Hickson Road Taper

Big crowd out today for the Hickson Road 1.2km sprints but Adam and I planned to take it as an easy-ish taper for Saturday's 10km and given yesterday's exertions. After taking 2 years to break 23.25 Adam is not talking about sub 23 for the Corp Cup - good to have goals, but I'm not getting any younger!
Any way, happy with today's set and with the first at 4.11 pace and the last four all about the 3.55 pace. Not sure what I did to the watch but the stats are all stuffed up and are available at discounted price today at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/183959831.
Rest day tomorrow and hoping to report two pb's in the one week after Saturday's race.

Two Corp Cup PB's

Stop Press - having taken a couple of years to go sub 24 minutes for the Corp Cup, I've taken 40 secs off in the last three runs! Even better was that Adam took 15 secs off his previous PB today, which is at least 18 months old as well. So our new pbs for the corp cup are 23.20 (me) and 23.10 (Adam). We went out hard today and managed to hold on as can be seen from the stats from the run at
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/183652095. Just couldn't catch him in the end and the 10 secs is pretty much his ability to go down stairs a lot quicker than me. I compared the two runs where I broke 24 and the results make interesting reading - my 23.39 was done over a course 100m longer and I was slower today on some of the km splits - so maybe some more room for improvement. Comparison stats are at the following link
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/comparison?activityId=183652095&activityId2=162350071. So a great result for both of us and the competitive spirit is alive and well!
Really looking forward to Saturday's striders run as that will be another head to head and hopefully some new pb's there as well.

Gentle Monday

Out for a gentle start to a week of racing with the Hurts group today. All up about 11kms at 4.37 average pace and a good turn out with MC, Laura, Emma, Adam and Dave among the group. A beautiful day for a run although a bit of a nasty headwind at Barangaroo. Stats for today at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/182909001.

Backlog

Bit of a posting backlog due to a hectic social calendar! Git out for the Hurts hill sprint session on Thursday and due to a 1.30 meeting could only get 6 repeats in, for which I was quite grateful and one more than I have ever managed for that set. Adam appeared for my second and pushed the pace a bit so didn't feel good at all. Stats at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/181968178. Also got out this morning for a ride and missed the group due to an overturned car alomst right outside Waverely police station - good place to have an accident and quite a bit of excitement for that time on a Sunday morning. Anyway, just did 25kms taking in Heartbreak Hill, Watsons Bay and Bondi and it was freezing. Stats for that ride at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/182361553 so a pleasant finish to the week. Striders 10km on Saturday and Corp Cup on Wednesday so taking it for the secon half of this week.

Easy Wednesday

Legs feeling shattered today so headed out for a run with Jim, Adam and Simmo and did the Glebe loop. Beautiful day for it and it was good to catch up with the lads and be able to talk during the run for a change. Jim getting back into it after nearly 12 months off with an achilles injury and may be able to make the Striders 10k at North Head. Simmo is talking about the Sydney Marathon in September following his run on Sunday so will be good to keep track of his progress towards that goal. Stats from today at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/181205576. Have been to the movies with the wife tonight hence the late posting but have a confirmed entry for the C2S thanks to a special 24 hour early bird window for 2011 entrants. Better start getting in some hill training - Hurts 10 x 550m hill session tomorrow could be just the ticket!

Heavy Legs

After a rest day yesterday, legs were still feeling quite heavy and calves a bit tight but headed out for the Hurts 4 x 10min speed session today. Huge crowd and King James's last formal Hurts run before he heads off travelling for 12 months. I reckon there were about 50 people out today including Tom, MC, Mike Race, Laura, Dave. Russell, Charlie and Adam. Took it very easy at the back with a few other half marathon recoveree's and still managed a respectable 4.16 average pace although the last 500m brought back some painful memories of Sunday's course. Rep pace went 4.16, 4.14, 4.09 and 3.52 as I was determined not to get passed by James and Adam on the last one. Stats for today are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/180848976.
Have committed to the Striders 10k at North Head in 2 weeks so will be my first head to head against Adam over 10kms since 2005 -  should be fun. Checked past results for that race and I did a 43.09, Jim did a 43.43 and Adam managed a 45.06 - could be a slight difference in times for this race and might have to see if Jim can make it for old times sake.

SMH Half PB

Woke up to the surprising sound of rain at 5.30 this morning - unbelievable given that Sydney was on for it's driest ever start to May had it been dry today - first 19 days of May have seen no rain! Anyway, was only a slight drizzle as I headed up to Bondi Junction and was thankful for the cloud cover as it stopped the temperature being quite so cold. Decent crowd for this event of 13,500 and it has grown a bit since my last run in 2001. Saw Supercoach at the start but none of the other Hurts crowd so headed off on my own and felt pretty good for the first 6/7kms - tried not to get too excited with the fast start and keep to 4.12 pace. Got through 10kms in 43 minutes after a couple of nasty little inclines around Pyrmont and came through 14kms in pretty much bang on 60 minutes (good boost for the city to surf at this stage of the year). Knew the last 5kms were going to be tough with the hills up Macquarie Street and around Art Gallery road and I was right. . Looking back at my stats on the Garmin, certainly did it quicker than it felt and managed a decent effort for the last 300/400 meters. All up I reckon I have done a 88.33 as i didn't stop my watch quickly enough at the end for some reason - so I'm taking 10 secs off the watch time. Given I haven't done more than 15/16kms in one go for about 3/4 months I am pretty stoked with the time. Garmin stats are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/179935976 Not sure what is going on with the official results which are saying a net time of 89.39 but very happy to see that I negative split the second 10kms by about a minute, especially on that course. So a bit of a break from the pb targets now until the C2S but I think a sub 88 is achievable for the Blackmores. Saw a few HUrts folks after the race and some great results all round - Laura doing an 80.40 and breaking 81 for the first time is probably a highlight. MC and Mike Race paced a couple of guys inclduing Indrajit who managed a 85.10. I doubt I will be out for hurts tomorrow but may hit the speed set on Tuesday.

Easy Friday

Only 5 of us out yesterday for hurts with most people doing the half tomorrow and few hardy souls doing The North Face 100km run today. MC, Mike Race, James and Russell the stalwarts and it was a nice easy pace round to Shelly Street where Mike Race, James and I dropped off to head back. Stats for yesterday are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/179566940. Looking forward to tomorrow wiith excitement and trepidation - especially as some lower back pain re-appeared this morning. Forecast is for good weather but it's good to be a chilly start at 6.45.

Corp Cup Run 101

Wasn't expecting a fast tme for the 101st Corp Cup run after yesterday's session and I wasn't disappointed. Managed a 24.20 which is still within an acceptable range and stats for that run are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/178726907.
Adam had a fantastic run today with a 23.30 and only 5 secs shy of his CC PB. He took off and I just had nothing to be able to stick with him and I doubt I would have been close by the end anyway. Must have been his fastest corp cup for close on 12 months - great effort and the results of all his distance training.

Hurts Tempo

Some last dash training for Sunday's half marathon with the hurts 45 minute tempo run. Wasn't hopefully of doing anything flash given last night's run home however very happy to have got further than I ever have on this session by a good 100m - almost to the squashed car and I normally just get passed the front door of the Sebel. Throught I'd gone out too hard and times are a bit slower on the way back but that is most likely just the hills. Good training run as the last two kms are pretty much the end of the half course, which won't be a nice way to end the race. Big crowd today with MC, Dave, James, Tom, Russell, Emma among the regulars and even a special appearance from BT's Hamish. So stats at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/178408999 and happy with an average of 4.06 pace all up - hope my last 11kms on Sunday are similar!

Run Home

Missed hurts today as an 11-12.30 meeting didn't finish until 1.30 so I ended up running home. There is very little difference between the time it takes to run and the bus - so a good option. Although I have stuffed my face since I came home because I am starving. Anyway, stats for tonight are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/178100444 and felt  a lot faster than the pace would suggest so kind of disappointed with that session.

Catch Up Posts

Been a very easy week of running with my trip to Perth. Weather there was not conducive to getting out and only managed to sneak in a quick 5kms on Tuesday night. Went out easy but cam back at pace and pretty happy with last two kms being sub 4 min pace. Stats for that run are posted at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/177161457
Skipped Thursday's speed session as I was feeling shattered and hammies were very tight. Headed out yesterday for Hurts (Adam was having a rest day as he's done just shy of 60kms for the week - the boy is training hard) and only 5 of us out with MC, Mike Race, Brendan (for 6kms) and John. Went out to Rose Bay and back for a 14.5km set and some nice hills which hopefully is good last minute training for the half. Stats for yesterday are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/177161450 and back into it next week prior to the SMH on Sunday.

I've Done It

My bogey distance has finally been overcome with a pb at the Sydney 10 this morning of 39.11, taking exactly 2.30 minutes off my previous pb set in August last year. Was a perfect morning for a run with blue skies and sunshine and I was surprised by the number of people turning up. Some godd performances from the Hurts contingent of Dave Kane, Timmy, Laura, J-Fen alas Lord Tom was unable to race due to a cold, although he still turned up to support the folks. Met up with an old Brats/Spottidog training buddy, Ronan, this morning which was excellent.
So on to the race and probably went off a bit hard for the 1st km looking at the stats (which I've edited as I forgot to stop the watch) and managed to pull it back a little to keep to the plan to do around 20mins for the first 5kms (19.45) and then try and bring it down to 3.50ish pace for the last 5kms. Kms 5-9 were around 3.52 pace an last one was a 3.45 so pretty happy. I also noticed that I only got passed by one person in the second 5kms and that was at 8.5kms and he managed to get about 10m on me before the finish - which for me is the sign of good pacing. Might have broken 39 had I not eating a shed load of cheese and ferrer roche at dinner last night and got into bed before midnight! Always a target for my next 10kms and we'll see how the SMH half pans out in two weeks. Off to Perth this afternoon, for 4 days, so will miss out on reliving the race with the Hurts squad tomorrow - they'll have that to look forward to on Thursday or Friday. Stats for today are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/175113669

Easy Friday

With Adam in NZ and Jim having meetings right through I went to the Hurts session and planned to just do 6kms easy. Headed off with Tom, MC, Mike Race, James and few others for a pleasant change running over to Cremorne Point. Felt great today and was chatting away with Mike at the front - even as I was going up the Cahill which I think is a first. Left the guys just before they dropped down from Kirribilli and came back to the office. Plenty of stretching before and after and everything is feeling ok so roll on Sunday morning! Stats for today are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/174564257

Got the Badge

A very gentle run today with Adam prior to the corp cup presentations and receiving my 100 run badge. Forgot to start my garmin until about 2kms into the run so probably did about 6kms all up. Back felt great and was back for a massage tonight and I was close to tears - the bruising from Friday morning is still visible and I reckon I'll be black and blue by the end of this week. The good news is there should be no issue with running at the Sydney 10 on Sunday. Will probably do another easy 6/7 on Friday and that will be it. Stats from today at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/173965160