Woohoo

Out for my easy, flat 8 kms per physio's orders today after keeping the foot strapping on all weekend and doing some itb stretches. A stunning day in Sydney and a good turnout for a Monday including Indrajit, Anna, Laura, Mike and Tom. Knee felt great even on the downhills near the ABC pool and Mrs Macquaries and although a bit of foot pain was nothing compared to last week. Legs felt great - probably because I've hardly run in the last two weeks and pace felt ok at around 4.30 and was bang on 4.30 for the whole session. Heart rate looked ok and managed to talk comfortably all the way round. Physio again tomorrow so better do some stretching tonight but mood is a lot better after today and hopefully training is back on track this week. Run stats are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/110225289

A Bad Day

Probably should have stayed in today - headed out for the hurts 2km sprint session hoping the knee pain from yesterday was a blip and the foot was feeling better after some stretching last night. Managed the first two repeats around 7.35/7.40 and felt ok. Started the third one and after about 150 metres pain started shooting around right knee and had to pull up. Walked back to the office and have a physio appointment for tomorrow. Look like missing another long run this saturday and can only pray the marathon is still on.
Run stats are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/109219139.

Not a great run back

Very unhappy with the foot and now the right knee after today's run! First run back in a week and left foot felt a bit painful on the way up to the start but after some stretching felt fine,so headed off for a lap of Centennial. Very small group today with only James, Mike, Louis (?), a lawyer and myself and gladly the pace wasn't too hot on the way out. Left the guys to do a second lap and headed back down Ocean Street and the foot and knee started to get painful. Probably more concerned with the right knee as that is something totally new - was really quiet bad on the downhills, lucky there are none coming back through Rushcutters, Elizabeth Bay and Potts Point. Ended up with a 5m/km average for 14.5kms but had to walk back from Martin Place. Run stats are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/108979130. Did some stretches back at the office and will see how things feel for the sprint session tomorrow.

Foot Update

After no running since Corp cup on Wednesday, had a massage yesterday and focused on left foot. Tina worked wonders and thought it's just a tight ligament and it felt a 100 times better afterwards. Bit of residual pain this morning but suspect just post massage tenderness. Tina suggested another few days off running might be ideal, so will see how it feels tomorrow and aim for half the hurts session at an easy pace. Really have to get marathon training back on track by end of this week.

Back Online

We have internet on at the new place, so will be able to get the blog back on track. Doing this at work, so a verty quick update on the last week. C2S in a pb of 57.48 so very very happy especially with last 3 km pace and the long saturday runs have definitely helped. Stats are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/107120153. Have hurt my left foot-  suspect planta fasitis (spelling?) so on the voltaren gel and stretching. Did corp cup on Wed in 25.40 and resting for the remiander of the week to see how the foot goes as I don't want to jeopardise the half and marathon. Corp Cup stats at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/107596652.

Will get a more detailed update done over the weekend.

Last run before house move and C2S

Thoroughly enjoying a lighter week with an 11km easy hit out with Hurts today. Last session for me before we move house on Friday and City to Surf on Sunday. Set today was a easy hour long run so we just did the Hickson Road route with a crowd of about 8 including Tom, who dumped another lunch for the run, the Macquarie Model Dave Kane, Mike, Mark and Russell. Pace was very easy at 4.27 average so stuck up the front and peeled off at Circular Quay on the way back. Run stats are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/105322613. Legs felt good and hopefully a couple of days rest will mean I'm fresh and feeling strong for Sunday.
Could be off air for a while as Telstra unlikely to connect internet at the new house for about 10 days - will try and discreetly update at work when I get the chance.

Monday Hit Out

Huge crowd for the Monday run today - you can tell C2S is close - but surprisngly no Tom. Maybe he is still recovering from the Hurts drinks on Thursday night.
The pace was on from the start and was confirmed by James at Mrs Macquaries as being 15 secs per km faster than a normal Monday run. Group started to split up a bit so Adam and I decided to ray and stay with the faster guys and just do 8kms around to Shelley Street. Not planning to have a big week with the race this weekend. Felt pretty ordinary at the start and stomach and head hadn't been feeling good all morning, but around the opera house felt good and kept the pace pretty comfortably for the rest of the run. Overheard a couple of the guys talking about race plans for Sunday "do the first 5kms in 17.30, then the next 5kms in 19.30 and then just come home hard"- wish we could be having the same conversation but I fear if I could even do 5kms in 17.30, I wouldn't be doing a 6th km! Run stats from today are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/104845642.

Another run record - by 200m

Complete lack of motivation last night and this morning for the long run session but managed to pull myself out of bed and get down to Bondi for 7am. Desire for a run wasn't helped by a 3.20am wake up for a wet bed - not my own I hasten to add. Kermit was waiting at Bondi Surf club and I was disappointed that he hadn't done an hour already like last week - the blighter took the bus to the start. Russell showed up and sprinted off to the toilet block immediately which wasn't a good sign. No one else about so we headed off at and enjoyed et another stunning Sydney winter morning with a fantastic calm seas around Bondi, Tama and Bronte. Kermit and Russell required a toilet stop in Centennial - obviously quite active bowels - and we headed off into the city. Legs and knees were feeling a bit stiff for the first 10 kms but eased up a bit by the time we got into town. Some words of encouragement from the Oxford Street revellers spurred us on to the C2S course. Felt good until heartbreak hill and took it easy up over the top and down into Watson's Bay - Russell was killing the hills despite this being his first ever run over 25kms. Coming out of Watson's Bay wasn't pleasant but knowing we were in our last 10kms helped with the mental stamina. Felt better than last week on the last few kms and decided to run the actual C2S finish along Campbell Parade just to let the guys get a feel for it for next week. Very happy with an average pace of 5.02 compared to 5.06 last week and being 30 secs quicker for another 200m. Last 200m was at 3.45pace which I am very happy with after the distance and let's hope that I can manage that for the last 200 of the marathon! Run stats are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/104330228 and takes the weeks total to 62kms. Body definitely feeling the increase so looking forward to an easier week next week with C2S and house move!

Thursday Sprints

Dinner with friends prevented the blog entry last night. The original Hurts session yesterday of 5 x 1.2kms sprints on a warm and humid Sydney day. Big turn out meant three groups and pretty happy with performance after Wednesday's effort. Run stats are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/103933981 although garmin ran out of battery at the start of the 4th set so nothing for the last two. First three felt all right and averaged about 3.40 pace starting off slower and ending up at the front of our group by the end. Rest day today and long run session of 30kms tomorrow morning- might be tempted with a dip at Bondi again if the weather is nice.

Embarassingly Dropped

A shocker today on the long Hurts run when I was dropped about 4kms in at Rushcutters and didn't recover for the remainder of the run. The only saving grace was that I didn't get caught by the fast guys. Knew I was in trouble when the pace from the outset seemed to be around 4.30's for a 15/16km set to Centennial Park and back. Had forgotten the Garmin today so no run stats and probably best! Not sure if it was delayed fatigue from Saturday's effort or the combined effect of Saturday and Monday. So looking forward to the original Hurts 1.2km Hickson Road sprints tomorrow.