Training has been going well over the last month, consistently
covering 110 to 135km a week by going long on Sunday’s
and running 16km (Roo+Lake+Roo) instead of my standard
10.5km (Roo+Lake) and running some doubles.
I haven’t got back onto the track yet but have been doing
some easy sessions on the grass.
It’s been incredibly hot and humid and at times running
conditions have just been horrendous.
I have been sweating torrents, so much so that I regularly
discard running in a top but this has the consequence of shorts getting
saturated
– so I only wear the short shorts to stop the flapping of
anything over a 1.5” inner seam.
I have also noticed how the sweat trickles down the legs to the
socks and shoes, so it’s also back to short socks.
The body is holding up ok.
I have some soreness on the bridge of my left foot
(metatarsal) but I have had it since before the Worlds
(I even took two days off when I first noticed it 6 months
ago)
but so long as it doesn’t get too painful I will carry on.
The knees are also hurting – the left knee more than the
right.
I think its tendinitis and cope with pain by applying anti inflam cream in the morning and ibuprofen
on a race day.
My back has not been the same since I injured it in October
2015.
I am getting regular massage to try and ease it and I use
the hand held roller to trigger point release.
I have been eyeing off some of the other distances on the
all-time Veterans Road Running Rankings.
It’s a great motivation.
I would like to record official marks
for M55 @ 5/8/10/15/20/25km (my Perth Half is listed).
I have joined the Brisbane Road Runners Club as they host races
covering most distances on a 5km largely closed road course by the Brisbane
River.
The lap has two 180 O turns and two short sharp inclines. Timing
is done by chip and mat sensor.
For my debut I decided to try 15km. Three laps. Start time
is 6;00am which requires me getting up at 4;00am.
My sleep had been further interrupted during the night with a
couple of really heavy downpours but Brisbane city didn’t get any of that so
conditions were incredibly humid at 6.00am (26 O C and 87% Humidity!)
A very casual start and about 150 runners head off (runners
choose beforehand today's choice was 5/10 or 15km).
Some of Brisbane’s better quality road runners were tempo
training including Clay Dawson and Aiden Hobbs , pushing his son in the
stroller.
I was by myself from the 1st KM in 3;23. At the time I wasn't aware that Clay had actually missed the start by 30 seconds and was charging after me, he was probably 10 seconds ahead of me for the first 2km .
The 180 O turns mean you get a good chance to see everyone.
The 180 O turns mean you get a good chance to see everyone.
I gave my run a real effort but with a big lead and
horrendously arduous conditions
It’s hard to say I was flat out. My watch was showing consistent
3;35’s or slower if the inclines were included. I ran through the first lap in
17;35 which I was happy with.
My second lap was 18;07 as I tried to maintain a consistent
pace. So 35;42 through 10km.
I lost sight of Clay at the turnarounds (we were lapping
people) and I told myself he was catching me to help motivate my effort.
The third lap was covered in another 18;07 for a 53;59
result.
There is a nice big clock on the line which provoked a flat
out sprint to get the sub 54 ;-)
I think I would shave at least 1 or 2 minutes off this time
in the winter.
Here are the current rankings for the M55’s.
15 guys have run faster than me but I will slot in, in front of Bill
Rodgers ! (for the time being).
Here are the first few 15km Men’s result;
 |
| Check the sweat flicking off my arms (just passed 2.5km turnaround cone) |
 |
| Wearing the Newton Distance 1V |
2 comments:
Well you could have knocked me over with the proverbial feather when I scored an invitation to watch the Garmin Lama attempt the world nude 15k record at BRRC on Sunday . Of course I was sworn to secrecy beforehand but would be able to write the story up after . What a scoop ! The BRRC crew are a pretty laid back mob and nothing much phases them . When Lucy Lovelace took the GLs dressing gown on the starting line there were no shocked looks or gasps . For you ladies out there I can confirm the GL has a Garmin tattoo on his left buttock and I understand now why back in Scotland his nickname was El Caballo ( the Stallion) . The gun was about to go when the theatrics started . Let me explain to you that in nude running there's a very strict non dress code where you are allowed to wear shoes and ankle socks and nothing else . So I was startled to see a red flag go up . An official had spied the GL's Garmin watch and demanded he remove it . There were groans from the crowd . The GL refused point blank and for very good reason . Let me explain to you . There were two records at stake here . There's the world of official records , a barren wasteland of stuffy offices manned by myopic apparatchiks arguing over decimal points and paper forms . This is a dead sterile world . Then there's the world of Strava records . A living breathing organism of blood , sweat and tears where real people bare their souls to a greedy veracious audience eager to dissect every morsel and second till they collapse bloated and exhausted at their computer screen altars . This is the world where the GL has risen like a Phoenix time and time again and captured a world wide audience from Mumbai to Amsterdam . Without his Garmin this audience would be deprived of their blood lust . Their motto being , if it's not on Strava it didn't happen . The official of course was correct as officials and the fun police invariably are . Arguing was useless . The GL reluctantly bowed to the inevitable but as a protest wore his hat . After 5k the GL realised there were handicaps in regard male physiology running 15k without adequate jock support and he reluctantly doned shorts to finish . For the record he won in stifling conditions . Strava confirmed it . The BRRC aren't an easy lot to impress but they gave an appreciative round of applause and he signed autographs well into the morning . He was then granted life membership on the spot and elected club president as well . Another page added to a remarkable story . As for the nude world record the GL said he hadn't given up on it . I suggested he tie his Garmin to his shoes . He smiled and I knew I'll be getting another invitation soon !
David, I thank you as always for your kind words...however, there was no chance of me matching you that day. cream rises to the top, and quality prevails...this is further evidence of this.
You are a gentleman and a champion....you write a pretty succinct, yet wildly entertaining blog.
Thank you.
Clay
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