Maleny Lions Mountain View Challenge Half Marathon 1st

I was up early this morning to get to Maleny for the Maleny Lions Mountain View Challenge which started at 7;00am. Unfortunately the early hour caused me to forget my Garmin so I have no record of the performance.
It was my intention (hope) to treat this Half Marathon as a training run hoping that a rural country town and other events (QA Long Course XC Champ yesterday and Brisbane Mara Festival today, as well as the Cane to Coral in Bundy might dilute the opposition to manageable proportions. 
Maleny is out beyond the Glasshouse Mountains an hours drive from my home and situated 400m AHD. It must get a lot of rain as milking cows are the predominant agriculture and the Maleny Dairies are famous for their dairy produce.
At the start line Bryan McManus (see Caloundra Foreshore 10km) introduced himself and like a dumbkopf  I didn't recognise him (hair cut/no backward placed cap on head). 
'$hite' I thought, I was going to have to work for a win!
The course basically  heads out of Maleny Uphill to Mary Cairncross Country Park , does a loop and then return same way we headed out. 
At the start we were to run two laps of the showgrounds however we got misdirected to run around for a 3rd lap which was to add another 1km to the total!
For the first 5 or 6 km Bryan and I ran together enduring what Stava says was 450m elevation (total).
We were pretty honest in the effort. After 6km Bryan dropped back a bit and I opened up a little and gapped him to a comfortable distance. At the turnaround I'd guess he was 30 secs behind. I never saw him again till the finish but he said I was yoyoing between 35 and 40 secs ahead. I ran the 'descents' back to Maleny easy trying to find grass where possible and look after my calves and knees. I ran about 81;30 for 22.1km about 3;40 K's - a good hit out.
After the presentations the lady from Clif Bar gave me a stack of their products which I was very grateful for and shared with young Bryan. 
Oh the celebrity of it all!

If anyone is thinking of doing this race next year I'd thoroughly recommend it but 
remember you'll have Bryan and me for competition and I wont be taking it easy and you'll have to be good at running up and down mountains!
I found today's course and course profile on Stava from the 3rd place finisher Brad.

Today's course (lucky we turned around before Bald Knob!)

The Course profile - 22km!

Lucy I have nothing further to declare!

Not exactly the City to Surf start line but I will be back next year!

22.2 km !

Toohey's Tuesday

On Tuesday I headed back to Nudgee to accompany Nick Toohey on his session. Thankfully 5 other guys showed up including Peter Bracken and Jaryd  Grantham from Shoes Feet Gear who had served me earlier that afternoon when I acquired a pair of Mizuno Wave Hitogami (racing flats) earlier in the day (coincidence or what!).

Last weeks session knocked the stuffing out of my calves so I needed to look after them.

Nick's session was 2 X 4 X 600m off a rolling 2;30 with a 5min break in the middle.
I hammered the first in around 1;40 but was still a mile off Mr. Toohey. The lactic from that first interval stayed with me the whole session - Masters runners can run fast but their ability to disperse lactic must diminish. I struggled the rest of the session but was glad to have Sean and Jaryd to work with. 
A great session for a 1500m runner but not so relevant for a 5000/10000 guy. 
I will take a closer look at what is proposed next week if needs be work an aerobic session by myself.
My stats with the Garmin paused for recovery were;

Heart Rate

Avg HR:	155 bpm
Max HR:	174 bpm

Heart rate didn't get going on that first interval = anaerobic work leading to lactic

Had a steady week running in the beautiful warm afternoons though today managed a 5.6km Roo with Sascha early and a 15km Brisbane River run in the arvo.

Sandgate parkrun 1st 15;48

I was still feeling Tooheys Tuesdays in my legs so wasn't sure how I'd go today. 2km warm up a few strides felt ok but nothing special. Conditions were still and about 14 O C = pretty good - though actually I felt cold.
Said hello to Chris Bell at the start and then we were off. 
I wanted to go out hard but not too hard but ended up overcooking it by going through 1K in about 3;02. Mindful that the 2nd K on this course always seems to be slow I attempted to keep the pace honest. I was out on my own. Hands were freezing but I'd forgotten to bring my (nancy boy) gloves. About 6;15 for 2K that will do OK and onto the turnaround at 2.5K decided to run around it going right. A bicycle rider was coming towards me just at this point and we took a second trying to work out which path each of us would take. I stayed out left to assist with the turning circle. Glanced at my watch 7;51 pretty good going. Someone has created a strava segment 'Start to 2.5km' which had me running 7;46. 
I always try and pick things up after the 180 O turnaround slowdown. Not sure why but Garmin/Strava always seems to time  the 3rd KM here fast when really it should be slower. I was surprised by how close 2nd and Belly were. 
We run on into the sea of humanity as the rest of the field encroaches on the pathway. 
I have a very close call with a women running with a dog but get through without a 'head-on'.
3km in 9;30 and I'm thinking I might go sub 15;50 if I can only keep relaxed and push at the same time. 
I stopped  my watch at the end of the chute and after grabbing my finishers token which accounts for time discrepancy between official time and Garmin time.

Why am I running well? 
My weight is hovering around 60kg! 
I've stepped on the scales and seen 59.3kg! 
Adherence to the Peter Reeves school of how to improve your running by cutting out the beers.
That is the answer.
That sacrifice has paid dividends.
12 months of consistent running but not particularly hard training. 
Dan Murphy's shares are dropping as I type!

My official time 15;48 equalling Nick Tooheys course record!

My wife says that I have thrown down the gauntlet as that would be how I would react!

a glorious sunrise over the bay this morning

250 starters and I'm looking peculiar!

Showing good form at the start (it never lasts!)

I was telling myself to relax but to run faster!

The finish line in sight

Chris Bell ran 17;12 , 1 second outside his PB

Is that the Garmin Lama on his warm down??

I'm going to save this snapshot for prosperity before Nick has the chance to rid my name from the record books!

Back on Track back to Nudgee

Last night I went back to the track for the first time in ages.
The all new Nudgee (Private School) track cost $700,000 to lay with ancillaries and is secured by 'prison like'  3m barbed wire topped fencing that reeks of  'your here to do work'. It keeps the dog walkers/ inside lane Charlies and kids playing footy OUT! 
Open to the public I think 5.00pm till 8.00pm Mon to Friday (at the moment). $4 for a session.

I'd arranged to tag along with Nick Toohey (1500m 3;39 in 2011) for his long track session;
1200/2000/1200 with 2mins between reps followed by 5 minutes between sets and repeated 1200/2000/1200.
I haven't run long reps in quite a while so 3 laps was daunting enough! 
5 laps was downright harrowing. 

On a desolate night, the only people there were Nick and I,it had just rained and it was cold! 
Nick's intention was to run 72's/75's. 
I managed to stay with Nick for the first 4 reps but he put the hammer down on 5 and 6 finishing 20 secs ahead on the 2nd 2000 and 10secs ahead on the last 1200. 
I forgot my watch but going off Nick's times I ran;
3;43, 6;14, 3;45
3;41, 6;30, 3;51

This is Nicks data

Nick would like to invite anyone (any standard) who wants to come along and join in 6;00pm Tuesday at Nudgee

- read about Nick and his track session schedule here;

That muscle definition is outrageous!

I'm taking this week off work so I can watch the last week of the Tour live.
I may run at Sandgate on Saturday. Do a long hilly road run the following week followed by Garmin Lama Day on 9th August.

Skyrun 10.5km 6th 38;44

Decided late on to give the Brisbane Skyrun a go. 

Its only a 4km hill!

Am I catching 5th?

Cant wait to check the Garmin elevation profile of this Mother!

Situated at Mount Cootha, a 10.5km road circuit, uphill first 5km and then downhill to the finish. 
The first runner I saw this morning Jackson Elliott - first place wrapped up!
Race started right on a huge hill and with normal gusto I charged off. After about 200m I thought I was having a heart attack. There are no hills at North Lakes so this was a very rude shock. I was screeching to a halt or at the very least a jog. Thankfully things levelled out and I got a chance to get my heart rate back into line before we hit the 3km uphill section. I ran well up this section passing about 4 guys. Up ahead was Nick Toohey who provided a more than worthy target to try and chase down on the downhill section. Of course there is a limit to the stresses you can put on an old body so I tried to balance the fear of being caught by the young guys I'd passed on the hill, to the racer wanting to catch the guy ahead. The top 4 were long gone by this stage. Didn't quite manage to pick up Nick I think he sensed me closing in. Happy enough with that effort - when else do you run a 5;00 min KM and follow it up with run that was 2;51 ?
Anthony Craig who I beat by a minute at the Gold Coast finished 4th today a minute ahead of me. Some Mountain runner hey!
I spoke to Jackson after the race who said that Liam Woollett gave him a bit of a scare nearly catching him on the down hill after being well beaten on the uphill stretch.
Results are here

Course profile;

No stress or tension (not)

Laurie O'Hara

This is a profile on the late, great, Laurie O'Hara, it also includes a bit of debate about the use of age grading percentages which at the time this piece was written (30 years?) was relatively new. 

Peter Reeves (The Robot) who won his age cat at the Gold Coast 10K by 7 minutes can now lay claim to the title (the Unbeatable 60 year old). I have previously written about Laurie on this blog (do a search). 

Just a steady week for me this week running mainly at lunchtime to run in warm sunny 20+ O c temps rather than freezing dark early mornings. Not too sure if I have any goals left for the road this year but for sure would love to be able to get to the track season for fast 1500/3000/5000 and maybe 10000.

SOUTHERN CROSS UNIVERSITY 2014 10KM RUN

I was the second guy home over aged 35+ and finished 10th in the Queensland Championship 10km see that result here

Listen out for Mona's;

the longest 'run in' known to road racing!

If I had glasses maybe I could read what time that clock says!

I got to slow down or I'm going to beat Mona's time!

All the hard work is done time to relax.

Completely relaxed and easing off!

Rounding the aquatic Center

Run through the line and start praying the robot is off song.

Does this 'run in' ever end?

You sponged off me for the last 2km now you suddenly come to life!

kids these days! Shaved legs!

Garmin Lama 

32;58  or 94.6% age grading is worth some insane performances

Gold Coast 10km 2014 25th 32;58

Managed to get to Southport about 30mins before the start. 
A very brief warm up and get to the start line with 5 mins to spare. 
Squeezed onto a front line position. 
Not too manic at the start and I wonder why we are travelling so easy or more to the point why the leaders haven't pulled away. 3;04 first km.
Eventually they do pull away as we settle down into the rhythm of the race over K's 2 and 3. The course has a 180 O turn at about 1.5k and then you run back past the finish line and head North. At about 4k a huge pack of about 10 go past me and I can't do anything to hang onto them.
At the 5km there was an official clock, which I past at 16;07. Super fast for me for a 10K, but I can't believe how many guys had gone past me. It make you feel like you're running mediocre.
After that big pack went past that was pretty much it for race position I caught a couple of kids (the two who finished just in front of me) along the way who tucked in behind me and let me work the super hard K's 8 and 9 before they stepped out and pushed on. As we come towards the finish I look up and see 32;50, Mona's age cat record is 32;58 so I sprint for the line and cross it as the clock ticks onto 32;58. 
I hear Mona's who is doing race commentating saying "and that's David Sweeney who won up at Caloundra last week".
Really I should have run quicker, running more conservatively in the first half and pushing harder in the second. However, I'm satisfied with today and that is a pretty rare thing for me to say.
Sharing the course record with Mona's - wow!

Gold Coast History;

2007 10km 18th (1st) 33;14
2008 Half 27th (1st) 72;26
2010 10km 41st (1st) 34;32
2011 10km 26th (1st) 33;24
2014 10km 25th (1st) 32;58

Official results here

Laps

Split Time Moving Time Distance Elevation Gain Elevation Loss Avg Pace Avg Moving Pace Best Pace Calories Summary 32:59.0 32:58.0 10.08 11 20 3:16 3:16 2:40 712 1 3:03.9 3:03 1.00 -- 10 3:04 3:03 2:50 65 2 3:11.2 3:10 1.00 -- -- 3:11 3:10 2:48 70 3 3:08.6 3:10 1.00 3 -- 3:09 3:10 2:53 69 4 3:21.2 3:20 1.00 7 7 3:21 3:20 3:05 71 5 3:21.5 3:22 1.00 -- -- 3:22 3:22 3:14 73 6 3:23.2 3:23 1.00 1 -- 3:23 3:23 3:12 72 7 3:18.9 3:20 1.00 -- -- 3:19 3:20 2:57 72 8 3:16.0 3:15 1.00 -- -- 3:16 3:15 3:08 72 9 3:24.4 3:24 1.00 -- -- 3:24 3:24 3:13 72 10 3:17.5 3:18 1.00 -- 3 3:18 3:18 2:51 71 11 :14.7 :13 0.09 -- -- 2:46 2:27 2:46 5

  I stopped my watch after the finish line.

You can see the two 180 O turns, not sure what the other trough is attributed to. Also you can see the last minute where I quick up the pace after that long drag before the left turn into the aquatic centre.

Afterwards I caught up with Peter Reeves  who had just smashed the course M60 Record and also Con, Chris, Barry, Phil and Jenny.