Gate to Gate

A late running meeting meant I couldn't make the Rushcutters session but MC kindly put on a Farm Cove set as well, so rocked up for that hoping that I'd miss the first two but no such luck. Still a decent crowd of about 20 folk including Charlie Low, Jonathon and Hamish. Felt pretty ordinary for the first two but things seemed to ease up a little bit in the middel and just managed to hang on for the last two. Was very warm and humid today so gave the ladies a thrill by running the last one and back to the office with my top off. Stats for today at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/151850701 and ecstatic that everything was sub 4 min/km pace after yesterday's long run.
Might try and get out for a swim in the morning, if not I'll do the hurts swim session at lunchtime. Also very excited to get the bike back tonight with a new 11-25 rear cluster, bottom bracket and chain.

Wednesday Long Run

Headed out for the long Wednesday run today and felt absolutely awful on the way up to the State Library - no energy, legs heavy and very little motivation. Not sure what happened during the 5 minutes I was waiting for the rest of the group, but when we started off I felt great and was feeling really comfortable running up the front - the hill up from Garden Island felt the easiest it ever has today. Not a hugh crwod out but some of the usual suspects in MC, Jonathon, Todd, Indrajit, Russell and Tom catching us up at Rushcuutters. He seems to be enjoying the single parent life at the moment and, courageously, seems to be thinking about giving his wife some feedback on her domestic duties when she returns from the UK. He might not be out again for a while.
Anyway, all up 15.5 kms, coming back after one lap of the park with Indrajit and happy at 4.44 average pace for that route. Stats at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/151623758. Get the bike back tomorrow, so excited about the new cluster and looking forward to a Rushcutters set - how much excitement can one perosn have in a single day!

Return from Man Cold

After my ride last Tuesday morning, http://connect.garmin.com/activity/149462814, I came down with a pretty bad man cold which saw two days off work followed by another couple taking it easy to really shake it off. Managed a 1km swim at Clovelly yesterday morning and got out for the hurts run today for the first one in a week. Thought I would feel a lot stronger than I did to be honest, by about 8/9 kms I was feeling as though my legs were made of lead and just weak in the body. Was hoping to get to the opera house for 13kms, but pulled out at 11kms at the bottome of Circular Quay. Stats for today are at
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/151094950 and I won't be out for the speed stuff tomorrow, but aiming for a long one on Wed and speed on Thurs.
On a good note, I will hopefully get the bike back in the next couple of days and get a few rides in before Kurnell a week on Sunday.
On a bad note, the father of a girl in Mackenzie's class at school passed away on the weekend afer a year long battle with cancer. Two young daughters of 8 and 6 and it just brings the fragility of life quite close to home and makes you appreciate family and good health.

Monday Hurts

Adam still not back to running after having his wisdom tooth out on Friday, so fronted up to the Monday session on my own. Had managed to get a swim in on Sunday morning - just a 1km - but Clovelly was perfect with clear, warmish water and the sun shining. Decent crowd today with MC, Laura, Russell, James, Rob, Dave and Charlie among the regulars. Seem to have forgotten the 4.40 pace rule with the pace around farm cove already down to 4.35's. Was very humid again today and despite thunder as we ran around the Opera House, no sign of a cooling shower. Left calf was feeling pretty good after some stretching at the start and was quite keen to attempt the whole set today but didn't want to push it too much so left the group at the Opera House on the return leg and came back to the bottom of Pitt Street for 13kms in 58.38 mins. Not a bad start to the week and although I could still feel some twinge in the calf, nothing compared to the end of last week. Did some more stretching after I finished so will see how things go on Wednesday. Stats for today at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/149286726 and working from home tomorrow, so weather permitting, I'll sneak in a ride in the morning and maybe a swim at lunch.

Little Blighters

No ride this morning thanks to Hamish waking up and 12.40 followed by Mackenzie at about 2am and not being able to sleep in between, I didn't really welcome the 5.20 alarm. So it was a run at lunch and had to stop half way due to a very tight and popping feeling in my left calf. Noticed it in the second last run of yesterday's session and got it massaged at the chiro last night but discretion is the better part of valour, so I just did 8kms to Shelly Street. About a dozen out today and the highlight being the return of Tom, who hasn't been bludging and been sick. James and Russell among the crowd. Started off up front with Tom at about 4.30 pace and managed to bring it down about 10 secs for the kms under the bridge and Barangaroo. So despite the calf, pretty happy backing up Wed and Thurs with 36.03 for 8kms. Stats from today at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/148442441. Hoping to get a swim in this weekend if the weather permits.

Tough Session

It was 8 x 3 mins today in Farm Cove and I knew I was going to feel every one today on the run over. Legs felt sluggish after yesterday's corp cup and I just feel really heavy at the moment. Weight is sitting around 77.5-78kgs so maybe that is having a effect but that's been pretty steady since the marathon. A big crowd with the first appearance this week from James and notably absent from all sessions this week has been Tom - perhaps the running evry day in January has finally taken it's toll. The park wardens were after us for the first couple of sets - admirable effort trying to stop 40 odd people running at sub 4 min km pace but he didn't suceed in putting us off. Anyway, very happy with consistent pace in the 3.42-3.48 range but it was tough. Today's stats are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/148241236  and I did do all 8 just didn't get the garmin set up properly until the end of the first one.
Aiming for a bike ride in the morning with Nick and Chris - Watson's Bay hill route so that will be fun. Not sure if I'll skip the lunch run for a hurts swim session, do 10/11kms or actually have a lunch.

Corp Cup Getting Interesting

Second corp cup of the series before a three week break and managed to take 10 secs off last week's time with a 24.25. Given the course alteration is still in place I suspect I am tantalisingly close to 24 for the normal course, so I'll focus on the speed work for the next couple of weeks. I felt pretty ordinary today as well, so hopefully that is a good sign. I had forgotten to change the workout option on the garmin so it thinks I was cycling. Anyway stats are here http://connect.garmin.com/activity/148036344  and looking forward to Hurts session tomorrow.