catch up

23/6 - rest day

24/6 dog loop bay lap
Did a long lap of the bay. I had decided to revisit tempo running in particular after a lametable effort on the previous thursday.

I have been off the coolrunning radar for a while and didnt realise the 5km challenge was on. As I took off from montage the pack was heading under the bridge on the other side of the canal.I always find it awkward stopping when there are 20 people standing around so I pushed on after a quick general hello.

Today was a much better effort, the goal was consistency and sub 40. Managed 38.40 and in a solid manner. I really got a lot of confidence from this run, which has allowed for some momentum since. Unfortunately that momentum didnt carry through to the next days long run...

25/6 22kms Enmore - Sydney Uni - City - Bot Gardens - Anzac Bridge - Enmore

I had a shocker this morning. I woke after having a few too many beers and red wines watching the rugby the previous evening and just felt crap for the whole run. I had a dose of the Urtha Kitts and had to make an emergency pit stop in Darling Harbour. To top it off it was cold and blustery and my foot was really bothering me.

I had to make it home by 8.30 so the run was cut short to 22kms but I wasnt complaining. I just could not get going. On these longer runs it is important to find your rythym otherwise it is hard work and the run just drags. It sure did today 1.48 for 22kms of struggle. Felt really stiff throughout the runalso so had a really good stretch that night, something I dont do often enough.

26/6 7.5km recovery run

I felt a bit beat up from yesterday so decided on a really cruisy run on some trails around work down to Lane Cove Golf Course and then across River Rd on some more trail to Greenwich. Around my usual loop around Shell Park and the sailing club, back up to work via Greenwich Rd. No watch.

27/6 15km with 5km effort

After last thursdays effort I felt that it was time to start pushing out of the comfort zone a bit more in the training. So I set off to make amends for a couple of recent shockers. The aim was to run the loop down to the Iron Cove Bridge fairly comfortably and to run a hard 5kms and home again easily.

If last sunday was a struggle from the outset onights run was its Evil Cartman. As soon as I pushed off tonight I just felt fucking brilliant. I rolled along Crystal, Norton St and Balmain Rd at a good clip with a few surges thrown in. So much for taking it easy to Iron Cove! It sounds corny but it felt like old times where I was able to push with control and rythym. I reached the start of the bridge in 26 minutes which was around 4.0something pace. From the steps (plus about 20 metres) and into the Car Park at the bottom of Lilyfield Rd in 19.30...yes! I really pushed the envelope in the 5kms but still left a little petrol in the tank.

I stopped the watch and walked up Lilyfield Rd Hill and slow jogged home, I felt my work had well and truelly been done that evening. It was nice to see that the effort I had been putting was slowly paying off. A way to go, but definitely a win tonight.

28/6 - grass loop Gore Hill

Ran a reasonably lacklustre 5 laps of the grass loop in 39.45 for 9.1kms.

A bit of a mixed bag few days of running but the positives now outweighing the negatives...keep punching away.