Final Prep, and Preening for Others?

Down to Rushcutters Oval for the final preparation and yet again another massive turnout on show for the alternative 5 x 1k session that I had suggested Mikey to do.

The big guns were out with C.T today staking his claim putting in a big performance, with Clarkey, Barts, and Crossy also present, The session was 5 x 1k reps of a rolling 5 minutes although the front group were rolling every 4 minutes.

I was in a nice group today, leading from the front with the likes of Adrian Mc, Mikey, Jonathan, James Lambert and Dom, rolled around the first rep in 3.12, knew it was too fast but felt good and was looking for a real solid hit out today so was keen to see how long I could hold for. Pretty much the same for the 2^nd & 3^rd reps and wasn’t  losing any time although Mikey was coming past at the 900m mark finishing the stronger of the two of us.. Managed to tag on to the faster front group for a lap on the 4^th (they were on the 2^nd loop of the 1k)  that helped and was still moving OK at this point of the session and knew I could hold for the remainder.

Times for the day were; 3.12, 3.13, 3.13, 3.15, 3.14

Very happy with that to be honest and will take some confidence out of the session.

Still a long way off any good form but I think that’s probably the best times I’ve knocked out for at least 12 months?

As I say the front lads were flying, think they were going sub 3 min/ks for the 5 reps, No sign of #1 Tucks or Tommy H mind you – think they saw enough not to worry on Saturday and rumor was they were sat in the office with their feet up resting.

That’s pretty much it now, want to try to freshen up and get life back in the legs before Sunday, although will have an easy trot around the park tomorrow sometime.

Took a photo of the team from today, minus Clarkey who decided to do another 10 x 400s once the 1k reps were done… The mans a machine.

So whilst some of us were putting in the hard yards, and some with the feet up resting, there was one notable absence from training this week? No sign of one Pommy Paulie ‘Birchy’ Birch, that got me slightly worried, Well fear not ….  Birchy’s just been getting his ‘preening’ done and making sure he’s looking his ‘Sunday Best’ in time for the race. I went past him in the local hair salon on the way home today, I did call out to him but he was deep in conversation with his stylist Rupert.

I managed to pick up the last part of his conversation and heard him say (in his dull Mancunion tone), “Well Rupert, I may not get the time I’m after but I’ll knock the ladies dead with this NEW hairdo and those nice boys Taffy Lad, Clarkey, and Champagne won’t have a chance when I fire up, C’mon get more gel in there for me”

Spotted, Birchy getting his final preening done before Sunday, Texting his mother to tell her to watch the telly coverage to witness his new hairdo.

Cheers