Happy New Year!

Thurs 6.23pm 10.63km Roo+Lake 40m21  (3m48 K's)


Fri 1.56pm Nudgee 15 X 400m -110m jog recovery/75secs? 


1. 73;07  (138bpm), 
2. 74;48 (148bpm) 
3. 73;24 (151bpm), 
4. 75;16 (152bpm), 
5. 74;40 (153bpm) 
6. 73.84 (155bpm), 
7. 74;25 (157bpm), 
8. 73;46 (157bpm), 
9. 73;11 (159bpm), 
10. 74;52 (159bpm) 
11. 74;43 (158bpm) 
12. 73;61 (161bpm), 
13. 73.46 (161bpm) 
14. 72;88 (164bpm) 
15. 70;53 (165bpm)


Conditions for todays track session were tough 29.1 O C (84  O F), and 15km/h wind speed gusting to 28km/h, it certainly felt like it cost 2 secs a lap! Wind was pushing me back for the whole  finishing straight and was also a battle for the first 80m of each rep.
Monday's session had left my calves feeling really sore - took me  two days to recover so I did this session in my  Adidas Adizero 'Tempos'
Yesterdays run was a typical check out the Garmin pace as your going along and doing the mental arithmetic could I go under 40mins while still not going flat out? The answer was no! as I got closer to home I started to put the hammer down and still came up short.
No time to post my review so will do it later!
Happy New Year All!

1988 City to Surf Results

Does anyone know of a 'Ken' Sweeney who would have ran 45mins in 1988? 
If not, that was probably me, 41st and 45m19 as I cant see my name anywhere else and I definitely raced it in 1988.
Again these results are full of runners from the past and present some of who even read my blog, great to see you all and isn't it good your still running 22years later! 
Make you feel old??

1987 City to Surf Results

Click on image to get it larger

My mate Stuey ran what today we would really appreciate as a brilliant 44m52 (Official). It is with thanks to Stu who sent me these results.
Simon and Jim 11th and 12th, the results are just full of names of the past and present, great to see you all and I'll post it on FaceBook for you all to tag if you want to.

OOOh too be aaahh- Goooner!

What day is it??
I had to look at my watch!


Wed  12.40pm 10.6km Roo+Lake 42m15  (4m00 K's)
Tues 11.48am 10.6km Roo+Lake  44m27  (4m12s K's)


Still splashing around in Monsoonal conditions!
My Shoe rotation options have just been expanded though I'm not sure I want to 'dirty' my brand new Pearl Izumi - Streaks  or my Adidas - Tempo. 

You'll Never Walk Alone!

1.15pm Nudgee 8 X 800m 400m jog recovery;


1. 2m26;12   153bpm  (71.79  143bpm   +  74.33  164bpm)
2. 2m28;37   157bpm  (72.72  148bpm   +  75.60  167bpm)
3. 2m26;92   159bpm  (72.53  149bpm   +  74.39  170bpm)
4. 2m26;58   161bpm  (71.71  152bpm   +  74.87  171bpm)
5. 2m28;06   159bpm  (73.24  149bpm   +  74.82  170bpm)
6. 2m26;66   162bpm  (72.75  153bpm   +  73.91  172bpm)
7. 2m27;00   164bpm  (missed split)
8. 2m23;61   166bpm  (finger slipped on button again but saw it was 70 so + 73)


I had seen Kevin Forde do this session and thought it would be interesting to see how I compare.
Conditions were sopping wet! It has been raining for what seems like a month! I am rotating my running shoes to have a dry pair but humidity is so high nothing is drying! In fact we had this really freaky instance today where it is so humid we are getting water condensing  on our floor tiles inside the house! It was 93% humidity indoors!
Back at the track I tied on my spikes tight and splashed around this session, I ran bare chested with just the HR monitor.2000m warm up, + 4 strides and off.
I think 800's are easier to run than 1K's as they are easier to sustain, that extra 200m in a K seems to mess you up (both mentally and physically). I could see I was running all my first laps quicker and only in the 5th interval did I make a deliberate attempt to see if slowing the first lap helped the pace on the 2nd lap = it didn't so I reverted to going out hard and hanging on. After 3 I thought there was no way I could manage 8 but kept them going and was' virtually racing' Kevin in my mind! Thought I was going to pull the plug at 6 but having the whole lap as recovery (3mins??) meant I was well recovered by the start = heart rate dropping to about 110bpm prior to the start of each interval. Pleased with this session! No one else at the track, high humidity, sopping wet conditions, and lasting the whole session.

Boxingday Handicap - Dirty Old Town

Sun 1.32pm 10.6km Roo+Lake 40m39  (3m50 K's)


No time to get down to the track so squeezed in a quick run in the rain! 
Quite a bit cooler than normal conditions so  able to speed the pace up.
Family and I had a great Christmas Day hope your was the same.
Spent the Day at Nat's relatives and I heard one music track that I knew but couldn't recognize, so I had to ask. It was Dirty Old Town but this version was by The Pogues where as I am so used to the Dubliner's version. 
I checked out both again tonight on You Tube and had to decide which one merited posting here. Difficult choice but I like the harmonica in The Pogues version and besides, Shane has the type of face that makes every man feel good!

Seasons Greetings!

Hi All.


Best wishes for Christmas and Holidays all!
Guess what ? I've been running some really different training runs these last few days!!!
Well sorry to say it was actually more of the same, just different times of day and different pace!.
For me pace is always about how easy I feel running/ how much pain I feel.
Last couple of days knee and groin/thigh were difficult, today it was pi$$ing down again and I really didn't fancy training , and was very close to having a recovery day but was home  early from work (Public Servant!) had only had one 0.5 ltr stubbie of Brok at work) and just felt ancy when I got home.
Natalie wanted me to go to Chermside to check out some outdoor furniture shops (Xmas Eve !!!) so I acquiesced to keep the harmony but didn't realize I was supposed to commit to buying something there and then! So I upset the Misses by not shelling out 1/2/3 $Grand on new outdoor setting   cos we are having people over for New Years Eve! But know I will be spending 1/2/3K in the next few days!!
Any how's was not much up for a run but forced myself out the door into the rain! Conditions were pretty muggy (warm and humid) and remarkably this arvo, I felt 'OK' and ran sub 4min K's!
Hope you all enjoy the holidays and your families have a great time - my thoughts are ...get up early(not going to happen!!) ...go for a run and then what ever else happens I'll feel comfortable with myself!


I had a comment on a post a few months ago from fellow blogger Josh Amberger. Since then I have kept an eye and posted the odd comment on his blog.
In particular it is interesting for the insight it provides on a 21 year old World Class Tri athlete living and training in Brisbane.
 I remember lining up for the Queensland State 5000m Champs a few years ago with Josh and raced him in past Bridge to Brisbane's.  
Check out his commitment to being a Tri Guy on his blog. 


Yearly review up next!
Chow


Fri 5.37pm 10.62km Roo+Lake 41m05  (3m52s K's)
Thur 5.12am 10.61km Roo+Lake 45m44 (4m19 K's)
Wed 6.00pm 10.65km Roo+Lake 45m02 (4m14 K's)

Red Square

Tues 5.04pm Roo+Lake 10.63km  39m55  (3m45 K's)
Mon 5.56pm Roo+Lake 10.65km 45m15  (4m15 K's)


That Human League lyric reminded me of Moscow 1984, I dressed up in my most dour outfit to fit in with the locals! 

March March March across Red Square!
Do all the things you wouldn't dare!


I have changed the video in the previous Post which has a pretty cool Star Wars content that suits the track nicely!

Norman Wisdom , Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee

Sun 6.00pm Nudgee 15 X 400m 110m jog recovery


It pi$$ed down all day yesterday, I waited and waited for the rain to let up but it didn't so I had to run in atrocious conditions! Needless to say I was the only one at the track. I switched on my Garmin but it said 0% battery life so I had to run them untimed. The Garmin probably would have malfunctioned with all the water anyway. Remarkably I felt good throughout. The recovery was easy, the intervals were consistent. Perhaps it helped that the temperature was very very cool for Brisbane about 19 O C. Saturdays poor performance has certainly spurred me on and I have the motivation to really get going again.March March March across Red Square.....


The World Masters rankings are posted. There are lots of omissions (like I didn't see Keith Bateman's name credited clear top by a mile in any of his events!!). Congratulations to all who made it including Jamie and Bruce.Peter Reeves, Ronnie Peters. Phil Davies in the M50 10,000. Glenda in the Ladies W45 5000 and Marcia in the W50 5000 were both right up there. 
Writing of Keith, he broke the World M55 Mile Record on Saturday 4m35.04 !

QMA 3000m 9m32 2nd/1st

Sat 7.00am QMA 3000m 9m32.4  2nd/1st
Fri 5.00am 10.68km Roo+lake 45min aprox (Garmin got to full and stopped!)
Thurs 5.19am 10.48km Roo+Lake 44m57  (4m17 K's)




I was hoping to improve on my seasons/years  best but I was also aware that I had curtailed my track session's
a few weeks ago and that the chance of running sub 9m18 would be slim. Conditions were very humid but no wind! I was told a Tri guy called Carl Gufesston (30  years old, no Lycra! and he had hair on his legs!!) would be running 9m15 and was looking forward to some company!
Perhaps I was a little too on edge and blasted out a 69/70 first lap and could not recover from that (that was the lack of recent interval training) 1st K was about 3m04 and tri guy Carl went past me and I was just underdone/unprepared and could not  keep with him.
Just hung on and was happy to keep Phil Davies behind me at the finish.
Carl ran 9m17.3.
Had a problem with the right foot during the week, might have been a spider bite as it was inflamed swollen and sore. It did not affect me in the race and is on the mend.

Queensland Masters 3000m 2nd/1st (in Cat) 9m32 by brizzygooner at Garmin Connect - Details

Queensland Masters 3000m 2nd/1st (in Cat) 9m32 by brizzygooner at Garmin Connect - Details

Roo+Lake 2nd Fastest Ever! by brizzygooner at Garmin Connect - Details

Roo+Lake 2nd Fastest Ever! by brizzygooner at Garmin Connect - Details

6.69km in my Sleep! by brizzygooner at Garmin Connect - Details

6.69km in my Sleep! by brizzygooner at Garmin Connect - Details

USATF Club Cross Country - Masters Men

Tues 5.31am 10.55km Roo+Lake 42m47  (4m03 K's)
Wed 5.24am 10.57km Roo+Lake 41m25  (3m55 K's)


Hey many thanks Anon for posting those links, I do follow Kevin Fordes Blog (even though he is a Spuds fan!)
and it was remiss of me not to pick up on the USA Masters XC Champs. I saw some photos of Pete Magill on Facebook running XC but just thought they were some old photos he'd been tagged on! With the juxtaposition of our seasons I just didn't get it that there are actually people splashing around in snow and mud racing XC right now!! It was 90% humidity during yesterdays run and must have been the same today, blue shies and 23 O C (about low 70's F).


Pete continues to show terrific form, an amazing achievement to win the Masters title outright at age 49!! I'm sure he will have been specially pleased to have beaten his team mate Christian Cushing-Murray. The WR M50 5000m is 6 or 7 months away!
What a fantastic field of runners were assembled puts us Aussies to shame!
Results are Here

2nd Best

Sat Rest
Sun 5.20pm 10.68km Roo+Lake 38m47  (3m38 K's)
Mon 12.28pm Go Betweens 12.29km  (4m17 K's)


Sat a.m. spent the morning mowing the lawn and doing the edging , someone had left the Brisbane Sauna going all night so by the morning things were really steaming. It was way too hot and humid for running so thought I might go out later. However, a storm came and cooled things down to reasonable conditions but it it rained all afternoon. In the end just didn't feel like running in the rain so had a rest day.
Sun was more rain! kind of needed to get down to the track but in the end just ran Roo+Lake flat out. The wet weather Roo+Lake is slightly longer than the dry one (wet means I don't run the straight tangents across the grass so it is about 100m/20secs longer). So 38m47 2nd  best ever and is pretty close to my fastest ever 38m20 in August. Went through 10K in about 36m40.
4m00, 3m39, 3m36, 3m42, 3m35, 3m39, 3m36, 3m32, 3m40, 3m35, 2m13 (3m17 pace)

I got out this arvo for what I can only describe as a test of endurance. I was mighty stiff and sore from yesterdays run and the unbelievably sweltering conditions made it slow going. I really should have waited till this evening but as Nat does Soccer training there isn't normally time to get a full run in.Officially the temp was about 29 O C (84 O F) and 62% humidity, doesn't seem so bad does it -  But believe me! I looked a mess when I got back to work, I sat in the shower cubicle for 10mins dripping wet and took a 10min cold shower and was still sweating when I tried to put my shirt on! I wont do that again....

U2 360

Fri 5.29am  10.6km Roo+Lake 41m57   (3m58 K's)
Thur 5.23am 10.65km Roo+Lake 43m32  (4m05 K's)
Wed 5.28am 10.64km Roo+Lake 44m05  (4m09 K's)


Running conditions this week have been fantastically humid! the sweating has been monumental each arm stoke shakes about 4 droplets of sweat off! I'm managing to get through the party season lots of beer but will have some abstinence in the New Year !
Natalie and I went to see U2's 360 Show last night at Suncorp Stadium, and amazing show from one of my all time favourate  bands - sensational!

Samir Nasri

Tues 5.22am 10.61km Roo+Lake  46m18  (4m22 K's)
Mon 6.04pm 5.71km Roo 22m13  (3m53 K's)
Sun 2.26pm 21.07km 2 X Roo+Lake  83m10  (3m57 K's)

3000m 9m18.6

Sat 7.30am Griffiths Uni. Southport  3000m  9m18.6
Fri 5.26am 5.66km Roo 22m54 (4m03 K's)
Thur 5.20am 10.62km Roo+Lake 42m21  (3m59 K's)


I expected to run about 9m15 based on last weeks performance in the VO2 Max tables.
I put in  a good solo effort. Hitting the K in about 3m02 , most of the other lap times escaped me as I haven't quite tuned into hitting these slower marks. Conditions were OK , slight breeze and drizzle. The worst thing about this track was all the Duck $hite all over the track courtesy of the Duck family that live there!
So 9m18 is OK off the limited training I'm doing, it is getting there, but I don't think I'll be happy till I run say sub 9m10 .
Lots of people use MacMillan Calculator to assess their performances, I like the Running for Fitness Web site as they use a number of different tables from which you can compare and contrast race pace from race pace, check it out here
Have a great weekend guys and hope it rains in Adelaide!

Keith Bateman does it again!

Keith Bateman M55 last night in Melbourne ran 10,000m in 32m28.7 just a second outside the World Record but a massive 70sec better the existing Aussie Record and better even than Ronnies M50 Record which is 32m54'ish. imagine being a lap in front of the next best there has ever been in your country!!! he will be very disappointed to have missed out on his 2nd WR in a month but nevertheless an incredible run!

The Boys of Summer

Wed  5.24am  10.51km Roo+Lake    40m34  (3m52 K's)

4m29, 4m19, 3m58, 3m52, 3m50,
3m39, 3m42, 3m40, 3m40, 3m40,
+1m46 (3m27 pace)

Overcast and humid, 23 O C at 5.00am.