June's Running Stat's

June km's - 223km

YTD - 1185km

Injuries - nothing to report, most of the niggles are less niggling, kind of.

Excuses - A cold & busy busy busy, but I happily put the running concerns of others ahead of my own.

Races - XCR'09 Rd 4 Lake Wendouree 15km road race and Rd 5 Coliban Ekiden 5.1km road, neither very well ran, but I ran!

Upcoming - XCR'09 Rd 6 State XC Champs @ Bundoora, 12km

Goals - Continue on with regular running and with 3-4 weeks to go until State XC Champs I will be busy with coaching.

Summary - A third month of 200+ kms, but not as many as I would have liked, but a cold threw me about for a couple of weeks. Running because I enjoy it, not for any real goal or purpose.

Ballan Holden set

4pm arrived and so did the DARK clouds and wind, 4.15pm it started raining, HARD and it got darker and darker. 4.30pm the text messages are being sent, is training on??? Is it??? 4.40pm the calls are coming, but by this time the rain has stopped in Point Cook, but not Werribee, yet???

I sent my reply, "I will be at training, I'll see you there!" :-)

4:58pm, lots of little heads start peering out of cars, it is cold, it is dark, but the wind is dying off and the rain has basically stopped, just some light drizzle. I suggested that those with spray jackets keep them on and off we go along the Fed Trail, 8 min warm up.

As a treat and a congrats for those who were braving some horrible conditions, I cancelled the 5x4 min efforts and changed them with 2 minute surges, but at the same time I cancelled the shuffle and changed it to a float, so the surges had to be controlled.

All up just over 8k of a good solid session with only some light drizzle, its amazing how the weather can change within 60 minutes.

Wyndham Park set for my junior group

Even though some times some of the older ones run here too, this session is primarily for the Little Aths squad, running around a park, lots of grass and dirt paths with loads of variations etc.

Once a month we have a TT, we have a course which the fastest run has been 2:59, I have never measured the track (probably should), they run it 3 times. The first lap is cruising together checking out that there are no surprises (fallen branches etc), then a 3 min break (drinks & minor clothing changes), the 2nd lap is flat out in a clockwise direction, then 5-6 min break, then the third lap is flat out in the opposite direction!

Today to spice it up I picked two Captains and they picked teams, this was my way of ensuring no matter how far back you are, you still go fast as your team mates are cheering you on!

Some good runs by the kids, no change to the fastest time of 2:59, but it was very pleasing to see how many were within 2 seconds of their first lap and one of the boys managed 3:01 & 3:00


For me, just 5 easy k's

You Yangs, of course

Of course I went to the YY, they are 20ish minutes down the road, nice soft trails, undulations, BIG hills to and some flat.


I took 5 'young ens' for a 6.1km course, whilst Jo, Claire & Elyse ran for 60 minutes within other groups. After I finished with the young ones, I turned and ran the same run, but in reverse, so 12.2km for me today.

A run at Bundoora Park

My Squad consists of athletes who are Primary School kids, Secondary School teenagers, one young adult attending Uni (not training much) and a handful of adults who compete with Aths Vic; so everyone within the Squad will compete in upcoming State XC Championships, this year they will all be run at Bundoora Park.

Starting with the All School Secondary's, Aths Vic U20 & Open Champs (National Trials) then the Primary School Champs and finishing with the Vic Little Aths I thought it would be a good idea to have a familiarity training run on the approximate course.

We meet in the car park at 9:30am, a quick chat about the course and then we jogged the 2k course, stopping a couple of times to point out aspects of the course that I thought we very important and some strategies that I wanted them to use. Some gentle stretches, change of shoes for some and then two hard fast laps with a short break in between, finished with a 1.5k cool down.

Worth while session, hard work and for many a good opportunity to visit the course for only the first or second time.

RIP MJ & my Triple J Hottest 100 of all time

Like most other persons my age (42), I too have bought and listened to Michael Jackson, cassettes were for me back in the 80's and early 90's. I have Thriller, a Jackson Five Live, Black & White and some other old cassette.

The saddest aspect of today's news for me was I wasn't surprised!

I can't get the video to load, but for many reasons this is the song that I will always remember: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSqo17o2a1w

Why...., I'm not sure, but an amazing voice for such a young man (maybe 13), of course I don't mind his other stuff too, but Ben was for me.

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In no particular order and to be honest there are songs that I probably forgot, but all of these songs are in my collection and I have listened to this year and many years before!

Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit - for me this was always going to make my top 10 and I WILL be very surprised if this one is not in the Top 10 of all time, its a classic!

Silverchair - Tomorrow -The Chair, my favorite Australian band, and this started it for me!

Michael Jackson - Ben - see above

Radiohead - Creep - Classic for me and I reckon this is a definite Top 15

Prince - Purple Rain - I could not tell you how many times I listened to this song and the entire record, the LP is a big favorite

Regurgitator - Polyester Girl - my second favorite Australian band

Eminem - The Real Slim Shady - This is one I heard so many times with my oldest song that I ended up loving it too and to be honest I have five of Marshall's CDs

Violent Femmes - Blister in the Sun - Classic!!!

Midnight Oil - Us Forces - This and song always got me thinking

Sex Pistols - Anarchy In The UK - my mum would hate that I still like this song and band, she HATED everything about the Pistols

A pyramid set

For myself & David, we did 600/800/1000/1200/1000/800/600 with approx 90 sec recovery. I was aiming for 4 minute pace and to start with I felt I was slightly ahead, but I wasn't really, but I felt ok.

The girls (Jo, Claire & Celeste) were set 800/1000/1200/1000/800, but all 3 struggled today for various reasons and basically sat with 800m reps, which was fine.

My reps were:

• 600m - 2.22
• 800m - 3.12
• 1000m - 4.02
• 1200m - 4.56
• 1000m - 4.10
• 800m - 3.18
• 600m - 2.23

Looking above I did lose my pace, but it was a good set and I'm happy - that's all that matters.

A lap of the Tan & indoor football

Indoor football at lunch, so just prior to the game I left work for a long lunch, a lap of the Tan in 18:30 and then a game of indoor soccer (4 all)>

No evening training for me today, just coaching my juniors.

5x4 min efforts

My normal Tuesday session along the Federation Trail (Skeleton Creek), not too cold, but the dark skies are closing in and we 'just' know they are probably going to drop some rain.

Only seven of us tonight in the group and we are all tired ish as a result of our weekend racing. We started with a 5 min easy jog before stopping for some simple dynamic stretching before starting off for our first 4 minute effort.

Five x four minute efforts with a 60 sec walk, 90 sec shuffle which on the third & fourth ended up being the opposite. For me, the first rep was my hardest, my legs felt ok but breathing was difficult but the 2nd and onwards were much improved and I felt stronger as the set went on.


Tonight my Club had their first summer meeting, as President I attended to listen to the wrap up of the previous season and helped with some of the planning for the upcoming season.

Still not completely healthy

Still coughing & spluttering but I feel ok, but I have had enough of this cough...

Just an easy 5k run before meeting up with my squad and taking them on a 3k w/up and with some running of a course I set up and then the cool down, just over 10k for the evening.

You Yangs & Eastern Gardens

An easy run with a few at the YY, just a recovery run, just over 6km of dirt trails before making my way to Eastern Gardens in Geelong for the Western Region VLAA XC Champs. Due to some blundering and politics this seasons Regions are not a trial for the State Champs....too long and too political to even both trying to explain here, but basically I asked some members to race here and others to give it a miss.

I jogged so more kms at Geelong today, watching races, warming up with some of my athletes and cooling down others. Some great results; three gold (Brooklyn, Chelsea & Lexie), two silver (Harley & Chantelle), 4th to Thomas, Demi, Claire and 5th placings to Courtney, Bailey, Teagan and Victoria finished 6th passing 4 persons in the final 30m (probably the best finish of the day, Persistence - a virtue I ask the kids to consider).

Very noticeable to me and a few others, was that all of my squad finished strongly, looking very fit and composed.

XCR'09 Series, Round Four, Lake Wendouree (Ballarat)

My Little Aths kids raced at the Altona Basketball Reserve today, a hilly course, I strolled a round for a few easy kms with some of the kids whilst they were warming up or cooling down, nothing too fast.
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Then myself and Jo drove to Ballarat for Rd 4 of the Aths Vic 10 race series, funnily a Regional race, but this trip took less time than Jells (Rd 1) or Lardner (Rd 2). Today's race, a 15km flat road race around an empty Lake Wendouree (approximate 6k loops).

After organising my few Team Manager duties I went for a chat with Claire & Elyse both racing in the U14 5km race, I trotted with them to their starting line and then back. Both girls ran great races and finished in the Vic top 10 for the first time...yay and Claire ran a 3m 5 sec PB and Elyse ran her first 5k race.


A quick chat and I was off for my run...the plan was to run at a pace faster than my LR pace, but not to slow, but not to fast that I suffered too much, especially with this cold that consists of a cough every 10 min or so and a sniffle which is VERY annoying....

I started right near the very back of the pack (which I discovered today was the biggest open men's race since 1989 and the biggest 115k for wmn ever for AV), I was even starting behind Jo (but not for long....).

I started very comfy, chatting etc; 4.39, 4.41 & 4.45 for the first 3k, finally I have stopped coughing and my breathing was starting to become more comfortable, thankfully. I settled in with an Oakleigh lady and a South Melbourne old fella and until 14k these two were within 2m for the entire run.

My 5km splits were pleasing, whilst not fast I achieved exactly what I wanted, I continued to get stronger as the run went on:

• 23.47
• 23.40
• 23.24
• 1h 10m 51s

With my last 2km run in 4.36 & 4.34 which were my fastest ratings for the run, quite happy considering fitness and illness. To be honest I couldn't have asked for more in the cold windy conditions with a cold that has lasted 7 days so far, (3.5 days off work) and a very average fitness.

Happy birthday Declan

Eight years old today!

No running today, another day off from work, but it meant I could pick Declan up from school and take him out for a birthday donut & thickshake.

Still coughing!

A Business Planning session and then being a part of the Executive Group that relays info to the Business Unit (Defence White Paper and the Capability Report etc etc), blah blah blah

But a good lunch followed in the Victoria Barracks Officer's Mess for 60 persons... and yep I coughed the majority of the day....and I must have done it enough to annoy the boss as his parting words to me were, "well done today Stu, see you on Monday without the cough...".
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Training at the track tonight, nice and light, for two reasons; my cold and a 15km effort on Saturday (XCR'09 Rd 4).

15-20x200m reps (45/46 sec) with a 100m float in about the same time. As David was not racing this w/e he did 6x800 and Jo had school commitments, so it was me and my teenage girls who follow me about (lol).

18x200m was decided upon (by me) after a few reps.

• 45.4, 45.1, 45.9, 44.5, 46.1, 46.4, 45.8, 45.6, 46.0 (the 100m floats were approx the same time)
• 2 min standing recovery
• 45.4, 44.9, 45.2, 45.9, 44.7, 45.2, 44.7, 44.8, 44.3

An easy 4 lap cool down, seemed an easy night....yay (even with a cold)

Here's a couple of good looking persons in my life....

Australia Vs Japan

In the gym nice and early today for 45 minutes, 10k on the bike, some bench press and then crunches on the fit ball and then 10 minutes of planks.
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No running for me tonight, a quick session of 6x400m reps with 200m floats for the kids and then a quick exit for me so I could drive back into the city, but this time to the MCG.

The pic above was taken from my seat, row H right on the line in the members, good seat but SO COLD tonight. Well Tim Cahill, 2 goals............as Connor says, "superstar......."

Yep diagnosed; the common cold

Off to work today, but no gym set. At my desk by 7am and I knew I wasn't going to be here all day as I knew I was not overly healthy, throat, stuffy head etc.

Doctor's appt at 12:50pm, no temp and a quick listen to my symptoms and chest etc and a sticky in my throat, common cold is confirmed. Keep the water up, rest a bit and keep using the Codral Cold & Flu tabs.
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Tonight at Wyndham Park, 15 minute easy running around the park and then strides and drills on Chrinside Oval, finally with my jacket on I started to sweat. Once back at WP, I set out a course throughout the hills and trails that took 2 min for the faster kids, I jogged the course when placing my cones and then the first lap to set the pace and reinforce the course, with 16 kids at training there was a big line following.

All up with w/up, c/d and a few reps, 7km for me.

A cold is on the way...

Sat night I knew I was starting to feel a tad below par, tickle in the throat and sneezing and a runny nose, but not enough to stop me, but I'm smart enough to know I need to ease up a tad.


This morning's run at the You Yangs, I organised with one of the mum's to pick kids up along the route, this would allow me to get a few hills into the legs of even the younger ones and not have to worry about getting them back to the start. I had three girls with me starting on GCD and Jo, Claire & Elyse started on Greyhound and they would cross over on a trail (approx 400m longer). Eventually that group with Loren caught up along Branding Yard Rd just before jumping onto Branding Yard trail which goes up a steep hill to Turntable, my first drop off point (for 2).

A quick re-group and then along Rockwell, which has a lot of rolling hills, very little flat. After approx 15 minutes we hit GCD again where I dropped Courtney off with her mum who was waiting. Then up a VERY steep hill for 100m and then onto a MTB track which followed a goat track, rocks, steps, rolling hills for 1-1.5km. I was enjoying running with Elyse, Claire & Jo, but it was becoming very obvious that Jo was struggling BIG time, thankfully Courtney's mum hadn't passed us and I was able to get Jo into the car and taken back, myself & the 2 girls continued on.

The next part of the course was a snaking dirt trail through the bush up to the car park at the entrance to the Stockyards (MTB area). I must admit this is a really nice course, very enjoyable, nice views, nice hills, nice variety etc. 73 minutes today, the longest run for the two 13 year old girls.


Once home Jo was out of it most of the day and I sniffled alot and coughed a fair bit.

Brisbane Ranges

Early this morning I jogged just over 2km with 6 U13 & U14 kids this morning chatting about today's WLAC race and also using the group for some peer group pressure with Harley, for some reason he had decided he wasn't good enough to compete in the VLAA State titles on 24 Jul...I got my way!
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A cold day in Melbourne today, at 1pm when I picked Blair up it was 9 degrees and we were off to the Brisbane Ranges, which historically have been a cold & wet training location in previous years.



The Vic Park web site:

Little more than an hour's drive from Melbourne takes you to the state's richest wildflower habitat. Set in a low range of mountains dissected by rocky gullies, the unusual geology of Brisbane Ranges National Park has preserved plants that have long since vanished from the region, together with a correspondingly diverse bird population and the greatest density of koalas in Victoria.

Eventually we are ready to start just after 2pm, running from the Boar Gully Picnic Ground along Camp Track which takes us out of a Gully.

A group of 12 of varying abilities etc, four of the guys who were running 2 hours had already left whilst we were organising the teenager girls (for those with girls will understand what I mean)...

After 10 minutes half of the group were planning on a run with 2x5 min tempo sets, whilst myself and a few others were just after a 50-65 minute run. An enjoyable run, lots of general chit chat with young ladies (Bec & Loren) from other coaching groups and myself & young Claire having a very social time whilst getting some time on our legs over dirt trails with some hills thrown in for good measure.

Once back at the Picnic Ground (50 minutes) with Claire, I made a call that I was going out for another 15 minutes on a different trail, Blair (17) came for the stroll. Like every time I have been to Brisbane Ranges I have seen a koala or 2, today was no different; in the dying minutes of my extra run I saw 2 little koalas up high. No rain today, just a few light drops, but very cold, so the social BBQ on the open plate was short for myself and my car load.

The photo's are from my Club's web site, I just thought my Blog needed some colour.... :-)

Pilates in the morning

In the gym with Tania who I like to torture in the mornings, today I decided a pilates session was the 'call' for today. Whilst I have no pilates quals I have done loads of Pilate mat classes, so I used that experience to take Tania through 50 minutes of pilates pain.

A typical warm up of roll downs and sidewards stretching and lower back, concentrating on core & breathing, then onto legs. The names escape me but we did two leg & stability exercises and then a step away from pilates and some lunges were introduced. Then working on getting the spine working with the core and then some pilates tri push ups and then some purely ab core work.

Planks, one of my favourites and we worked them today, 60 sec front, 15 sec break, then 60 sec front, 15 sec break, 45 sec front, 15 sec break & 45 sec front. 30 sec break, then 30 sec oblique turn over with NO touching, 30 sec other side and then 60 sec front...ouch, 30 sec break and then 30 sec oblique each side and 60 sec front, I just managed the last 60 sec, JUST.

400m reps again

In the gym, 10k on the bike, then upright rowing & oblique lifts, shoulder press & crunches on the fit ball, butterfly & incline sit ups, bicep curls & crunches on the ball again, lunges & incline sit ups and then finish off with side leg raises mixed in with crunches.
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The track set for my group, JoANNE & myself was the same as last week, 10x400m in 96 sec with a 200m float. I sat on the outside of lane 1, sometimes in lane 2 hitting 94/95 with 2 x96 sec reps, a nice solid set, including a 3 lap w/up, 4x100m strides and 2 easy laps to c/down.

Reps (200m shuffles)
93.8 (86)
95.1 (84)
96.4 (87)
95.8 (84)
94.7 (2m 20s) - a standing break, long by 20 sec

94.2 (94) (50m walk, 150m shuffle)
96.8 (95)
95.2 (102) - a quick chat with my 8x rep runners
95.7 (96)
94.07

Western Zone XC Champs @ Brimbank

It poured over night and all morning and it was cold this morning. I took today off using my annual leave so I could support 9 kids from my Squad, on arrival at Brimbank at 9:20am it was 7 degrees with light drizzle, hmmm fun fun fun.

Five Zones competed today in seperate races, which each Zone having 6 races (10 years, 11 years & 12/13 years as at 31 Dec), the first 4 qualify for the Vic State Primary School XC Champs to be held on 24 Jul at Bundoora. My niece has already qualified via the Shepparton Regions, so I have booked a coffee with my youngest sister, Rebecca.

Cold, wet and muddy is the only way to describe today, muddy & wet, have I already mentioned how wet & muddy it was??? As well as warming up my squad I also helped with the Werribee District PS, always good to help out the schools and advertise who I am etc. The first race was the 10 year old girls, 4 runners from my group, Lexie the favourite, last year she finished 2nd in this race and this year she is 10 so she was hear to show her dominance which she did by winning by more than 100m and comfortable is the only way to describe her race. Chantelle run it exactly the way I asked, easy first 500m and then work through the pack, which she did and finished 4th and Demi (this age group next year) finished 10th after falling on the start line and Victoria (recovering from the flu) finished 11th which was great as she is not a XC runner but a very good 400m runner. A great result and a nice way to start the day with 2 qualifiers.

The very next race had Thomas who run a great strong race finishing 2nd, following the VLAA 800m silver medalist. (3 qualifiers) A break, more rain and OMG it was getting colder! Then the 11 year old girls with Chelsea (recovering from influenza), Teagan and Courtney. This race was always going to be dominated from the Werribee LAC kids we had the talent here and the first 8 kids all compete at WLAC. Courtney ran a blinder from the front and never allowed anyone else into the race, the fast pace at the start killed Teagan (12th) and sadly Chelsea who I expected to finish in the first 3 couldn't sustain her race pace after 8 days of suffering a nasty hit of the flu and was still suffering, but between mum & dad and my athlete & coach we decided to give it a go, she finished 6th but outside of the qualifiers.

The final race for me was Scottie in the older boys race, a very strong sprinter who I have improved his endurance greatly, winter for him is footy (VC of his team) and when he can he trains with me and today he finished 9th, 6 spots higher than previous years.

A very satisfying day, with four kids qualifying for the State Primary Champs.
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Training tonight had low attendance, just a group of Year 7 kids, faster 400m reps which I did with them in the bloody rain! 4 laps to w/up, 4x100m strides, 5x400m in lane 3 in 90 sec and then 2 lap cool down. It rained for probably 80% of the night.

Another cold wet day in Melbourne

I know we need the rain, here in Melbourne we need it a lot, the reservoirs are very low, still below 30% nothing like our norther states of Aust, but I still would prefer that all rain falls whilst I am asleep!!!

Wet & cold this afternoon, even hail in parts of Melbourne this arvo. I was only expecting 5 at Ballan Holden tonight, myself & Jo and then Harley (14), Claire (very nearly 13) and Elyse (13), but all 3 kids had school sporting commitments and they were all very cold & wet from playing in the hail, so I told them all via mobs that they should enjoy a hot shower and a night off!

So, I thought this meant I could stay home and enjoy a quiet one at home, but Jo reminded me that we could still manage a run....hmm I know she is right but... whilst getting ready it starts pouring rain, for goodness sakes. Thankfully with some time wasting I manage to walk outside at the right time, its cold but NO rain. SKIN tights and short sleeve top under my running T and with a hat I was comfy to run. 45 minutes was the plan with Jo, along the creek pathways we went, after 8 minutes or so we picked up the pace for 2 min at a fast tempo pace.

Back home after 46 minutes of running, with 6x2 minutes of faster efforts, a nice solid set.

My youngest sisters b.day today, 35 and I even managed to remember to ring her today, I am improving with age... :)

Vic Primary Zone XC Champs tmrw, first 4 qual for States, sadly due to the real influenza issues a few who should make it through have to miss the day. :-( Running tmrw: Lexie, Chantelle, Demi, Thomas, Courtney, Chelsea, Tegan, Victoria, Scottie

Queens B.Day Public Holiday

I drop the boys home at 4pm and then made my way to Wyndham Park, cold & wet (which is Melb at the moment), I jogged for 15 minutes before grabbing the kids in the car park and then took them off for a 6 min jog around the park so any late comers could be picked up on our passing at the starting point.

We then ran along the river and through some local streets before making our way to the river again and then over to Chrinside Oval (home of the VFL Werribee Tigers), once on the oval we enjoyed 6 lots of strides on the wing and a few laps on the boundary before making our way back to the Wyndham Park.

All up just short of 7km for me and then watching drills & strides on a tan style path and then 5 minutes of stretching.

You Yangs MTB area

This weekend my boys stayed over but I wanted hills to be a part of my program for Elyse, Claire, Bailey, Jo & myself, I would have like a couple of others too, but they were away or the trip may have been too much, so I took the safe option with them.

I asked Claire & Elyse's mums if they could entertain my three boys whilst I took the girls for a trip on a part of the park that they had never been too. So I organised a picnic breaky for my boys which they thought was a cool idea. So from Toynes Rd Burkie's group went one way, a few others went a slightly different way and my group went the hard way.

The run is great, but the first 2km are a bit tough and if I could we should have jogged an easy 2k prior but the distance & toughness was already an issue. From Toynes we ran anti clockwise and made our way into the Stockyards, which goes via the Vic MTB course and up into the area where Ned Kelly with Heath Ledger was filmed etc, some of the trails are very testing.

According to Jo's Garmin the course was just over 8.6km in 55 minutes, how slow is that, don't get me wrong, Bailey & Aliesha struggled so we where having to wait a few times or they would still be lost in some random area of the park.

I would like to do a few more hills next week, but I'll have all of my youngsters back, so it may be a logistical nightmare, but I may try...the benefit may be worth it all. But not the same course.

Finally....

Prior to my gym set I decided to run a lap of the Tan and after a quick check of my training log I have finally run a 1000km for 2009, a lot early than last year (mid August).

A lap of the Tan in 18 minutes something and then into the gym for a 40 minute session of all round stuff and YES I did a plank or two and my entire body was SHAKING!

400m reps

Gym at 6:20am, varied exercises all in combination with planks, bench press & plank, lunge & plank, biceps & plank, etc etc. 50 minutes later I wasn't really enjoying my 'so-called' smart plan....
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Track session tonight, what a lovely coach I am, I gave them choices:

• 10x400m with 200m float
• 800/1000/1200/1000/800m @ 96 sec per lap with 90 sec recovery
• 4x1200 @ 96 sec per lap with 90 sec recovery

Guess which one was picked and DON'T cheat and read Jo's Blog...

A good set sitting on the ouside on Lane 1 and to be honest I thought I could have kept going. With 4 laps to warm up, 4x100m strides and 3 laps to cool down.

Tan, gym, indoor football & coaching

As well as all above I even managed 8 hours paid work...

I arrived on the Tan at 6:15am and took off for a lap of the Tan before my gym session with Tania. Today in the gym we did a bit of chest & back before I started my torture of planks for myself, Tania and 3 others. 30 sec front, 30 sec oblique, 30 sec front, 30 sec oblique, 60 sec front then a 60 sec break and do it all over again x 2. By the end there were only 2 of us left, Tania (my regular gym partner) dropped out and told me I could stick my planks with only 20 seconds to go.... :-) but as Jo says to me, lots of ppl get upset with me at times, but they always come back.


Indoor football today, tough game, we lost 5-4 (it was 4 all at half time). This was our first loss in 6 weeks, we are still 3rd in the 10 team comp, with finals nearing.


Training tonight, I jogged 3 laps and I ran diagonally from the 200m to 400m many times, calling out times and instructions, whilst my squad did 1000/1000/800/600/400/200.

Reps along Fed Trail

Back in the gym this morning; a couple of chest exercises, mixed with oblique lifts, then some bicep & tricep mixed with incline sit ups then lunges & squats mixed with 1 min planks.
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My squad meet as per normal at Ballan Holden, less a couple; 1 girl's family have been quarantined due to swine flu and two others down with the real influenza and 1 with the common cold, but there were still eight of us. We started off with a 6 min warm up, then some light stretching and then into the times efforts, 5x4 minutes with 2 min recovery. The first two recoveries were 30 sec walk then 90 sec shuffle, but the walk increased on the next breaks, but not the overall break, that remained at 2 minutes.

My 5 reps felt good and due to my inability to read a watch properly I got 2:30 into a 6th rep before pulling alongside the leading group and discovering my mistake. And if you are wondering why I was not with the lead group, I had been leading them, but I shuffle back to the last person and check on them prior to taking off again...

A good set tonight, solid!

First day of winter....

Well I decided not to get out of bed at 5:30am for the first day of winter and I skipped the gym and made my way to work, leaving at 6:30am.
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This evening I got in 35 min of steady pace running along the Werribee River before going out for a 10 min stroll with the kids for their warm up before then predominantly standing and pointing (coaching), I did run one lap of my hilly course that I wanted them to run 5 times and I jogged the cool down of 5 minutes.

So dark at 5:45pm....