Live, love, run

What do you get when you mix a Vindaloo, 4 beers and two red wines with a 10km race?

A stitch at the 5km mark and a missed opportunity to run a PB. Official time:

50 minutes and 26 seconds. 5:02 min per kilometre pace.

161 of 323 runners. 26th of 37 in the M35 age group.

Only 28 seconds off my fastest, but this course is flat apart from the two bridges so should have been an achievable PB time. I got through the 5km mark in 24:58 but that 4th km was a struggle with a big stitch in my right side.

During last evening I decided I wouldn’t run this race, but at about 10:30pm I decided that I would only feel guilty, so packed my gear. Unfortunately, the yummy indian food was never going to help.

Again, it rained the whole way. Can’t remember a dry race!

So, after all I have read and listened to about race preparation it appears that I will only learn through personal experience!

I’m back into it this week. Not sure what happened over the last couple of weeks, but have managed to turn it around.

Did my first spin class on Monday which was very tough. Aerobically not too bad, but my quads and glutes were killing me. Not used to that kind of punishment which can only help strengthen my legs. Will try and do that at least once a week. 

I hate treadmills, but because of rain on Tuesday I gave it a go for my intervals session and it was really good. Maybe because it wasn’t an even pace throughout. It was pretty hard work. I read somewhere that to simulate road running you should have the treadmill on a 1% incline. Did that and I think it helped to make it feel a bit more even, rather than leaning forward if that makes any sense.

Did 6.4km today out near Tylers horse riding school. I set it up so I run plenty of hills. It is hard work but good preparation for the City to Surf coming up with its massive speed bump in the middle and long slow hill at the end. I am hoping to still run the half but it is the morning after my 40th dinner party with friends. Ouch… I may have to forget CTS and focus on the Fremantle Half instead.

Tomorrow is a 10km long run so will top off a good week. I’m going to re-build my plan with longer runs fortnightly as a consistent component of my schedule. Im also going to add spin and a good mix up interval session during the week. Around that if I can pick up a couple of shorter runs I can build some good mileage.

Well my mojo just up and left me after the Perth Half. Minimal training, eating crap, sleeping badly, drinking too much.

But today I’m back! A nice crisp 7 km run and I felt great. Perhaps I needed a break.

Spin class tomorrow, then back into training for the ASICs Run for Gold. I have decided to do the City to Surf Half Marathon rather than  the 12km course. It looks hilly and nasty, but its early days for the event and I think it will become the icon run for Perth.