I thought the XC run at the Stromlo Running Festival might help me make a decision re Nationals in April. I went out way too fast for my current level of fitness and was cooked by the end of the first lap! Those last 5K were just hell :-(. I certainly didn't pull up feeling at all optimistic about fitness for Melbourne! Darn that early close off date. Maria, Helen, Kelley, Bruce, Heidze, KT, et al all ran incredibly well and we all looked spoofy in our 'uniforms'.
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| Team no d'feet Canberra |
Sunday I did a long run after being inspired by:
http://cathyn61.wordpress.com/2012/02/18/it-was-never-meant-to-be-easy/
I was hoping for 18K, but had to settle for a tough 17K. My recurrent insomnia resulted in another poor quality night, so I didn't make it to a planned group run. Instead I headed out the door and ran over to the Mulligan's Flat Nature reserve. I left it a bit late really as it was heating up with the sun well and truly on display. The last 3K's were a struggle with a side stitch just to make it annoying! I dream of that 'easy' 20K run ........
Latest training:
Wednesday - gentle run around Black Mountain ~8.5K
Thursday - Track with 2K warm up, some run throughs, the 800m and a 1.5K cool down before manning the water station for the 10000m run. It was hot and humid, perfect for the 800m, so glad to not be running the 10000m in those conditions!
Friday - jog to Mitchell ~8K HRav = 140bpm; a gentle uphill all the way!
Saturday - 1K warm up; Age-Sex Adjusted XC 7.5K @ 35:35 (4:44min/k pace), HR up in Zone 5 pretty well all the way; 1K cool down; Yummy lunch @ Rock Salt with Team No d'feet Canberra.
Sunday - 17K long run, very slow, HRav = 130bpm Total for the week, a tad over 60K.
Good 800! I think some 'pure' speedwork (as opposed to hard anaerobic speedwork) would do wonders for your 800. Fast 150s and 200s with long recoveries, that sort of thing. You'd drop 10 seconds. Raised my eyebrows at Heidi's first lap. 67/81. She might finish better with a 70 first lap. 70/74?
ReplyDeleteShame about SWEAT turning up in numbers as team no d'feet would have won the team prize.
Thanks ET. Dropping 10 secs would be nice. Given my body's current reaction to trying to run distance, I may be forced back to the shorter stuff! It's hard to recall how I managed to race over marathon, half marathon and 10K distances! Heidi's main competition (Suzy Cole) ran something like a 64/67 at Oceania, so Heids needs to get both laps faster!
ReplyDeleteWho were SWEAT? It wasn't a numbers game, they must have more of their top 10 finishing higher than us. C'est la vie.
Nothing wrong with the shorter stuff. Actually good fun once your legs get a little speed in them. Wow - can't see Heids running 2:11 just yet. Maybe 2:18-19.
ReplyDeleteSean Williams Endurance and Training. They have quite a few elite runners. http://www.sweatsydney.com.au/ I think it'd be a better comp if actual numbers of starters were taken into account as well as finish placings.
None of the remaining 800m fit in with other plans as I won't be at track on those nights. Plus the 5000m clashes with the final one. C'est la vie, something to look at next season, maybe .....
ReplyDeleteYes Heids needs a bit more time, but she's very much heading in the right direction and with a good taper could run a blinder at Nationals. I think I'll be a spectator at Nationals this year and will now focus on getting my lost base back. I need mileage it seems before I respond to much else.
Yes having Keith Bateman in SWEAT did not help our cause!