GEOFF HOLMES

3000m 9m21

Hard to know what to say about that run!

Disappointing but perhaps still understandable!

After recovering from the Hernia Op , in Sept I ran the Bribie Beach Bash, a 30 KM 'race' up the surf side of Bribie Island and back. I thought it would be a good training run in a fun setting! However, storms had washed away a lot of the beach and left only a small amount of runnable firm sand. Combined with a tide that pushed runners right up into the soft stuff this event really took a toll.

I took a week off after and found I'd picked up a strange injury to the hip muscle.

I could hardly lift my left leg up off the ground. I ignored this 'niggle' as much as I could, and got back to training and just suffered the consequences after each run for weeks afterwards ,of much reduced mobility.

However, with hindsight now I can see the effect on me was far more telling than I'd thought.

I feel that I'm over much of the effect of this injury but at the cost of much reduced level of fitness.

Tonight was a great night for racing and the field was exactly the type and quality that I' d been looking for all last summer!

A big pack of young runners that were running between 8m40 and 9m.

First lap no one seemed to want to take it on so I ended up making my way to joint lead just outside another runner going through in about 72 sec which was fine.

On the second lap a big group of runners (6 or 7) went around me and I was immediately becoming detached and in trouble. This lap was about a 70 sec for me = 2m22 at 800m.

I went through the 1st KM in 2m58 which was good pace and a similar time to most of my races last summer. The gap just got bigger and my pace must have got slower.

I didn't really take in the times too well but remember going through 1800m in about 5m29.

Another runner caught and passed me and I had nothing to offer, and couldn't hold onto him.

At 2200m I thought the clock was 6m44 and at the bell 2600m 8m05.

My delirium with the times at one point had me believing I might be close to running 9mins 10! but the result was a shocker.

Not the boost or motivation I wanted to reach my Holy Grail this Summer.

Perhaps I can use 'it' to push myself harder in training and see if I can eek out a return to form.

That said, there are not too many runners in the World my age who are capable of running the times I will be happy with.

My 'comfort zone' 10,000m a fortnight ago would have got me a Bronze Medal at the World Masters Championship in Riccione Italy last September in the M45-49.

My solo 32m12 10,000m in Hobart last April would have won Gold! See http://www.dbwma2007.org/results/atwma/2007/riccione0409200701/at/indexframe.htm

My Holy Grail !

5.00am Roo run.
Just over 6KM 24m37 - 4min K pace, a slight taper for 3000m Friday night at QA Meet St. Lucia.
Hoping my new spikes arrive from USA tomorrow or else I'm racing in flats on the track for the first time!
It's my first 3000m of the season after running the distance about 8 times last summer!
I recognise the need to work on my speed and reduce the attempts I have on the Australian 3000m 45-49 y.o. Record 8m59.29 = My Holy Grail!
Last year I missed it by about two tenths of a second in my third crack at it that year 2006 November 11th.
I ran 8m59.5 and finished third in a race I led for the first KM, then dug in hard to hold onto Winner Shane George (8m53) and Dennis Fitzgerald (8m55).
That race was on a hot and humid Saturday morning with Race Walkers in the race field.
I am certain that if it were not for having to lap Walkers during that run I'd have broken the record that day.
The rest of the Summer I chased 3000m races where I might get pulled around to the time but to no avail. The next closest I came was Racing at a QA All Comers Meet at U.Q. St Lucia on a Friday night.
The heat falls away by 8.30pm race start time and the humidity levels are dropping.
Sometimes you can strike it lucky and get a real good quality field, other nights there might be no one to push you.
So last year when I ran 9m02 on a windy night, lapping the field, I thought I would eventually break it. But it wasn't to be , now with my recovery from the hernia operation casting doubt over my current form I really don't know! Hopefully doing this blog, writing down some thoughts about it might induce the mystical 'cathartic' experience!
Tomorrow is not going to be an official attempt ( where three watch times or electronic timing has to be used and lap times must be recorded and signed off). I shall just be hoping for good conditions a good quality field and a run that boosts my confidence for the season ahead.

Danny Felsenstien

5.00am Wow it was humid this morning!
Standard 11.1KM in 44m35, a good strong run at 4min KM pace which is good for me for early morning and after a track session the night before.
I call this run Roo/Lake as it incorporates a run around Lake Eden here in North Lakes and around the Woodvale loop of the bike path. When I first ran the loop I would see lots of Roos hence the name!
This Morning I was just passing another runner when two startled Roos tried to make their escape off into the Bush. I don't see many now the days are getting longer and it must be getting light at 4.am.
On occasions the Roos sometimes stand there ground and allow me to run right past them without bolting. Once ,I surprised a Roo along a section of the path that had fencing to either side as it turned into a pedestrian bridge across a small lake! See the photo above . I literally ran near side by side with this hopping Kangaroo as it tried to escape me and I tried not to break my run!

Family

James Espir

Oh to be a Queenslander!!

I'm about 5ft9.5 (1.75m) and 64KG. I do not particularly watch what I eat, only what I drink!

Meaning I try to keep the beers to a minimum, except for special occasions (parties etc).

The climate here is conducive to keeping the weight off - when I say I 'sweat buckets' or 'sweat puddles' you can see I'm not joking!!!

Tuesday p.m. @ Nudgee College Track ; 16 X 300m 100m jog recovery Av 53

Managed to complete session without any of the recent niggles curtailing the intervals!

Just as well I ran in flats (see yesterdays post!), a large blister on the ball of my left foot seems to be on the mend.

As ever, Tuesday night at Nudgee is a busy affair, with about 30 League players split into four groups doing drills on the infield, one group (a dozen or so) of athletes doing sprint training and a triathlete group.

I have yet to see any other athlete run an interval session at Nudgee!

Where do all the other distance athletes train?

Last year on Tuesday evenings I was running 1KM intervals with Geoff, Ian & Errol.

6 X with a minutes recovery ( trying to run 3min K's) was certainly a tough session , very beneficial , however, I'm working on my speed this year hence the move to twice a week track sessions.

Jeff Kaye

5.am Ran my standard 11KM run 46m50 , showing the normal early morning stiffness and the results of a hard track session the day before.
My morning runs follow bike paths which follow parkland around my suburb. In an effort to save my shins and knees from the years of pounding the streets I try wherever possible to keep off the cement and onto the grass.
I left my spikes at Nathan last Saturday, the added distraction of having two of my children and one of their friend's along at the track left me otherwise preoccupied! When I got back to the car I realised I'd left the car door wide open all morning!
The potential loss of my spikes has given me the impetus to order a new pair from the States, where they are less than half the price you'd have to pay locally! And if your having to pay the postage you may as well by two pairs of spikes, two pairs of shoes for me, two pairs of shoes for the Mrs ,three running shirts, a headband and a spare Nike+ kit, Xmas shopping is complete!!

Running Masters

Today I trained at Nudgee in the usual deserted atmosphere (apart from one Javelin Thrower and coach). It was pretty windy and quite hot , not ideal for running 15 X 400m with 60 sec jog recovery! Ran approx 74's & 75's. Felt good stamina wise.

Yesterday I ran Queensland Masters at SAF Nathan.
Again pretty windy so disappointing time of time 4m51 for first place (second place was 5m55).
Last year I ran a Qld Best Performance for M45 - 49 y.o. in 4m39, hence you can understand my disappointment!

Though some recent runs during training have given me cause for optimism about getting back to the good form I was in during 2006 I'm still not convinced!

My opening track race of the year was the Qld Open 10,000m Champs at Griffith's Uni Southport a fortnight ago. I finished 4th in 33m25. I ran in the 'comfort zone' never really pushing myself to the 'hurt zone' so I guess I couldn't expect to run sub 33 which would at least give me some confidence that things are coming back after the hernia operation I had in August.
The 10,000 was won in 30m40 by the very impressive Christopher Reeves, 2nd & third came in together in 31m48.

I had Masters Legend Ronnie Peters (54y.o.) for company over the last K , and only kicked away from him in the last 200m. Ronnie's 33m29 puts him 4th in the WORLD Masters Rankings for this year. Next year, if he can replicate the same time he will set a National Masters Record, to go with those he holds for the 45y.o. (31m48) and 50y.o. (32m50) Age Records.
As I said, Ronnie is Legend and a great ambassador for Masters Athletics.