Sandgate parkrun 2nd 16;29

Catch up report.
Last Thursday our plans to race the Cool Night Classic corporate 5.6km Race in the city got rained off! Well more stormed off with the event 'start finish' area looking smashed up by the storm when we arrived, so just an easy 8km around the course and Botanical gardens and some beers at the Public Service Club followed by Irish Murphy's in George St.
On Friday, Mike joined me for his first actual running of Roo+Lake, so I smashed out a 41 minute (3;50 KM ave) run and managed to gap Mike by a minute - or was he sandbagging for Sandgate?
At Sandgate if its windy its tough going. I flew for the first K but was caught by Peter Run and a little later by Mike. I was labouring and Mike went past easy enough. At the turnaround Mike said he got there in 7;48 about 6 seconds up on me. As we turned we immediately felt buffeted by the wind and it was pretty tough going. I worked hard and began to catch Mike and Peter who had been running together. Peter dropped off and I went past and further began to draw Mike in. At the finish we were given a 3 second gap but it was 1 second on our watches. I had the token kudos of out age grading him due to my extra year. 
On Sunday Mike and I headed up to Woorim on Bribie Island for an hours run along the beach. I had wanted to take Mike on a Trail run but with a 1500 scheduled for Wednesday, time was not available.
Monday we smashed out another Roo+Lake, this time Mike kept with me. The run was also notable for a snake which we didn't notice till we'd run over the top of it!. 
Mike had previously ridden around on my mountain bike and we'd come across a giant monitor lizard (3 ft long) heading up a tree!
Tuesday morning unfortunately Mike's back had gone into spasm so the race on Wednesday was off. He was in big trouble with a 9 hour flight to Tokyo on Thursday leaving him bed ridden Friday. We are going to be lucky to get all 3 old boys to the start line in Tokyo in two weeks time as Andy Green has had terrible luck with his achilles preventing him from doing meaningful training for the last couple of months.
I'm going to concentrate on dropping 1 or 2kg now Mike has left and I can stop drinking beer!

Not the Cool Night Classic Race but a nice way to console ourselves

Sandgate parkrun - hardwork battling back into the wind

post parkrun coffee at Redcliffe

Sandgate 24/10/2015 Results

Australian parkruns 24/10/2015 Age Grading Results, Mike would have been 3rd but they only list top performance for each parkrun

Mount Mee trail run

I hadn't been for a run up Mount Mee since January so laced up my trail shoes and headed up via the backway, Wamuran via the Diagular Highway. A few years back I used to run the 12km road section from Wamuran to the Mount Mee sign and back ! A hideously hilly up and down road run ! I'd run it with Ian Kent or Kenty as he was known.
Much better for the body to just run the oh so hideous (on the body) but the oh so beautiful trail in the State forest.
Basically you park at the Gantry lookout area and run out along Lovedays 'road' till you get to L Traverse , run up the seriously "is this hill ever going to end" hill?
Turnaround and run back. It's a monster but I love doing it.
The Bell birds and the Whip birds are your only company, plenty of rustling in the bushes as you go by which are probably the local little rock wallabies and the large reptile monitor lizards. No snakes this time, two four wheel drive vehicles in the whole 1hour 35 I was out running.

10x800 with 60secs > 2:39

I had a rest day Monday following a mammoth weekend, and my legs were smashed from Maleny. Recovery runs Tues Wed.
Thursday; Track:
Windy early on and 500 Nudgee boys doing athletics to contend with on the track. Long warm up and into it. Same session distance wise as last week's s miles but I prefer slightly less distance in my intervals. Worked hard for roughly comparable session run with Mike last week. Had the Garmin running continuous and just hit the lap button. I'm not too anal about recovery but generally want to keep it short but noticed I'd crept up to 71 on # 6 or 7 so consciously attempted to bring it down, and managed OK with 50/55 for last 4.
Track was deserted by the time I'd finished , just the way I like it.
Currently about 2kg overweight due to Mike Trees encouragement to drink beer in Japanese business men quantities!

Managed to get the heart rate up to 186bpm!

Maleny Mountain View Challenge Half 2nd 80;07

I wanted to show Mike Trees and his son Tommy and mate Oscar some of Country Australia so I entered them in the Mountain View 10km as a team whilst I ran the Half.
I was hoping for an easy outing where I could cruise this mountainous Half but unfortunately a former triathlete by the name of Todd Spackman also entered. Slightly different course this year no lap around the showground, straight out onto the hills of Maleny, Up and Down! I realised on the first hill that my legs were still wearing yesterdays 3000/1500 efforts as Todd gapped me on the ups but I was able to catch him on the descents and flats.
It was not going to be a comfortable outing and I worked hard to stay with him but eventually at 8km a climb saw me drop back and not able to recover back the ground as he put in 10 to 20 seconds on me. On the way back I saw him stop and walk twice but I still couldn't get back level as both the climbs and the downhills were causing me as much pain. Happy enough to roll in second in just over 80minutes. Last year when we were accidently sent around the showground for a second time, I ran 82 minutes for the 22.1km.
Mike and Tommy managed a joint win (for the first time - how cool would it be to run across the line in an open  race with your son!) Oscar finished 9th and team Trees won the team prize, so we cleared over $500 between us!
We stopped off in Maleny for coffee, I had the local double cream apple turnover - exquisite regardless of the calorie count!
Here's the elevation profile for my Half

the first 3 in the 10km Mikey Tommy and Satoshi

love the country atmosphere at Maleny

Mike and Tommy crossing the line together

First team Mike , Tommy and Oscar - Trees Anclffe will appear on the perpetual trophy

Here is my run on Garmin;

QMA 3000m SAF 3rd 9:32.02

The last time we have a record of us racing together was the 1980 English Schools at Newcastle where I finished 5th and Mike 15th (I went to Loughborough in 1980~1983 and Mike went in 1981~1984 but we have no memory of racing there!).

1980 Senior Boys English Schools, my best ever XC in 5th, Andy Green 14th and Mike in 15th ~ We'll be racing again in Tokyo in November

Conditions were warm and humid with just enough wind to make my track season debut difficult.
The plan was for Mikey Treesey's son Tommy to lead us out for 1600m then the race was on!
Tommy did a fine job leading us around in 75's then Mickey took lap 5 and I sensed it was hard going in front so I led lap 6 and 7 till the 200 mark where Mike took back control with 600 to go. Into 500m to go Mike edged away and I started to tie up!
Pete Bracken in third must have sensed this as from 20m down with a lap to go he stormed home to pip me passing me with 50 to go.
Mike stole away four seconds 9:28 , but the big question was who would win the age grading?
After Peter Reeves led a deputation to the referees office to get a corrected result I was jubilant to celebrate a narrow victory, a Pyrrhic victory of sorts.
In truth I was very pleased to be so close to Mike considering he had run 9:10 three weeks back and 4:17 1500 for Bronze at the World's in Lyon this Northern Summer.

Father and son lead out me and Bracko with Belly following.

Gapping in progress

Later we ran a 4x1500m relay, I ran about 4:39 to help Reevesy Shardy Belly and me claim a Qld M40 record.

some product placement for Mikes Shoes = Newtons

6x600 rolling 3minutes; 1;49, 1;48, 1;49, 1;48, 1;49, 1;46,

After drinking enough beer over the last two days to fill Moreton Bay we headed back out to Nudgee, this time with Mikes son Tommy and his buddy Oscar - fresh off the plane from the UK enroute to a years Triathlon training camp in Auckland.
Very windy conditions and a lactate session like this, again had me hiding behind Mike and Tommy for a tow. I coped well but Mike was dropping me by a second on reps 4/5/6.
This was Mikes Pre Race session, not too physically demanding but enough to give the body some race pace conditioning.
My heart rate hit maximum at 180 bpm and I was as drunk as a skunk on lactate acid by the end of the session.

Maxed bpm 180

We are racing Masters 3000m on Saturday at State Athletic Facility.

5x1600 rolling 7 mins, 5;19, 5;19, 5;19, 5;14, 5;09

Mike Trees arrived from Tokyo on his way to Auckland NZ staying for a week at ours. Not seen him since 1983 when I left Loughborough.
Great opportunity to train and get his philosophy on running as a 53/54 year old Master.
We headed off to Nudgee for my first track session in months. I made Mike lead the reps so I could try and find my track legs.
5x1600m on a rolling 7 minutes is a tough old session to open with! Warm conditions but not too windy, Mike seemed to have exceptional pace judgement as we both worked hard. Mike asked me to lead out the last rep and I managed to gap him on 3rd lap but he one tenacious dude and he managed to come back level at the finish. A finishing line wretch, let me know I worked myself real hard.

Here are the splits;

Heart rate up to 178 bpm.

Petrie parkrun 1st 16;47

The inaugural Petrie parkrun started from the appropriately eponymous Sweeney Reserve. An out an back course over undulating cement pathways. A huge field over 400 for the first event including all my the Masters gang, Colin, Dave, Peter, Phil, Paul and Jenny, Anne and Sean Ryan , Jim Wagstaff, Robbie Lofthouse  ( Belly ,Scroopy, Reevesy,  Phil and  Shardy)
Peter Bracken,  Peter Run, Anne Ryan and Clare Geraghty were amongst other parkun royalty and Aidan Hobbs now back in Brisbane and making a welcome return to the sport.
Bracko goes flying off at the start and despite two hills in the first K we run through in 3;15 and my lack of interval training exposing my low tolerance to lactic acid I was swimming in a sea of acid with a heart rate rocketing to very uncomfortable levels. Bracko gaps me a little and we go though the 2nd K in 3;18. I was hanging on and came back towards the 2.5km turnaround. Into the lead I tried to stay comfortable knowing the return was going to be equally uncomfortable with the hills likely to expose further lack of condition. We run into a sea of runners heading out. Two close call near head on crashes slightly impede progress. I hang on to take the win in 16;47 from Peter Run and Bracko.
Clare close behind them.
Warmed down with Brack Peter Run and Clare heading back over the course. Along the pathway we come across a Kola bear walking across the path with her baby on her back, the cutest picture you can imagine, I warn runners to just take care passing her, They really made my day.

Not my photo but get the picture

After the run we headed over to Belly's Queenslander on two acres along the Dayboro Rd.
A magnificent house and a wonderful setting for a delicious breakfast.
Reevesy brought along a shot put and discus for further hilarity but I had to make it home before the actual competition.

On line results here

The Golden Garmin Lama

It was raining Thursday morning and I dislike cycling in the rain so I decided to start my comeback two days sooner than originally intended but I have still managed to give myself a 4 week break from running.
Just a steady run around the lake 5.3km for starters, followed by the same on Friday. Knees don't get any better for replacing running with cycling! Ooh! Friday I thought I'd try an antiinflammatory to see if I could concentrate on seeing if the hip is still an issue. It is, but very much in the background and I know its when I start loading the training that the true test will come.
Mike Trees will be here in early October , we will do a parkrun and a Masters 3000m and one other road event so I need to get back in action just to train with the guy. Mike has been injured himself but managed to train for 6 weeks before the World Master's in Lyon and get 5th in the M50 5000m and pulled out a stunner 4;17 for bronze in the 1500m behind the impirious David Heath who stands as the all time great for M50 800 and 1500.
Treesey brought a tear to my eye with that performance, I'd fallen asleep watching le tour but woke up to see his wife's Rieko's race video. You couldn't believe what you were seeing, sure Heathy was sublime but to see Mike take it on like he did still moistens the eye when I think of it, will post up link herehttps://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153555211853923&id=595983922&_rdr
:https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153555211853923&id=595983922&_rdr
It was the second time this winter Treesey had shocked me, back in the UK he'd run a 3 in 9:39 and had gone up to Manchester to race Andy Green over another 3000 how's Greeney was injured and was only able to offer trackside support. Anyway Mike pulls out all the stops and runs a blinder 9;15 !
I could not believe it, he asked me to guess how he went, I'll see if I can find the messenger exchange and post it here.

Having him coming to town shortly is all the motivation I need to get back into it, as November brings us together again in Tokyo for the Sween Green Trees  showdown! And November also brings the year countdown to M55 World Master's in Perth !  I have been counting down for at least two years already!

Finally able to run in my latest Adidas Energy Boost !
Peter Reeves will love them too as they are a Golden Lama colour!
I said on Strava that they are so loud that Jimmy Savile (the horrific pervert  DJ) wouldn't look a miss in them!
I love them, they are cheap and great to run in.

Swooping

This is me and that is a Magpie!

I got back from Gladstone and trained on for a week feeling OK but the following weekend I headed out for a 24km run with a view to getting some prep done for the Sunshine Coast Half, however my hip was giving out again and I was in pain the whole way .
I decided that a proper break from running 3 or 4 weeks might be a way to get over it.
So I have been back on the bike getting some laps around North Lakes as a firm of cross training .
The screaming banshees (magpies) have been attacking me good and proper,I get pretty psyched up for the buggers knowing they are coming for me and  even filmed a video clip of the swooping magpie but unfortunately my language is so colourful I cannot publish it!
Mike Trees has also got me aqua jogging in the pool in winter (OK yes it has just turned into spring) needless to say the wife thinks I'm crazy getting in the pool for 20mins at 6:00am !

Jetty to Jetty Half Marathon 74;59

Another medal arrived in the post this week, this time an age cat medal from the Jetty to Jetty.
Appreciate them printing it up with my net time which looks better than the 75:00

Here are the official results
http://tiktok.biz/list/jetty2jetty/2015/21km/

Gold Coast Trophy

Amongst the many things I love about about the Gold Coast Marathon festival are the age category trophies which arrived this week with an Asics bag, these are the only trophies I have on 'display' in my home, meaning every thing else is flung into a cupboard.

Botanic to Bridge 8km 2nd 26:40

I travelled up to Gladstone with Jackson and and Clare and introduced them to the delights of the backpackers conveniently situated close by to the start line.
Race day morning was clear warm and sunny and after 2km warm up I formed up on the start line , Jacko said I could be up for 2nd on the day as we didn't recognize any other runners.
Sure enough the gun goes and we head uphill for 500m Jacko with some incredibly exaggerated arm swings, my lack of intense training leading me to refrain from too hung ho a start.
Still I started in 2nd and was never headed by anyone else.
It was pretty lonely with Jackson ever further in front down the long straight roads and it was Clare about the same distance behind me in 3rd.
One memory was the smouldering remnants of a bush fire/ back burning than provided a pungent interlude for the chest.
The road is a real roller coaster with UPS and downs, the 5th km has a nice down hill section which I ran in 3:11 but is followed by the uphill Goondoon Street through the centre of town. A right pig of a hill, has to be approached with shortened stride while the heart rate goes through the roof.
Then it's back downhill and around a loop before going over the bridge that takes you to Central Queensland Uni and the finish line.
Never been better than 4th the five times I've raced here so was happy with 2nd and 1st in the Masters $500 to pay for the trip and some Tokyo spending money. Mind you  I did ask the organisers if I might pick up the 2nd place open cat prize $750 instead = no such luck, I was entered in the Masters cat only!
11km warm down with Jackson who is is on a high mileage stint that should see him break new ground as he heads towards his middle thirties (think he's 32.
Team Garmin Lama had 1st 2nd and 3rd but we needed a 4tg team member to score, maybe next time we can crack that one.

World Masters Athletics Championship 2015 Lyon France

My home PC is out of action so no uploads to Garmin Connect/Strava.


Tuesday(11/8/15) 6;03am 10.5km 44;04 - 4;12 K's
Monday 6;15am 5.69km 25;37 - 4;30 K's
Sunday 16;27pm 10.54km 44;33 - 4;14 K's
Saturday 11.21am 5.65km 23;35 - 4;10 K's
Friday 6;17am 5.62km 26;40 - 4;45 K's
Thursday 6;23am 2.62km 14;19 - 5;28 K's - With Sascha our beagle/staffy.
29th July - 5th August Recovery
Tuesday 28/7/15 6.00am 10.65km 50;05 - 4;42 K's

I took time out due to hip issue causing me to feel like I was limping around my whole run. Had an acupuncture session last week and will be seeing again this afternoon. Started some easy running again see how I go. Had bought flight tickets to Gladstone for this weekend so attempting to get back into some kind of running shape for the annual 8km hilly road race.

World Masters in Lyon has been fascinating. Very tough conditions (in the heat) some scintillating performances. My attention is divided between the M50's and of more relevance for me considering Perth October 2016 = the M55 category.