I've just realised that I like to run!

Thu, Mar 03, 2011

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 07:00:00

4 km run on the beach in the rain. First day I could even think about running after the marathon. I'm still pretty sore and tight but I expect it'll get better pretty quickly.

Sun, Feb 27, 2011

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 07:00:00

Well, I couldn't have asked for better weather, about 7 degrees and sunshine - so much better than the freezing, windy, dismal rainy day that was last year! Started out ok, weaving through the 10km racers but I got an unbearable stitch and had to stop to the side after only 6 kms, probably since I was busting to go to the toilet at the start line. After relieving myself I managed to find a comfortable tempo. I went out aiming for a B.Q. time but I was quick to realise that I just hadn't done the long hard runs in training necessary to keep up that constant pace. After I came to that realisation I aimed for 3:30 and gave it my all to get there. The hill at 36km and at 40km were killers and I don't think my eyes were open for most of the way up them. I'm still very happy with taking over 12 minutes of my time in Berlin and nearly 27 minutes of my first marathon here one year ago. Now the question is, am I going to kick up the training to get me to that B.Q. time? My girlfriend hopes not, she want's a bit of muscle back! We'll see...

Splits were:

5km	00:24:56　(0:23:02)	0:23:02	09:34:56
10km	00:49:06　(0:47:12)	0:24:10	09:59:06
15km	01:12:55　(1:11:01)	0:23:49	10:22:55
20km	01:36:58　(1:35:04)	0:24:03	10:46:58
25km	02:01:46　(1:59:52)	0:24:48	11:11:46
30km	02:27:04　(2:25:10)	0:25:18	11:37:04
35km	02:52:38　(2:50:44)	0:25:34	12:02:38
40km	03:19:52　(3:17:58)	0:27:14	12:29:52
Finish	03:31:19　(3:29:25)	0:11:27	12:41:19

Wed, Feb 23, 2011

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 07:00:00

5 km in 29:58 on treadmill. Last run before the marathon, will do some stride outs Saturday. Forecast for Tokyo Sunday is close to freezing temperatures, wind and rain so it's going to be interesting! Can't wait.

Tue, Feb 22, 2011

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 07:00:00

6.6 km in 39:46 on treadmill. Ran at 10 kph all the way just to keep the motor running and the legs fresh. Tomorrow an easy 5 km then Thursday a jet plane to Tokyo!

Sun, Feb 20, 2011

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 07:00:00

12.75 km in 1:06:40 on road. 33:36 out and 33:04 back averaging 11.5 kph. Hamstrings were really tight and uncomfortable especially the two tendons running on the inside left of my right knee. Really hope the bugger doesn't cramp up on me! It seems the more I stretch, the more problems I have with tightness the next day....maybe I should stop stretching?

Sat, Feb 19, 2011

Sat, 19 Feb 2011 07:00:00

6.56 km in 32:16 on road. Set out to run it at 12 kph and averaged 12.2 so i'm pretty happy with the run. My legs felt a bit sluggish today though, not sure if it was the beach fishing I did for a couple of hours today in the sun or for some other reason. Tomorrow is an 8 miler and a week till the marathon!

Thu, Feb 17, 2011

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 07:00:00

6.56 km in 29:45 on road. I Didn't mean to run it near marathon pace but I felt great so I just kept running naturally. The sun had set when I went out and it sure made a big difference. I'm really looking forward to the cool in Tokyo - I just hope it's not bucketing down like last year! Finger's crossed!

Wed, Feb 16, 2011

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 07:00:00

10 km in 48:23 on road averaging 12.4 kph. Hot and humid. Ran at marathon pace for km's 2 >3, 4 >5 to see if i could get it down to a couple of seconds and I was pretty close to it. From km's 8 > 10 I ran a little faster than marathon pace into a good headwind...it cooled me down!

Tue, Feb 15, 2011

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 07:00:00

6.6 km in 33:12 on treadmill @ 12 kph.

Sun, Feb 13, 2011

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 07:00:00

17.2 km in around 2 hours on road. 30 degrees with full sun today that made it way too hot and I could feel myself overheating. Figured I'd do my body more damage than benefit if I kept on going with only two weeks till the marathon. Ran 8.6 km @ 11 kph then walked and jogged back in over an hour.

PM 5.3 km in 24:44 on treadmill.

300m @ 12 kph

1 km @ 13.3 kph (marathon pace)

500m @ 12 kph

1 km @ 13.3 kph

500m @ 12 kph

1 km @ 13.3 kph

500m @ 12 kph

500m @ 15 kph

Good run to add on to the incomplete run during the day.

Sat, Feb 12, 2011

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 07:00:00

6.56 km in 27:57 on road. 13:51 out and 14:06 back. Aimed to run it at marathon pace (13.3 kph) but ran it at 14.1 kph) so 1:30 too quick. I'm likely to blow a gasket if I go anywhere near that pace at the start. I felt great during the run though even though it was 27 degrees and full sun. Tomorrow will be a 20 km run, my last run of any distance before the marathon. Looking forward to it!

Thu, Feb 10, 2011

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 07:00:00

10 km in 49:47 on treadmill. 9 km @ 12 kph then last km at marathon pace. It was hot and sweaty but a good run. Tomorrow is a rest day with my last solid weekend coming up. I leave for Tokyo two weeks from today!

Wed, Feb 09, 2011

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 07:00:00

13.1 km in 69:57 on treadmill. First 4 km @ 12 kph then 5 km @ 10 kph, 3 km @ 12 kph then last 1 km faster than marathon pace. Happy with run as I still believe treadmill is at least .7 km too fast.

Tue, Feb 08, 2011

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 07:00:00

10 km in 50:00 on treadmill. Very happy with my run as I tested out my new body science half tights. I got them in preparation for the cold weather in store for Tokyo and they didn't give me any grief at all. It's also much cooler today, about 23 which made the run less sweaty than usual. Still 90 % humidity which always makes things interesting!

Sun, Feb 06, 2011

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 07:00:00

10 km in 1:07 something on road. TERRIBLE. Woke up before 4am to leave at 4:15 for a 20 miler this morning. Much to my dismay it was still 26 degrees and 90 % humidity so I wasn't comfortable at all. My legs felt heavy, like two stumps of wood plodding after one another. I was losing water at an alarming rate and felt like I had no energy so I begrudgingly turned around after 5 kms in 28:30. Ran back 3 kms then had to walk home. Not cool only 3 weeks till the marathon.....TODAY!

11.1 km at 10 kph on treadmill. Felt dirty with my effort this morning so I sweated it out on the treadmill during the middle of the day after some yum cha.

10.1 km in 52:30 on road. 27:18 out 25:12 back. Bit the bullet and went for my third ten km to finally get out the 20 miles today. I know it's nowhere near the same as running it in one go but it seriously wasn't doable today without causing some kind of major damage. The humidity stayed at around 90% all day which made it very hard going. The positive was that for the last 2 or 3 kms of my last run I felt the tired legs I normally feel at the end of a long run.

Sat, Feb 05, 2011

Sat, 05 Feb 2011 07:00:00

6.56 km in 33:54 on road. 17:38 out and 16:16 back. Bloody hot and my stomach was feeling decidedly average after some very spicy thai last night. I have no choice but to wake up at quarter to 4 tomorrow and go for a big one then. Gotta do it....3 weeks tomorrow till the marathon!

Fri, Feb 04, 2011

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 07:00:00

3.2 km in 17:08 on treadmill. Ridiculously hot today, even inside with the fan going. Will wait till the sun is setting tonight to get out a 10 miler. Then rest tomorrow and my last big run on Sunday.