Blue Sky

Week 7: Sunday November 28, 2010 - Two Weeks to Kepler

Horrible headcold with migraine like headache kept me in bed most of Monday and feeling a bit fragile on Tuesday. The Kepler Challenge race is on next Saturday, 4th December and I am supposed to be tapering anyhow. But I sense a rising panic about  raceday approaching. By Wednesday I got out for a shortish 7km trail run. And on Thursday  I did a steady 10km on the roads around Palm Beach, just for a change of scenery.

By Friday I had recovered enough to run hill repeats, completing 3 by 1km at less than 80% heart rate. Very pleased with the effort.  On Saturday I ran 21km on trails around Lane Cove River with the pack I plan to use for Kepler, a Solomon XA20. Including 2 L of water and all the safety gear it weighed nearly 3.5kg.  The pack was comfortable but I am pleased I will not need to carry so much water on race day. Blue sky and a glorious pink sunrise for the last run on the week, a steady 8km on the roads around Wahroonga on Sunday.  

Four Seasons in One Week

Week 6: Sunday November 21, 2010 - Three Weeks to Kepler

Winter returned for a few days mid-week after the heat and humidity of the past weekend. What strange weather pattern. Huge thunderstorms with strong winds and lots of rain.

Lightening crackling over the sporstfields.

I ended up with a head cold after the pacing duties last weekend which limited the amount of running I could do this week. After taking Monday and Tuesday off, I ran a total of 50km over four days hoping that worst of the head cold was settled. Terrific hilly runs around Garigal National Park focusing on technique rather than pace for running hills.  In theory it should add strength by conditioning leg muscles, ligaments and tendons.

By Sunday the head cold had returned with a  fever and wheepy eyes. Oh well better now than in two weeks time. 

And then summer returns

Sunday was fabulous - summer also returned. Perfect for the Striders long Sunday run where around 50 runners enjoyed running over challenging terrain combined with great ocean views followed by breakfast by the beach and a cooling dip in the ocean.



Hills, Heat and Humidity

Week 5: Sunday November 14, 2010 - Four Weeks to Kepler
A week of appreciating my health and tending to it. I had accepted that the time I have was not going to be enough to prepare for the Kepler Challenge properly so I just want to get there in the best condition possible and not get injured along the way. So this was a good week to back off a little and consolidate the training so far. Five weeks of regular running and no niggles anywhere. I think the hamstring tendon pain is held in check by regular massage and yoga practices focused on balancing and strengthening. A total of 25km of hilly trail running and 70km of hilly trail walking this week.  The highlight of the week was having the privilege to pace a participant in the Great North Walk 100mile race, held over the weekend.

The race started at Teralba just west of Warners Bay and finishes 174km later on the sands of Patonga Beach.  A hot and humid weekend saw a very high attrition rate for the event. I loved the experience: moving through the landscape, reveling in the heat and humidity and focused not on your self or racing or competing but just assisting someone else to meet their goal. Very liberating.

Rain, Rain Go Away

Week 4: Sunday November 7, 2010 - Five Weeks to Kepler

It feels like a breakthrough week. A little glimpse of fitness returning with a comfortable 12km trail run on Wednesday and Saturday at 6.30min/km pace. I felt stronger on the hills and confidence is returning. Ran a total of 70 km this week. Longest run was the Striders STaR on Sunday - the only time it did not rain while out running this week.   The course follows the undulation of Sydneys eastern suburbs. I was running slow enough to take in the Sculptures by the Sea exhibition.

Very pleased to complete the very hilly 26km in 3hrs and 10 minutes. Highlight of the week was overcoming inertia to get out of bed on a wet and wild Saturday to run a 12km on the trail.

For some reason I was hoping to keep my feet dry by avoiding stepping in numerous puddles, only to finish in a downpour.  It was a lot of fun. 

Brush with Turkey

Week 3: Sunday October 31, 2010 - Six Weeks to Kepler

A week of determination to regain fitness without getting injured again. This week I ran six times for a total of 70km combined with daily yoga practices to stretch and strengthen. Longest run was 2hrs20min for 21 km on the road. Fitness is slow to return, average heart rate for most workouts has been above 85% for relatively slow pace. The highlight of the week out on the road and the trails would have to be the glorious sunrise on Tuesday just before I headed out the door.....

and the brush turkey with attitude on the Gibberagong track on Saturday.