Similar to Yesterday

Today:
Distance: 14.75 km
Time: 74' 50"
Rate: 5' 05 " per km
Weather: sunny, temp 28 degrees, humidity 40%, wind calm
Week: 37.65 km, Feb: 136.4 km, Year: 623.1 km

Same as yesterday with a little bit extra because I had a bit more time. Little faster as well. Nothing to report expect being scared by a frilled neck lizard on the nature park track above the river. Plenty of small running lizards about, not much else including people. Kids back at school.
Jog has some good pictures on her blog from the Cradle Mtn run. You certainly get the idea of how difficult an event it is. Well done to her for finishing a difficult ultra run.
Finally today we saw some sun shine, glad of that, summer is almost gone.

Cutting Back

Today: Distance: 13.05 km
Time: 66' 25"
Rate: 5' 05" per km
Weather: cloudy, temp 24 degrees, humidity 65%, wind calm
Week: 22.9 km, Feb: 121.65 km, Year: 608.35 km

Nothing much to report. Ran home for lunch and back to work. Cloudy and humid, fairly average conditions for middle of summer. May be the sun will shine again before winter.
No point doing too much in terms of distance, easy paced running from now on during the week.

Better on a Sunday

Today:
Distance: 9.85 km
Time: 49' 01"
Rate: 4' 58" per km
Weather: cloudy, temp 23 degrees, humidity 60%, wind SE 10 kmph
Week: 9.85 km, Feb: 108.6 km, Year: 595.3 km

Shorter & better, although the track was basically flat. Needed the extra day to get over the track racing and the massage.
Circuit of Isabella Plains, dodged a few bike riders speeding past. Not much else to report. Glad to be able to get under 5' 00" pace.

Cotter - 21 mile plus Mt McDonald

Today:
Distance: 33.9 km
Time: 3 hrs 31 mins 55 secs
Rate: 6' 15" per km
Altitude gain/loss: 740 metres
Calories used: 2750
Weather: cloudy, temp range 17-20 degrees, humidity 78% down to 70%, wind southerly at 25 kmph
Week: 110.35 km, Feb: 98.75 km, Year: 585.45 km

Six of started just after the sun rise. The rain from Friday had gone leaving soft tracks but the air was very humid. A car left at the start indicated the girls had gone, we didn't see them at all, and by reading comments on Kerrie's Facebook page, I'm certain we wouldn't have been able to keep up. They were to do the same course, but somehow have finished 3 kms short. May be they swam across the Cotter dam, it's the only short cut I know.
A tough start to the run with just over 5 kms of up hill to reach the trig on top of Mt McDonald, Nothing too steep, just goes on and on. A gain of 300 metres in height over those 5 kms. The views over the construction work for the expansion of the Cotter Dam is well worth stopping to see. Funny how the taxpayers dollars are spent to retain water in a new dam when we are lucky to get any rain at all. It may never fill in my life time. I hope I am proved wrong.
We continued on down the Uriarra village side to cut back to find the jelly legs track, a bit cut up and rocky. Feeling the lack of drive from the legs from this point on, a combination of the track session on Thursday night and the massage on Friday. No forward power at all.
All fairly quiet on Bullock's Paddock Road, turned up Clift Road to see Robbie flying down the 21 mile track on the other side of the gully. He had missed Mt McDonald and was at least 40 minutes in front, didn't see him again. A very black wallaby stopped on the track on Wark's Road, almost tame, didn't want to move.
Finally made it Vanities Crossing, a bit of flow over the wall, nice cool but not cold water. A struggle on towards the finish, over 41 minutes is not too good for the 6.4 kms.
A good day out with partners also running Maroondah Dam in 2 weeks, good time on feet run & walk. Should show benefit of the track races & the massage after I get some power back in the quads.
A trip to Pine Is later in the afternoon for 15 minutes in the river. There is next to nothing in the Cotter river, waste of time trying to get wet out there. A good day, start to taper from now on, ease back a little until early next week. Shorter run next Saturday, run from home so I get to sleep in.

Massage Today

Today:
Running - Nil


Finally had the massage that I should have had about 4 months ago. But, tendinitis in left shoulder meant I couldn't lie on the table properly.
That problem has nearly cleared, and with today's weather forecast for rain, I made it a rest day and booked an hour with Maria. Best hour experienced for a while, except chatting with ...... at the last handicap.
Not too many problems, just the usual knots, sore spots, aches etc. in places I thought were Ok.
Hopefully the rain will clear by the morning, Cotter 20 miles plus Mt McDonald is the plan.

Morning & Night, Still No Rain

Today:
AM:
Distance - 6.95 km in 35' 41" at 5' 08" per km
Weather: cloudy, light drizzle, temp 21 degrees, humidity 75%, wind NE at 15 kmph
PM: AIS Track -
3000 metres - in 11' 42" at 3' 54" per km
5 lap spiral ( 2.08 kms ) - in 8' 04" at 3' 53" per km
Warm up & cool down - 4.37 kms in 21' 17" at 4' 52"
Weather: cloudy, temp 24 degrees, humidity 55-70%, wind NE ave 25 kmph
Day total: distance - 16.4 km in 76' 44" at ave 4' 41" per km


The weather forecast for the day was cloudy with the chance of shower/rain increasing. Turned out to be a fizzer as we received nothing. But I did go out for a short, flat easy run this morning just in case it did rain later in the day and I didn't make it to the track, my last chance this season.
Not expecting anything startling, but quite happy with both the run in the 3000 metres and later in the spiral. Both km rate consistent, just under the 4 minute mark, couldn't have gone much faster, but could have maintained that for longer. Good sign.
Plenty of discussion about the cancelled Canberra marathon, we will just have to wait and see what happens now, can the involved parties sort out their differences. Such a mess, such a shame. It doesn't affect me, I don't run on the road.

Calwell Oval - Grass Cutting

Today:
20 laps in lane 5 - 8.8 km in 39' 27" at ave 4' 29" per km
Easy - 1.65 km in 7' 36" at 4' 36" per km
Quicker - 1.2 km in 4' 33" at ave 3' 47" per km
Total for day: 11.65 km in 51' 36" at ave 4' 26"
Weather: cloudy, temp 24 degrees, humidity 54%, wind strong cross track from ESE at 25 kmph
Week: 60.05 km, Feb: 48.45 km, Year: 535.15 km
Later in afternoon: easy bike ride 15 km

The grass was being cut as I arrived at Calwell oval this morning. Lane 5 which I use in good condition, a little firm under foot, rain expected on Thursday & Friday will nicely soften the surface and put some green colour into the grass. We desperately need the rain, anything will do.
I didn't do a warm up as I had ridden the bike down, about 2.5 kms but far enough to be set to go.
Straight into the first 5 laps in lane 5, bare feet as per Speedygeoff's blog page from a few day's ago. I normally run bare feet on the grass anyway. Changed direction after first set, and progressively got a little faster. Aimed for easy 2 minutes laps to start, then picked up the pace. Certainly not sprint pace, just cruising. A short rest and drink then I had to run around the outside of the oval as a couple of golfers had decided to try and hit through the outside of the running track. I know why they are down there, golf balls going everywhere.
Finished with a quicker 1.2 kms, Ok.
Rode home for a rest, then bike down to the river for 15 minutes in the water, really nice with no one about, the kids are back at school. Bike distance about 15 kms, a good mix of training today without being too much.
Going to the handicap sub committee meeting tonight to see if Ewen & Strewth change handicap start groups for next month. I think they will, the pressure will be on again at North Curtin at the end of February.