Who Are You Racing?

[co] So this week has been about chugging through another steady week of running... but it did occur to me as I sat at work, on Friday afternoon at about 2 pm, struggling to get up from my desk and grab a caffeine hit... that not only was I very tired... but that I seemed to have pushed myself at run intervals that morning into a tired stupor beyond the norm.

Now I was hoping that this meant that I had managed to get good gains out of the session... and while I had felt terrible over the running set of around 5.5 km of intense running, I had got good feedback from my GPS readouts as I was on the move... and had been cracking a pass a good 5 to 10 seconds faster over a kilometer than I had for a while.

Now maybe I was finally over all the winter flus etc... and maybe it was just a good day... but a big part of getting the most out of these kinds of sessions, for me, is using others in our group to race myself around our sets.

Now we all do it. We have those people we train with who we pace ourselves against. They are our yardsticks... people we have been working on beating (be it all secretly) over the winter, or those we know we can not let pass us... there is pride... or those that we just try to stop lapping us (more than once) over a morning training session.

And yes I have my chosen few that I use on Friday mornings. There is that person I love to beat, the person I try to not be over 5 minutes behind... they all keep me going and pushing... it is why training with a group can be so powerful.

Just like in a race when we meet our yo-yo friends. Those people we see as the gun goes off, that we spend the next 10, 21, 42 or 225 kilometers chasing, passing and being overtaken by, in order to keep motivated. And yet at the finish line we can turn to them and smile, that knowing smile of an event shared... while having spent time stalking them down with all intent to beat them and be first, in a private race they in all likelihood don't know they were in.

So as I sipped on my double espresso... I toasted those that I had 'raced' that morning... looking forward to next week. Wondering who might win next time...

Cracking the 100

[co] Okay nearly there... 3 more weeks and I can tick the marathon box. That'll be a relief!

So last week managed to get in a solid-ish week of running (remember these things are all relative) and got myself over the 100km mark for the 7 day period Sunday to Sunday. Not sure if I had ever made that one before (maybe pre IM... not sure, but don't think so)... but regardless as I went through the week and realised that this could be achieved it certainly helped keep me going when it all gets a little tired and stiff.

So a couple of 3 hours runs thrown in there helped. Got in touch with my inner tough guy and managed to run the 2nd one pretty much in the rain... luckily not too cold... but pretty wet. Then again when you start before 5... some of it is still done on 'sleep time' so makes it all go a bit faster in that blur of crazy 'I am up too early' reality.

But importantly got to trial the race outfit last week - tick... Time to start wearing in some new shoes - tick...

Anyway onwards and upwards.... <20 days to go. Yay!

Safety First

[co] So its been a while since I ‘blogged’… but no time like the present for an update.

Got another long run in today. Close to 3 hours in the Waitaks – hitting the concrete monster (looking at my new GPS watch managed to hit the heady heights of 9.50 min/km on my way up that one today) and scenic drive.

A small crew got going after 9… so in preparation of my run back to the village (and cars, I thought its best to wear safely garments… and well I don’t actually need an excuse! So donned the race outfit for a test run. Passed with flying colors and managed to avoid most cars (though always a bit 50/50 at times).

Whats your scary car moment? Had more on bikes to be fair... but nothing like abuse thrown out a window at you when running... do they really think I can understand them... "Gettt .... ick". Hmm the possibilities are endless. And playing these word games can help fill in the time when you have an hour or 3 to kill.

Now home and (pleasantly?) tired… legs are shot! Good news 4 weeks to go. Scary!! Been a little sick over winter and so its been an up and down ride; one day feeling like hitting my running straps, the next it’s about surviving (today was in the later camp… but you get that… ticked a box though). I suppose it’s what we all go through and I am trying to keep my eyes on the prize, reckon I have another couple of tough weeks coming (and looking forward to it) before a gradual decrease and taper… and shopping… (did I mention it’s in Melbourne!).

Spring is in the air here and that helps! Now with all the ups and downs it’s time to really commit – as triathlon season approaches in earnest I will have to put my mind to focusing… not so much on the training (that’s the easy and fun part… yes I am serious) but to those areas which make a difference – hitting those key sessions, in the right way (i.e. when its steady - make sure it is) and nutrition (yes… this one never ends… especially when I am all over the show it’s what goes first).

Anyway nap time calls. Over and out