A tapering end.

Well, the year is almost done, and it's been a cruise to the line. I've been on a small island for the last 3 weeks for work, so it's been a rest from running. Looking forward to tomorrow and a warm up run for the rest of the year's k's!

So, in case this is my last post that you read for the year, MERRY CHRISTMAS all!

To hot to handle!

Struggling a bit at the moment - but not because the running's gone bad. It's HOT here. Adelaide has just come out of it's first ever November heat wave; 8 concecutive days above 35 degrees. One day of 28 yesterday, then back up to 39/40 for the next few days.

Even running at 6:00-7:00 am I've been running in 30-35 degree weather. Struggling a little bit, but surviving by running to work in the mornings.

So, last week was a hard won 35km, not bad considering that I didn't get a proper long on the weekend because it was 35+ before 7:30am! 20k under the belt this week already, so can't be all bad!

I just hope that summer cools down some.....

45 & I feel alive!

Just to clear confusion I haven't just turned 45, I had a 45 km week last week and feel good. A bit tight, but no pain and all seems to be good. I've continued the plan - build up by running more frequently and not too long. Seems to be working. Last week was:

Monday: 5 km @ 4:50
Tuesdy: Rest
Wednesday: 10 km @ 4:56
Thursday: Intervals, alternate 800's & 400's, total 9.5 km
Friday: recovery, 5.5 km @ 6:15
Saturday: 15 km @ 5:20
Week: 45 km

A bit tight and tired from what was my biggest week all year, so thought I'd back it off a bit this week. One less day of running, and a bit longer for my long run:

Monday: recovery, 6 km @ 6:15
Tuesday: intervals, alternate 800's & 400's, total 11.5 km
Wednesday: tempo, 5.5 km @ 4:29
Thursday: rest
Friday: rest
Saturday: 17 km @ 5:08
Sunday: rest
Week: 40 km.

So, the upshot is, I'm happy!

Keep on keeping on.

Not much to report. Life is busy, but at least it's not boring!

Running is ticking along nicely. I'm now to the point where I can finish a run with all muscles except my calves being sore. A VERY nice situation to be in! In fact, my quads are currently killing me from a great 12km in the hills on Sunday; a good feeling.

While down a little on last months k's, October will be my 3rd month in a row of 100+ kms. I haven't been able to do this since I initially injured my Achilles in the Canberra marathon, April 2008. This leads me to two conclusions:

1. I'm stubborn to the point of stupidity - why didn't I rest and rehab properly from the start, thus not wasting a year?

2. I'm getting it right now, so may not be so stupid again!

With the heat setting in (up to 36 degrees on the weekend) I'll have to change my afternoon runs to the morning, but I'm confident that I can end the year on a high.... I'll even put it out there and say I'll do 150 km in November....

Australiana.

I've just arrived home from a long weekend (4 days) in the red centre with Ellen (she's on placement in Alice Springs). We did a 3 day tour of Uluru, Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) and Kings Canyon (in order below). I really can't describe it, other than to say AMAZING. Everyone should go.

Time to relax.

Well, all seems to be going to plan. Basically I'm having fun and getting the k's to build without realising it. The week before last was my biggest in a while (39 km), culminating in the City to Bay, 12 km in 50:13 (official). My goal was sub-51, and I'm extra happy because it's less than 1 minute slower than last year, and we all know how my training has gone since then......

Had a life-enforced (ok, serious work stuff) rest week last week (only 10 km..... oops), but feeling much better as a result. But, I'm not concerned because all seems to be going well and I'm focusing more on the monthly totals than weekly cycles. This is how it goes so far this year:














You can clearly see where I injured my Achilles in January (30 of the 50 km for the month were the run I did the injury on), then how my ability to run steadily declined as I "managed" the injury (i.e. DENIAL!). How clearly the 3 weeks off and proper strength work have helped in July-August! I now expect to plateau at about 120/130 km per month for the rest of the year, then ramp it up a bit in the new year. Not too bad, considering how silly I was......

September, and all's well.

Well, all seems to be going to plan. It seems that #1 and #2 in my plan has been wonderfully good - the 3 weeks rest while overseas followed by strengthening work has really given my Achilles a boost.

I've now been running 3-4 times a week pain free. I continue to struggle with tight calves, but am managing the situation while increasing km's. Last week was my biggest since April (33 km). I've already done 25 this week and intend to do 15-16 km tomorrow, giving me a 40km week for the first time this year.....

I'M EXCITED!

The other positive of this is that I'm really just enjoying the running (while being amazed that it doesn't hurt) and the km's are just happening. VERY nice feeling.

I'll have a bit of a low km week next week for a rest, and then run City 2 Bay on the Sunday. Looking for sub 51 minute (12 km), which based on my recent 10 km time (42:19) is within reach.

While it's been a pretty hard year, I'm in a mentally good place. I'm feeling good about running, enjoying it immensely, starting to feel stronger again and think I'll be up to easily running 50km/week before the end of the year; a nice positive way to start a new year!

Below is a photo of the World's Most Dangerous road - which we mountain biked down in Bolivia - so named because of the regularity with which buses used to fall off the edge.