September 2014
My committment to return to running was strengthened when I offered to pace a friend in his first attempt to run 100 miles.
In addition to pacing on the Great North Walk, which for me was truly a walk, I managed a paultry total of 40km of running this month. I had also entered the Boston Marathon with my newly minted Grandmas Marathon Qualifier and learned that I was accepted so I needed to work on building base fitness by end of year. Did also some photography at the Sydney Marathon.
October 2014
A month of more consistent running with increasing long slow distance runs on Sunday. Longest run was the Airport Adventure at 20km and a race at the Fernleigh 15km in Newcastle. The Ferneligh race was a lot of fun and so nice to return to racing amongst stangers. I felt like I ran a consistent effort for my current level of fitness to finish the 15km in 1hr23min.
Afterwards Hammer and I wound our way home through Catherine Hill Bay to see what all the development fuss was about. Wow, what an eye opener. The place looks like something that time forgot...paradise. No wonder the locals are up in arms. A monthly total of 180km.
November 2014
Consolidating on the running constency of last month, in November I also added swimming and cycling, having enrolled in a cycling skills course. I could feel that my fitness and strength were slowly returning. The start of Six Foot Marathon training early in the month was an early portent of good things to come. So great to conect with many old and meet new running buddies and all excited about the upcoming summer of training fun. A total for the month of 140km.
December 2014
By the second week of December fitness had returned. I could keep up with my usual training partners on key workouts and I was feeling confident that things were falling into place. And then it all fell apart when in mid-December I developed severe R foot pain towards the end of a long run. I thought I was being cautious by cutting a long run shorter. It turns out it was just not short enough. A metatarsal stress fracture. Hindsight is always a wonderful thing but I will never learn from my mistakes because the lessons are always new. Merry Christmas..... just as fitness was beginning to feel like it was in my grasp.
Anyhow the podiatrist was certain that it was an early stress reaction and to give it few weeks and see how it reacts to running. If it hurts when running then back off, was the advice...A total of 100k for the month, before I had to stop running.
January 2015
Slow return by doing a run/walk at the Black Stump on the 1 January. Training wise most weeks covered about 40km of walking interspered with running.
No foot pain where the bone fracture was but it has morphed into beginnings of ankle, achillies and plantar pain. Saw a physio and it is being addressed. Hammer did the local ocean swim in absolutely perfect conditions. A magic summers day.
I had a good solid run with Hammer from Drummoyne to Dawes Point and return in preparation for pacing particiants in the World Marathon Challenge on Thursday before the Australia Day long weekend.
Running highlight of the month was pacing the World Marathon Challenge, starting at midnight around the Bay run and finishing under the Harbour Bridge in the middle of the night. Then going back to the start and accompanying another runner finishing at sunrise. Absolutely magic.
A total of 160km for the month of which only two runs, totaling 25km, were solid road running. A very low base on which to start a marathon training program - 12 weeks to Boston. But it is what it is!
