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Easy Run Day - Not!

Well today was supposed to be my easy run day - a gentle 40mins - about 7 k's. Never happened; I helped my brother in law do some concreting, so I'm going to do it tomorrow as this will be a rest/ CT day.

Whilst working on a concrete mixer I saw a couple running up the street - bloke in front, lass about 10 metres behind. I spoke to them as the ran by and inquired as to their route and distance. Route was unfamiliar to me, but they were doing 2 x 2.5k circuits. I was so envious!

I ran an early 6k yesterday morning that brought the 100k for July for me and 36k for the week - including last Sundays' "Run Melbourne" 10k. Surprised me as I'd had a few days rest because of my knee and a taper down before the race.


Got sent my photo's from "Supersportimages" yesterday (re Run Melbourne) - 8 in total although 2 of them didn't have me in the photo! Only one really worth buying, but $19.95 for a digital down loadable photo - seems a bit rich to me:

Tomorrow (Monday) is Michelle and Harry's 1st day of their training plan for the C25k. Can't wait to publish their progress, hopefully it will inspire others to do the same. Tomrrow is a 5 minute walk then a 2 minute jog at 7.5kph (equates to 250m) followed by a 5 minute walk. Tuesday is a rest day for them followed by the same set as Monday.

New Training Plan

I've decided to start a new training plan with the aim of reducing my PB for the 10km. I am using an elongated version of an intermediate plan which includes 400m intervals. It's supposedly designed to put some speed into your races - time will tell. I've set it up to coincide with the "Melbourne Marathon" (10/10/10 -just realised that date!) I got the basis of this plan from (click on it to enlarge):

http://running.about.com/od/racetraining/a/10Kintermediate.htm



I've had a couple of 7k runs this week and today I attempted Gaffney St hill! It's the one with Pascoe Vale station at the bottom of it. For those that are unfamiliar with the hill, it has a gradient of approximately 1 in 6, its only about 200 metres long but it rises something like 40metres in height - don't quote me as I don't know the exact numbers.. If your brakes fail coming down this hill you are going to make a real mess of something - probably yourself! A speed camera half way down this hill would generate a billion dollar annual surplus for the state government!

My wife has been goading me for a few weeks now about another runner in the area who does it daily - but he's a real runner I argue!

Anyway, as I get ready for my run at 6.00am this morning I decide to tackle the monster. I have a 1.3km slight downhill before I hit it, so I've at least warmed up sufficiently to tackle it.

As I approach the base I look up at it and have 2nd thoughts, but I've mapped out my run and a change of direction would mean many more changes. My pace is good 5:30per k, but this slows as I climb the hill. As I reach about halfway, I'm barely running and I'm out of breath. For the first time in I don't know how long, I have to walk. I get to the top and I'm still stuffed and I have another 5-6km to go. It takes me another k to get my rhythm back and I hit the low/mid 5minute k's again.





Set myself another goal: attempt it once weekly and run the complete hill by xmas.

Melbourne Marathon - 10th October 2010

A couple of days to contemplate my running regime and have set myself a few goals:

Run under 50 minutes for 10k before I'm 50 - September 2011
Complete a half marathon before I'm 50 - looking at the "Run Melbourne " one next July
Run a race over 5k with Harry and Michelle
Coach Michelle and Harry to a sub 30 minute 5k

Today was a rest day, but I still managed to enter the Melbourne marathon 10k in October. Add to that, I also entered Harry into the kids 2.5k run- he's going to be stoked when he wakes up tomorrow morning!

All with a timing chip, bib, medal, T shirt, website results and a goody bag - and best of all the finish line is ON the MCG!!! how cool is that? His bib number is: 35093

Luckily the races are hours apart, mine is at 7:30am and his at 11:30am, which is great as I'll be able to cheer him on. Guess I better invite his grandparents.

Also looking at the Princes Park 10k on 1st August, but haven't yet nominated .

Got my official race time today and I guess my Garmin is pretty accurate as I was 2 seconds out - could have been a delay in my hit the start/stop button - I still maintain we ran 10.22k though:

My 1st 10k Run - The day after

The day after.

I must have run the race half a dozen times last night in my head and I didn't get much sleep.

I woke up and my quads were sore - strange, it's usually my calves - must have been the hills.

Anyway, Sam (my youngest son -4) and I headed off to the gym (Windy Hill) just after lunch for a swim - Sam trod water for 30 seconds straight for the first time without his floaties. I think he's tricking us! He then sat on the side and dried off while I did 12 laps of the pool.

Early evening I decided to do a recovery run, with no set distance, pace or direction and I have to say I really enjoyed it. The only plan I had was to take it really easy, which I did, but when I got home and checked the Garmin, I was only 20 seconds per k slower than my 10k run yesterday. 4k felt like a breeze.



After 7 weeks of training there was something to be said about running just because I could - without rhyme nor reason.

I've finally convinced Michelle (my wife) to take up running and going to enter her into the Sri Chinmoy Maribyrnong 4k. Harry my eldest has also agreed to the run but like Michelle only after I'd set up a training plan for them.

Michelle is like I used to be; I couldn't run, I'd be out of breath in 300m, it was all too hard. Then one day I realised I was trying too hard and trying to run outside my physical capabilities at the time. At this stage my capability is around 5.10:5:30 minutes per k and I could run that for 15-20km. Before I started this running regime I was trying to run 4 minute k's - no wonder I was out of breath!

It's about getting enough k's in at a certain pace and gradually increasing it.

This is a 16 week hybrid of the "Couch to 5k" training plan that I put together for Michelle and Harry. The light blue shaded area tells them the pace they need to achieve and the approx' distance for each run. They are aiming at a pro rata time of 32:30 mins for the 5k. Sri Chinmoy Maribyrnong is only 4k. Pro rata is 26 mins and if she achieves this I've promised her an Ipad for xmas. She should do this easy as she already spends 3 mornings a week at contours and 3 visits to Matrix in Coburg- cardio classes.



For those of you starting out, the "couch to 5k" program is excellent - Looking at the first week (Normally there are only 10) you only have to jog for 2-3 minutes at 7.5 kph - which is a fastish walk. (BTW, I've added the pace to ensure they reach their time goals) Slowly over time you increase the kph and the lengthin k's of the jog.

This was my first ever run about 8 weeks ago (I'd never run before, but was quite fit) As you can see I walked a few times - anything of 7min k's is a fast walk - the 10's/11's were a slow walk and this was over 2.5k.



In 8 weeks I've gone from this to running a 10k in less than an hour without once stopping and I'm nearly 50.
Think you can't do it?
Think again.
If I did, you can.

Race Day!

Well the day's arrived - I got up at 6.00am to ensure I have breakfast before my run at 9.00am.

I eat a banana and a yoghurt and drink a lucozade - family is still asleep.

I am apprehensive - I've trained for a sub 55minute 10km, but I've had a couple of weeks set back; my right knee has given me grief, but a few days rest seems to have hopefully done the trick.

The race plan was to have a warm up jog of 800m at less than race tempo 10 mins prior to start time to get the legs warmed up. I arrive at the "pens" and to my horror they are chockers (full) - I have no time for a warm up and need to jockey for position.

I decided to use one or both (whichever suited!) of the Runners World pace makers to follow for the entire race: Orange balloon (attached to their caps for easy ID) for sub 50 mins (this was hope) and lime green for sub 55mins - I'd trained for the sub 55 and this was more realistic.

I settled in the pen about 5 meters ahead of the orange (sub 50 mins) but soon I was shuffled forward or he was shuffled back and we had set off on different waves. I now had no idea what his start time was and could not be confident of following him with any certainty. How could I follow him when I was already 5 minutes ahead?

Brisk walk to the start line and I engage the Garmin 310 - we all seem to get into the race fairly quickly, but still at 5:30 / 5:45 per km pace - below avg pace for a sub 55min.

The first 800m seemed uphill and I was struggling - I wasn't over racing, but my HR was way over 230 - there was no way I could do this - my mind raced from my staggered preparation to my nutrition/fluid intake, something was wrong -this wasn't how I planned it. I felt like this was my first ever run and I hated it. I was traveling at 5:30min/km pace and this shouldn't be a problem. I'd prepared for this and this wasn't part of the equation.

After about 1.2km we settled down into a flattish/comfortable road, breathing settled and I was actually feeling rather good and skipped the first water station and then was hit by a steepish incline that went for 700/800 meters - but I still managed to maintain pace.

The first downhill happened at about 3.8 and I'd noticed this lass in a black and white top who seemed to be keeping the same pace as me and thought I use her as I'd lost "Mr Orange- sub 50 mins" (For the record I never set eyes on mr/mrs lime green)- we matched pace for about another 5k. In between I grabbed a powerade and lost a few seconds as we crossed the Yarra river.

Up and down Alexandra Ave was a challenge as this was a "U" turn at the bottom - down then up a steep incline.

Up and down Batman Ave and across to Rod Laver Arena - this is the 8k mark - at this stage I lost "my" lass in black and white, pacer and I took on a little water and poured the rest on my head. As we we rounded the corner to go over the footbridge to the MCG, one of the volunteers shouted " you're doing great, only another two really steep hills to go" Thankfully I knew that the hill was not huge (over the bridge to the MCG - Paul Kelly song!) and then the next up Wellington Parade - seemed to last forever and there were hundreds of walkers at this stage - I maintained my 5:30/5:45 pace and passed heaps until we reached a downhill Batman Ave and a finishing straight - I had my fastest average pace of the race in the final 400m which gives me a great deal of confidence.

Sprinting the last 200m at 4min/km pace I passed heaps of runners - I was that focused I didn't even look out for Michelle and the boys, which was lucky as they weren't looking!

Felt good crossing the finish line and would probably have cried if Chelle and the boys were there - I was on a mega high! By the time we caught up I was already down from my high and doing a few stretches.

Garmin says - 10.22km in 55 minutes 00 seconds - splits at 10km are 54.17, so I'm very happy with the time. Official time to follow.





Handed in my timing tag and picked up a bottle of water, a powereade and a copy of "the Age"

The upshot is - I beat a heap of people and a heap of people beat me, but more importantly, we collectively raised $1,000,000 for various charities.

Whilst it's important that we all reached/achieve/attempt personal milestones, it is more important that we at least try:

I stole this from Neil Lock (http://www.neillock.co.uk/training-blog/)

"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."

And that is the sum of it - starting


After the race we took Michelle's Parents to lunch at the Moreland - has been a great day - many more to come and many more to report.

I've had an awesome day and I'm still wired. 17.15pm

Father in Laws Birthday

Father in laws birthday yesterday and I got home from work early enough to go for a 5km run before we headed over there. Guess I'm addicted as it was pouring with rain, but I relished the thought that at least it would be comfortable temp wise. Harry my 8 year old passes up on the opportunity to bike ride with me, so I took the Ipod instead and set a fairly fast tempo listening to the Foo Fighters.

Mistake 101 - always hydrate before the run - felt really dry from the 2km mark, which is really unusual - I tend to need hydrating around the 6km mark, so I struggled a bit but still was well within 5.30 per km.

Only have a 3.2km taper to go before 2 days of rest and then the race.

Father in law turned 61 yesterday and he sponsored me $50 for my run on Sunday - for the Smith Family charity. Good on you!

Builder came round tonight with the plans -fascia looks great and the split level idea is really appealing - will wait for further plans.

My First 10km Race

Well the countdown is truly on - 7 days until my 1st 10km race.

Had a perfect 8km run yesterday with my 8 year old son (he on his bike) perfect at this moment is 5 minutes 30 seconds per km and I did the 8 km in 44:35 and that was with a couple of stops due to the traffic, so I'm pleased with the time. I have a Garmin GPS watch that tells me everything ( speed, distance, lap time, time, heart rate etc) during and after my run which is a godsend. The GPS of where I ran - I did the Pacoe Vale Road/Mascoma Street lap twice:







I've set a target of under 55 minutes for the 10km and have raised nearly $200 for the Smith Family.(I actually sponsor a couple of disadvantaged children also)



My schedule for this week is:

Monday - Spin Class
Tuesday - 4.8km run
Wednesday - Spin Class
Thursday 3.2km run
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - The Race!

Brother in OZ

Well another post so close to the last. My brother informs me that he is intending to come to AU in September - we sort out the dates and I book the internal flights and accommodation - he's meeting and staying with a friend in Cairns and he and I are spending 4 days in Sydney together.He has vertigo and will not do the bridge climb with me - I'll go it alone I think.

RUN MELBOURNE 10K - 18th July 2010
Well my training program has suffered a set back -my knee gave me problems last week and I was unable to train for 6 days - I think I over did it - I had 3 days of 8km or more and pushed too hard I think. I am fearful of not breaking 55 minutes for the 10k due to the break in training but also that I started the regime at week 3 instead of the first week. I was already behind the eight ball and now this. Is this an excuse? @#$% no!

I am still aiming at sub 55. Even contemplated buying new runners, the Brooks Trance 9's I have are 6 months old, so maybe they contributed to my knee injury. The new Trance's are $275 and whilst I have the cash - I'm struggling to justify it without an income at the moment. That's my story on everything at present.

The run's only 8 days away and will give a full account of myself post the run.

July 2010

Well it's been nearly 7 months since my last entry and life continues to throw up numerous challenges and surprises.

Christmas 2009 was a relatively low key affair. I guess we ( Michelle, the boys and I) were waiting for the new year when we'd be off to Perth for 2 and a half weeks.

Still toughing out the grieving process - mostly alone, occasionally in front of Michelle. I think this is something that we both hope would just go away, although it's still with me now some 7 months later, albeit at greater intervals.

Perth was a blast - the weather was perfect and we all got to meet my grand daughter who was about 8 months old at the time. We stayed at the same place we always do - Mont Clare Apartments in East Perth - Very comfortable and well priced.



My ex brother and sister in law ( Steve and Elaine) lent us their car for the duration of our stay which was very kind. A fairlane no less!

We also spent Australia day with another ex brother in law ( John) and his wife Sara and their daughter Lauren. The boys had a great day/night in the pool, playing pool, the wii etc. Michelle and had a few too many and stayed the night!

Whilst on holiday in Perth we decided to have a mini break in Sydney at the end of April that coincided with an 80's exhibition at the Powerhouse on Darling Harbour.

April 2010 - Sydney



Stayed at the Medina Grand on Kent St Sydney - awesome hotel. Huge accommodation and very up market in the middle of Sydney. Two minute walk to Darling Harbour and 15 mins to circular Quay. Climbed the towers of the bridge, went to Bondi and Manly. Visited the Zoo and walked for miles and had numerous ferry rides - Sunday for $2.50 each you can have unlimited travel on the train, the ferry and the bus - we used it all day and had a few ferry rides!

May 2010
Not sure on the catalyst for this but I decided to "Run Melbourne" 10km in July to raise money for the "Smith Family" I have no income coming in, but I'm ever the optimist and I can't help giving to charity.

Been training pretty hard for it and currently clock up 30-40 kms per week

June 2010
World Cup - YES!

I'm a pom, what did you expect? Spent half my days asleep and the other half (nights) awake.
The Poms draw against the USA in the first week and the focus then diverts to the Aussies, but a 4-0 caning against the Germans virtually puts an end to the campaign. I can't recall a side ever making it to the next phase after such a drubbing.

The Poms scrape through their group and are dumped out in the knockout round by the Germans 4-1 - another contentious decision - why is it always against the poms?

The aussies fail to make the cut btw.

July 1st 2010

School holidays - the boys and I went to the museum today and are planning to go to the zoo on Monday with Harry's friend Noah and his brother Nicholas.