Well, my season started on 2nd October with a 4.17.87 1500 and
ended on
Thursday with a 4.09.62. It was a long 6 months.
My plan was to do as well as possible in the World Masters Games and
then work on shorter stuff until Christmas with the hope of improving
times over 8, 15 and 3000. After Christmas I wanted to get stuck into
longer work and aim for times over 5000 and 10000. WMG went okay. I
was
really pleased to win the 800, but really disappointed with the cross
country.
My subsequent races were:
October
25 5k road race 1st 15.49
ended on
Thursday with a 4.09.62. It was a long 6 months.
My plan was to do as well as possible in the World Masters Games and
then work on shorter stuff until Christmas with the hope of improving
times over 8, 15 and 3000. After Christmas I wanted to get stuck into
longer work and aim for times over 5000 and 10000. WMG went okay. I
was
really pleased to win the 800, but really disappointed with the cross
country.
My subsequent races were:
October
25 5k road race 1st 15.49
31 1500 4.13.2 (windy)
November
1 5k road race 1st (win number 299)
8 10k road race (Fishers Ghost, a race I am a 6 time
winner of since
1986) 2nd 33.57 (hilly - I like the fact in a report like this I
can put
in all the excuses!).
14 State 3k 8.55.61. An improvement on my record but still
slower
than I'd like.
21 State relays. Team 4th. Ran last leg in about 4.24. Hot,
windy.
28 1500 4.11.88. Believe it or not this was probably my
best run of
the season. It was over 40 degrees and windy. I'm sure a sub 4.05
equivalent in good conditions.
December
12 800 2.01.63. Faster than last season so pleased. Again
windy.
19 800 2.03.44. Solo run in windy conditions.
The new year didn't go as planned. I was running well post WMG, but a
series of poorly paced races in ordinary conditions meant not much to
speak of in terms of times. Being old and slow means we have a lot
more
people to race against. However, they have no idea of pace judgement!
These young blokes go out hard, but then die a death, meaning you have
to constantly counteract the slowing down and go past them -
frustrating.
Anyway, a combination of work stress and de-motivation meant I really
just went through the motions in the new year. Last year I ran twice
every day leading up to the state 10k. I did 336 miles in Jan and
341 in
Feb. This year I did 267 and 255. I ran the state 5k on 28 Jan (I
shouldn't have started as I was nowhere near in the right state of
mind) and DNFed. On 6 Feb I ran a masters 800 at the 'Hunter Track
Classic' that turned out to be a handicap! I just ran round with no
chance of catching the leaders in about 2.07 (no proper times, which
hardly made me enthusiastic about running hard).
I ran a small race on Feb 27. 5 laps of '1k' that took 27.31! More
like
a mile per lap! It was win number 300, but it was the smallest race
you
can imagine. I won a ribbon, a T-shirt and a computer mouse!
I only entered the state masters because I thought I might have more
enthusiasm by the time the event came round - I didn't, but ran
anyway.
That was March 6 and 7. On the Saturday (1500) they ran 40s and 45s
together with the sole entrant in the under 23 state championship
(also
on in conjunction). The young bloke went out hard, so I went with him
thinking he would carry me away from the oldies. He did, but
- you guessed it - he began slowing after 400. I was tempted to go round
him but didn't. He ran away at the finish and I didn't really
chase. The
4.15.95 I thought was reasonable considering I was barely blowing
at the
finish. Conditions were quite good though.
I probably should have mentioned that as well as minimal volume my
intensity of training was even worse. I did one session (5 x 1k) on 5
Jan, 4 hill sessions and some sprints with the kids.
Anyway, my lack of hard running meant my calves were sore after the
1500. Starting Sundays 5k/800 double with already sore calves meant
the
following week was going to be ugly! I just went round in the 5, 4th
behind some young blokes but winning my age by a couple of minutes in
16.28. In the 800 2 hours later I really struggled to get my legs
going.
Barry Moore, a WMG finalist went out hard and I really couldn't get
near
him. My first lap was about 67! On the second lap the legs started to
move and I passed him with about 150 to go, winning in 2.09 to his
2.12.
Sunday was hotter and windier than Saturday. I got pretty badly sun
burned waiting for the presentation.
After this I thought I'd just get ready for the winter. The good thing
was (is) the motivation is starting to come back. However, there
was an
allcomers meet on Thursday night. They had a 1500 at
8.25 at night. I thought conditions would probably be good and it
might
be a chance to slip under 4.10. I was up at 5, did an easy 3k on the
treadmill (dark outside), spent from 7 til after 4 standing in the
operating theatre, came home and had an hour's 'nanna nap', woke up
and
went to the track!
Again, the young blokes went hard and I had to pick them off as they
slowed. I went to the lead with about 600 to go and got to the bell in
about 3.02 or 3.03. I was tightening up over the last lap but
managed a
4.09.62. I cracked the 93% age grading for the first time!
Just shows what half decent conditions can do. My throat was burning
(and was still sore during yesterday morning's 10 miler) like it
was my
first race of the season.
Anyway, I'm pleased my age grade seems to be getting better as I age.
My mojo seems to have returned.
I've managed to get a seeded start in the Sydney Morning Herald half
marathon, so I'll have to get stuck into some hard training for that.
November
1 5k road race 1st (win number 299)
8 10k road race (Fishers Ghost, a race I am a 6 time
winner of since
1986) 2nd 33.57 (hilly - I like the fact in a report like this I
can put
in all the excuses!).
14 State 3k 8.55.61. An improvement on my record but still
slower
than I'd like.
21 State relays. Team 4th. Ran last leg in about 4.24. Hot,
windy.
28 1500 4.11.88. Believe it or not this was probably my
best run of
the season. It was over 40 degrees and windy. I'm sure a sub 4.05
equivalent in good conditions.
December
12 800 2.01.63. Faster than last season so pleased. Again
windy.
19 800 2.03.44. Solo run in windy conditions.
The new year didn't go as planned. I was running well post WMG, but a
series of poorly paced races in ordinary conditions meant not much to
speak of in terms of times. Being old and slow means we have a lot
more
people to race against. However, they have no idea of pace judgement!
These young blokes go out hard, but then die a death, meaning you have
to constantly counteract the slowing down and go past them -
frustrating.
Anyway, a combination of work stress and de-motivation meant I really
just went through the motions in the new year. Last year I ran twice
every day leading up to the state 10k. I did 336 miles in Jan and
341 in
Feb. This year I did 267 and 255. I ran the state 5k on 28 Jan (I
shouldn't have started as I was nowhere near in the right state of
mind) and DNFed. On 6 Feb I ran a masters 800 at the 'Hunter Track
Classic' that turned out to be a handicap! I just ran round with no
chance of catching the leaders in about 2.07 (no proper times, which
hardly made me enthusiastic about running hard).
I ran a small race on Feb 27. 5 laps of '1k' that took 27.31! More
like
a mile per lap! It was win number 300, but it was the smallest race
you
can imagine. I won a ribbon, a T-shirt and a computer mouse!
I only entered the state masters because I thought I might have more
enthusiasm by the time the event came round - I didn't, but ran
anyway.
That was March 6 and 7. On the Saturday (1500) they ran 40s and 45s
together with the sole entrant in the under 23 state championship
(also
on in conjunction). The young bloke went out hard, so I went with him
thinking he would carry me away from the oldies. He did, but
- you guessed it - he began slowing after 400. I was tempted to go round
him but didn't. He ran away at the finish and I didn't really
chase. The
4.15.95 I thought was reasonable considering I was barely blowing
at the
finish. Conditions were quite good though.
I probably should have mentioned that as well as minimal volume my
intensity of training was even worse. I did one session (5 x 1k) on 5
Jan, 4 hill sessions and some sprints with the kids.
Anyway, my lack of hard running meant my calves were sore after the
1500. Starting Sundays 5k/800 double with already sore calves meant
the
following week was going to be ugly! I just went round in the 5, 4th
behind some young blokes but winning my age by a couple of minutes in
16.28. In the 800 2 hours later I really struggled to get my legs
going.
Barry Moore, a WMG finalist went out hard and I really couldn't get
near
him. My first lap was about 67! On the second lap the legs started to
move and I passed him with about 150 to go, winning in 2.09 to his
2.12.
Sunday was hotter and windier than Saturday. I got pretty badly sun
burned waiting for the presentation.
After this I thought I'd just get ready for the winter. The good thing
was (is) the motivation is starting to come back. However, there
was an
allcomers meet on Thursday night. They had a 1500 at
8.25 at night. I thought conditions would probably be good and it
might
be a chance to slip under 4.10. I was up at 5, did an easy 3k on the
treadmill (dark outside), spent from 7 til after 4 standing in the
operating theatre, came home and had an hour's 'nanna nap', woke up
and
went to the track!
Again, the young blokes went hard and I had to pick them off as they
slowed. I went to the lead with about 600 to go and got to the bell in
about 3.02 or 3.03. I was tightening up over the last lap but
managed a
4.09.62. I cracked the 93% age grading for the first time!
Just shows what half decent conditions can do. My throat was burning
(and was still sore during yesterday morning's 10 miler) like it
was my
first race of the season.
Anyway, I'm pleased my age grade seems to be getting better as I age.
My mojo seems to have returned.
I've managed to get a seeded start in the Sydney Morning Herald half
marathon, so I'll have to get stuck into some hard training for that.
1 comment:
Very interesting to read. Will be looking to pick DrJH off at some point this season so hopefully that will tweak his mojo.
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