Race, Brunch, Repeat

Tuesdays always the toughest training day.

Started the day in the saddle with an easy 8km cycle to work.

By the time midday hit, I think the temperature moved above 30 degrees. Headed down to Opera House gates to join the HURTS 8 x 5min intervals with 90s rest. HURTS sessions really are getting a huge turnout now (50+).

Not sure how to pace this one, but MC suggested the session is done at half marathon pace (for me, 3:35min/km). Essentially it involves four out and back reps of the cove, starting at Opera House Gates and ending as far as you can get in 5 minutes (for me, around Mrs Macquarie's Chair, down the ramp about 100m).

I did well to stick on the heels of Chairman Tom on the first two reps at 3:25min/km pace, but holding that pace did take its toll by the final rep. Heat was absolutely torture but overall, felt I got a lot of benefit from the session. Usual suspects up front with me including Andy Cross, Tommy and Enda.

11.8km in 40:05 (excluding rest time), average pace 3:25min/km

Finished the day off with a painfully slow cycle back to Artarmon, followed by my usual touch footy game.

Fatigue score around 8. Will look to rest tomorrow as I am experiencing some soreness under the left arch.

Body still recovering from a pretty taxing weekend. Had a quick check of the great 'bubble' activity chart from Strava. I realised since (half) coming back from a PF-induced injury break, I have strung together 5 weeks of 100km plus.

Most of the advice I have received (including Charlie at work today) suggest even with progressive training a cut-back week should be scheduled every four or five weeks.

Could I be at risk of over-training syndrome? Let's take a look:

• Muscle and joint pain (tick to the left foot and hamstring tendon)
• General tiredness (tick, although I have been hit with a cold)
• Loss of enthusiasm for running (cross, still love it!)
• Poor sleep (cross, out like a light after 9:30pm)
• Drop in performance (cross, doing well in speed sessions but have not raced)
• Moodiness (tick, but that's a personality flaw)

So today I ventured out early morning into a warm spring day and did a very easy 8km across the harbour bridge. Trying to add some imagery to the blog so I took the below photo at Milsons Point.

After work I substituted the usual commute back home with a 3km jog to North Sydney Pool and 2.2km freestyle, medium intensity. Happy to be joined by Richard Woo (Woey) from work for this one.  Legs were in deep need of a pool session and I was certainly glad I made the effort. First swim in 2 weeks and I am sure the shoulders will be a touch sore tomorrow.

Will look to rest up ahead of a tough 8x5min HURTS session tomorrow in sweltering heat.

Rolling into Sunday morning, I already had banked two quality sessions (Tues Fartlek, Sat Tempo). Definitely set out into the Kellyville plains with every intent to enjoy the run.

The result? First 3km embarrassingly slower than 6min pace.

Plodding aside, legs warmed up and foot soreness (under the arch) a lot less pronounced than last night. I ventured towards the back streets and cycle paths of Kellyville shops, before looping back to the in-laws place to collect Lorie (wife) at 15km.

Did the last 7km at much the same slow pace. Included 5 x 15 push-ups; customary when I am running with the wife as it allows her to (i) catch up, and (ii) critique my poor upper body and core strength.

Had a nice stretch out in the garden.

Happy with my weekly total. I've now strung together 5 x 100km+ weeks on a slightly suspect foot. More pleasing is I am building more speed into my distances.

Hard to fault the Spring weather. I am out at the in-laws place in Kellyville this weekend. The area is perfect for long flat and uninterrupted runs through monotonous neighborhoods.

Initial plan was a semi-rest day today, possibly with a 2km swim at Stanhope. Trying to keep weekly mileage in the 110-120k range, which leaves me with around 25-35k this weekend.

With the pool not open till 8am, I decided to do a 1 hour 'naked' run (i.e. no watch, run by feel). Definitely the occasional quality session without a watch is important. I generally run the 2nd half of my marathons without looking at the watch.

I started around 5min pace, but with the flat paths quickly picked up the pace. I convinced myself that I have simply been doing too much junk mileage this week. Final 10km of the run I would call slow tempo, feeling a touch under 4min pace.

Did not finish strong, possibly some signs of swelling under the left arch again. This probably rules me out of a long run tomorrow. Quads also a touch flat from what has been a heavy week so far.

Rest of the day will involve some MiLA's spreads making and general R&R.

Run summary - estimate 20km at 4:15min/k average. Last 10km segment likely done sub 40min.

I've typically used Fridays as a cross-training day or simply rest.

With the high mileage plan its now moved into an easy day of generally 6-9k at 6min pace. Still considering Matt's plan to use Saturdays as a 2nd speed day. Seems a good idea as my body
cannot cope with back to back HURTs sessions on Tuesday and Thursday.

Kicked the day off with an easy 9km through the back of Artarmon cycle path, along Crows Nest before the crossing the harbour bridge.













In the evening I broke my golden easy Friday rule and set out exploring the east side of the freeway that runs from North Sydney to Northbridge.

Big mistake - 'Cheat jog' turned into a poor man's hill session covering 9km with 200m elevation gain.

Going to set up a fatigue factor score going forward:

Fatigue Score (FS)
1 - 2 race ready
4 - 6 able to get through a speed / LR with difficulty
7 - 8 post a tough interval session or back to back LRs
9 - 10 injury flag, don't run

FS 5. Possible foot discomfort but largely quads feel flat.

Daily total 18km, all easy but some quality hills.

Easy 8km recovery to work on an absolutely cracking spring morning.

Had to stop and take a picture along the bridge. Makes the move back to Sydney all the more worthwhile.


Legs still heavy from yesterday session so I did not push it at all.

Backed up at lunch with a solo 10k circling the Opera House and Botanic Gardens. Again plan was to get the mileage in without flaring up any foot pain. Threw in 4x25 pushups to keep the upper body honest.

Daily total 18km but all easy.

First Fartlek in almost 2 years and a good wake-up call.

Joined the HURTS lunch session. It is suppose to be structured as a 1 min on (10k to half mara pace) 30 second off (mara pace) 45min session with a turnaround at 22.5 minutes.

Stuck with Enda and another two blokes I only know by face for the first half, and did a solid negative split to finish in 44:15. Looking at the splits my 'on' periods were around 3:25s on the return.

Overall a quality work-out and I was disciplined not to push too hard.

Throw in the cycle commute to work, an easy spin back home joined by Richard Woo (Woey) plus touch footy.

Fartklek - 11.9km in 44:10, average pace 3:42 plus 2km jog from the office return.

Next time I might extend the warm-down.

Living in the lower North Shore and working CBD makes the 8km commute on foot an easy way to build base mileage.

My current training plan (if you call it that) involves at least 3 of these per week (return run included). Difference was that I was joined by brother Matt who is back from Tasmania.

Legs still a little beaten up from Sunday's 33km run, but covered the 8k at around 4:40 pace with little issues.

Took the run home a lot slower. 8km at 5:50 which is true recovery style.

Hope legs are right for tomorrow's HURTS session - 45 minute fartlek!

Daily total, 16km.

Decided to give the Sydney Blackmores a miss today. I've been struggling with lingering (aka chronic) foot soreness since August and felt that 21.1km of concrete plus my competitive tendencies equal 6 months out on a stress fracture.

Logically of course, I did a 2.5 hour long-run from Artarmon to the Bay Run (with a 7km loop) at a more manageable 4:35min/km pace. The Bay Run is a 7km dead flat loop that circles Sydney's trendy inner west suburbs: Drummoyne, Haberfield, Lilyfield and Rozelle. Last visit here was when I got married last year along the water.

Despite some unforgiving climbs (including the Gladesville bridge), wrong turns and my longest run in three weeks I felt fine by the end.

As per my usual long-run routine, no breakfast, no nutrition and no water. 'Depletion style' seems to help me through the second half of my marathons.

Covered 33km in 2:29 in total.

Weekly total: 106km with 2km elevation gain.

I've been itching to run a half marathon for some time and had my eye on Sydney Blackmores tomorrow. Plan was for Friday bike and Saturday swim in the lead-up.

Turned up to Willoughby pool, 20min too early which gave me an excuse to do a 3k recovery run. Knocked out 2k of easy freestyle - first swim in 2 weeks!

After lunch I got talked out of running the half tomorrow by Lorie (wife who knows best) and Matt (much wiser and faster brother). Still feeling signs of swelling and pain in the left foot that is making me anxious. Not to worry, there will also be more chances to get a sub 76 half. My PB is actually the 2nd half of the Perth marathon in June.

Got a snap taken of the new MilA's running singlet. Looks and feels great but my scrawny arms don't do it justice.

Instead I did an easy 9k around Northbridge at a paltry 5:30 pace with Lorie. All up 12k for the day.

Looking forward to a bit more of a humbling long run tomorrow.