Tough running and the Google expedition

Well another tick this week with all 6 runs in and feeling good. 82kms worth of good. I did manage to find new shoes so on my fartlek run on Friday (13kms) I ran over to the store dashed in, opened the box, put the new ones on and gave them my card. They looked a bit shocked that I wouldn't even try a quick run in them, but hey, this was about my 12th pair of this brand and the same model as the ones I just finished so why bother. It felt so nice on the way back to the office, almost as if I was running on clouds. I guess I let my other shoes go a bit too far before changing them.

Mancub and I had a good run Saturday, an easy 8km but we finished off in style with a stop over at the park. I can't believe how far up the spiderweb he can go.

Today was another 32km run and I was considering pushing it out to maybe 34kms but that was short lived.

I could not get into any rhythm and it was a total opposite to last weeks long run which went so well. I was running at an okay pace, but no matter what I did, it just wasn't there. This was the first time training on my own where I wished I had someone there with me. I got about 10kms in and I had resigned myself to not go past the 32km mark, actually when my watch read 15.5kms I said stuff it and turned around. When I got to the water fountain, I filled up my bottles and did a bit of stretch as my right hammie was tight.

Off I went again but the pace wasn't there, actually it was like I was stuck in 1st gear and couldn't find the clutch to get it going faster. No matter what I did, it wasn't going to be... I actually threw some walk breaks in today for the first time and I just wasn't going. I made it back but it was extremely tough.

When I looked at my total time, I still managed a 5.35/km pace, which ironically is the low end of the range I'm supposed to be running my long runs at but I did some calculations on my intake. I still had 3 gels and was drinking about 700ml per hour. (they say as a rule of thumb, you need to drink 10mls per minute, or 600ml/ hour when running.) Now I was just over the average, but I was cooked. Even after downing a big glass of water and a can of coke, I went to clean up. I had stepped on the scale this morning and thought, what the heck. As the scale turned over, I had lost over 4 pounds on this run, even after two drinks when I got home.

Google it was after I got out. I did some calculations and today my sweat rate was 1500ml per hour. YIKES. Now I know there are too many variable to deal with (wind, sun, temp, humidity, etc) but that's double what I was taking in. This might explain why I was covered in salt and constantly wiping my face while running. Even though I was taking in sports drink and gels, my electrolyte levels were down. They say the average person can only take in somewhere between 1,000 to 1,200 ml an hour before stomach issues but it's dependant on the individual. I need to add more fluids, especially on hotter days. More Google (what the heck did we do before this). Salt tablets may be my new best friend. Water is not the only thing you need to take in and I think even though next weeks long run is only a mere 22kms, I'm going to do the weight thing again before and after to determine my sweat rate. More data should give me a better averaging.

Back into it this week, even though I'm a bit down on myself. I shouldn't be, but that's just the competitive nature coming through, so a healthy dose of this should help a bit. Going to be enjoying this week as it's the last of the hills for me with 10 reps this Wednesday. That and I'm going to be doing my long run Saturday before I travel to do some high altitude training.

Anyone wanting to join me Saturday, let me know.

Take it easy out there and keep those legs turning over.

Cheers
Rich

ps. after some ice on the hammie and some stretching at home it's feeling good

Autopilot, could it be??

I'm really sounding like a broken record here....Wake up, eat, run work, sleep...repeat 6 times.

Another good week with a smaller session missed due to work on Tuesday as we had some senior strategic meetings for the group. In the office by 7.15am and was crawling into bed at 11:30pm, a VERY long day. Still I managed 5 runs. My two favourite runs were Friday's fartlek run of 13kms and my long run today of 32.5kms.

Friday it was another busy day with meetings, site visits and trying to manage how the heck I would get my 13km run in. It was supposed to be ran at varying speeds between 4.20 and 4.50/km. Time was tight so I decided to make it more of a tempo run. I was feeling good and it seemed like I was barely moving. Looking down at my watch I was just over a 4 min km, holy shit! I hit the 6.5km mark and I turned around. Still feeling good, I ducked in at a water fountain for a quick drink and was off again. My pace was feeling good and almost effortless. I made it back to the office, stopped my watch and had run in just under 57 minutes for my 13kms, or a 4.19/km pace...WOW. The biggest surprise was my HR average.....164, awesome.

Today was my 32km run. Taking the same approach as last weeks 29km run I headed out, but this time, my Oakley Thumps were charged and loaded with a whole new set of songs. The goal was the same, consistent running, no breaks and tall posture. Out I went same route, and this time was running into the wind for the first part, this could be good on the way home if it stays like this. A funny thing happened this time though, I seemed to be in a zone, I could hear the music, I could see the route in front of me, but all I was doing was thinking about light feet and good turn over. But the strange thing was I didn't feel the legs turning over, no stress in my breathing and I didn't feel any pain, stress or better yet no discomfort.

Every 45 minutes I would have a gel and I would drink sports drink whenever the I felt like it (turned out to be about every 10-12 minutes). I passed the turn around point from last week and kept going...my watch hit 16kms but the Woody Point Jetty was right there, surely I had to go the full way, which I did. I turned around and was on my way back, this time with the wind at my back for the return trip. I stayed in the zone the whole way, with the exception of maybe 2 areas, which I quickly had a drink, took a couple of deep breaths and was on again. It was truly amazing. Back across the bridge, through the trees and I was headed up Telegraph road. Up the small hill, through the park and onto my street. 32.5kms, done, feeling great and truly scared that I may have found the elusive autopilot that people speak of. If this is true, then I could really be onto something. Even better, my HR average for my run was 154 and I managed 5.05/kms for a total time of 2.45 for the run.

I have never felt so good about the long runs before and if I keep on this training, who knows where my new PB will take me, because it sure is going well for me.

That's about it for me, another big week and next Sunday is another 32km run for those of you who are interested in joining me.....

See you out on the trails.

Rich

On the right track??

Well yet another big week of running has come and gone. Friday had me out the door just after 5am to catch a plane to Cairns for work. By the time I got home just after 7pm I was done, and so was my run. For the first time in over 4 weeks I missed my first planned run.

I think I've impressed myself by applying my Ironman style of training to my marathon training and it seems to be working. Colleen can't believe it as I'm into the deep end of training and I'm sticking to it. That and I'm just starting to see glimpses of my potential as a runner. Never have I put this much effort into running training and I think it has merit. John Stanton (founder of the Running Room in Canada) has put together a series of running programs for various distances and I've even taught the half marathon program and seen it work. I guess I should have looked within first.... Even though I missed my run Friday I still managed to get in just over 70kms and all seems to going right.

Today was a 29km run and out I went on my own. I've been having troubles with my Oakley Thumps and today was no different. Not even 15 minutes into my run, they conked out, leaving me with no music for my long run. What the heck would I do? You think of all sorts of things, but I kept it easy and just concentrated on my pacing and how I felt. When I felt I was running a bit harder, a quick look at my watch and yes, I'd dropped below a 5min pace, so I backed it off a bit and immediately was feeling it easier. I experimented too today by taking a gel every 45 minutes and drink Endura whenever I felt thirsty. This seemed to work well and it's better than previously taking a gel every 30 minutes which was a bit too much.

Before I knew it, I was at the turn around point, and back I headed. At the 15km mark I came across a water fountain and topped up my bottles, and was back on the trail. It was a bit windy on the bridge but nothing too bad. Before long I was in the protection of the trees and was running without a headwind which was nice. Next thing I knew, I was turning onto my street and my run was done. I felt fantastic and could have gone longer. Now don't get me wrong, I was tired but feeling great!

Tomorrow I'm going to get back into the pool for some easy work as I need to get back into that and it should be a good recovery session too. Valley Pool at 12:30 if you're interested.

Next week is full on with 8 hill repeats on Wednesday and a big run next Sunday.....32kms.....BRING IT ON!!!

Keep smiling and see you on the trails.