The confidence grows

It has been incredibly frantic around fox central. End of financial year and family commitments have left little time for blogging, but I am happy to say that the comeback is now slowly building momentum. Since I last blogged I have managed to get some good quality runs in amongst a very busy schedule.

We have just celebrated the rabbits birthday also and mother has finally returned to work. My work bites at present, I am terribly unhappy and have started putting the feelers out for something new. Anyrate this is a running blog, this stuff impacts but we will leave it that.

29/6 - forced rest day - busy at work and home.

30/6 - Ran 10 * 30 seconds on/30 seconds off around Gore Hill Oval and surrounds. 10 minute warm up and warm down. Ran with a view to turning the legs on for tommorows Striders 10km at Homebush.

1/7 - Striders 10km Homebush. Managed a very pleasing 39.10 after aiming at running sub 40. This course has few fond memories, I find it difficult and invariably mess up my pacing leaving a long slog on the second lap.

With this in mind I made a point of keeping the pacing even and controlled. 3.55 kms was what I had in mind and I managed 39.10, so it was nice to know that the brain can tell how fast the legs are going!

Warmed up with Highway and 26. Got out a little hot as we went through 1km in 3.45ish and I made a point of backing off slightly then. As I settled down I found myself about 30 metres behind Sportsman from about 3kms on through to 5kms and the the carpark. I managed to peg him back as he struggled with a calf problem at 6km and eased away on the hill the second time.

I had to look twice as I saw the familiar stride of Andrew Taylor closing in. Andrew, suffering from a nasty cold during the week and normally a a 36 minute 10km runner I think thought enough is enough when I arrived on his shoulder and we managed to drag each other through from around 7kms to pretty much the finish where he got away from me.

It was funny, Andrew is a great mate but we were both struggling a little here to try and edge ahead but unfortunately neither of us had much petrol left! I had visions in the 2 way section of me taking out the frontrunners as I ran on Andrews right shoulder when they came back in the other direction! Thankfully all made it through unscathed!

I was really pleased with the effort, as to be perfectly honest there was a stage I was starting to doubt whether the work was paying off. It was a smartly run race with pretty even splits. I raced it but I knew my limitations today. I am not the worlds most confident bloke and every so often need to have these little personal victories.

I am still 2 minutes off the pb, hopefully by the end of the year I can start giving that a shake again.

2/7 - Davidson Recreation star 30kms in 2.43(yes 2.43!)

It doesnt sound too flash but this was a very difficult and incredibly hilly star. After yesterdays race and given the difficulty of this run I was in no mind to head out with the 6.20s. Still quite a reasonable group despite Gold Coast. This star was at you the whole way - up down up down, no sooner had you recovered from a hill there was another absolute belter in front of you.

I am absolutely stoked also to have stayed on my feet for so long on water alone. I felt absolutely smashed at the end but knew I was a lot better for the run. you simply cannot replicate the benefit of running up a hill for your endurance. A good crew also, Sportsman, SFG, Andrew Lennox, Pebbles Kelly, Sawdust from the top of my head. You just couldnt do it by yourself.

3/7 - Forced rest day - busy at work.

4/7 - Balls Head 38.30 - 8.5kms. Another solid effort, good tempo run with some cracking hills. Nice to see the rain about.