Training Log Archive: jennycas

Was almost thinking about joining the middle-aged ladies doing aquarobics, untill they all charged down the pool towards me, riding their pool noodles.

Flinders uni "sprint" course courtesy of Robin who didn't have enough to do setting courses for at least 50 new kids and their families. I took it easy; there was a lot of up and down, my calves are still hammered and I didn't have the shoes for going cross country. But it was a lovely afternoon to have a map in my hands and I still think we should use this area for a NOL race some day.

Up through Randells reserve to the BP at Belair and back down Gloucester Ave, after work. There was only enough light for the uphill half of this run. It took 32 min and the downhill half 38 :( I really dislike running in the dark - even with a torch I have no perspective of how far it is before my feet hit the ground, or whether the ground is flat. Also there's no scenery and all I can see is the circle of light around my feet. Did I mention that I hate running in the dark?

I knew I was pretty tired when I instinctively slowed down because I saw a speed camera while I was out running.....

Had warmed up enough by the time we got to the hill, that I decided to do hills and not the soft option. By the time I got home I could hardly walk again though...

6x hills, untimed. I was the bunny the others had to catch. Mostly they did this with ease until I decided to drop my elbows and put my shoulders back. Feels slower but is actually faster - weird.

Downhill recovery between hills.

C • half marathon 3

As I told the boys, my calves were going mooo in pain. So I chose not to run. Stretching and strengthening 20 min. Turns out that chicken and chips in front of the TV while watching Good News Week is ideal recovery food :)

Got home from the conference dinner after 11pm and was up at 6 to collect dad who was to drive my car from Athelstone to the city while I ran. Lots of people at the start, nearly 400 (?) and I could have been a bit further forward on the start line because for the first few km I was passing people. I had no way of timing the km but I felt good, bouncy even, and I heard one guy I passed saying his watch was set on 4.50 min/km pace which quite surprised me.

Once we'd passed Kay's place and she hadn't come out and chased me on her bike, and I hadn't passed anyone for a while, the adrenaline sort of wore off and I started to notice my hamstring and the neuroma in my foot, particularly between 8-12km. I promised myself jellybeans at 14km but they didn't seem to have much effect - my legs were getting really hammered from the pavement even though my lungs and energy were just fine. How far can the next 7km be? We run out to Portrush Rd and back all the time. Familiarity made it seem further and the last 3km from Hackney Rd seemed unending. 5-6 guys passed me and I passed a couple others, I could tell that I wasn't as fast as at the beginning, but I put my elbows down and kept my head up, and crossed the line on 96min (not sure of seconds).

That's probably 10 min faster than I had expcted to do (basically I had no clue). Mandy Towler did 88 which I think she said was a 2 min PB for her and she passed Asher Reynolds towards the end (I saw Asher out running pretty fast down Winston Ave yesterday) so I think I can be happy to be less than 10 min behind them.

Wish I had been able to time each 3km at least. (Do you break a half up into 7x3km, or 3x7km?) Guessing that I may have done 31, 32, 33 min for each of the 7km segments, but not sure.

Lauren was clearly happy with 41 min in the 10km (2nd woman) but it took a bit longer to elicit from Simon the information that once he had finally dropped David Talbot and then Jamie, there was no one else for him to overtake and so he won the half marathon outright!

So maybe tomorrow night will be a proper recovery run for once....

C • Great Run 6