Easy 7kms

A 1pm meeting interfered with the lunch run today so just did 7kms with Hurts. A big crowd for a Wednesday including MC, LF Charlie, Tom, Jit, Brendan and Adam. Stats from today at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/351152463 and looks like the Garmin went a bit askew around CQ.

5kmTT

Well a great night organised by Clyde at ES Marks and a good turnout with Tom, Barts, CT, Enda, Timmy, Brendan and another chap. Very happy with a new 5km pb of 18.46 - although I went out too hard for the first lap at 3.25 pace. Will load up stats but didn't hit the watch correctly so only registered 4.5kms. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/350631149
Think this will become a regular event now - great just to have a monthly event where I can track progress.
Did a 3km warm up and 2km warm down for about 10kms all up.

Monday Hurts

A big crowd out on a stunning Sydney day - must have been about 22C and about the same number of people - you can tell the C2S is around the corner. Usual suspects out today including MC, Laura, Tom, Big Sam and Dave Kane. Nice easy pace all the way round today and averaged 4.35 for the 10.5kms. Stats for today are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/350115166.
Looking forward to Clyde's 5km TT on the track tomorrow night at ES Marks - hoping for a 5km pb and a sub 19.

Saturday Long Run

Decent crowd out today on a beautiful morning for a run. Laura, CT, Geordie Paul and Skins among the regulars with MC and Timmy joining for the second lap. Really felt the benefit of yesterday's rest and very happy to manage to do the last 3kms of the second loop at 4.20 and below. Laura looking in great shape and training hard for Melbourne, with MC and Timmy lamenting that they will struggle to get close to 52 for the C2S - what a burden to bear. Stats for today are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/348744785.
Backed up with a two lap ride around the park in one of the family bikes and boy did that feel tough.
A good week and one more hard week before tapering for C2S.

Falling Behind on Posts and new Corp Cup PB

Work is getting a little in the way of blog posts so apologies to my legions of loyal readers.
Have had a good week so far - managed to get out on Monday for Hurts, spoke to Tom for a bit although he doesn't appear to remember as I didn't warrant a mention on his blog. Nice easy pace and out the front with Mike Race from the turnaround until the Opera house and all up about 12.5 kms at 4.35 pace although I forgot the Garmin. Pilates on Tuesday followed by corp cup yesterday and a new pb of 23.10 and no idea where that came from as I haven't broken 24 this series.  A fitting run given last night was the 25th anniversary dinner and a good evening with the BT team. Stats for CC are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/347954608.
Out with Jim today to do Argyll Street hill repeats as I couldn't get the time to go over to Rushcutters for the 800's. Jim went off pretty fast on the first one and couldn't quite catch him by top. On the way back down I suggested he might have peaked early and he didn't disappoint on the other four reps but still a great effort form the big man who hasn't done a session like that for a while. Stats for today are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/347954592.
Rest day tomorrow and long run on Saturday morning. Getting nervous about the C2S despite being happy with my form of late - big race.
Excitingly I have also found a 10km race for the weekend I am hoping to be in Scotland in October if all goes to plan. Aviemore 10km and looks like a good course - top 10 time would have to be around 37 minutes - not sure I can do that but would be great to do a sub 38 and it's only two weeks after Blackmores, so fitness should hopefully hold up.

Adelaide and 10km PB

An easy week in Adelaide from a running perspective but not from a food and drink viewpoint! I put on about 1.5kgs over the week and only managed three 5/6 kms runs so it wasn't the best prep for the 10km on Sunday. It didn't get any better after attending the Tahs game on the Saturday night and downing a donner kebab and chips - a special kind of carbo loading.
It didn't appear to make too much difference on Sunday as I managed to take close to 50 secs off my previous 10km time with a 38.24 and while happy, I know I can do better.
Pulled up ok although a little tight in the calves but managed to get out for an easy 10kms on Monday and did 13kms today. City to Surf is the next goal and so three weeks of solid effort to try and get a pb at that run.
Adelaide Stats
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/341586070
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/341586064
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/341586052
Harbour 10km
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/343886951
This weeks runs
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/343886944
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/343886932

Special Entry - Jim's Striders Result

Didn't manage to get out yesterday due to meetings so a poor end to the week and in Adelaide all next week with work, so no Hurts for a week!
The highlight of this week though has been James Kent and his fastest 10km for 5 years this morning and the Striders 10km at Homebush. A cracking official time of 46.08, so around 4.37 pace and it must have been his attendance at Hurts last week that produced the result. When interviewd post race, a delight Jim, mentioned this blog as the motivation for helping him push on over the last few kms. Well hopefully this entry will keep him going for the C2S and I'd predict a sub 64 based on the 10km result and a few more Hurts sessions.

Rushcutters 10x400's

Decent crowd out today for the speed set and I just missed the meeting point so had to do a hard run over to the oval which meant I felt pretty awful before I even started the set. Took the shoes off after rep 4 and felt much better for the final 6 and happy to hold sub 3.30 pace. Feeling knackered tonight and looking forward to a easy Friday run tomorrow. Stats for today are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/337267121 and all up about 10kms.

Wednesday Run

Missed the start today by 5 mins and the group must have gone east as I tried to catch them by looping around Mrs Macquaries to no avail. Saw Emma at the Opera House so did the Hickson Road wharves and down to Darling Harbour and back across the Pyrmont Bridge on what was a stunning Sydney winter day. All up about 13kms today although I'd forgotten the Garmin so used Strava on the phone and it said 4.22 average pace. Hopefully able to get out for the 10x400 at Rushcutters tomorrow.

Canberra and Monday Hurts

Had a very relaxing few days in Canberra last week with the family - certainly more relaxing than Julia experienced. Weather, by all accounts, was much better than Sydney and managed to get out for a run on Friday morning. Bit chillier that I am used to at 7C but a very scenic run around Lake Burley Griffin at no great speed. All up 10kms at 4.45 pace and stats for run are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/335872546.
Managed to get today and a huge group who seemed to decide that our pace would be between 4.15 and 4.30 right from the start. Plenty of commentary about the pace around Farm Cove but no-one was game enough to reign it in, so we just had to knuckle down and get on with it. Felt pretty good for the 12.5kms and happy with an average pace of 4.24 although the last 6kms were pretty much sub 4.20. Just as well Jim didn't turn up today - he would never have come back. Stats for today are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/335872536