January - Four Weeks Done

January: ( at 28th )

Distance:  362.85 kms in 4 weeks ave 90.7 km

Altitude:  8404 metres in 26 days ave 323 metres per run.

The fourth week of the month saw the weekly total drop back from 94 to 90 kms.
Saturday morning I was on drink station duties & course demarking at a mountain running event in Orroral Valley in the middle of Namadgi National Park. Just a few kms that day while waiting for runners to arrive.
Then Sunday was the first monthly handicap of the year over a short 6 kms on what was a flat but rough track at Campbell Park. My handicap group start has slowly moved forward during last year due to a hip injury. I am now on a soft group start and managed a 4th eligible placing, 4 seconds off 3rd place.
However, as almost everyone else also ran slowly, I moved forward by 1 group, now on 23 & will have to do a Ewen, ( walk a bit, hold back ) not to win a medal next time. Fourth place is fine by me.

Monday was long run day over the hills & up to Mt Rob Roy. Usual distances now around 35 kms in 4 and half hours with over 1000 metres of climbing.

The altitude for the month is looking good, plenty of strength from those up hill metres at the expense of pace. Still on track, all good.

Three Weeks Gone

Year to date:  282.85 kms

Altitude gain:  6687 metres

Weekly ave:  94.3 kms

Consistency so far with no overly big weeks.
Most weeks are highlighted by the long hilly, sometimes a mountain, run on a Saturday mixed with mostly very short recovery running during the week.
Altitude gain for strength is still the main focus to the detriment of speed. Last Saturday's double run of 28 kms over Mt Tennent was the best for a couple of years and only 2 minutes over 4 hours, target time. Very happy with the effort.
However, it has resulted in a flat feeling few days since, hopefully only excessive tiredness.
Otherwise, all good, even if I did have to push my pace to keep up on the bike path around the lake with Ewen on his bike. Really need some speed work.

Up We Go

Year so far:

Distance:  191.2 km

Altitude gain:  4306 metres

This year has only two target events, one a race & one a fun run.
However, both are long with the first coming up soon in mid March being the CBR 100 km over the north side trails on the Canberra Centenary Trail.
It's not that hilly, undulating in places, nothing steep. Looking at 13 hours hopefully, may be a little more depending on the day.
The second target event will be in outback Australia, on a similar basis to the one I did 18 months ago now on the Birdsville Track.
This year there are 3 choices in locations & each will depend on the prevailing weather at the time.
The main issue is the cold weather in winter in the outback deserts. The temp can drop below freezing at night & me & cold are not really friends.
So timing will be important. If I run in northern Australia, then winter will be Ok, so June, July & August are in play.
If I run in southern Australia, then timing may be in September or early October.
I don't want hot weather, so fine, sunny, dry tracks & mild temperatures up to 25-30 degrees in the daytime will be perfect.
Meantime, I'll keep to the hills, mountains & fire trails where I feel completely at home even though the outback tracks are almost dead flat. Strength & endurance come before speed.

Long & Hilly in 2015

Year so Far:

Distance:  78.35 km

Altitude gain:   2433 metres

While there have been only 4 days of the year, the focus has to be on long & hilly.
Basically, if I am to run this year injury free, then speed must decrease & endurance with strength must increase.
As this well be my last year in this ultra running game, I need to make it a good one.
First priority is the CBR 100 km in March, a hilly run along the Canberra Centenary Trail on the north side of the city. The organisers have included a walking section with a 36 hour time limit, so the easier part of the full 145 km trail has been marked as the course.
Second priority will then be some silly long outback run similar to what I did in 2013. Just where & when will depend on too many other outside factors including work & family.
If that doesn't come to fruition, then the 48 hour at Caboolture may be considered. I've done it before, as a lead up to my 2013 Birdsville run, but it's no where as interesting or challenging than running in the desert.
So at the moment, I need to maintain consistency with over 100 km weeks, then a ease back recovery week. Will be looking to some 130-140 km weeks as the months go by, before some bigger totals once the weather cools off into autumn.

Year in Review 2014

Running Totals:

Distance  2685.55 km
Running Days:  208
Ave per run day:  12.9 kms
Ave per week:  51.5 kms
Ave per month:  223.8 km

If it wasn't for the last couple of months of reasonable running, then the year would have been a disaster, mainly due to a lingering hip flexor injury.
The year started out Ok, with Jan & Feb both running more than 320 kms each then a good March with 450 kms.
Then, it all fell apart with a hip flexor injury caused by carrying a large object from the car to inside the house & twisting the wrong way.
Rest & known recovery methods didn't work, so an intended long run during the winter was cancelled. Four months later, treatment finally kicked in and the hip is probably now at 95% which I can handle with care.
The last few months have allowed running totals of 406 kms & 377 kms which mean there is a descent base to build on into 2015.
Short term plan is the Canberra 100 km in mid March, but later than that is yet to be worked out.
This year has started well with a mountainous run up Stockyard Spur from Corin Dam of 32 kms with just under 1400 metres of elevation gain. Moving time at around 4 and half hours is also a great start to the endurance base.