Yay! I ran 5K!

I did the regular run with the Brisbane Roadrunners today, and as always enjoyed myself.

It was my first 'formal' 5K run in about 6 weeks (since running in Cairns in November, in fact) ... so I wasn't unhappy with my slow time.

I rain 31:50 (odd) ... but was chatting pretty7 much the whole way with a firsdt-time runner.

"John" was doing his first 5k run ... he's a cyclist who wants to join his wife in a half-marathon later this year, so decided to join her at the BRRC runs ... and asked if he could use me to 'pace' himself.

I was glad to do so - it kept me honest, too ... and we talked about everything from medical research to house prices.

It was, as a\I say, a good run ... and I felt no ankle-pain.

It's tightening up a bit now, 4 hours later, but I'll do some more strtches soon, and go for a walk to walk that off.

No 'Galloway' run today - I'll try that on Tuesday .. today, just the joy of running. Loved it!

It's hard, when walking, not to break into a run ...

I did an 80 minute walk yesterday, along the riverfront near work, and I tried my hardest to maintain a 6km/hr pace.

And you know the hardest part?

It wasn't that I would slow down so much ... but that I'd want to break into a jog!

A fellow user of the CalorieKing Australia website once said her "feet just wanted to run on their own".

I know what she meant!

Rest day today - tomorrow's a 5K run with the Brisbane Roadrunners - the first time I've run, really, for week.

Wish me well! :)

First 'Galloway' style run ...

I tried the run/walk training method expounded by Jeff Galloway yesterday, and have to say ... I'm still not entirely convinced.

I know that I can run 10km in around 65 minutes - 'cause I've done it before. And I know I can run 5km in around 30 minutes.

But I also know that when I tried on the treadmill (*) yesterday, doing 4 mins at 10km/hr and 1 min at 6km/hr, (repeat 6 times) that meant that I only ran 4.5km in 30 minutes.

Yes, the 'interval' nature of the training meant I burned more calories - but at the end, I felt no 'stronger', or 'better' than I would have if I had run at a steady pace.

Having said that, I haven't run regularly for weeks, and so I may not have been able to maintain the 10km/hr pace required for a 30 minute 5km - so I'll try a straight 5km run on Sunday with the roadrunners, and then try the run/walk again on Tuesday.

(*) This stupid achilles tendon is still a tad tender - so I thought that running on the road was probably not all that wise. But jeez treadmills can be boring!

Merry Christmas ... my training's underway :)

Just a quick note to say I ran today - after Christmas lunch, I might add!

It was only a 4.3k run, or just over 30 minutes ... and my ankle's a bit tender this evening - but I reckon I will be able to maintain the training schedule set out last week.

So underway I am :)


The run was around the Brisbane suburb of Westlake -- where my sister and her husband live, and where we had the holiday feast.

After eating and drinking too much, including some dessert that was evil incarnate, I took off for a gentle jog .. running at around 7-minutes/kilometre, or 11-minute miles ... which according to www.jeffgalloway.com means I'd run a half-marathon in about 2hr 50 mins. I could live with that.

It also means, if I stick with the Galloway training method, I should run for 2:30 then walk for 1 minute. I'm still not sure about that ... but will give it a try when I run again on Thursday.

That felt Guuuuud!

Yay.

I went for a run today - and it didn't hurt.

Well, it hurt - but only the good "you haven't run for weeks so your muscles have forgotten how" hurt ... not the bad "I am your Achilles tendon - and gonna make you pay for jarring me" type of hurt.

I had to go for some blood tests ... which required me to fast (no breakfast!) ... and to stop my tummy grumbling while I waited for the pathologist to open, I decided to run the 3km there instead.

And it was fun!

So, after having them take some blood samples, I ran back, too.

That wasn't quite as much fun .. partly because it was warming up by then, but partly because I was carrying, in one hand, my water bottle, and in the other an (empty) 5 litre plastic bottle, into which I have to pee for 24 hours.

Still it could be worse.

It could have been a full 5-litre plastic bottle.

Wouldn't want to confuse THAT with my drink bottle, I can tell ya! :)

Anyway, it felt good to be running again ... even if it was only 2 x 3km slow jogs.

Woot!

Well, that was succesful - not!

I hate injuries.

I've been unable to run for weeks ... unable to run propeoply for months ... and the issue still not completely resolved.

Bloody achilles tendonitis!

Ah well ... at least now I know WHAT the problem is, and the Physio's giving me some exercises to deal with it.

So now I can get back into training.

I've reset the targets .. I'm still aiming for a marathon in Honolulu in December - and will do the half-marathon in Brisbane in April.

My nephew, Corey, is gonna join me in doing the half - so I've set up a training program (well, to be honest, Jeff Galloway at http://www.jeffgalloway.com/ has set it up - I just converted it to kilometres, and added some dates.)

Anyway - here it is.

Graham & Corey’s Half Marathon Training Schedule for Runners and Walkers
Week starts	Monday	Tuesday TT	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
24 Dec	walk/xt 40 min	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	5 km
31 Dec	walk/xt 40 min	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	6.5 km
7 Jan	walk/xt 40 min	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	8 km
14 Jan	walk/xt 40 min	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	4 km
21 Jan	walk/xt 40 min	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	10.5 km
28 Jan	walk/xt 40 min	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	5 km with MM
4 Feb	walk/xt 40 min	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	13 km
11 Feb	walk/xt 40 min	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	5 km with MM
18 Feb	walk/xt 40 min	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	15 km
25 Feb	walk/xt 40 min	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	6.5 km
3 Mar	walk/xt 40 min	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	17.5 km
10 Mar	walk/xt 40 min	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	6.5 km with MM
17 Mar	walk/xt 40 min	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	20 km
24 Mar	walk/xt 40 min	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	6.5 km with MM
31 Mar	walk/xt 40 min	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	22.5 km
7 apr	walk/xt 40 min	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	8 km
14 april	walk/xt 40 min	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	Half Marathon

Two nice runs this week ...

Sunday was the Brisbane Roadrunners 15k relay - three runners per team, each of whom runs 5k.

The idea was that teams would be handicapped - but in our case, we were handicapped by the fact that we had two slow runners and one moderately quick one, rather than a quick, a middle and a slow.

I set off first for our team, setting a pretty creditable (for me) 29: 30(ish)

By now, it was 6:40 or so - and the second runner in my team (the guy I ran against at the Jacaranda 10k the previous week) was facing a bit more heat. He did it in about 32:30 or so.

Which left the final runner ... who did us proud, at 23-odd minutes. He managed to pass the second-last runner, and was closing on the third last when the finish line beat him.

So - a bit of fun (for me, any way) ... and a lovely way to spend a sunday morning.

I hate it when life gets in the way....

My plan to do the Central Coast half-marathon is toast. Ain't gonna happen. Grrr!

I had, as I've posted here before, intended to do the half on December 2 - about the only available half-marathon before my birthday in February next year.

The idea was that we (my wife, son & I) would extend our driving holiday to Sydney and the Hunter Valley by an extra day ... so instead of heading home from Pokolbin on Saturday we would swing over to The Entrance, stay there on the Saturday night, and I'd do the half-marathon on the Sunday, driving home that afternoon and evening.

Then I'd have a few days to recover, before returning to work.

Instead, I now find I am due at the office early the following morning, bright and early .. and we almost certainly wouldn't get home before around 10pm on the previous night.

Which just ain't gonna work.

So now I have to reschedule the half ... meaning that I'll not achieve that goal before my 50th birthday.

Sigh.

Instead, I'll aim to do the half probably mid-year (Brisbane? Gold Coast?) and the full in Hawaii in December.

I guess that gives me the aim of completing a Half-marathon and a full Marathon in my 50th year ...

So who's idea was this, anyway?

This stupid decision to train for a half marathon?

Oh. That's right. Oh well :)

I stepped up to another 13k run today - this time along the river from Toowong to the Story Bridge.

I was gonna do the run to New Farm (10k) and then run back 3k before catching the CityCat ferry - but decided if I did that, I'd almost certainly squib out, and catch the ferry from the turnaround point.

So instead, I ran 6.5k and then returned.

It was a slow run (at 1:40 mins almost) - but at least I did it, despite wanting to quit a number of times.

And although my legs are now sore, I know my stamina is building - and 21k will be possible by early December.

Random Running

My wife took one look at the map of my run tonight, and asked if I'd got lost!

Harrumph!

No, I knew where I was, of course - I just decided to run almost at random, for 5km, rather than plan my route out in advance.

I was due to do a 5km run tonight (along with the 5km on Monday night), before this Friday's long run (13km) and then Sunday's 5km relay (which I'll get to in a moment).

So I headed out on my usual 5km 'home' run ... but decided I was gonna try to run as much as I could on the bitumen, or the grass, rather than the concrete paths that I normally use.

But that would have meant running on some fairly busy roads ... so instead, I decided to just take side-streets pretty much at random.

One advantage of this was that I got to run down more inclines than normal ... but the disadvantage was that I got to run up more inclines than normal, too :)

It wasn't a fast run ... in fact, at an average of just 8.9km/hr, it was pretty slow - but I'm proud of the fact that I kept running - even when I felt like stopping.

Which is a bit different to Monday's treadmill run.

That took nearly 43 minutes to do 5km ... so I obviously dropped back to a walk more often than I intended.

But I did the last 400m at 12km/hr, so at least I finished strong :)

Now ... to Friday's 13km. Probably do a variation on the Green Bridge run of a fortnight ago. I just hope it's not too hot (although 29 is the forecast).

Learning to run with my mouth shut :)

It was a small, but cheerful group that participated in the Jacaranda Festival Fun-Run on Sunday morning this week.


In fact, I think volunteers outnumbered the runners - there were only about 26 of us taking part - but I have to say, the flies outnumbered us all, hundreds to one!


The Fun-Run has apparently been a tradition at Goodna for more than a quarter of a century - but seems to have 'dropped off' the running calendar. In fact, I only knew it was on because RobR at Coolrunning.com.au mentioned it.



It started, just after 7am, at a dry and dusty park at Goodna, in Brisbane's west, and then winds its way, via (mostly) bitumin roads, to the old Railway Workshops at Redbank, before returning.
The weather was fine - but quite hot. In fact, as I drove to the start at 5:45, I passed a time-and-temp clock which showed 20 degrees .. so I'd put the 7am start temp at around 24 or so.

There were a few small hills, which was fine, and some lovely shade from Jacaranda trees. But unfortunately, not enough for some people.

Within the first kilometre-and-a-half, the field (such is it was) had spread itself across about 800 metres ... with the faster runners powering ahead, the plodders like me at the rear, and about 5 people who were taking the 5km 'walk' option at the back.

By the 3k mark, there were only three runners in my sight - a woman who was around 150m ahead, an older runner who was about 150m behind me, and a young woman who had, it appears, gone out far too hard for the conditions.

She was collapsed against a road-marker, obviously in some distress. The woman in front of me had stopped, to make sure the lass was ok - leaving just before I arrived. I, too, stopped to offer some comfort and concern, before leaving the young woman in the hands of the runner behind me, A few moment later, some volunteers were there, to give the distressed runner a lift back to the start, and make sure she was properly hydrated, etc.

Of course, that then meant that it was hard to get back into the rhythm (you know, once you stop running, its hard to get back into it) so I essentially gave up any chance of setting a PB and decided to just run as best I could, enjoying the communing with nature.

Except the flies.

I mentioned that there were a few flies out and about on Sunday... and more than a few ended on me. And in me.

You see, I'm one of those runners who breathes through the mouth. And these flies seemed to think that there was some moisture to be found there.

Mmmm! Free Protein! (Ack! Thwat!)

The final time? A slow 1:09:09.

But I had fun - and that's what fun-runs are all about.

Treadmills are not dreadmills - sometimes.

I needed, according to my training schedule, to do a 5k run yesterday - but it was just not gonna happen.

It was still quite hot until about 5:30 - and then, we had arranged to meet my sister and her husband for dinner.

So the logical answer was to use the $2k treadmill that we have downstairs (bought mainly for my wife) - it would save time, I could turn fans on, etc etc etc.

It's a lovely machine - but after running outside for so long, I always have trouble running on the treadmill.

It's so boring, and I just lose enthusiasm about a kilometre in to a run - even if I turn on the TV and watch music videos, like at the gym.

But last night, I had left my Jericho boxed set downstairs ... so I decided to watch an episode of that - 40 minutes seemed the perfect length for an easy 5k run.

And waddya know? The time just FLEW pastt!

Because I was engaged in finding out why someone had buried a nuclear device in a basement in Kansas, I didn't think about the fact that I was running - and it was great!

So now I have another option - and one less excuse not to run.

Committed .... I am, now (and maybe ought to be!)

Been a while since I blogged - life just keeps getting in the way.

But I have been running - and have made myself a pledge: I am going to compete in the Central Coast Half-Marathon on December 2, at The Entrance, north of Gosford in NSW.

I've modified a training program so that I'll be ready - it's essentially a 12-week program, picked up at week 6 (which, fortunately, was about what I'd been doing in any case).

Week ends	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
28/oct	5 k run	Stretch & Strengthen (BodyAttack & Core classes)	Strength, + 5 k run	BodyAttack class, then Rest	5 k run + strength	50 min cross	11.5 k run
4/nov	5 k run	Stretch & Strengthen (BodyAttack & Core classes	Strength, + 5 k run	BodyAttack class, then Rest	13 k run + strength	50 min cross	5 k relay
11/nov	8 k run	Stretch & Strengthen (BodyAttack & Core classes)	Strength, + 5 k run	BodyAttack class, then Rest	8 k run + strength	Rest	10k run
18/nov/nov	8 k run	Stretch & Strengthen (BodyAttack & Core classes)	Strength, + 5 k run	BodyAttack class, then Rest	15 k run + strength	60 min cross	10 k race
25/nov	8 k run	Stretch & Strengthen (BodyAttack & Core classes)	Strength, + 5 k run	BodyAttack class, then Rest	16 k run + strength	60 min cross	8k run
2/dec	6.5 k run	Stretch & Strengthen (BodyAttack & Core classes)	Strength, + 5 k run	Rest	3.2 k run	Rest	Half Marathon

I've put in a few good runs, recently ... on Sunday, I set a near-PB - a 5km race in 29:48
. I think my best for the distance, on the same course, was 29.28 a fortnight earlier.

And I reckon that's pretty good ... since I was running just 36 hours after doing my longest-ever distance - a slow but challenging 13km which involved LOTS of hills!

I mentioned in a previous post that I was gonna try 8km there-and-back St Lucia run - then extend that out to an 11k 'loop' involving the new Green bridge.

Well, I decided to skip the 8k run, and go straight for the 11km run.

But I was only estimating the distance, as google-maps doesn't make it clear whether its possible to traverse certain roads.

And in the end, the run turned into 13km ... including a kilometre or so of pretty tough hills. Sigh. I walked them, a bit :)

But next time, I'm gonna go straight up the hill, and then head straight for the Victoria bridge. The view will be less interesting - but it should also be about 3km less distance :)

Meantime, I also did a 5km today, and am scheduled (as shown above) to do 5k runs Wednesday and Friday - then a 12k on Sunday.

(whimper!) :)

How a DNF can also be a Personal Best

Just back in from the regular run with the Brisbane Roadrunners Club ... and I'll be down on the books as a DNF - but it'll be down in my head as a Personal Best.

Today was the 10K 'handicap' event for the BRRC - and I started 10 minutes behind 'scratch - or 20 minutes ahead of the faster runners.

And at the halfway mark, I'd done 5K in 29:45 or so - which is a new PB for me.

Which is particularly good, I reckon, since I've been carrying that strained muscle injury in my leg.

But as I got to the 5K, I took a quick inventory, and decided that the leg would almost certainly NOT hold up for another 5k (the times of my last two k were well down on the first three ... largely because the leg was starting to really hurt.)

So I pulled the pin, deciding that to risk an injury was not worth it.

I'm a bit disappointed .. I might have been able to do the second 5k (and may still do it later today) ... but am also happy with the 5K time that i did.

Besides which, I've adopted a new mantra courtesy of Sweetlee: "no more negative talk as it is wasted energy, energy I need to conserve " :)

When is a run not a run?

6.5k. Or 5.6k. Or perhaps even 4.2k. I ran one of those distances tonight. But which one?

It depends, I suspect, on how honest I am with myself.

It's accurate to say that I traveled 6.5k ... but I actually only ran 4.2k before dropping to a walk for about 900 metres, and then running the rest again.

But why did I drop back to a walk? Dunno. Oh, I was panting quite heavily - and the heart-rate was well into the 160s ... but still, I've run this route before. I know I can do it. So why?

As I say, I dunno.

And to top things off, now the muscle at the back of my knee hurts.

Bugger.

Might just write tonight off as a 'bad run', and start again on Friday (when I'm aiming to do the full 8k Toowong-St Lucia run).

In the meantime, I've added some more runner's blogs ... some educational, some inspirational, some entertaining.

If you know of others that you'd like to share, lemme know :)

Spring is sprung, the grass is riz ...

You gotta love spring in a subtropical climate! A magnificent morning today - just perfect for a long leisurely run.

Pity I didn't have time for one :)

So I did an easy 3k instead ... and enjoyed it.

It wasn't fast (at around 6:30/km it was, as I say, an easy run) but it got the body moving, rather than staying in bed for an extra hour. Hmmm.

Anyway - while I think of it, I should say thank you to some fellow runners at the Calorie King website. They've provided some really cool links and things.

And on the subject of links ... I just realized I hadn't added MapMyRun to the links list yet ... but its a great resource - helping plan runs / walks / whatever before I head out.

That elusive 60 minute barrier is ....

still eluding me :)

Ah well ... today I got closer ... doing 10km in 62:30 odd.

I did the regular Brisbane RoadRunners 10km run this morning - and came in at somewhere in the 62 minute range.

My splits show I was on pace (or near it) for most of the race ... but dropped off the pace in the 5-6, 6-7 and 7-8km sections.

That's the sections where the drinks tables were situated ... and I obviously spent too much time slowing down to a walk for the drinks.

I'll try taking my own drinks next week, and see if that helps ...

Today's was an interesting run. It was the club's 25th anniversary, and there were a lot more runners than normal (perhaps a hundred or so all up) ... which was great, as it
provided a real 'race' feel.

I also had my nephew, Corey, with me ... he was running his first 5km - and came in with a smokin' time in the low 30s ... around 31-and-change, he thinks - which is excellent.

So ... another run under the belt.

Coming up this week? The plan is for a 3k tomorrow, a 6k on wednesday, an 8k on friday afternoon (see the 'evil temptress ferry' below), and then a 10k handicap race next sunday
- that could be an interesting experience :)

Evil temptress ferry .... :)

I had an hour or so to spare on Friday, after work and before picking up Shirl, so I thought I'd do an easy 8k run from Toowong to the new 'green bridge' at St Lucia.

I'd never run that way - but thought it should be easy enough - I mean it follows the river, so should be flat, right?

Ah. That ignores the fact that people at St Lucia don't like others running along between their units and the river. So there are a few hill involved in the first couple of kms.

Anyway, it was not the fastest run I'll ever do, but I was enjoying it.

And then I hit the 6km point, on the way back.

And noticed that I was passing a ferry terminal.

And that a City Cat ferry was just pulling in.

And that I could therefore do the last 2 km in 5 minutes, instead of 15 ... and not be late picking up Shirl from work.

So I squibbed. It was the ferry's fault, I tell ya! The evil temptress ferry! Not me! Never :)

Next week, I'm gonna do the same run - but do the full 8.

Then the week after, I hope to do the 4 out, cross the river at the new bridge, and then run back via South Brisbane and the William Jolley - if I have it right, that should be 11km.

Not a great start

Sigh.

No runs since Monday - and even then, it was only 3km on the treadmill.

Work's been a shocker - and by the time I got home, it was too late to head out for a run.

Hopefully, I'll get in a 7k run tomorrow afternoon ... and then Sunday's regular 10k with the Brisbane Roadrunners Club.

I've started looking for an appropriately-timed half-marathon ... possibilities are

(1) The Toowoomba half ... but that's only 4 weeks away, and I don't think I'll be anywhere near ready.

(2) The Portland Half, in December. Possible ... but Portland's a hassle to get to without transport since I'd have to fly to Adelaide or Melbourne on the Saturday and then go overland ... plus get back to Melb / Adel and fly home on Sunday evening.

(3) There's one on January 6th which apparently starts, and ends, at the Cadbury factory in Tasmania. This is sounding possible.

Anyway - something will come up before my Birthday - I'm sure of it :)

One small step ...

I've decided to run a marathon.

That looks scary, when it's written down like that ... but that's not a bad thing, I suppose.

Because I AM a bit scared of this committment.

But I'm gonna do it.

By my 50th birthday, on Feb 2nd 2008, I'm going to complete a half-marathon. And then, by the end of 2008, I am going to have completed at least one marathon.

Scary.

It was only August 2006 that I completed the Couch to 5km training program - which takes couch potatoes onto their feet and gets them regularly running 5km, uninterrupted, in 9 weeks.

And while I then increased my fun-run distances to 6km, then 8, then 10, it was more than a year later before I got beyond that, to 12km.

But I'm going to increase that to 21km, by Feb next year .. and then double that again by the second sunday in December 2008 - the Honolulu Marathon in Hawaii.

To do that, of course, I'm goiung to have to increase my training - which is why this blog's been set up.

I'll be updating this regularly (I hope), recording my runs and other training ... and putting in links to related stuff (like race reports) ... so feel free to add comments if you like :)

Gra