Live, love, run

So Melbourne Marathon training is in full swing, but this race was my opportunity to use all of that for a Half Marathon PB. The course is flat, the weather was great and I felt pretty rested and ready to go.

Training has been a drag, and I had felt terrible in most of my recent sessions, so I was nervous. Susie from work was at the race so that settled the nerves and was good for a laugh.

One of the Perth Tweeps was also in the bunch, but of course difficult to spot just by avatar recognition!

The race start went well. A little congested but only resulted in a slightly slower 1km pace of 5:27, then cracked on pumping out sub 5 minute kilometres between the 2km and 14km mark, then the pain set in. I could feel my pace slowing, and my mind started with all of those classic negative thoughts.

I don’t remember alot through the 15km to 17km mark except marking spots in the distance to run to and through. I felt heavy but knew that I could slow the pace and still come in under 1:50 if I played smart.  Then I made a bad decision in the fuel department.

To the 17km mark I had taken two GU chomps, and one full GU. That should have been enough for the race, but I was in a bad place and so took one at the water station. Straight away I could feel it rolling around in my stomach, and within minutes I felt light headed and pretty wobbly. My stomach ached, and I really didn’t know what else to do, so I veered to the right and… well, lets just say that Elvis left the building. I basically didn’t stop running, just purged and kept on.

I didn’t feel immediately better, in fact worse for a bit, but the nausea subsided and my running felt more efficient. The Causeway ramp hills broke me and I walked for a minute or so on the bridge just to compose myself. I’m not sure what I was thinking at this point, but I do know that someone ran past me, patted me on the shoulder and said something like “lets do this”. I don’t care if it was hallucination, it was enough.

I ran the last two kilometres at 5 minute pace, sprinted the last 50 metres, and the result…

A personal best 1 hour 47 minutes and 32 seconds. 5:05 min per kilometre pace.

294 of 615 runners. 37th of 54 in the M40-44 age group.

Smashed my previous PB by over 6 minutes. Stoked.

So much support from my friends, family and tweeps of the world. There is not a better feeling.

So, next stop is the City to Surf Half Marathon in three weeks and under 9 weeks until the Melbourne Marathon. Bring it.

11 weeks until the Melbourne Marathon and training is going pretty well. I hit a road bump three weeks ago with a persistent cold/ flu that lingered for well over a week. I had an easy week scheduled so it was ok, but didn’t run for a fortnight. I had been travelling pretty well and running some great times so it didn’t impact too much.

Long runs are up to two hours now and they are starting to hurt. I’ve invested in some 2XU compression tights for recovery and calf guards for long runs. They make a difference to my calves, and while they don’t remove the pain I get through runs easier and recover faster.

Grego is also going well and is cross training as well as running. He ways a decade low 88.6 kg which is a huge drop for him. We’ve been running long runs around the river towards Freo which has been nice. The weather has been kind so that helps.

I just keep putting one foot in front of the other now. Some runs are tough and I feel like quitting but I think if you persevere with those runs in particular they will be the ones that get you through later on. Some people call them junk miles I suppose, but I prefer to use them as mental strength runs. If you can push through it will make a difference.

Two weeks until the Perth Half Marathon. I’m going for a PB in this race and then will use City to Surf Half as a training run with no time goal. My training has been good and I think I am capable of a 1:46 to 1:48 half. The Perth Half is pretty flat so I think it’s a good opportunity.

Fingers crossed all will go well.

 With 14 weeks until the Melbourne Marathon I am having a break with an easy week, and it couldn’t come at a better time. We have been busy at Meerkats, winning two Silver Lions at Cannes in Radio and Film (TV) both for HBF which is great.

We also won the IKEA business in WA and SA, which is great for the agency. It brings a different style of client to the agency and will help smooth some of the down-times we have with our other campaign style clients. IKEA is a great brand, and the marketing team are great. It was really rewarding to get this account on board.

Along with that excitement, I also had to fly to Sydney for a quick day trip on business, and because of that I have picked up a plane flu/ chest infection which has laid me low the last few days. So I haven’t run at all this week which was a light week with only three scheduled runs at about 25kms. I have had to get over the fact I didn’t get these kms in and just get back on the plan.

Over May and June I have consistently increased my weekly kilometre’s from 15kms a week to my highest at 37kms per week. Within that I have run PBs in 14.5km runs and the 10km Challenge Fun run which has been great.

The next block adds speed into weekly runs, and the long runs stretch out now from 1:45 up to the longest at 3 hours. These are the runs I need to focus on, and continue to manage my dodgy legs. The calves have been tight, but I have managed them with stretching and using the roller.

So, 98 days until race day. Flights are booked. Registration is in. Just need to focus now and keep following the plan regardless of how they feel. I’ve learned that what feels like junk miles actually do make the difference when you get to race day. If the plan says do 7, then do 7 even if it feels bad.It will come back to you in spades when you need it most.

This was great fun. We created a team called The Shufflers consisting of me (Leg 1 - 14.3km), Danny Coleman (Leg 2 - 9.5km), Fat Grego (Leg 3 - 9.4km) and Dave Rose (9.0km). Yes, that’s right 42.2kms in total.

Being involved at the start line made me want to hand in my relay race number and switch to a Perth Marathon starters number. The feeling is amazing, and the anticipation is palpable. Plenty of nerves, and plenty of excitement. This is a must do for me next year.

So, the results:

Leg 1 GB - 1:08:35 (14.3kms @ 4:48 pace)

Leg 2 DC - 1:53:29 (9.5kms in 44:54 @ 4:44 pace)

Leg 3 FG - 2:41:32 (9.4kms in 48:03 in 5:07 pace)

Leg 4 DR - 3:26:37 (9.0kms in 45:05 in 5:01 pace)

Team total 42.2kms in 3:26:37 at 4:54 pace. We came in 42nd of 124 teams. Great result.

I felt great during the run. Had one GU along the way, and followed a guy that I felt had good pace. Once I had finished I couldn’t believe that I had ran at that pace. If I tried that pace in training mode I would simply not be able to do it. Shows the power of the mind, and my competitive spirit.

Great to run in a team as well. We all met at the end and watched Dave run through. You do feel like a pretender when you see the marathoners come through, but it all adds to a great day put on by the WAMC.

So, the flights are booked. The registration is complete. I’m doing this! Melbourne Marathon 2010, October 10. All the details at http://www.melbournemarathon.com.au/. Looks like a great course, and looking forward to finishing on the MCG.

When I started out this year with a sore achilles and tight calves I only had a faint hope of achieving my goal of running a marathon before the end of 2010. Since then I have thrown everything at getting better, fitter and healthier to do it…. and I think it’s paying off.

I’m in week 8 of the 25 week marathon training programme that I have followed religiously so far. I’m running over 30 kms each week creeping towards 40 in the next week or so. I have run a PB 48 minute 10km as well which is great stuff.

My achilles has cleared up through strengthening, stretching and massage. Calves remain tight but manageable if I do all of the right things. I am using a foam roller called The Grid by Trigger Point Performance  www.tptherapy.com) and it is helping alot. Good to prepare with, and great after a run. I found a supplier in Brisbane so that made it a bit easier to get.

Fat Grego is following the programme too, albeit not as closely. I don’t think he is going to build to a peak as I will, but that’s his call. He’s worried about the 8 week block that essentially sees us run over half marathon distances each Sunday in the peak training zone. I think this will be the critical period, and the block that will ensure you get through. Without it you will be under prepared and praying for help between the 30 and 42 km point.

My taper weeks will be spent in Bali! Not sure if that’s ideal, but I’ll be well rested and can fit in the kilometrage still as its not as demanding. I fly back into Perth the Friday before the race, then fly out to Melbourne on Saturday morning getting m there mid afternoon. Enough time for a massage, and a carb up before hopefully sleeping and then getting ready.

This first marathon is about finishing and learning for the next time. What’s it like out there on the day? I don’t know, but I can’t wait to find out.

The Buckeye website upgrade lost my blog for a while there, but all good now.

So, my training is going well and I’m running four times a week and up to 31kms last week, and to 33kms this week. I started out with sports massage, but I have found that regular stretching and foam roller at home is just as effective.

My calves/ achilles are under control as long as I prepare well and ice, stretch and rest properly. So no major worries at this point, and I’ve really stuck to the programme well. Registrations are open for the St George Melbourne Marathon so the dream soon becomes a reality.

I’ll be updating regularly now, and becoming more detailed as I progress.

My blog was lost but now is found. Got some catching up to do!! Please hold…

After the HBF Run for a Reason I felt super confident and so this run was looking good.

I stood up to the start line and set my watch…. no battery, no back up. Tragedy.

So all I had was running along near people who I thought were doing the right pace. I kept up good pace, and thought I was going to be slightly over 50 minutes. But turning into the race straight I saw I was under 49. SO HAPPY! In the end it was…

Personal best 48 minutes and 38 seconds. 4:51 min per kilometre pace.

172 of 408 runners. 21st of 33 in the M40 age group.

Loving life.

Wow, what a great race! I felt amazing and really kept the pace up. The training is really paying off.

I did 10kms in a PB time of about 48 minutes. Blew me away.

1:10:52. 4:53 min per kilometre pace.

773rd. Category place 626.

The race itself was terrific and really different. Music around the course, and the opportunity to run on the Freeway and the Graham Farmer Freeway was great. Over 10,000 runners in the event and will be even bigger next year.

Louie, Amy, Tyler, Mum, Ali, Georgia and Renee all walked it too. Good day.

I have officially loaded my 25 week marathon training plan into www.buckeyeoutdoors.com (check out Bainy) and it’s not changing. Two weeks until it officially starts.

My orthotics are out of my shoes, my Achilles is going ok without disappearing altogether and I am sticking with a day on day off light running load. I’m also hitting the gym a couple of times a week.

Physio number four is being tested next week. I guy called Andy Pickering who massages Coolangatta Gold athletes and surf lifesaving athletes down in North Beach. The deal is I’ll see him weekly as long as he doesn’t tell me to stop running and I turn up. Sounds good.

I have been sending a bit of time on Twitter under my liveloverun name, and it is growing into a really good running community idea. Runners are very supportive, and the crew that are following me are all very positive people. I’m sure the association will prove to be a good motivator closer to the race.

Work at Meerkats is proving to be pretty flexible, so that’s going to work well moving into training mode. Won’t be long before we’re arranging the travel and getting things moving. Exciting times ahead. I’m not giving this up for anything.