that since acting as the TM for the past 3 years I do not race relays well, I obviously get distracted. Ohh and to be honest I do not enjoy running XC, in my 7 or 8 years of running Club racing I have only had one good year where my XC races worked, it did happen to be my fittest year, but as a general rule, I would pick a road race over a XC anytime....But saying that, I'll be running every XC race to help my Club.

Due to many absences in our male Club runners I had to run as the last Div 4 runner, WTF am I doing in Div 4...oh well, I will race where I am required. Race....a funny word, I didn't really, I ran the last leg slowly, I did pass a few runners, but not many. Two laps of a 3km course, a few hills, lots of grass in 28:22.......................OMFG how slow, oh well I did what I needed to do to keep us in 9th position.

Not a run I will look on favourably in the future.

Track session - Same as last week

Gym in the morning for 30 minutes, 20 minutes easy on the bike and then 10 minutes of core work, planks and table top crunches.
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Two games of indoor football at lunch (a long lunch), the first game was my team, we lost 6-4, with one reserve. The second game I helped out a team who were short, so no reserves, drenched in sweat after two games.
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Tonight at the track I started with a 2km w/up and then into 4x100m strides, as I was 'racing' on Saturday I decided I would stop at 5x800m in 3:15 pace with a 90 second recovery. Like last week I had a group of 7 going around at the same pace but shorter reps which result in a longer recovery.

Steph 5x500, Celeste 5x600, Jo 5x600, Mechelle 3x600, Sue 4x600, David did 6x800 (not racing) & me 5x800. I felt good cardio wise, but the legs were heavy....hmmm, maybe too much this week, will have to wait & see.

Three laps in lane 8 to cool down.

Wyndham Park

In the gym this morning, but my exercises were carefully selected as my shoulder is NOT working. I could still enjoy my work out, but not as much as normal.
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A group of nearly 20 tonight, a couple of Burkie's group came down tonight as they wanted a change of scenery and nearly all of my group were there tonight. Poor Claire is still at home with tonsilitis.

We started with a short trip around the general park area and then onto the river trail and past the 'houses' and then back into the park, but in reverse today, all up 12 minutes. Then some stair work, then some drills breaking into strides over a 40m marked area. Then 5x100m strides on the gravel paths.

I then set a path of markers on the flat then up the grassy hill to a park bench with a 50m slope down before breaking into a 100m shuffle, I'm guessing the course with shuffle was 400m. We did 2x3 sets of the course.

I then had the group do 5x80m strides, the intent was to get every one to concentrate on their form when they were tired. We then finished off with a 10 min cool down jog around the park & river.

A good session with lots of variety, but working everyone. For me, just over 6km of running.

Back to 5 min on, 3 min off

Back to work today...damn! I started in the gym, just 30 min on the bike, steady pace, no upper body as my right shoulder is NOT playing the game (I can't lift anything above my head), so just 10 min of abs/core.
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Ballan Holden car park was the place of torture, a couple of extra runners tonight, YAY. A tad warmer tonight, but exactly the same set except instead of a 6 minute easy jog I went for a 7 minutes, then the 4x5 min efforts with 3 min recovery (walking for 90 then shuffling for 90).

For me, I did this set better today, but a few of the younger brigade didn't and I'm sure they think I am trying to kill them... :-)

Two weeks down and I am sure this is the set that will build stronger runners, my only regret is a couple of the boys can't do this set due to Aussie Rules training.

Yay another day off work

Did stuff today...nothing much, but happily no work and I enjoyed my public holiday.. :-)

I didn't change the time for training today, much to the dismay of many of the parent group, but I decided I would let training just be a part of the normal day and this also meant Jo & I could do whatever...

For training I took the group out onto the road for an extended warm up, splitting them into two, Jo taking one group for 20 minutes at approx 4:50-5 min pace and I took the other group for 15 minutes at approx 5:10 pace. Once back at the track we did some dynamic work, stretching and then simple drills and then 4x100m strides to get the legs going again.

From there we all did a mixture of slow lunges, squats, jumping, hopping & stopping, then 4 x 100m strides to get the legs going, again. Over to the stairs for a quick run up & down, then some hip flexor lifts on the stair, some jumping up and down.

We then finished off with a few laps of the complex and grass infield before moving onto some simple ab exercises, including finishing off with 3x30 sec planks and 2x30 sec oblique planks. A nice solid set to build strength for a long season.

Easter Sunday

No church for me, no eggs for me either, but strangely my oldest did give me some Cadbury favorites, I'm thinking his g.f has made him a lot more organised. My boys are in Sydney with their mum and visiting family so I didn't get to catch up with them.
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This morning I picked David up at 7:30 and we made our way out to the YY, we ran for just over 30 minutes and then picked up a couple of my younger runners, we ran with the girls for 4.5km before returning back out by ourselves for another 40 minutes to get 15km up, according to Jo's Garmin.


Many of the Wes Aths runners were enjoying a Easter rest or driving to Stawell.

Brimbank Park run

Saturday afternoon 35-40 Western Aths & WLAC runners meet at Brimbank No.1 car park for our first Club 'pack run' for the winter season. I ran with five kids from my junior squad and sent Claire off with a group of older teenager girls, my group sat on 4:45 - 5 min pace for 8kms, excluding a 5 minute period the group sat very close together, which was pleasing.

Track, 6x800m

Gym session in the morning, 20 minutes on the bike, easy pace, then some bench press, arms and core on the ball.
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At the track tonight with a group of 8, 4 adults & 4 teens. With myself & David at the front setting the pace and blocking some of the wind (not much wind, no matter what Jo says). Myself and David ran 6x800m in 3:15 (aiming 98-99 sec per lap) and restarted after 90 sec standing recovery, a few of the group ran 600m and 1 ran 500m reps, with mine & David's recovery.

With warm up & cool down a ran approx 7km or just over.

Gym & coaching

In the gym this morning with 3 trainees, on the bike for 10 minutes, easy start for 4 min, then steady for 4 and then quick for 2, already I was unpopular... :-)

We did a mixture of standing free weights, free weights on a 'fit ball' and then some core work using the mats & the ball.
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Tonight I had my group meet at Wyndham Park alongside the Werribee River, nice paths, nice grassy hills and some trails along the river. A mix of U9-11, a sprinkling of teens and 2 adults, plus me.

A nice warm up along the river and then following a trail past some nice 'river' houses and then back into the park, 10 minutes done. We ran some drills and strides along the stone trails before I past on the 'nice' news of a TT over a 900m course, with a 7 min break and then do it again. Times were recorded and we will do again in 1 month, I did the Coach 'thing' and stood and timed ... :-)


So for me, only a few kms of running.

Ballan Holden

For the next month, possibly two, I have moved my Squad away from the track and we are training along the Fed Trail, running alongside Skeleton Creek, we meet at the car park in front of Ballan Holden. The 'basic set' will be 4x5 min at effort with 3 min recovery of walking & jogging.

I decided that time efforts would be better with a wide range of abilities, distance based endurance reps as a group sometimes means the faster person ends up with a longer break or the slower person has a shorter break, so timed reps works well and away from the track will hopefully mean we will improve our pacing without markers.

Today we started with a 6 min easy run, a quick regroup so I could explain exactly what I wanted and off we went, of course a few of the juniors were off like rockets, but I past them after 90 seconds (ouch they are going to regret that). The jog/walk recoveries I turned and regroup everyone together before we take off again. After the second rep we turned for our recovery and started the return trip.

For me, I of course started too quick and the 4th rep was not as good as expected or wanted. With warm up, reps, recovery & cool downs a few kms are ticked off the diary.

I see this session as the quality set of the week for the next 4 weeks and hopefully after 8 weeks I will see BIG improvements in my running and more importantly the groups!

Back to track training, kind of

In the gym in the morning, 25 min on the bike, steady pace and then 20 minutes of weights and 10 min of core.
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Tonight was day two of my program for the juniors, but the first day at the track, as well as the distance group I have two 400m runners who do not want to run XC but they want to train, so for the two months they will come to the track once a week and every 2nd week they will meet me at one of the local parks for longer work.

Tonight we started with a 2km warm up jog, popular start for the 2 non XC runners :-) .
Then some simple running drills that I did lots of fault correction, then into the exercises for leg strength, lunges, squats, hopping, jumping and some stair work, all broken up with some 100m strides and finished off with 3 laps of the infield for a cool down and then core work for 10 minutes and some leg stretching. An easy night, but I'm sure there will be some sore spots (especially as a result of very slow lunges).

Return to the You Yangs for my Squad

Prior to meeting my Squad at Turntable car park at 9am, I arrived at 8:30am and within minutes of arrival I meet with Adrian who had been running for 60 minutes already, so I joined up with him for 30 minutes whilst Jo remained and chatted with some of my early arrivals.

With a quickish 6k in the legs I then took off along with the group, we made our way along Rockwell, this was a new run for the younger ones, we then turned off and out to BIG Rock, with a quick climb to the top so the kids could see where we were and see the views of Geelong and the coast. Then down and along the loop around the rock and then back to the start, just a short run just under 5k, then we did a bush walk for 65 minutes, followed by a smallish BBQ as a group.

OMFG how can 1k reps be sooo HARD

In the gym for 50 minutes, lots of chest, upper back, arms & core with Tania & Steph.
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Right...my group are in rest at the moment and I have had an enforced break, so its time to get going and start training. So the plan was David and I would meet at 5pm at the track, warm up, maybe do some strides etc and then ran 4x1k in 4:05-15 with an unplanned recovery time.

Bugger all at the track...thank goodness, minimal witnesses. :) We started with two laps of the Complex and then some gentle stretches and 5x100m strides. To set the scene there is a bit of wind and it sunny and warm (31 degrees) and neither David or I are fit and both haven't done a lot of endurance reps in quite awhile...

First rep, 4:01, yay us, we survived...we floated approx 200m on the grass back to the start point. 2nd rep, 4:05....fuck it is hot and the breeze in the back straight is annoying but we continue on and both agree we need to calm the pace a bit. The third rep we do survive 4:12 ish and we know there is only one more to go, but what the F is the go...since when did this become so hard? The 4th & final rep happens 4:12 again and we are both happy that it is all over.

We finish off with a couple of slow laps and a few stretches before calling it a night.


Note: finally 500km for 2009...

42

Yep another year has gone by!
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Training around the Botanical Gardens this morning, running, power walking, triceps dips on park benches, push ups, step ups & step downs, lunges, planks, crunches etc etc, a nice session with Tania & Mike.