Training Log Archive: ondrejpavlu

Event: Australian Orienteering Carnival 2017
 

Australian Orienteering Sprint Champs

Not a good race for me:
- Tired legs from the long run on Thu and could not hit the top gear (more like 3rd gear actually). That was my decision though and I expected it so not too bothered
- A few silly mistakes, about 1:10 all up, most of them caused by my inability to read the fine detail at high speed - think this was the final decision point to sort out contact lenses
- Heat and extremely dry and dusty air, struggled to breath towards the end

Still, a decent effort - 13th overall and 2nd Stinger home (a few seconds down on Aidan)

First run with SIAC and absolutely loved it! With some more practice of "running close to controls" this may save even more time as I have actually "punched" a control that was not mine just by running next to it.

Aus Sprint Champs Course 1 - Splits

Originally planned long tempo but quite soon realised there was no ooomph! in my legs and after not eating much during the day I was just flat. Still, managed decent pace on the undulating commute from the office with extra Bay run loop, Pyrmont wharves and an extra loop in Surry Hills to make it up to 30km. No food and only 0.5l of tailwind and finished pretty trashed, straight to woollies for some coke. Decent session and a solid mental resilience training. I wasn't enjoying it today. Think my ability to sprint on Saturday will be rather poor.

Fire alarm and evacuation of the whole building so I took the chance, sprinted to change and within 60 seconds I was leaving with others via fire staircase in running gear #WIN

Did easy trail LCNP loop. Absolutely fabulous day, you can tell spring is here - goannas again jumping everywhere, ducks with small chicks, runners, walkers... Love it.

Damages from the recent bushfire are rather minor.

recovery high cadence jog around the cbd. calves tight but otherwise feeling ok so should be able to do a long mara session on Thursday

Event: Sydney Marathon
 

Sydney Halfmarathon - 1:17:43, 22nd overall

Aimed for sub 1:18 and secretly hoped for sub 1:17 so set the pace at 3:40 which is somewhere in between. It's hard not to start hard when you start with the top guys. After a rather stupid 3:25 first km I calmed down and went through the 10km mark in just under 36 (realistically a bit over, Garmin was a bit off and claims 1:16:34 for halfmarathon). On the way towards DH I felt pretty flat and had to battle dark thoughts about the overcooked start. Was back in as I headed from Pyrmont bridge towards Pirrama Park - which has been my almost daily run-hood lately.

From about 13th km a tiny Jap lady (2nd lady) with cadence around 300 spm used me as her wind shield running like 40cm behind me. Which was good because "I" received lots of good cheers from spectators. She went ahead at about 19th km when I started to run out of steam a big time. From the overseas terminal I was over it and was happy to finish in 1:17:43, full 6 minutes faster than in my last big road race - GC Half in 2013 (1:23:43).

Had one gel at 12th km with approx 100ml water. That was it and didn't feel like I needed more. Probably thanks to an absolutely perfect weather conditions (barely any wind, blue sky, 11C).

Side note: Apart from PBs, training efforts are totally rewarded by preferred start bibs - private toilets with no queues (saved my life this morning) and a warm up zone instead of being squashed in a corridor. Dtto when you finish early enough and can have a massage with no queue and two guys work on my shattered legs for solid 10 minutes. That's win in itself!

Next up: Melbourne Marathon. Aiming for 2:45-50.