27 February 2017

BRRC 15km 54;33

Training this week has seen the mileage maintained at never before levels since the start of December (yes I know I said I would cut back but I'm enjoying it).
127km this week and turned over 1000+ KM, year to date.
Some days I feel better than others.
The main issue areas are the knees (general tendinitis) and also the bridges of both feet have some hot spots in the metatarsal area (the left foot for over 8 months) My thinking is, if it was a stress fracture I wouldn't be able to run pain free at times (it comes and goes).

It was my turn for volunteer duty at Brisbane Road Runners Club this Sunday.
I had to get up at 3;45am to get there for my 5;00am duty! madness but I kind of like the craziness of it.
My role was to take the entry fees from non club members who wished to run. $10 for adults and $4 for Under 18's. I must have taken hundreds $$$ in the rush 15 minutes before registration closes.
A chap with an Australian (Rio) singlet collared me to ask about what we do. I recognized him as Dane Bird-Smith who won a Bronze in the 20KM Walk. I shook his hand and congratulated him, his performance was one of THE highlights at Rio for me. He has been asked to speak at the Clubs AGM so I pointed out Club Matriarch, Betty Menzies as I was way to busy to chat for more than a minute.
They close registration 5 minutes before race start and allow volunteers to run if they want (but no warm up). Knowing this I had got my long (27km) run in on Saturday and determined to Tempo run the 15km Sunday. Lined up behind the first few rows mentally preparing myself not to race off the line. Said hello to one of the legends of Brisbane female distance runners Margo Manning.
Off and running I quickly ascended to the front and tried to hold a strong but steady pace. Another runner,Simon Allison, pushed on and gapped me. I hoped he was only doing 1 lap (5km) or 2 laps (10kms). It turned out to be just the one. 
Dane Bird-Smith had also joined in and looked freakishly comfortable as he 'walked' with the other better runners, holding a conversation!
The conditions were much more amicable  than the appalling humidity we experienced at both my previous outings at BRRC. I felt quite comfortable ticking off 3;30's and 3;35 KM's, I slowed up for the 180 O turns. 
My first 5km lap was 18;14 followed by a 18;22 (36;37 10KM) and finished with a 17;55 for 54:33 1st place. 
My volunteer duties included helping tidy up the Clubhouse following the event so I didn't stop my watch and ran on for another lap cool down for 20km 74;03 (my Garmin read it 20.1km at an average 3;41 KM).

Results are posted here

Forget your Jamaican Bolts or your Sudanese/British Farrah's we have got the Bird man !








The Bird Man's performance at Rio a major highlight


Choose a mug or a plate for your prize


I'll have a mug please. With race director Kerri Hodge and 15km 2nd placer Neil Bath

21 February 2017

Sandgate parkrun 17;43 and Queensland State 5000m 16:37

Mike Trees spent the weekend with us on his way to NZ for business (he will stay with us again on his way back to Tokyo in two weeks time). He had a fairly major back operation a couple of months ago and is very focused on his rehabilitation. Andrew Green has a nickname for Mike, 'Sensei' as in Japanese for teacher or Master. He is a very wise man and spending a long weekend with him is full of learning. He embarrassed me with daily flexibility workouts and his monk like diet. That said, my back has never got to the condition his did and my bloods (when tested) have never been a cause for concern (unlike his). Anyhow he wanted to run his 99th parkrun here in Brissy and we wanted to choose a course that would be least jarring for his back (no hills or slopes) ideally we'd have done a flat grass course but we settled for Sandgate where Mike could jog along side the pathway on some grass for part of the way and it is dead flat with only one tight 180 O turn at the head of the pier and two easier 90 O turns into the pier. He has done almost no running so was relying on his swimming for the endurance. He survived and managed a pain free run in 22;11. He set a world best M50 15;44 at the original Bushy parkrun a few years ago when I ran 15;48 at Sandgate old course.
See his complete parkrun history here
I had entered the State 5000m in the evening and really should have just jogged round with Mike but I cant help myself I went off pretty easy letting Jamie Simmonds charge off to a 3;03 first KM into the distance as I led a small group. I intended to only run as hard as they ran so long as that was relatively easy. As we rounded the the island to run down the pier Jamie was already heading back on the esplanade pathway towards the finish. He couldn't have run down the pier section!
That would have to disqualify him so I was now leading. Conditions as ever really hot and humid but it felt good running easy 3;35's. I decided a wins a win and to ensure I wasn't out-sprinted by the two guys who were running with me to apply pressure at 4KM to gap them, bringing it home with a 3;25km 17;43 and first officially 'over the line' as Jamie disqualified himself.
Conditions in the evening at ANZ QSAC were cooler with a strong wind blowing. I thought the wind would kill everyones chances of fast times but others coped pretty well in heat 1, the A grade faster runners. I was in the B grade race and there was a further C grade race following ours. I warmed up OK and felt pretty good on the start line. However, within a lap I was in trouble!
A sea of lactic hit me and I struggled big time. The whole field ended up coming around me as I hit the back of the field. Sweat was pouring off me, big time.
I contemplated dropping out as I just felt awful but I hung in there and when I saw Hintsa drop out, I wouldn't be classified  last now!
I gradually managed to rope in a few more of the kids and finished in 16;37.6. Actually for a M55 that's not such a bad time but lesson learned dont even tempo the day before let alone near 'race' the morning of a race! Where was Sensei when I dreamed up this unwise master-plan?
In two weeks I really will 'jog' Mikes 100th parkrun at Sandgate the morning of the State 10,000m in the evening!
Check the ages!!
parkrun trying to take it easy, the purple pant lady was about to overtake us (OK she was just out jogging)


With Barry and Jamie. My thanks to Olga and Barry for some of these photos



14 February 2017

BRRC 5Mile Championship 1st 27;53

The weekend saw temperatures in South East Queensland setting record highs (47 C out West!!).
For us runners it made for uncomfortable, tough conditions. 
I have to get up at 4;00am (instead of my standard 4;30am) to make the 6;00am start at trendy West End in the city. 
The club uses the facilities of the South Brisbane Sailing Club for registration/toilets etc. 
I ran a 2.5km warm up and we lined up for the race just after 6;00am. 
The temperature was 26 C with 84% humidity but as the course follows the Brisbane River I am sure the humidity levels there are higher. 
The course is built around a 5km out and back loop with a couple on inclines and falls to negotiate plus two 180 O turns per lap.
Clay Dawson and I had a little interchange during the first KM (3;14) before Clay stretched away over the 2nd and 3rd K's. 
Clay gapped me about 5 seconds as we completed the first shorter 3KM lap. 
On a slight decline Clay appeared to stub his foot on the tarmac as he then yelped in pain and stopped - his calf had popped. He told me to keep going which I felt uncomfortable doing. Clay did manage to get back on course and jog the remainder of the run. It left me out alone in front and I ran as hard as conditions allowed but it was really horrid and very uncomfortable. My K's dropped into the 3;30's and I finished in 27;53. It was interesting racing a 5 Miler/8KM, we very seldom race them these days but I am keen to try out these different distances and will be having a go at 15KM, 20KM, 25KM and may even do a 30KM in the winter.
Results are here
Mike Trees is staying with us for a couple of days next weekend (on a stopover from Tokyo to NZ). 
He is still recovering from a back operation and is hardly able to run which means I hope to be able to smash him at his 99th parkrun (North Lakes or Sandgate) on Saturday morning (I need to get some victories over him as our Head to Head is heavily in his favour).
I shall not be taking it seriously as Saturday evening is the State 5000m Championship.


you can see the 4x180 O turns


The first lap is a 3km loop with turn back at Davies Park the second lap is the  standard 5km lap



05 February 2017

Sandgate parkrun 16:36

It has just been so incredibly hot and humid this summer I am almost looking forward to cooler weather for training and racing.
I have adjusted my alarm to 4:30am for training runs. Normally starting about 4:50am in order to benefit from the coolest hour of the day. It is, however the hour of highest humidity so I am still paying the price. I just ran my biggest mileage week ever (145.4km) and I'm smashed after a 33km slog along the Moreton Bay rail extension track and back. I have to get water at the station's or I would have died. I find myself craving for water, water lovely sweet water!
There are lots and lots of cyclists using this new pathway and just a few runners.
I tried to run on the grass beside but it is still quite uneven in parts and needs to settle a while yet before it becomes fully runable. 4:50am gives me about 30minutes before sunrise.
I think I will reduce the mileage now and add back interval training as I try and finish off the track season. There is no way I could maintain this mileage till the Gold Coast in July.
Saturday I ran Sandgate parkrun. I tried to go off slightly more restrained than last time and ran 3:10 for the first K. The next K was 3:22.
At the pier, I kept left instead of going around the traffic island (The marshall didn't direct). I was OK with having 3 seconds added to my time as a penalty for 'cutting'.
In fact my choice cost me time as I had to turn 90 degrees too swiftly and ended up running far right hand side of pier when the racing line is left hand side.
The heat definitely cost time as I felt well cooked. I managed to maintain 3:22/23 K's to the finish.
Doing a 180 degree turn at the end of the pier and running back the way we'd came. I was about 30secs clear. Top age grading in Australia for the day.


Top age grading  of the 33,000 park runners in Australia.

I should have skirted right of the 'green island' then rounded to the pier

I was cooking in the heat




Blessed hose at the finish