The Week that Was.

Well what a week that was since my last post on Monday. There are many types of Flu out there - types A, B, Bird Flu, Asian Flu and I can now add the latest and most deadly of them all .... 'The Timmy Flu'. Jesus Wept.... Its a killer and would be enough to take an army down. Been bed ridden for 3 days straight but managed somehow to get off my deathbed and cycled into the city to meet old mate Crossy Lad for a trot.
Nice run around Darling Harbour dropping behind the Fish Markets, Blackwattle Bay, over the Anzac Bridge and back into the city. Great little run and nice change of scenery as we covered bang on 10ks by the time we returned back just on 45 minutes averaging 4.31s

Yep, its been a tough old week beside the cold, my left hammy was giving me grief all week, shoulder/neck was playing up, and it took a trip to the acupuncture place to help me even see the week out. Shame really as I have put together some pretty solid training over the past 6 weeks or so and was looking forward to giving the Goldie a hit out in the half. I'm not too concerned about the missed week in training as I feel I won't lose much in that time its more how much the 'Timmy Flu' has knocked out of me?
Anyway it is what it is and its not going to stop a good weekend to come up the Coast.  A big team is heading north and as normal we'll have all the ding-dongs going on but I'm looking forward to the following 3.
1, How Marko Branagan will go in his first marathon? Will be a good battle with the Leech.
2. Seeing if Tommy H and C.T can last out later than 7pm before we order them both a taxi?
3. Seeing who is last man/lady standing? My hard earned is on Taffy Lad Jimmy Matthews.

Full report and photos to come early next week.
Until then, have a great weekend,
Stay safe and train/race well
Cheers

Great to be back out and typical to have Crossy have his trusty camera positioned at various points on the run - this time crossing over Anzac Bridge.

This is the place to be this Sunday - Party central. I've told Birchy and Tom to bring out $15 for the day, that should be enough to seem them through.

I see my old mate - Enda Stankard's many trips to Asia have paid off for him. Got a bit of clout these days it seems?

I have been a bit crook this week - one day you will listen to me.

Cheers

Monday Easy 10ks

Forced into the city to kick the week off due to missing my Sunday run yesterday. Decent little team out but I was happy enough to chat away to the Leech for much of the session as we meandered around the usual route. Hoey & his mate Yum Cha emerged around the half way mark so engaged with them around the wharfs and into Barangaroo.
Nothing really to get excited about, 10k in just over 45 minutes average for the day 4.37s
Cheers

Park Run St Peters 18.08 - 3rd

A rare Saturday morning off work that gave me a chance of fitting in a Park Run, wanted to head to Curly but Tommy H was not available so I tested myself locally on the 'Worlds Toughest' at nearby St Peters.
Lined up and didn't know anyone put with the gun just about to go Enda appears from out the bushes stinking of booze and looking as if he's just checked out of rehab after a big Friday night watching the Swans.
Bark my orders to him but fear he may not be any help in his condition and as the gun goes I just try to sit in with a decent group of 6. Boys then start to split and luckily Enda comes good as we go through 1k in about 3.25 and its here I was to just latch on for the remainder of the race. Struggled early as usual going up the hill despite putting in some good training recently but found I was able to recover and come down well that pleased me. Pick up a place along the way and then about 3k in we take 5th place guy. Its a bit of a slog after that with another steady climb and the self doubts creep in but know I'm travelling well as we take another scalp with 1k to go. Fair play to old mate Enda who can probably sense I'm battling and offers up plenty of encouragement as we run into the back of the slower runners as we complete the 2nd smaller lap. With less than 500m to go I get within striking distance of the lad in 3rd place who looks like he's carrying a piano on his back so put in one final effort so he can't come with me as both Enda and I go past. 
Coming into the home straight and Enda's work is done, still unsure whether he just collapses under the strain of alcohol  or kindly just steps aside to give me my moment of glory over him as I stop the watch in 18.08 to take 3rd overall with Enda a second back.
Happy enough with that and finally looks like some of the training is paying off, Would have been nice to break 18 but I'll take that on that course.
Splits were.3.25, 3.45, 3.37, 3.47, 3.27


Big afternoon / evening spent watching the Lions get beaten by the classy All Blacks, Happy to go into the break only 5 points down but a few errors that you can't afford to make against the Kiwis and it will always be punished and the game was pretty much gone by the 65th minute.
One down with two to play, its not looking good.
Had planned on a quiet day so I could do my Sunday long run, SADLY that wasn't to be, and when Taffy Jimmy Matthews is around its always dangerous as come midnight like the Lions I was never in the ball game.
Will have to back up now on Monday lunch to fit in a run to make up.

Cheers

Rushcutters 10 x 400m (rolling every 2 mins)

Stunning winters day in the city as we headed to Rushcutters with a big team that included regulars Laura, Enda, Jerome, Marko, Jac, Renee, Leech, 'Hardman' J.C, and man of the moment Barts (who then preceded to do his own thing)
10 x 400m is another favoured session although after two tough days wasn't sure what was left in the legs for the speedy set that lay ahead? Tucked in behind a single line that included Mikey L, Jerome and Boyd to roll around in 75 to get things underway. Held the same for the next 4 before the start line was moved forward some 5 metres that probably meant a second quicker for each rep thereafter.
Pace was solid and controlled throughout but after rep #8 thoughts were already on the last and in truth I backed off and just cruised #9 in order to smash out the tenth and final rep of the day.
Went out hard, and just tried to hang on to the talented Frenchman and somehow managed to do just that to stop the clock in 68 seconds. (although was nearly on all fours once crossing out)
Times.75, 74, 75, 74, 74, 73, 73, 72, 76, 68

Then enjoyed a warm down around the waters edge with Marko, Enda and Laura before Enda dropped the bombshell that he wont be joining us on Saturday night to watch the Mighty Lions tame the most arrogant All Blacks in the Union for the First Test.

Another solid session logged in, time for a rest day tomorrow and got myself a massage lined up.

Cheers

More Med/Long on Heartbreak Hill - 16ks

With regular midweek partner Tommy H away on another works O/S jolly to 'Honkers' I went up the list and called on current #3 and #6 - Hoey and Crossy Lad to help out (Tom's at 7 BTW) for the 16k trek out to Heartbreak and back.
Nice addition as well to have 'Warrior' Charlie D & 'Yum Cha' Wong have a trot out with us although neither got anywhere near the Hill before returning. Also in attendance were Marko Branagan and Promoter James from last week.
Nice easy pace out to O'Sullivan St then upped the anti with Hoey & Crossy sitting at 3.45s, before Hoey pushed on as I did my best to sit in with Crossy. Held till about half way but no real match for him but was happy enough to get to the top working at 4.06s overall (4.15 last week. 4.10 before that) with Marko just coming past me over the final 50 metres or so.
8Ks to the top before regrouping and it was a faster pace on the return as Crossy was fretting he'd not make it back to get his daily lunch orders out for his workers?
Not sure of the time or the overall pace as the watch packed in coming back through Rushcutters around the 14k marker.
Once more tired legs after backing up from yesterdays session but feeling loads stronger and 16ks doesn't seem that long these days.

400s planned for tomorrow, never easy but the positive is that its a quick session and all done within 20 minutes.

For the record, Got thinking about the current  HuRTs Top 10 for the first half of the year and come up with the following (especially after the weekends results)
1. Scotty O'Connor
2. Barts
3. Hoey
4. Quentin
5. C.T
6. Crossy Lad
7. Tommy H
8. Heyden
9. Micky L
10. Jerome

Cheers

Tuesday 3 x 2k Reps

A good 3k warm with Crossy Lad to meet the team down at Passenger Terminal for the tough 3 x 2k reps and after a nice chat with 'Queenlander' Muzza who informs me that he's recently moved to 'Banana Land' we were off.
Found myself in a great group that included The Branagan Brothers, Rich Large, Boyd, Mikey L, and new coach Simon Wozniacki as well as few others who I still don't know.
Happy with the first and rolled around with a 6.54 and the focus for the day was to try to get all 3 done under the 7 mins,  Really conscious to hold Rich on the return, which I managed although was working hard for the final 250m coming around the Park Hyatt Hotel.
The 3rd rep is usually where it comes crashing down but was still feeling OK and for the first time for many a while I was able to hold sub 3.30 pace
Times for the day 6.54, 6.55, 6.53
Happy with that, strange session mind as I felt I was moving well at times, not so later on but still able to hold a consistent pace that I usually struggle to do.
Who knows..... maybe just maybe I'm getting stronger ?

3ks warm down with Crossy, and a fit looking Kanser who was seen banging out his 800m reps (all done in 2.30s he tells me)  and 12k banked for the day.

Back out tomorrow on the hills of 'Heartbreak' for the midweek medium/long run.

cheers

Long Run - City to Surf 27ks

Decent team out at 6.30 with the Branagan Brothers, Rich Large, Enda back, Kanser, Neil, Laura, Jac and a few others as we cruised around for the first warm up 6k loop collecting Hoey along the way.
Once back at the café for 7am we picked up Leech and Jerome and decided prior that we would leave the park and head out onto the hills of City to Surf on a beaut of a morning. Enjoyed a good chat with Hoey (not before he nearly had me killed by a motorist) and then had to get the head down for the climb up Heartbreak. Once again tough enough but got over the top OK as we continued our way to our turnaround at Dover Heights.  Bid farewell to Enda and Large and with Hoey, Leech & Jerome already turning earlier it only left Jac, Neil and the Branagan Brothers for the long slog back.
Enjoyed the run back down the hills but had forgotten my gels and was feeling the effects by the time we had a water break at 'Redleaf'.
Dreaded the climb coming out of Double Bay , made even worse by then turning into Ocean Street and with 25ks already under my belt I was in the hurt box once more. Nice relief on re-entering the park and getting the downhill and I was pretty happy to get back to the café just as 27ks ticked over.
27ks in 2hr:06 minutes averaging 4.41s for the mornings work.
Happy with that especially with all the hills involved.

Enjoyed a post run coffee with Laura and the other girls who had hung around after waiting for us, and those Sunday afternoon beers will be a nice reward for another solid weeks training.

Rest day tomorrow, with only a swim to come, that's if I can coax Crossy Lad out from his warm office at lunch?

cheers