Friday Swim and Sunday Run

Headed up to the Boy Charlton Pool for the Hurts swim session on Friday and recieved a reminder in how bad my swimming really is. About half a dozen folk there including Pete Burns and Emma and after the 100m warm up I had no hope. Managed to do about 1.2kms all up but struggled through most of it.
Got out this morning for the Hurts Centennial long run and a decent crowd of about 10/12 including MC, Rob, Enda and Dave Kane. Session was 3 x 10km laps at 4.40, 4.30 and 4.20. I only planned to do 2 and was pretty happy to average 4.29 pace for the whole set and finishing strong. Stats for today are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/228241042

Argyll Street Hill Repeats

First time ever that I have managed all ten repeats of todays session. In my opinion this is the hardest set on the Hurtts calendar. Only 8 of us for this set today including Emma, Dave, David Casey and Hamish among the regulars. Wanted to start off slower and finish the set and was happy to be able to maintain the pace for the whole set and finish quicker on the last three. Stats for today at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/227368537

Monday Run

Managed to get out yesterday for the normal Monday set on a beautiful spring day. Not a big crowd and you can tell the longer races are over for the winter. MC there as usual but feeling a bit tender after a 30km session on saturday, along with Dave, Mike Race and Rob. A very nice pace for the first 5kms after which we were joined by Tom and Dave Kane who picked it up a little bit going down Barangaroo. Managed to hit the front with Tom around Circular Quay and we were picked up by Rob just before Mrs Macs chair for the run home. All up 15.5kms for the set at an average pace of 4.35. Stats for yesterday at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/226384495.
MC mentioned Inrdajit's effort in the GNR in Newcastle (UK) with an 82.50 for the half marathon - sensational result.

Friday Ride

First hit out on the bike since the end of May and it certainly felt like I'd been off it for 4 months! Got out for an early one with Nick, Chris and Peter yesterday morning and was hoping for a slightly easier La Per ride and instead I got Eastern beaches hills. After the two days of hard short stuff I ahd nothing in my thighs going up the first hill and that pretty much set the standard for the rest of the ride. The only thing that made it bearable was a beautiful morning and stunning sunrise over the ocean - forget just how much I love that time of day after I've overcome the general malaise trying to get out of bed. However that's the first one under the belt, so the rrest should be easy!
Stats are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/225315009

Gate to Gate PB

Out for the 8 x gate to gate today with a pretty small crowd - suspect a few folk are taking it easy after the running festival. MC, Emma and Dave Casey were among the regular faces in a crowd of perhaps 12. Beautiful day for it although Farm Cove was a wee bit busy. Wasn't sure how I was going to back up after yesterday's CC effort but very happy to have started off faster that usual with a 3.48 and managed to bring it down a bit and hold 3.16 (3.36 pace) for repeats 5-7 and then finish with a new pb of 3.07 (3.26 pace). Possibly my first time breaking 3.30 pace - while I'm chuffed I just have to remind myself that this is still slower than Tom's marathon pace!
Stats for today are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/224832718 and supposed to be going for a ride in the morning although no text from Nick as yet so might not be on. Won't be out tomorrow as I have a lunch on but might try and sneak one in on Sunday morning.

Town of Runners

Well I did come down with something, so that curtailed my plan for Sunday morning. Was pretty gutted as it would have been great to have a hit out with Adan for his first (and possibly last) half where he ran a sensational 86.08. Really setting some high targets this winter.
Have just come back from watching Town of Runners with some of the Hurts group - great film with some very humourous and poignant moments - well done Terence for putting it on.
Also managed my second fastest corp cup ever today with a suspected 23.25 ish - didn't have my watch bu the guy who finished with me and started at roughly the same time did a 23.26. Felt good even though I was pushing it a bit. Had a ccouple of hold ups on the course, so hopeful I can get closer to that 23 mark in future.

Last Run Before Half

Bit concerned that I'm coming down with something as the throat has become increasingly sore and starting to sneeze a fair bit since I ran at lunch. Out for the 4x2km set today and Mike changed it to be7 mins with 2 mins rest. Probably about 20 folk out today including Adam and we decided to do this set at race pace - so aiming for 4.10 pace. I must say, at that pace it was the most enjoyable of this set I have ever done and I think this is the toughest set on the Hurts calendar. Even managed to speak for most of the session despite going a wee bt quicker than we should have. So all up about 9kms today and with a team lunch tomorrow that will be it before Sunday. Stats for today are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/222137017, http://connect.garmin.com/activity/222137006, http://connect.garmin.com/activity/222137002 and http://connect.garmin.com/activity/222136995.

Wednesday Nostalgic PH Run

Adam and I missed the Hurts session today due to work so headed out for a run across the Anzac Bridge and round Glebe - almost an emotional pre-hurts (PH) run. Couldn't believe we were still talking as we ran up onto and across Anzac Bridge and the slight incline from the Boathouse restaurant while maintaining a 4.40 pace for the 8kms. Stats are all to pot as I must have started the watch when I left the office and didn't stop it properly when I finished up and are here http://connect.garmin.com/activity/221847428
Had a couple of glasses of vino and a some very nice ox tongue at a new tapas bar beside the office - wouldn't run behind me at the 4x2km set tomorrow.

Last Long Pace Session

Out for the usual Monday run and another decent size group including MC, Tom, Rob, Dave, Adam and Jonathan. Pace was back to a normal Monday set with Mike leading the charge at the front although from halfway round it started to pick up a bit when Jonathan pushed out front. Knew I wasn't going to be out tomorrow so started to pick up the pace from the back of the Opera House. Pretty happy with a 4.23 and 4.09 for the last couple of kms given the  undulations on the way home. Adam is aiming for a sub 88 and ideally around an 86 for his first half on Sunday which would be a great effort and result and hopefully will give me something to chase on the way around. Stats for today at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/221070451

Soft

Well you could tell there were Hurts drinks on last night by the four of us of turned up for the Friday session today. Big Sam, Trailwalker Jon and a new guy headed out on the Monday course and were almost blown into the harbour. Pace was on a bit from the start and going round the bottom of Farm Cove at about 4.25 pace I wasn't sure I was going be abel to keep it up. We were hit by a wall of wind at the back of the opera house - have never experienced anything like it. I was almost stopped in my tracks and honestly thought I would go backwards - only learnt this avo that it was gusting up to 100kms. Bit blustery around Hickson Road but quite pleasant coming back. Finished up at Circular Quay with a couple of quicker kms for aabout 45kms for the week all of which have been run at 4.22 average or quicker! No wonder I'm cactus tonight. Might try for a long one on Sunday morning weather permitting. Stats for today are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/219728462

Thursday Speed Set

With the Corp Cup in the legs, I wasn't sure doing the 8 gate to gates was going to be a great idea but certain it was better than 10x550m argyll street hill reps. Only 5 of us turned up for that set after two late program changes from Tom and Mike Race. Three of the group were doing about 3.20 pace and luckily another guy was planning to do about 3.55 so we stick together for the sessoin. Very happy to start the set at 3.48 pace and finish with two at 3.39 pace after Wednesday effort so feeling a bit more confident for the half. Stats for Thursday at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/219728483

Corp Cup

Bit of a delay getting things posted this week due to an evening out and friends over for dinner. So Wednesday was Corp Cup day and Sydeny turned up the heat with 27C and starting to remember what it is like to run in the summer again. Felt quite strong for most of the course and a bit disappointed to only manage a 24.20 - certainly felt a lot faster but maybe my hard Monday had taken its toll on the legs. Stats for the run are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/219728495

Hard Monday

Didn't quite run according to the Monday recovery run plan and feeling the effort now. Decent sized group today and some good performances from the Coastal Classic and the Striders 10km over the weekend. Seems the Striders course was 150m long so just as well I didn't go. MC managed a Garmin pb but alas that won't count!
Did the whole set today and knew it was going to be tough when we were doing 4.25 pace at the second km, so just decided to do the set as a hard training run for the half and finished with a couple of 4.10's at around the 13/14km mark. So all up 16kms today and a good start to the week - stats are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/218266498.