Week ending 18/3

First up a photo of the kids, its been a while. Since the last time I posted a photo the boy has come out of the closet! Look - we arent overly concerned, its not as if he tried accesorise with green...puuhleaase!

Probably my best week of running in 2 years - I had a think about my training last week as I had been running without too much direction (just ask anyone who has run a star with me!). My focus has definitely shifted to endurance and strength so I am planning my runs around this. The week that was:

Monday 12/3: Recovery 9kms, ran over to Marrickville Oval on mon night as I was hoping the lights would be on, but unfortunately not. I felt pretty bloody good tonight actually and ended up running in the dark around the oval which was carpet like, very evenly grassed and just mown. I ended up doing a fartlek session because I felt I would have been wasting an effort if I didnt. Who knows why some weeks on a monday we feel like we have started our run from casualty and the next week from a 3 day taper. As I like to say, make hay while the sun shines. I dont remember the time but I did 14 laps with 12 'effort' laps where I ran hard 3/4s of a lap, slow jogged the last 1/4 to recover. To and from oval was very cruisy.

Tuesday 13/3: Best training run have done in years. 3 * 3kms with 26 down at the bay. Steve had contacted me during the day to do something else but I was adamant I wanted to do this run tonight. Generally we run down to the bay and it is a 20-25 minutes just to get down there before you even get into your session proper. Tonight we drove down, had a 1km warm up and straight into 3 3km efforts with 1km recoveries(4.45-5.00). The aim was to run 3 11.30s, however the running gods were smiling, first effort was 11.35, the second 11.20 and the third 11.05. All (except the first) were run with control and some petrol in the tank. A cranking run showing the benefit of running with someone of your ability pushing that little extra out that you wouldnt normally. 12.5kms.

Wednesday 14/3: I wouldnt have been surprised if I was tested for performance enhancing drugs as tonight I had my 4th great run in as many days. I have decided to make wednesday medium long run night. From home I ran to Glebe down Bridge Rd, around the water to Glebe Park, across to Balmain, loop around back to the bay and back home via Norton St and Crystal St. Attached is the loop I have named the big bay lap, 19kms in 1.23.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=771331

Thursday 15/3: Uniloop. Today it all started catching up with me, with the legs feeling a little shabby for the first 5-10 minutes, but managed to get the legs going eventually. I tried attaching the link for this run last week without success but I think I have it now. 10.25kms in 43 minutes.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=756967

Friday 16/3: Woke up feeling a bit dusty with a bity of a sore throat and cold. I always reckon its a good sign - it always pops up as you get a bit fitter. I wasnt going to run initially but felt okay to do a short run around the uni, about 7kms in 30 minutes with 12 30/30 thrown in. Apparently it was 33 degrees at 1.30 but to be honest it didnt feel that hot, however a lot of the running is in the shade.

Saturday 17/3: I swapped sunday long to saturday as I am helping out at Smiffo tmrw. Steve suggested a run out to Bronte from the mean streets so we organised to meet at the Liberty Bridge at 6.10. I was just about to head out the door at 6.05 when a crescendo of crying eminated from the kids room - The rabbit had a bad dream where she had just been bitten by a crocadile! This of course set off number 2. Anyway thankfully mother gave me the all clear 5 minutes later.

I met a patient 26 and we headed towards Centennial Park via King St and Cleveland. We got to Cent Park in about 28 minutes from Liberty and we were both absolutely saturated. We decided to run 2 outside loops of the park, first time I have run it, really pleasant. However it was one of those runs that was a slog from about 30 minutes. I am not sure how far we went but it was probably about 28kms in 2.11. Will edit the post when I have measured. It was nice to run long on a soft surface but some sections of the track we may as well have been at Bronte as it was very soft sand, bloody hard work in particular in the humidity. The run home took forever and I was very happy to see the front door this morning.

Sunday 18/3: After helping out at Smithfield in the morning I got out in the afternoon for a long bay lap in I cant remember how long.

93KMS FOR THE WEEK.