Post Run to the G training

I'm going to try and stick to a new training program to build a really solid base to go under 100 minutes hopefully in the Burnley half or Melbourne half. This is what it will look like

Monday - rest/cycling
Tuesday - Speedwork AM (about 10km total), Running club 3km PM
Wednesday - Rest/cycling/short run
Thursday - 4-8km
Friday - Running club 3km
Saturday - netball/cycling
Sunday - long run - starting at 10km and building up very gradually to a regular 16-20km
Total starting at 30km minimum and hopefully building up to about 45km, depending on how well my body recovers.

It's very hard to find time to go for bike rides, especially now when it gets dark so early. I might have school athletics training on Monday and Wednesday mornings next term which is on my rest days so it should be ok. I can always cut out running club on Tuesdays and Fridays (especially because it's often cancelled). I'm just going to try and stick to this plan for as long as possible. We actually have to design training programs in PE at the moment and I'm mainly just doing running and speedwork.

I bought a pair of aqua capri Skins for $70 and I got them today, they're very nice! I also bought a pair of Nike Free 5.0 for $85 and I can't wait for them to arrive!

Run to the G

I woke up at 5.40am yesterday morning to get ready for Run to the G. I was ready by 6am and had to wait till Karen picked me up at quarter past. We drove into the city and picked up Ally at the St Kilda Rd Police Station. Ally took ages to come out and I was getting really nervous. Fortunately they went away when Ally came out. We parked near the Shrine and walked to Fed Square. I had to pick up my number as they didn't send it out. But my name wasn't on the list. Luckily I printed out and brought with me my confirmed entry form. I picked up my bib, went for a quick whizz and found a pole to tie my jumper to. I lined up at the start between the 1.45 pace balloon and the under 1.50 sign. That was my realistic goal time - between 1.45 and 1.50. It took ages to start and I was reading the 7 news headlines (including Adelaide defeated Kangaroos!) above the Young and Jackson hotel. We finally started and it was a slow start for about 200m. I ran along the footpath which was pretty clear. I got into my rhythm easily and early. I didn't see a 1km split sign which really annoyed me as I like to know what time I do my first km in to know what pace I'm going at! I was very daunted by the long distance but I felt fine for most of the way. I thought doing two laps would kill me but when you know you have to do two laps it's not so bad. The 1.45 pacer was about 200-300m behind me for the first lap. There wasn't a drinks station until the 6km mark which surprised me. At the 8km mark my hips started to get sore which was slightly worrying. Although they were sore, they didn't get any worse. My km splits (the ones I saw) were about 1-1.30 minutes off 5km pace (eg the 8km would have been about 38.30) and I was hoping I could maintain that. If I couldn't maintain it then at least I had room to move with my times. When we passed by Fed Square for the 2nd lap I saw my mum and chucked my gloves at her which I had taken off at the 3km mark. I was still cruising comfortably for most of the second lap. I noticed that for the whole second lap I rarely saw any women, I was surrounded by men. By the 16km mark I was tiring and I could hear the 1.45 pacer behind me. I really didn't want him to overtake me because by that stage I was really hoping for sub 1.45. He overtook me at the 19km mark and that killed me. But I didn't try and keep up, I just stayed at my own pace (mostly coz I was getting very tired). The 1.45 pacer stopped at about the 20km mark because he must have been too far ahead. The last km killed me, especially when they had signs saying 500, then 400, then 300, 200, 100 metres to go. I managed a little sprint at the end but I was really buggered. Of course, I was overjoyed to see my time - 1.43.31. I had broken my PB by over 9 minutes!!! I managed to find Mum who had also found Ally and Mum took a photo of us together. Ally had done around 1.44 - I had beaten her!!!!!!!! Although she had run straight off a night shift. I was hoping to see Karen but I didn't - she came in at 1.54. I got my showbag and tried to find my Dad (Mum was doing the 10km walk). I was hoping to see a few people I knew doing the 10km but I didn't. I did see Christie Malthouse though (one of my heroes). I had to work at 12pm and that killed me.

I looked at the results today and I CAME FIRST IN MY AGE GROUP! And I was the 72nd woman! I thought I'd be about 200-300th in the women. Woohoo!

I don't want to be 17!

I have one year until I can no longer race as an under 18. Scary thinking about it!

Saturday off!

I had my first Saturday off netball since April and I had grand plans. I was looking forward to going to train with the girls from Richmond Harriers at the Tan. Unfortunately an unplanned late night meant I was way too exhausted. I read in the paper this morning that Ben Cousins was seen running the Tan yesterday morning!!!! I was going to go to my favourite class at the gym if I didn't go to Richmond training but I was too exhausted to get up in time for that too.

Later in the afternoon I left to go for a bike ride/run. I couldn't decide whether to go into the city to do the Tan or to ride along the Yarra and run to Fairfield boathouse. I eventually decided to go into the city and I'd come back along the Yarra if I had time. So I rode into the Tan and did a lap and a bit (about 4.5km). Then I rode into Port Melbourne and did another 4km there. After that I went for a walk along the beach and then rode home. I went straight home the quickest way because it was getting dark and I was so exhausted and hungry coz I'd been out for more than 3 hours. In total I did about 8km running and 40km riding.

Plenty of time for running in my week off

I've had almost the whole week off because it's exams week but I only had one exam. So on Monday I went for a run into the city with a running partner. We started in Kooyong and went along the bike path to the Tan, then did two laps of the Tan and back to Kooyong. It was about 18 or 19km. It was a beautiful day and a nice course. It was my last long run before the Run to the G half marathon and I felt really comfortable for most of the way.

I actually recovered from Monday really well so yesterday I rode into the Tan and did another run there. I did about 3 or 4km warm up, then I alternated between 500m in 2 minutes and 500m in 3 minutes so I ran fast, then jogged, then ran fast etc. The markings on the Tan are so handy! Surprisingly, I wasn't feeling any stiffness from Monday's run. I then ran over to Vodafone Arena and the MCG. I did a lap outside the G (get into the mood for Run to the G and Melbourne Marathon). Then I did some 'stairwork' on the steps outside Vodafone. I'd heard from a friend that they are a killer. However, I kinda had to make up how to make them a 'killer'. So I ran up and down them, ran to a nearby lightpole and then ran up them again which took about 45 seconds. I then walked down, back to the lightpole and back to the bottom of the stairs to do it again (75 seconds). I did this 5 times. It was fun but not really very hard. I guess you have to do them again and again. Afterwards, I ran back to my bike parked at the Tan and rode home. Altogether, I'd done about 11km and 25km on my bike. I wish I had the time to do that every week, it was really enjoyable. Unfortunately, especially this time of the year it's only possibly to run at the Tan during holidays.

I've been eagerly planning all my runs this week. I want to run to Fed Square (15km from my house along the bike path) tomorrow because I did the same time last year and it was the first time I'd run anything anywhere near that far. But I think I'll just go do the circuit class at the gym because I don't want to run too far in the lead up to Run to the G.

Exams

Exams are almost over. I quite enjoyed them and I wish we had them every term. Last Wednesday we got a whole day off for 'study day', however we had a PE SAC so I had to go to school for that. Then on Thursday I had English (boring) and Chemistry (easy). On Friday I had Maths Methods (easy) and GM* Maths (surprisingly easier than methods). So now I had today off, tomorrow off (although I have to go to my PE class period 1), Biology on Wednesday, and then Thursday and Friday off. So I just had to do 5 little exams and I get 7 days off school (plus birthday holiday next Monday).