Fartlek and two dogs

1 hr 25 min at Centennial Park

I switched the longer mid week run from road to grass to preserve my frail physique.

Running by 6.15 am to Centennial Park, overcast but mild. Rushcutters Bay Park was jumping with trainees doing all sorts of weird and wonderful exercises. Again I took a long time to warm up, tried to stride out after 10 minutes and 20 minutes but they were insipid efforts after yesterdays 200m reps. After 20 minutes at Centennial Park alternated one minute stride out, one minute easy. Overall I was not going too fast because a shuffling large man with 2 dogs kept overtaking me on the easy float, and the dogs weren't greyhounds either. Another good reality check.

Eventually picked up the pace after 30 minutes and worked a bit harder. Managed to fartlek for 40 minutes as the sun came out and streamed through the trees. It was a particularly glorious morning in the park and I was feeling fatigued yet good.

The Park Ranger strikes back

5 sets of 3 * 200m at Centennial Park

Up at 6am, easy 20 min to Centennial Park.
Noticeable absence of personal trainers and trainees at Rushcutters Bay Park. Must be the weather which was threatening rain. Pleased that the joints had largely recovered from the weekend.

Coach Cindy was taking the session in Sean's absence. Very conscientious and had laid out a new track marked out with cones on the oval. I was typically sluggish in the warm up. I need to do a warm up for the warm up, which would mean getting up at 5am for a 3 hour session of warm ups and warms downs with 10 minutes of quality work in the middle.

First time doing these 200m repeats so eased into it. Wine trail runner cruised out early and set the pace. Times went from 42 secs to 34 secs.

The recovery of 1 minute was shortish. Cindy's watch was faster than Sean's. I was flagging a bit in the 4th set when the Park Ranger wanted to check whether this "group session" had a "group booking" for the oval. If only we had a decent lawyer in the squad.

Best reaction is to agree with officious rangers, and then do an "individual session" or anything you want. The cones came off the oval and we completed the last set as individuals inside and outside the oval. The outside of the oval was rougher and I especially noticed the dip in the oval that Lulu was describing last week. And I was thinking she'd just had too much French champagne to drink.

Turning Japanese

50 minute easy run from Elizabeth Bay to Centennial Park return

Three matters conspired to delay my run this morning: rain, stiffness from Sunday and a tall & statuesque Japanese woman who did not leave until after 10 pm.

Woke up to the sound of thundering rain at 6.30am, got out the door at 7.15am and body felt very stiff - from running. Got to Centennial Park and pretended to run up a couple of hills but the ankles and hamstrings were still stiff. Got drenched with rain again. Rain eased up on my way home. Today's run did not really do me much benefit, but felt better for it.

Singing in the Rain

2 hours 10 minute run at Centennial Park

Woke up at 5.30am, overcast but no rain. Got out the door at 7am, rain started as I arrived at Centennial Park and stopped 2 hours later as I got back home.

Easy run to Centennial Park and then after 30 mins ran with Sean's squad. Pretty sure the pace picked up in the group this week, either that or I've got very fat and slow in the last 7 days. Not many were making small talk in the driving rain. Even Xela would've had the head down. Not a lot of difference between the base pace and my surge pace, quite a challenging morning. Wearing my six foot track singlet I attracted a comment from a new triathlete in the group; the singlet gives me that fake mountain-runner image. I was a little too shagged out to chew the fat and shoot the breeze during the run. Dodged a lot of puddles in addition to the usual tree roots, but sprayed Mohammed with a big splash and pretended it was accidental.

Park rangers had locked the Park gates weather was that bad. I later spied ambulance-like vehicles with flashing lights in the park: either SES rescuers or men in white coats trying to take deranged runners into protective custody. I gave them the slip this week being off the medication.

Clocked up 2 hours while at Centennial Park and legs have not been so tired all year. Shuffled home.

Clark Kent does the 5km challenge Iron Cove

6am start and 40 minute jog to Iron Cove for the 5km challenge. Mild discomfort in the left foot. Felt a touch sluggish, and wondered whether Friday was not so short and sweet; good for me nevertheless.

A good crowd at the start. Only 3 takers for the 18 min start: me, MPHaz and Springer. Set off into a slight head wind (note, 3rd excuse), and felt okay. Getting more familiar with the course, and seemed to be close to running flat out. Ran through 3km in 10.55 and knew I was behind the eight ball. Started catching earlier starters between 3 and 4km. Lifted the pace up a notch and finished in 18.12, 8 seconds off last month. Solid run without much in reserve during the run and nothing left at the finish. Probably need to work on sustaining tempo at top pace in training. All the other indicators during the week are positive. Then again I should relax with the inevitable plateau of times and enjoy being human. It is harder being superman than most people think.

Pulled up remarkably well back at the start, and ran back to the city over ANZAC bridge. 105 minutes and 22km of running.

The Dream, short and sweet

A sober night and solid sleep including a dream about going for a run and absolutely flying.

Felt good this morning, none of the niggles or joints complained about going for a run. Easy 15 minutes followed by 6 * 150 m, and 12 * 100 m short intervals, none of them at top speed and more like a fartlek run with short jog recoveries in between. 15 minute warm down. Easy session before the 5km challenge tomorrow.

Hills and Head in the Clouds

A big Wednesday night enjoying the company of Owl, Jen runs, and hosts Wine Trail Runner and Lulu at dinner in Bronte.

This morning's session at Centennial Park was tougher than need be. I could only imagine running in a fit and healthy body without a hangover. Must try it sometime.

The wild wally hill loop started slowly and times progressively speed up from 2.45 to 2.17 a PB, and finished with 2.19 as the red wine kicked in: never again - heard that before . Shuffled home and flaked out in the afternoon.


Wednesday's session was a hills extravaganza: a new loop run to Vaucluse, Watson's Bay, Dover Heights, Rose Bay and Double Bay. Ran for 1 hr 35min. Tried a 15 minute surge from Rose Bay to Double Bay. Got overtaken by a couple of old fellas on the way back home at Darling Point and struggled to keep up with them at Rushcutters Bay Park - and here I was thinking I was pushing the pace along, good reality check. I'm a dreamer. Back to earth at the end of the run.

Suffering from Bird Flu

Today I again suffered a number of bird flu like symptoms today while running: lethargic, very slow and got in a flap on the training track. Went down to Centennial Park and ran with Sean's morning squad for 7 * 400m and then 4*300m. I felt like I was running conservative to begin with and I swanned about at the front waiting to be overtaken. After four repetitons, eventually Ewen flew past. Times went from 1.26 to 1.13 for the 400m. Recovered quickly because I was saving myself for the 300 ms. At the first 300m repetition Ewen went out like a rocket and I felt the bird flu had really kicked in during the first 100m as I struggled with the thought of 4 reps. Turns out Ewen thought it was a 200m rep and ran accordingly. Times went 56, 56, 55 and 50 as the flu subsided.

I recovered quickly from the session casting some doubt on my avian diagnosis.